Proof of the Lie

[Elijah Brockway]

"Feel free to return to the ship, Lieutenant Bratthu. I'll call you back down shortly."

The pilot next to Tel nodded wordlessly - he spoke very little, ever since the crash that cost him his jaw. He'd once mentioned that he wasn't fond of the artificial voice his prosthetic gave him. Tel quickly unbuckled himself from his seat - newly upholstered, since Tel's last guest had decided to violate it in much the same way he'd violated the Imperator - and walked towards the landing ramp from his personal shuttle, giving a nod to his droid as he walked out. Behind him, the exit ramp retracted and closed, while the shuttle's repulsorlifts brought it quietly off the ground and exited the hangar bay...before the main engine kicked in and, with a loud blast, the ship almost instantly broke the sound barrier and zoomed off back towards its parent vessel.

Tel began walking again, towards the main wing of the Sith's on-planet headquarters; given that he was quiet early, however, his walk was a fairly leisurely stroll, one of the few moments Tel had where he could just relax and breathe. As he did so, he looked over the war-torn landscape of the planet from outside the . While rebuilding efforts had obviously been met with success, the signs of battle, blaster scoring and the marks left from large fires, would not be removed easily. The landscape beyond the small complex looked even worse for wear, with some large craters from bombing runs left in it, the soil dry and parched, no plantlife to be seen, and the volcanism common to the area seemed to have increased in strength and frequency.

Saleucami had burned; it had become a symbol of the Sith's power, with their rule being built up from the embers left behind in their subjugation of the world. Saleucami had tried to remain peaceful and neutral.

Peace is a lie, the aging general thought. And this world shows it.

He started walking at a greater pace, entering into the main building that was Darth Malon's seat of command. The new Dark Lord of the Sith, having defeated the previous Dark Lord mere days beforehand, had requested Tel for an audience, in order to discuss matters of some import to the war effort. While Tel wasn't entirely surprised he had been requested - Malon's career already carried many similarities to Tel's own, and he seemed just as pragmatic a character - he was certainly interested. Especially after witnessing the young Darth's battle. There is only passion. Malon had shown that, too.

As he walked through, he observed the fortress's halls around him, even as he was closely watched by numerous of Malon's personal troops, one of the Darth's cultists leading him along. Although it was primarily divided up amongst living quarters and service rooms, this area was also used for entertaining any guests Malon might receive; that much was evident from the small amount of artwork that could be found lining the walls, the furniture that had obviously been designed for comfort rather than mere utilitarianism, small details such as those.

But it still bore all the signs of a military installation, as well; Tel's guess was that the outer walls themselves were more than three meters thick, and the entire floor plan was based along a logical grid, with no odd twists and turns that could be found in some of the more...artistic buildings various high-ranking Sith preferred to inhabit. One of Malon's passions was obviously the study and conduct of war, based on his history and his abode. Something he and Tel shared.

Through passion, I gain strength. Malon was obviously a highly proficient combatant, as was Tel himself; be it hand to hand or in the command of large armies. Malon was one of the few Dark Lords they'd recently had that Tel could respect. His views towards their initial leader in the conflict, as well as his immediate successor, were distinctly negative; towards Darth Sigrun, he felt rather neutral, and towards Darth Solum/Vanus, he found himself leaning in the negative again. She had done rather little and showcased a lack of ability to control the Moff council alone, let alone any others; meanwhile, Darth Venator and now Darth Malon were proven Sith in battle, able to conduct themselves with propriety, able to maintain their command of any situation, carrying themselves with the confidence expected of them, and both cognizant of and capable of fulfilling the military duties they had, rather than focusing solely on the esoteric.

Through strength, I gain power. Tel had moved rapidly from an average Sith, to the commander of a few small detachments, to a ground general, to a grand general in command of numerous ground armies in his time; soon after that, he was given the title of Immortal as well as the position of Moff, ruling the planet his family's ancestors were descended from, and still in command of a sizeable military division. Malon, meanwhile, had been in much the same position, though now his power extended over the entire Sith Order, for so long as he could control it.

