Ask Fruits Of Our Labor

[Darth Tempest]

For weeks, Tempest had worked from the solitude of Fortress Vader, laying the foundations for her covert mission to Tanaab. It was not so long ago that the Sith Order would’ve lacked the resources necessary to carry out such a large-scale operation, but months of diligence had begun to finally pay off. Members of their Order had worked to acquire hidden assets across the Galaxy - filling their coffers and allowing the Dark Lord to escalate the scale of their operations.

All the while, Tempest continued to receive reports from across the Galaxy - the majority seeming to detail the questionable actions of her followers. The recent killing spree within the Corporate Sector threatened to expose their Order to Galactic scrutiny, and the offending parties had already received orders to return to Mustafar to await punishment. However, it was not their penance that Tempest lingered upon.

Rather, it was the actions of Azar Kresh that had captured the Dark Lord’s attention.

His involvement on Zygerria - serving to not only avert the crisis caused by his colleagues, but further cement Sith control over the entire Slave Empire - had pleased the Dark Lord beyond measure. It demonstrated a skill and finesse that was in short supply amongst their Order, and only validated the potential that Tempest had previously seen within the Pureblood Champion. And it was for precisely that reason that he had been chosen to accompany her for their current, sensitive mission.

But it was not the Dark Lord who greeted Azar upon arrival to Mustafar.

Instead, the Pureblood would find nothing short of the finest treatment waiting for him. A small army of attendants and droids ushered the Champion inside, guiding him towards the luxurious quarters and comfortable robes that had been allocated. Sunken baths - scented with fresh herbs and perfumed - were freshly drawn for the Champion, allowing him to completely relax after his journey. Tables were filled to their limit with expensive food and wine, to indulge upon until Azar had his fill.

It was clear that the Dark Lord was pleased with his recent accomplishments, and it was only a taste of what she had to offer those who proved themselves valuable.

It was only after several hours - enough time for Azar to truly unwind and relax - that Tempest beckoned the Pureblood to join her within the Fortress. Abandoning her throne room for the evening, Tempest opted to greet her guest within the expansive library that had been carved into the lowest levels of Fortress Vader, closest to the caves and Dark Side locus that had originally drawn the Sith to the planet.

Each and every wall was lined with rows of books and ancient texts, holocrons and scrolls from a bygone age, alongside pierces of art that decorated the corridors in between. Sith chalices burned with Korribani incense at the corners of the main chamber, casting wisps of fragrant smoke high into the air. Much of it had been expanded during the reign of Darth Veles, and Tempest had no qualms with claiming the collection for her own.

Amongst the towering bookshelves and burning chalices, Azar would find Tempest with her back turned to the entrance - both hands knitted against the small of her back. The Dark Lord kept her gaze fixated upon a handful of books spread across a table, written in the very same text Azar had been born to.

“I trust you’ve found accommodations to be suitable?”

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar was surprised at the welcome he received upon arrival. His instinct was to be suspicious, but after Zorya’s exile and the other Masters scattering in their own way, he doubted Tempest would go through all this trouble to kill him. So he indulged himself, disrobing and easing into one of the baths. He called over the attendants to massage his shoulders, neck, and scalp while he relaxed. He even nursed a wine while he soaked and eased his muscles.

By the time he joined the Dark Lord later, he was adorned in complex robes that were fitting of his role as a Sith aligned to alchemy and the arcane more than direct combat. He smelled of oils and perfumes, hinting that he had very much taken her up on the services she had arranged for him.

The pureblood knelt respectfully in greeting, rising when he was bid to do so, “My Lady, you honor me with the luxuries provided upon my arrival,” He said genuinely. He had been practicing that line in Basic, his accent still lacing it. His yellow gaze roamed over the books across from her, reading the titles and descriptions at once.

“And you flatter me with such a selection,” He said, unafraid of a little boldness as his fingers traced along the spine of a few of the books, “Their existence here in my presence is no accident,” He said with a knowing smile as he turned to regard the Dark Lord.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Tempest didn’t immediately address the arrival of Azar, though her sensitive hearing practically guaranteed that she picked up on every footstep as he descended the obsidian steps to join her within the library. Even as the Pureblood dipped low behind her, the Dark Lord kept her attention upon the text she had selected hours prior - gloved fingers stretching outwards to draw across the yellowed pieces of parchment, tracing each crimson hieroglyph until she reached the very end of the page.

