Ask Precise Measures

[Raith Tarkin]

A single Upsilon-class shuttle knifed through the rough upper atmosphere of Belsavis and settled into the landing pad set aside for it on the east side of the main prison campus. Raith Tarkin made sure his uniform was neat and without wrinkle, his code cylinders in place, and his rank plate straightened by the time he stepped off the shuttle. He looked like an ordinary officer of the Imperial military save for the lightsaber dangling at his belt. In reality, he was neither military nor Sith. He was something both feared. An agent of the Imperial Security Bureau.

An armed retinue of guards was there to meet him when he stepped onto the platform. This had to be the Imperial Detention Forces he had heard so much about. A new branch of Imperial law enforcement. But none were above the ISB. None ever were. "State your name and business," one of the masked detention officers said. Clearly, the mistress of this prison had failed to inform them of his arrival.

"I am Lieutenant Raith Tarkin of the Imperial Peacekeepers," Tarkin replied. "I am told there is a former Jedi staying here on this premisses at the behest of your Mistress. Asher Windrider, I believe his name was."

The men glanced at each other, clearly recognizing the name, and then the one who had spoken to him before spoke again. "He's up at the keep," the soldier said, nodding up the hill towards the giant Sith castle looming over the campus. "Doesn't come down much."

"He will today," said Tarkin plainly. "Send for him, would you? And set aside some place private for us to speak."

Again the duo looked at one another with what Tarkin could only suspect was bewilderment beneath their masks. They clearly only took orders from their Lady. Still, if they were smart they knew who he was and who he served. They would be fools to deny his request. So, while they left to attend that matter, he selected a small interview room just inside the main facility and waited for the ex-Jedi there. @Taz

 

[Asher]

Asher had been training in hand to hand combat with a couple of his men he now commonly took with him on missions. Including one particular Sergeant who practically saved his life on New Alderaan. The half-Sephi believed and understood that training with these men built loyalty in such men. As well as made more capable soldiers.

The Sith Champion was practicing a hip throw with one of the men when he felt withe arrival of another near by. It was not his Mistress, nor her students. They were all busy off world. Asher would help the man back to his feet, "I think that is our time for today." He said flatly, before walking over to his utility belt hanging from a chair in the corner of the room.

Moments later one of the guards arrived. "Sir, a Lt. Tarkin of the ISB had requested to speak with you. He is awaiting your arrival in the lower facility." Said the detention guard, Waiting long enough to get a nod from Asher before turning and returning to his post near the landing pad.

Rather then make his officer wait, the half-Sephi decided to proceed directly to this...meeting. He recalled the name Tarkin from his teachings as a youngling in the Jedi academy. That Tarkin, was a snake, but one loyal to Darth Sidious. Asher was still in his gym clothes, with his belt and saber on his hip. He never went anywhere without Vex's gift. It was as much a part of him now as the arm that wielded it.

The former Jedi arrived at the room and opened the door to see a crisp uniformed ghoulish looking figure sitting at the interview table in the center of the room, upright and ridged, as if her were molded from the very same metal as the table.

Asher entered and closed the door behind him, before facing the man once again. "Lt. Tarkin, I presume? I'm Asher Windrider." The half-Sephi said,

 

[Raith Tarkin]

As the man he had come to see entered the interview room, Tarkin sized him up. He was half-Sephi: a rather increasingly common demonym in the galaxy as of late. And he was punctual, which meant he had no reason to suspect this meeting would go poorly for him. Maybe it wouldn't after all. Still, Tarkin had come to do a job, and he would do it well.

He stood on the opposite side of the room, hands neatly folded behind his back, watching Asher with a hawkish gaze. "Oh, I know who you are," Tarkin said, ignoring the former Jedi's initial question. He reached into his uniform and retrieved a phone, on the screen of which was one of Asher's many files. "Your mistress has been working on going through the files of the prisoners she inherited when she captured this world for the Empire last year. I have reviewed some of these files, including your own."

Tarkin placed the phone down on the table between them and tapped the screen twice. A hologram immediately sprang above it. With a gentle wave of his hand, Tarkin dimmed the lights in the room through the Force so that Asher could more easily see the information. "You were once a Jedi," he said plainly. "Which is why I am here. My division of the Imperial Security Bureau is tasked with ensuring internal loyalty. Jedi converts are not uncommon to the Sith, but neither are Jedi spies pretending to be converts." Tarkin scanned Asher's face for any reaction. He was deliberately provocative during these proceedings. He found it revealed much. "If you are not in the latter category, you have nothing to fear from this interview. I'll even start with an easy question. Your mistress indicates that you converted because of misgivings you had with some former Jedi comrades. I would like to know what those misgivings were and how you came to be in this prison."

Tarkin took the opportunity to seat himself. He didn't anticipate and exceedingly long interview, but he wanted a place where he could take notes comfortably. This former Jedi's records had a lot of holes in it. At the very least, he would complete the records and affirm this man as an official citizen of the Empire. If he passed a smell test. @Taz

 

[Asher]

Asher stood, raising an eyebrow to the "knowing him" comment. But otherwise didn't budge from his stance. For the moment he embraced his Sephi side, giving the Imperial stranger nothing as he expressed his interest and how he had gone through Vex's files.

The half-Sephi watched, and then listened. Letting the ghoulish looking human continue. While he did not know who the man was before he started to reveal his intentions just then, he could feel him in the force. A predator circling another predator. Finally, he asked a question.

Asher breathed in a sigh from his nose and exhaled the same. Then sat down in the chair across from the other Sith. "I was freed by the Vex, and she revealed the truth of the Jedi's betrayal. How hypocritical they have become. It is that revelation, that and rotting in a cell for nothing, that changed me." The half-Sephi spoke before visibly having to think back to his capture. It had been so long.

Like it had when Vex had returned his will to connect to the force, to the dark side. The memories flooded him suddenly. "We were on our way to a training mission when we got the call. Sith cultists were attacking a prison, to get back a Knight of Ren or something. I was a Padawan, awaiting my Knight trials, most of the others were kids." Asher explained as the bits and pieces came back to him. "As our ship came into atmo near the prison, we were hit, It was unexpected, no other craft were in the air at the time. Suddenly we were in free fall, plunging to our death. A day or so later, I woke up to this charming place."

@Mockingjay