Through power, I gain victory. Malon had subjugated worlds in his time. Tel Ahren had as well. At the peak of his career, Tel's efforts had been spent bringing the entirety of the Tion Hegemony under Sith control, a feat he had accomplished in almost record time. Malon, meanwhile, had managed to supplant the Dark Lady of the Sith herself, and now held her title as his own; and the both of them still had further they could climb, should they devote themselves to it.

Through victory, my chains are broken. Malon was no longer subservient to anybody but the Emperor alone. Tel had long since cast off the chains of military hierarchy when he reached the top of that hierarchy, as much as he could have done at the time. The Force shall free me. And yet, for all their efforts, neither was truly free yet.

The cultist that had guided Tel throughout the fortress brought him to a stop in a small waiting room, explaining that Malon would arrive shortly for the meeting. Tel gave the man a brief nod in recognition before the cultist left to attend to other matters, leaving the general to his musings.

Out of all of us, I think this young man is the closest yet to fulfilling our code. A fact that made him both a dangerous enemy and a powerful ally. As always, within the Sith, Tel would have to keep his wits about him - something that made dealing with the average stormtroopers a much less stressful course of action, though also with much less potential gain. Given the similarities between them, however - as well as Tel's long-since-proven record - he had no doubt that he and Malon would get on as perfectly swimmingly as Sith were capable of.

@Malon

 

[Malon]

Darth Malon was in his personal quarters, preparing for his meeting with Moff Ahren, when he received a notice from one of his attendants that the Moff had arrived ahead of schedule. Early, he supposed, was better than late—much better, considering Malon's mood tended to worsen when one was late. But, then, the Moff had a military background and so earliness and punctuality were simply part of the man's routine.

The Dark Lord of the Sith was still settling into his new position atop the Sith Order. It had been mere days since he vanquished Darth Vanus, and much work had gone into the transition in the time since. For instance, he planned to move his public headquarters to Taleucema, the capital of the planet, in a move to take more direct control over the world he had ruled for nearly six standard years. This one, of course, would remain as his personal retreat—his fortress and safe haven, a place to meditate and plan; and while he would rather be working on such menial tasks at the moment, the Dark Lord had other business to attend to.

His decision to summon Moff Ahren was not social. There were matters to be discussed. The expansion of the Empire, and the Sith Lord sought the Moff's counsel on matters regarding planetary defense grids—an area of expertise particularly monitored by the Moffs. Ahren was among the most experienced on the Moff Council and, during Malon's time as the Grand Moff, he had come to respect the man's judgement in matters of the military. When it came to Sith matters, on the other hand, Malon was not the fool Darth Vanus had been.

Trust was non-existent; everything was scrutinized.

And yet, Malon could not just lock himself away within the safety of his fortress. Being the Dark Lord of the Sith meant embodying the power in which all Sith craved. The Sith had learned that the dark side of the Force, and skills with a lightsaber, were parts of that power—pieces of a much larger puzzle he aimed to quickly assemble in order that he might have the complete picture. Yes, power also meant that one had to establish allies: a power base. With a power base, there was insurance — security — stability. All of which the Empire, and the Sith in general, needed now, in this most critical hour for the galaxy.

So, Malon allowed himself to play the game of politics. If he found Moff Ahren as agreeable in private as he had while he was a member of the Moff Council, then both parties stood to gain something from this encounter.

His preparations finished, Malon stepped out of his personal quarters and onto his own private turbolift. He was dressed in his full armor—a rarity in his abode. None on the Moff Council had seen him outside of his grotesque suit. Only one alive, outside of those within the very walls of his fortress, had seen him in his natural state: Darth Cain. The only other to have seen him outside of it was Vanus, and it was a secret she took to her grave. He felt it necessary to come armored to official meetings. His armor was part of his public face. To the others in the Empire, the armor was Malon. It was a creature, infested with dark power, and not a human man who simply wore Sith armor.