It was only then that the Dark Lord turned to address the Champion that knelt behind her - gesturing him back to his feet with a simple twitch of her fingertips. The scent of perfumed oil and freshly-pressed robes were unsurprising evidence of the Purebloods previous indulgences, even before the practiced words of gratitude passed from his lips.

Rather, it was the last thing that the Pureblood said that captured her attention. Tempest tilted her head towards him ever-so-slightly, whilst her fingers curled around the spine of the very same text she had been reading from. The tomb was snapped shut with a gentle thud, lifting it from the table where it had previously been displayed.

Ra, oi tuti nindz. She said, mechanized words uttered in the very same language that Azar had spoken since birth. It was hardly the accent of a native speaker, but it was clear that the Dark Lord had dedicated years of practice and study to its fluency.

“A sample of what continued victory will bring.” The Dark Lord extended the very same tomb towards Azar, allowing him to examine the text however he pleased. The Pureblood would immediately recognize it was one that dated to the age of Leviticus, having been looted from the Cathedral on Prakith after battling the rogue Sith.

“I understand you employed poison in order to bring the Zygerrian monarch into submission,” She continued right along to the topic that ultimately prompted Azar’s summons to Mustafar. “The same you used on Anoth, I presume. Of your own making?”

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar could hardly take his eyes off the books and tomes. They were all books he wanted to devour and study to his heart’s content. In those pages lay the ticket to countering entities like Raze. He began to wonder if it would be possible to obtain knowledge of the Dathomiri arts that Raze also embodied. Azar was distracted from his thoughts when Tempest spoke his language, the effort drawing a smile to his lips.

He accepted the tome and began to flip through the pages, his eyes widening as they marveled at the content. Azar politely closed it and turned to regard the Dark Lord when she posed her question, “The very same,” He said quietly, “The planet is yours and the Queen is a puppet,” He stated. He drew out a small trinket and Tempest would recognize it as a tiara - one belonging to the Zygerrian queen, “A gift,” He said as he handed it over, “For a Queen,” He gave a half smirk, “But also equipped to alter your appearance to hers should you wish to campaign and create…more Zygerrias,” He trailed off ominously. He did not consider things in terms of individual planets, no, he thought of clusters of planets and entire empires.

With the formalities out of the way, he turned to face her, “With all this luxury, I think I have a big, dangerous assignment coming from you,” He said with a knowing smile.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Tempest couldn’t help the smirk that began to spread across her expression - tugging her lips wide beneath the imposing mask that she wore. For years, the Sith had operated from the darkest corners of the Galaxy, quietly manipulating resources and assets to their benefit. But what Azar had accomplished on Zygerria - bringing its monarchy completely under Sith control - opened the way for something else entirely. The Zygerrian held historical claims to dozens of systems across the Outer Rim - and a culture that idolized its glorious past.

With the proper resources and support, Tempest had the mechanisms to carve an Empire out amongst the stars once more.

Her fingers curled around the tiara - brushing her thumb across an opal set into the center of the headpiece. “You impress me,” She said with a mechanized hum, genuine praise audible in her voice. The Dark Lord was pleased, and everything that Azar brought to the table served to increase her confidence in what came next.

“It will be put to good use,” Tempest said - handing the trinket off to a nearby, attending droid. It would be brought to her personal quarters and stored appropriately, until the time came to expand Zygerrian space.

She nodded simply when Azar spoke next - quickly changing to the purpose for his visit. He wasn’t wrong in his assumption. “You are familiar with the TAC, I presume?” She said, pacing away from the table where she’d previously been perched. Her fingers drifted across the obsidian surface before knitting together at the small of her back. “The Tanaab Agroecological Cooperative represents one of the largest Agricultural distributors in the known Galaxy. Fruits, vegetables and grains from its spaceports feed trillions of sentient lives from the Core Worlds to the Outer Rim.”

Tempest turned towards the Pureblood. “The wealthiest Aristocrat on Alsakan, to the poorest slave on Tatooine.” They were an organization trusted by the Galaxy. Relied upon by the Galaxy. “It only takes the slightest touch to sow distrust into such institutions - just as it was with the Empire. And the time has come to stoke those fears once again.”

“You will accompany me to Tanaab to infiltrate their primary distribution center.” She said, tilting her head ever-so-slightly. “And you will be given all the resources necessary to brew a poison to distribute into their supply chain. Potent enough to taint dozens of outgoing shipments of produce and grain.” Only then would Azar begin to understand the purpose of his summons. In a single move, the Dark Lord could strike out against multiple worlds at once, reaching millions without risking any Sith asset in the process.