The turbolift came to a jolting halt; the signal he had reached his audience chamber. He stepped out of the lift and into the short and narrow adjoining hall, which led to a pair of massive durasteel blast doors. The doors separated as he approached, spilling exhaust steam into the audience chamber along the floors. Malon followed it into the chamber with long strides and measured steps, his armorweave cape fluttering behind him.

When at last he was within speaking distance of the Moff, who waited for him at the other end of the chamber, Malon came to a stop.

"Moff Ahren," Darth Malon said in a dreadfully mechanical voice, the product of a voice modulator within his helmet.

It was a greeting; it was a warning. It was all of these things and also an indication that their meeting had officially begun.


@Elijah Brockway

 

[Elijah Brockway]

"Lord Malon," came the reply, entirely unperturbed by the mechanical voice or the armor. When you had served as long as Tel had, you ran into both quite a bit; Malon was but the latest in a long line following the trend. If Tel had to guess based on what he saw during the Arauk'kesh, it was more of a public affectation than any physical necessity - the armour didn't seem to function like any sort of fancy portable life support system, or anything like that.

He was mildly curious as to what lay under the helmet. For all he knew the man was a Chiss, Zabrak, or even a Rattataki. Possibly even a member of the Sith species.

"My apologies if I interrupted any other work you had, but I'm of the opinion that the phrase 'fashionably late' should only apply to parties, and nothing else." He had stood slowly as he heard the turbolift running, and had yet to sit down now Malon was in the room - though a short glance in the direction of the table next to the pair would make his thoughts just as clear as any words might. However, as disciplined and focused on propriety as he could be, he wouldn't sit until a seat was offered to him.

"As for the business of the meeting, what specific questions might you have for me?"

 

[Malon]

"Your punctuality is appreciated, Moff," Malon replied and, as he did, he gestured the older man towards the table and chairs next to them.

The Sith Lord seated himself at one end of the table, which was outfitted with a variety of controls that would allow him to call up any holo-projections they might need over the duration of their meeting. He waited for the Moff to take the seat across from him, so that the two men could face one another, and then he went on:

"I have summoned you to discuss several matters of import to the Empire, but I shall begin with the issue that is of lesser severity."

Malon punched a chain of keys on his control pad, which dimmed the lights in the chamber and called up a familiar holographic projection: that of the planet Coruscant.

"As you are no doubt aware," he continued, "the Empire has recently acquired the Republic's jewel, Coruscant. During my tenure as Grand Moff, Coruscant was under my jurisdiction, in addition to Saleucami. My presence there ensured that a nigh impenetrable defensive grid was established above the planet, in case the Republic—or their Jedi allies—attempted to retake it.

"However, with the recent offensive pushes into the Outer Rim, the fleet is pressed for ships, which leaves Coruscant's defense in jeopardy. In previous council meetings, you have been able to comment on the structure of defensive fleets—particularly at the planetary level. Tell me, if you were in charge of Coruscant's defensive arrangements, how might you compose the fleet given the recent lack of ships?"

The question was both a serious one, in need of an answer, and a test. Malon was determined to figure out just how shrewd and observant Moff Ahren could be. If he discovered that the Moff was competent and, at least in the matters of the Empire, trustworthy, then perhaps he could trust the Moff with matters of a more sensitive nature.

However, if the Moff instead proved to be incompetent or gave the Sith Lord any reason to question his commitment, then he would send the Moff on his way and locate an ally that better suited his needs.

Patience, he reminded himself. In due time, all will fall into place.

 

[Elijah Brockway]

From his seat, Ahren thought quickly; owing to how close to Sith territory Tion had been, he had not been particularly hard pressed to defend it. Coruscant, however, was a much different matter - it was a single point of Sith control located deep in Republic territory, and should any attempt at an attack be made on it, it would be beset from nearly every side within the galactic plane. However - owing to fighting along the border - the Republic had a similar lack of available ships, which meant that Coruscant was protected from a completely overwhelming attack, at least for the time being. Now it was merely up to Tel to help devise a defense fleet that would prevent the Republic from doing to Coruscant what the Sith had.

"It's a well-known fact that our War Leviathans are some of the most powerful defensive ships around; keeping a fair number of them back at Coruscant would likely be a good starting point. Personally, given the strategic and propagandic value of Coruscant, I would also want to keep various Empyreal-class vessels there as well; their offensive capabilities just can't be matched by anything the Republic or Jedi might manage to throw at us, and we both know how resilient they are with the War Leviathans shielding them." He stroked his beard for a moment, thinking further. "Other than that, I would recommend using some of the new Bastille-class orbital stations. Their modularity is a great benefit to any sort of defensive necessity such as this." He stood slowly, walking over to the holographic projector, and thinking back to what he already knew of Coruscant's defensive fleet.

"I would place a series of Bunker-configured stations near some of the more important locations on the planet, such as the massive portal to the lower levels - " he gestured with his hand to the rough location of the large portal the Sith had used to infiltrate the lower portions of the massive ecumenopolis - "As well as near the old planetary administrative building, and the large power plants; given that those placements would roughly circumnavigate the planet, I would also place a pair of the all-in-one or Haven configuration stations on either side of the circle we've made, giving refueling stations for patrol ships around the planet. This gives us a nice defensive web to work with, with all of the most major sites being guarded by the stations; I would recommend having primarily War Leviathans patrol between them, ready to catch any smaller craft that sneak in."

He looked at the hologram some more, before gesturing back to where he had said to place the All-in-One/Haven configuration stations. "I would keep an Empyreal-class Destroyer docked at each of those, ready to detach and engage any enemies as necessary, as the primary offensive component to the fleet. I do believe this would increase their compliment by one; as for the War Leviathans, given the value of the planet and their value in tandem with the Star Destroyers, I would double the number already there. Eight of them capable of patrol, as well as able to support the Star Destroyers, two Leviathans per Empyreal should we need to go on the offensive, while the Bunker-configuration stations and their starfighter fleets would take care of anything that gets too close to the planet if it breaks through the line of ships." He stroked his beard again, and pursed his lips.

"It's an increase from what we already have, which seems to go against what you're asking; given, however, that the Republic and Jedi have likely already learned of the transition in leadership, as well as your non-residence on the planet, it's highly possible they'll believe that this is a weak time for us and would be best for them to strike back. As well, I know that the Admirals running the offensives in the Outer Rim want nothing but the newest and best ships we have, so we could always pull some ships out of mothballs and recommission them." He grunted quietly. "But that's an ideal scenario. At minimum regarding the fleet proper, I would maintain what we already have in place, and try to supplement it with more small assault vessels - we capture enough of them from pirates and few of our Admirals like to use anything that isn't built by our own shipyards, so they're not likely to touch them. At the barest minimum, we could possible subtract one of the Empyreals and supplement its loss with the stations I mentioned earlier; that would give us six capital vessels as opposed to the twelve that would be our most optimum option. Meanwhile, the stations' defensive capabilities are nearly unparalleled, especially considering how many fighters they can hold. The main issue with getting them set-up would be the logistics of transporting them there and actually placing them; if necessary, Tion is close enough to the center of our Empire that I can call on - and reasonably expect - aid to be given from our central worlds. I could loan or donate portions of my fleet to ensure the defenses on Coruscant have no chance of falling to a counter-attack." He looked over the holographic projection again, before returning to stand by his chair.

"Those are initial ideas, of course. Given better knowledge of what all we may have captured when we took the planet, what sorts of protections the Republic had already had in place over Coruscant that we could repair and co-opt to our own use, I could very well amend this composition further."