"People will panic. And trust in the TAC will evaporate instantenously."

'

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar only gave a polite nod when Tempest complimented him. He shook his head when asked about TAC - he wasn’t going to pretend to know about a topic he had no clue on. Fortunately, she proceeded to explain it and it became abundantly clear why she chose him specifically for the task. Azar wasn’t entirely sure what the big benefit would be to the Sith for such an attack - was it a show of strength? Was it to sow chaos and panic and build on that image of the Sith having far more reach than they actually did? Azar wasn’t going to ask anything aloud and risk Tempest thinking he questioned her thought process.

“It would be an honor to work with you, my lord,” Azar said smoothly. He was surprised she wanted to join him, but he could understand getting bored waiting in the background all the time. Based on what he learned about her, she was generally far more hands on and the type to lead from the front.

“You sit on a throne hovering over a lake of fire, but you do so admirably,” He said with a smile. She had single handedly navigated an incredibly tough situation with difficult personalities and self-serving individuals. And she managed to bring them under one Order. It was a feat no one of his own kind had managed back on Korriban for decades, so he found it impressive.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

“Good,” Tempest said with a mechanized hum. There was no mistaking the satisfaction that laced her words. The Dark Lord had been careful to lay the groundwork for their operations on Tanaab, and the cooperation of her Potionsmaster would bring her plans to fruition. Yet another effort to expand Sith influence throughout the Galaxy, without its inhabitants having the slightest idea what they were up against. Whether he understood its purpose in the moment wasn’t necessary. He would, before they were finished.

The Dark Lord jutted her chin - gesturing for Azar to follow as she strolled deeper into the library. “You will be given whatever resources necessary to create your poison. With expediency.” She added. In truth, Tempest doubted that the Pureblood would need the additional support or resources after his performance on Anoth. Even still - it was clear that the Dark Lord was prepared to do whatever necessary to achieve results quickly.

Tempest couldn’t help but tilt her head ever-so-slightly, a smile creasing her features. Vahliri Kahtal certainly wasn’t immune to flattery - quite the opposite - and that fact hadn’t changed despite the mantle she had claimed for herself. Whether the sentiment was spoken genuinely or for the sake of flattery mattered little to her. "You flatter me, Champion Kreshh."

“Evolution is survival. Such is our way,” She said after a long moment, continuing after a moment of silence. The Order under her rule had transformed itself completely - forced to reinvent itself after expulsion from the Empire. Gone were the days of open attacks against the Galaxy. Gone were the days of endless resources to throw into foolish conflicts. “Adapt from the old ways, or die with them.” The Dark Lord said simply. She wasn’t blind to the meaning they would have for the young Kressh - Pureblood of a lineage older than Andraste. For centuries, the tribes of Korriban had fought and bled amongst each other, fueling their own rivalries. Condemning any hope of unified rule.

Whether he took the lesson to heart was entirely incumbent upon Azar.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

The Dark Lord was a curious enigma. She was guarded behind the mask and he stared at it for a moment, “Why do you hide?” He asked bluntly, “You are the Dark Lord,” Azar said, “Let them know your face,” Azar and his traditions didn’t believe so much in masks when they ascended to the top. If he ever claimed the crown, Azar knew he would never hide his face.

“There is power in a face, my lady,” He said with a smirk as he walked past her to collect a few more books. He bowed deeply then, “I shall accompany you when he disembark. I thank you for the hospitality.”

–​

The rest of the journey was uneventful and Azar had to remind himself that the Dark Lord was just a few feet away. He prepared some potions and concoctions during the downtime, well prepared for their mission. Nevertheless, the idea of support being offered if he needed it was reassuring. His mind lingered on what she said - adapt from the old ways or die with them. Either she could guess at his ambitions, or it was simply speaking to her own trials to get where she was today. Was she passionate about her Sith Order?

Azar was adorned in civilian clothing for this job, posing again as a zeltron scientific botanist. The galaxy was hilariously ignorant of his race, and that suited him just fine. He had a small assortment of Sith knives and poisons in his arsenal. Otherwise he positioned himself for plausible deniability.

He strode down the ramp with the Dark Lord. Azar walked behind her at first, but at some point fell into step next to her. If she hinted this was unacceptable, he would step back. However, he had to test his boundaries to discern where he stood with the woman.