 

[Malon]

Malon sat, his gloved fingers steepled, in quiet contemplation as the Moff launched into his solution to Coruscant's woes. As he suspected, the older man was shrewd and, better, had extraordinary candor. He devoted his entire attention to Ahren as the Moff circled the holographic display of Coruscant, pointing out key areas to increase defensive emplacements as he went. The Dark Lord's ears perked up beneath his helmet when the Moff said, which seems to go against what you're asking.

Malon smiled.

Too often, members of the Sith Order—a realm which Ahren inhabited in addition to the military sphere—chose moments such as this one to flavor their language. They would tailor their speech, sugar-coat it, to meet the Dark Lord's expectations. To carry out his wishes and gain his favor. He had seen it done before, to those who came sniveling to his old Master, begging for scraps of her favor like starved dogs. And then there was Ahren, who spoke his mind knowing full-well it went against what the Dark Lord had asked, to give a suggestion—a suggestion with merit—that would better the Empire's affairs in relation to the issue in question. Darth Malon appreciated that, though he would never say so aloud. It meant that this man had risen above the petty mind set of most Sith, and favored his military training. Such a man could be useful.

"Unfortunately, our orbital bombardment of Coruscant has left what defenses the Republic had installed mostly in ruin," Malon replied when Ahren had finished. "Still, your suggestions would go a long way to tightening security until such a time that the planet's defensive emplacements can be replaced or repaired. I will see that your recommendations are passed on to those close to Coruscant. As you mentioned, we must not appear weak, else the Jedi will move on Coruscant sooner than we are ready."

Malon struck a key on his end of the table and the display vanished. The lights in the chamber came up.

The Moff had passed one test without knowing it. The issue had been introduced and so, now, the second test could be administered. Now, he would push closer to the heart of the matter.

"You touched upon the admirals in the Outer Rim," he continued. "I am familiar with their desire for the best our shipyards can offer, but, as you know, they answer to other masters. There are several Sith Lords in charge of these pushes to expand our territory along the edges of our galaxy. Often, they are behind the admirals' demands."

The lenses of his dark helmet focused on Moff Ahren's eyes.

"Tell me, do you believe these demands are prudent?" Malon asked. "And what do you think of these Sith Lords who lead our forces? I understand you recently had an opportunity to be within close proximity with several of them. Surely you must have formed an opinion about them?"

He was, of course, referring to his aurak'kesh with Darth Vanus, where many Sith personnel, Lords and the lower ranks alike had gathered to watch the ancient rite. Then, thinking something of it, he added:

"Speak freely, Moff Ahren. None of what is said here will leave this room."

 

[Elijah Brockway]

The hologram disappeared and Tel sat down again, elbows up on the table and his chin in his hands. He didn't spend much time considering Malon's response to his words - beyond the initial sense that it was favorable - compared to what he spent considering what he had seen. His own thoughts on Darth Cain and the Imperial Priesthood he would withhold, for the time being; he had nothing yet to build upon regarding what Malon might think of such topics, and they were his own private thoughts, anyways. Darth Atrox he had seen very little of, Darth Vanus had proven herself weak...and there was one more left on the council, who he had no knowledge of beyond the name Darth Ruwn.

And he hadn't interacted with any of them at the Arauk'kesh.

"I find the demands no more or less prudent than any others they or their masters might try to make. They need more ships. I find it wasteful and pointless to focus on having only the newest and the best, but there is a certain logic to it - most of the ships kept in reserve have been in service longer than half of those admirals have been alive. They don't have first-hand experience of their reliability and resilience to time as well as weaponry, and most ships start seeing increasing frequencys of malfunctions, more problems, they get more sluggish as they get older. In my experience, Sith ships don't...but those admirals don't necessarily have the same experience I do. That does leave the mothballed ships for us to use, though, which means they just need to be recommissioned and overseen by an intelligent commander."