“What I have prepared will take approximately 15 minutes to act,” He explained as they walked, “I need unhindered access and a few minutes to deploy the toxin,” Azar pondered for a moment, “Could we secure a tour of the facilities?” He asked, having no clue such a suggestion would likely trigger Tempest on account of the Manaan fiasco. However, she was in far more intelligent company this time.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Tempest paused when Azar spoke - considering every word that echoed past the Pureblood’s lips. It was a proud and unabashed point of view, unsurprising from the Champion’s background and one that Vahliri Kahtal had embraced for years. As an Acolyte and Champion, the half-Annfyn had frequently refused to cover her features during missions - allowing her enemies to recognize her face and everything she was capable of.

The years, still, had taught her the value of discretion. It was one lesson that Vahliri had taken to heart from Raze on Manaan - an unpredictably and mystery that she admired from her predecessor. Bringing the entire Galaxy to heel without them ever expecting his true nature. To fool trillions, and walk freely amongst them. There was power in her face. And it was a weapon that Tempest played close to her chest, deliberately, like all others.

“Good day, Champion Kressh.” She said with a smooth hum, offering no further response before turning on a heel to leave Azar to his studies.

--​

Hours passed before the shuttle lurched from the blur of Hyperspace - coming to a gentle descent into the atmosphere of Tanaab. Tempest had spent the journey within her own quarters, consumed with her own studies and preparing for the mission ahead of them. The tiara of the Zygerrian Queen opened a plethora of new opportunities, and the Dark Lord was already prepared to expand the new Empire that had been so graciously handed to her on a silver platter.

By the time the ramp extended down to meet the surface of Tanaab, Tempest had changed into civilian attire - adorned in an airy, tan dress fit for the climate. A veil was used to cover the lower hemisphere of her face, leaving only the amber of her eyes visible.

She made no attempt to protest Azar moving alongside her. The Pureblood was intelligent enough to keep from walking ahead, and any usual displays of subservience had little play in a civilian setting.

Her eyes narrowed at the plan that Azar suggested - though it was the very same that Tempest knew necessary, despite failures on Manaan. Fortunately, Tempest was far more convinced of Azar’s intelligence than a failed excuse for Sith, and an intelligence director best known for fucking off two weeks into the job.

“The Niash Corporation - based off of Tattooine - specializes in mining and mineral refinement. I have it under good authority that they’ve begun negotiations with TAC to produce and sell fertilizers to these facilities.” She said simply. The corporation was one born from Tempest’s own scheming, and a complete monopoly of Sillicax mining - courtesy of negotiations with Preef - had earned the Sith a small fortune in a matter of months.

By now, they were large enough to send representatives without raising suspicion. The fact that Tempest controlled the company wasn't information she opted to share.

“Do not embellish more than is necessary.” She said simply. “Come, Dario.” She said with a small wave of her hand - assigning his name for the mission and gesturing past the spaceport and towards the imposing distribution center that dominated the Tanaabian skyline.

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Dario. Not too bad. He would have protested if it was something like a Kevin.

Azar was curious about her choice of attire, gazing upon her eyes for the first time. They weren’t yellow, though he knew it was a conscious effort to keep them from displaying as much. She was human after all, just as Andraste had been. He wondered if the Sith were always fated to human subjugation, his thoughts wandering back to his plans for Korriban.

The two made their way over to the distribution facility and were met by two humans that gazed between the two.

“Welcome!” The male said cheerfully, “I believe you are here for a tour of the facilities?” He asked as he turned to begin the tour, “With the collapse of the Republic and the Alliance, there have been some disruptions to our distribution. However, we’re quickly working to rectify the situation,” The man explained as they walked past biodomes of various farms and agriculture, “We have been working in concert with GHO and ISCRA to assist refugees caught up in the Core wars,” He turned and beamed at them, “Exciting news that Raze is dead, no?”

Azar’s mind was on ISCRA. If they were to do this, it had to solely look like a Tanaab problem. If ISC started sniffing around too much, the Sith wouldn’t survive that kind of blowback, “Why have you chosen to stay neutral instead of joining the ISC if you have such close ties with ISCRA?”

The man chuckled, “Oh, Tanaab prides itself in its autonomy. We were the same during the Alliance. ISCRA is a business partner, nothing more. We have no formal ties to the government and they hold no influence or involvement in our operations. ISCRA simply helps distribute - same as GHO.”

Good. If the two had been tangled more than that, this could get dicey.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Initially, Tempest allowed Azar to lead the conversation with the pair of TAC Representatives - carefully pondering every word exchanged between the trio. Particularly, as the topic turned towards the Consortium and their involvement with Tanaab.

There were few being in the Galaxy that made the Dark Lord of the Sith genuinely nervous, but Emryc Thorne was most certainly one of them. She wasn’t arrogant enough to risk entanglement with ISCRA, least of all after the fiasco that occurred on Manaan. It needed to look like an isolated incident, originating within the very halls that they were guided through. Seeds of doubt needed only be sown in Tanaabian soil, in order to bear fruit.

“And agricultural deals with Consortium worlds? Does the government have no influence over these operations?” For years, TAC had been allowed to make exclusive deals with agricultural producers on Lahsbane and Lok. Tempest finally added her voice to the discourse - amber eyes tilting towards one of the men. Though her features here were hidden, there was no mistaking the hints of skepticism that laced her words. “Our benefactor prides herself upon the neutrality provided by the Outer Rim.”

This time, the second man spoke up. “It is true that Tanaab has worked to establish agricultural production on Consortium worlds - but these are merely investments of sorts. We have helped to build the infrastructure, and receive produce at a discounted price - passing through the same customs and inspection as any foreign import. Business and nothing more.” He said.

Tempest nodded ever-so-slightly, her lips tugging upwards a hint. They needed to ensure that the Consortium couldn’t be blamed for diseased or tainted crops, and the customs process on Tanaab offered an additional barrier against such allegations.

“I am pleased to hear it. In that case, Niash corporation is prepared to begin large scale shipments of Silicax-based fertilizers to Acro-domes at the discussed rate,” She continued, “With a projected 12% increase in agricultural yield by next harvest, I would add.”

“If you’d be so kind - we’d be particularly interested in reviewing the irrigation network employed here on Tanaab, so that we might discuss seamless integration of our product.”

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar listened as Tempest spoke on behalf of Niash, impressed as she talked about fertilizers and farming. He would never guess she wasn’t an agriculture enthusiast even outside of this. Maybe she just had someone in her life that rambled about farming nonstop…

The Pureblood fell into step with the others, taking the cue Tempest provided. She would keep them hooked with her ramblings while he pretended to browse and deliver the poison. They were led to the irrigation networks and Azar studied the various structures right away. At some point during the tour, he excused himself to visit the restroom.

Azar pretended to get lost, wandering his way over to the giant mixer right before the materials got rolled out into the conveyor belt before getting crushed into the final product. He rapidly worked to mix his serum, activating the chemicals. He managed to nab a hardhat off a shelf to look like he at least belonged there, making his concoction.

After the allotted time, it was finished and he used the Force to float it over and drop it right into the mixer vat.

Meanwhile, Tempest would be subjected to endless talk of agriculture and boring nuances she didn’t care about, “-And just the virility of Nabooian bantha manure is without comparison. We have been trying to recreate it in a lab for so long.”

Tempest would see Azar emerge after a while, simply giving her a curt nod to signal that the deed was done.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

In truth, even Tempest was surprised by her subconscious agricultural knowledge. Countless times in the past, the half-Annfyn had listened to Altair talk endlessly about farming techniques, produce and supplements. It was information the Dark Lord didn’t realize she retained until that moment, previously only indulging the conversation out of love for the Tiefling and his passions. It was a realization that dawned upon her on the midst of questioning the crop rotations employed by the TAC, and made her all the more appreciative of her partner than before. A reminder that it had been entirely too long since they’d seen each other.

“Then you will be amazed by the results of our product.” She said with a practiced smile. The half-Annfyn handed a datapad to the man, listing several factors and production increased from other harvests. Numbers that had been carefully fabricated.

It wasn’t until Azar re-emerged - and after Tempest had intendly inspected the irrigation system that networked through the station and crop fields - that she finally turned to the man fully. “I will give you and your colleagues an opportunity to consider the offer before you. I believe Niash products will revolutionize business being done on Tanaab.”

Tempest knew the impact the poison would have. It would only affect a handful of shipments across several planets - but it would be enough. It would be the death of thousands, and it would cast their entire operation into chaos. Investors would flee en mass and stocks would plummet. Faith in their reputation would vanish. And the Sith would be prepared to utilize the vast capital now at their disposal without anyone the wiser.

Her attention flicked to Azar. “Unless my colleague has any questions?” She arched a brow. “I believe our time here has come to its conclusion."