That was one of the two primary questions answered. The other would require more thought to answer. His interactions with others at the Arauk'kesh were extremely limited...beyond Henry Earnest. The thought of the man made his blood boil. The captain of the Imperator was still undergoing treatment after Henry's very blunt and heavy-handed attempts at mental manipulation, and the fact that it had been Tel's own ship with the gaudy lettering strung up on it descending from the atmosphere was an insult Tel was extremely displeased to bear. Given that he had yet to receive any reparations from Henry or any potential master he might have, however, it was possible he wouldn't bear it much longer.

"I didn't interact much with the others there. From what I've seen, Darths Atrox and Cain appear relatively competent. That Hand of the Emperor - Argus, his name is? Vanus's former apprentice? - seemed a bit too willing to give commands and not willing enough to actively take part in what he was wanting done. The only reason I didn't try to stop Henry Earnest was because I had to see to what he had done with my ship and its captain, during the short time he attempted to commandeer it. I'm surprised none of the others tried to apprehend him." He snorted openly at the thought of Henry. From his face and his tone of voice, he obviously held the man in disdain.

"Commandeering my vessel, assaulting my captain, disrupting the Arauk'kesh, and disrespecting myself and everybody present through the violation of my hospitality and that lettering he saw fit to tie to the Imperator. Thankfully, he was foolish enough to attach his own name to it as well, though I still wish I'd never agreed to transport him aboard my ship."

 

[Malon]

And there it was, the heart of the matter.

"Henry Earnest" was a name that was surfacing in Malon's life far too often. Since Mustafar, the former Sith, turned Sith Lord, Darth Ruwn, had been a thorn in his side. He had seen much of the aftermath of Earnest's actions shortly after he'd killed Darth Vanus. The lettering, specifically. But now—now he had the full story.

The news that Argus had demanded Earnest's death was not surprising. He himself would have ordered the fool dead were it within his authority, at the time, to do so. Now, as the head of the Dark Council, Malon's role within the Empire—within the Sith Order, itself—had changed dramatically. He could do something about it now, and he intended to once the evidence had compounded itself.

Nevertheless, the Moff had passed the second test.

"The reason," Malon said, "that none of the others moved to apprehend him is because Henry Earnest is a Sith Lord, named Darth Ruwn."

Henry's identity as a Sith Lord was a secret for reasons Malon had never understood nor cared. His identity as a Sith Lord was known to Malon due to the Dark Lord's former connection to Darth Vanus' mind. Vanus had originally agreed to hide Henry's identity, but Malon had deliberately revealed it to the Moff. What the Moff did with this information, Malon did not care.

"My old Master promoted him to the Council for reasons that escape me. He has been a thorn in my side for some time, and now he has violated one of the most sacred rites of our Order with his foolishness." Malon paused, having realized that he had been thinking aloud. "But, no matter, I will deal with Henry in due time, in my own way."

Perhaps it is time to have a word with Argus, he thought.

"I thank you for your candor, Moff Ahren," Malon went on, and he realized what a profound sentiment that was. The Dark Lord rarely thanked anyone, no matter how much they might deserve it. "It is a rarity among the Sith."

He stood from his chair and made for the edge of the room. There he paused with his caped back to the Moff, and placed his gloved hands behind him contemplatively.

"These are trying times for the Empire, Moff," Malon said. "Soon, I sense our rule of the galaxy will be tested. It is often the way of the dark side to test those in power, to see if they are still worthy of it."

He turned now and faced the Moff again.

"When that time comes, I will need like-minded allies. I trust that I may count you among them?"

The Moff had earned the offer. A place in a Sith Lord's power structure was beneficial to anyone in the Sith Empire. It brought wealth, prestige, power, and influence. Equally so, for those who allied themselves with the Dark Lord of the Sith. Likewise, a Sith Lord who had a power base increased his power over his rivals and his enemies. It was a fragile alliance, such was any born between Sith, and for that reason Malon would never fully trust anyone—no matter how much allegiance they swore to him. Still, for the now, it was a benefit worth the small measure of risk.

He waited patiently for the Moff's answer.

 

[Elijah Brockway]

Tel Ahren was a hard man to surprise. In his life, he had seen many strange and unexpected things, such that by this point hearing about the abnormal may as well have been a normal occurrence. He had very little set in mind of the way things were supposed to be, the way they had to be, unlike various other sentients in the galaxy. He'd long since learned to expect the unexpected.

To say that he wasn't surprised at Henry Earnest's actual identity would be a blatant lie. His eyes perceptibly widened, a small reaction compared to most other beings but quite a large one for him. "Henry Earnest...is a Sith Lord? Henry Earnest is Darth Ruwn?" He cursed under his breath, and shook his head. Henry Earnest was an irreverent, immature, problematically childish man, from what Tel had gathered of him. The revelation of his being a Sith Lord was almost physically painful. A sentiment that Darth Malon seemed to share.

He stood as Malon did, knowing the meeting was soon coming to a close. As Malon spoke further he quietly - and quickly - contemplated the offer. Tel didn't mind being on the back seat of Sith politics at the current time, being nothing more, now, than the Moff of a single world. While his reputation was still somewhat well known, that didn't mean that he had to deal with particularly much from the rest of the order; at the same time, the opportunity to ally with the Dark Lord himself was not one often received, and carried with it a great opportunity to impose some proper order on the galaxy. Tel quickly nodded, speaking as he did so.

"You shall have my willing support in your endeavours and your role as Dark Lord, Lord Malon. Though, if I may speak candidly again..." He paused for a moment, considering how best to say what was on his mind.

"When you do deal with Darth Ruwn, if it should be something fairly direct...I would very much appreciate the opportunity to witness it."

 

[Malon]

Malon allowed himself a rare smirk (though it would go unnoticed beneath the face mask of his helmet) and resisted the urge to tell the Moff that his candor was appreciated again.

"Should it come to that," Malon said, his voice even despite the smirk on his lips, "you will be appraised."

A partnership had been forged then and there, he knew. One that he would treat with caution, but one he also believed would strongly benefit the Empire.

He called out through the Force and, as it had always been, his aids—a pair of Sith cultists who served him—shuffled into the room behind the Moff, but waited near the mechanical blast doors for further instruction.

"My attendants will see you to your ship," Malon continued. Then added: "The Empire remembers and rewards those who faithfully serve it favorably, as do I. You are dismissed, Moff Ahren. Expect to hear from me again in the future."

The Dark Lord of the Sith turned, flourishing his armorweave cape as he did, and strolled back towards the doors from which he had come, leaving the Moff to his final thoughts. When he was ready, Malon's attendants would see him back to the hanger.

For now, Malon had other events to set in motion.

 

[Elijah Brockway]

Tel inclined his head at Malon as the man turned and left - the closest the Moff ever came to actually bowing, anymore - before activating the commlink on his wrist. "Come back down, Haran, the meeting's over." His pilot gave a quick acknowledgement of the order, and Tel turned to the pair of cultists. Having heard him speak, they didn't even need him to ask before one held open the door, the other gesturing for him to follow. A short while later and he had returned to the hangar bay, where his star courier was waiting for him.

Upon reaching the cockpit, his pilot spoke up, a very rare occurrance. "Dɪᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɢᴏ ᴡᴇʟʟ, sɪʀ?"

Tel sat quiet for a moment, busying himself with buckling on his crash webbing. He and Malon had just started to forge a useful alliance between them, Tel could see the opportunity to watch Darth Ruwn be cut down to size, and there were opportunities for advancement of the Empire, of Malon, and of Tel Ahren himself. He nodded at his pilot, relaxing into his seat.

"Swimmingly, Lieutenant. Let's return to the Imperator."

End thread.​