All Good Things....Well....Have A Beginning

[Via Dolorosa]

Next to a swamp infested world, like her homeworld and birthplace of Dagobah, Anaxes was like a home away from home. In it's defense. it had it ups but without a swamp, it had it's downs. For the Lady Venefica, Anaexes was the closest thing to a home since her beloved swamp world rested lightyears away. One day, that little known world made famous by a half-pint green midget with the words of "Do...or Do Not, There Is No Try" would one day not only raise the flag of supremacy of the One Sith , but would be safely tucked away under her protection. In hindsight, she should have betrayed the Sith Order and conquered this swampy world through manipulation long ago.​

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Regardless of where Dagobah sat on the spectrum of the galaxy's map of what is important and what is just a waste of resources, never count out the loyalty of a homesick girl. Especially if that girl wore the title of Sith Lady, nor the fact she was a Voice of the Dark Lord. Betrayal was her in her nature. Betrayal was her motto. Betrayal had kept her alive. If she had to kill every Sith, including the Dark Lord himself, to ensure Dagobah would one day be hers, well, let the line begin now. And the Jedi, they were just food for the predators of her Dagobah.​

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But she wasn't on Dagobah, nor could she afford to let her love blind her. She was on Anaexes doing the bidding of her beloved Order. She had been appointed, rather granted, ruler of this planet. A planet she had visited eons ago to subjugate under the rule of the Dark Lord. It was her world. It was her planet. It was her home. It was a planet she could shape however she fitted. And her first order of business was to undertake an underling, or rather a successor.​

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So when the Sith Acolyte, not Sith Knight as so many of her peers had chosen, had arrived on Anaxes to begin to walk the path of no return, she was eager to corrupt the girl in ways no Sith ever experienced.​

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"You bear the title of Sith....but you are mine," she said with absolution. "From this day forward....your life....your fate....your destiny....and your hopes and dreams lie in the palm of my hand. In essence, I am the one that will teach you all about fame...glory...power....knowledge...and what it means to be Sith."​

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"If that doesn't appeal to you," She spat throwing the folds of her robe aside to easily access her lightsaber, "Then I shall kill you now....sparing you the embarrassment of failure."​

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[member="Melori Raaf"]​

 

[Darth Timoris]

She’d visited a fortress world before – Prakith – although that was a very short stay, given she was shot down on entry (it was inconvenient for the Republic to invade at the very moment she tried to set down in her stolen Jedi ship) and woke up from a coma on Coruscant. So in truth, she’d landed on one but had no recollection of ever being there.

In many ways, to Melori one planet was much like any other. She was Corellian by birth but couldn’t care less that the planet was now ripped asunder. She was coming to feel the space station of the Sisterhood was something of a home for – as much as she enjoyed the vibrancy of Coruscant – any thought of it manifested thoughts of her eldest sister, and the betrayal she now felt.

She was aware of her sister’s destination now. And she was unsure in what capacity she was being summoned her. As a loyal Sister of the Covenant, being asked to perform a task? As the younger sibling of a traitor, about to be punished for her sister’s transgressions?

She knew the Sith Lord was effectively ruler of this planet – regardless of any political naivety on behalf of the populace. Whatever government they thought they had, it would be a puppet to this Sith Lord’s will. If that was public or private knowledge, she had no idea – nor had she any interest. The weak deserved to die unless they served a purpose. So the chaff needed to prove to them they didn’t deserve to have their lives ended. Servitude was always a good place to start. Not slavery. Melori wanted willing minions, not enforced ones. But underlings they were and nothing else.

So when she arrived at the appointed place and saw Darth Venefica, she was slightly wary. Not afraid but definitely wary. This, for a Sith, was how it should be in Melori’s eyes. If her Lord and Master were outright feared, how would she ever stand up for herself? But trust was the opposite end of the spectrum and its path a similar folly. There should be a mutual respect and wariness. A small amount of tension but not enough to get in the way of the One Sith machine.

She had been impatient once – and had that knocked out of her. She’d been arrogant once – and had that curbed but not broken. And she’d been anxious to demonstrate that she bowed to no-one. When on Corellia she’d been forced to – and she always rebelled against anything she was obliged to do. This trait she had stubbornly refused to amend. She would serve but she would not be a servant.

So she nodded an acknowledgement as she stood in front of the Sith Lord and awaited instruction.

And Darth Venefica spoke. “You bear the title of Sith....but you are mine. From this day forward....your life....your fate....your destiny....and your hopes and dreams lie in the palm of my hand. In essence, I am the one that will teach you all about fame...glory...power....knowledge...and what it means to be Sith.”

Melori nodded slightly, in silent accord as the Sith Lord continued to speak.

“If that doesn't appeal to you, then I shall kill you know....sparing you the embarrassment of failure.”

She was reminded of the words of Darth Bane, if there was a family trait it was a thirst for knowledge. Except for Melori it had to be relevant – information for information’s sake was pointless. But the teachings of the Order’s most influential leaders were pertinent.

“I am not a woman of words. But I respect the power of them and how they have transformed me. The words of the Sith Code I learned so recently on Coruscant. When I learned their true meaning. When I first truly understood them. They changed me. What was I before those words? Nothing, truly nothing.”

“I have embraced passion. I have gained strength. But I crave power. That is my next goal.”

She looked Darth Venefica in the eyes and her blue irises morphed yellow as she spoke. “I demand to be feared. Not respected, not admired. Feared. Teach me. I am a willing vessel and I will embrace your wisdom. If I am not worthy, then cut me down. For I shall surely do the same. It is the Sith way as I understand it.”

By now those irises were ringed scarlet. “Where there is ignorance, dispel it. Drive it out. I don’t ask it, I demand it. Judge me and act accordingly. Do with me as you wish. As you need…as the Sith require.” Her voice had remained calm throughout. Her eyes betrayed her passion but her tone was steady – these were clearly thought out words and it was clear she meant every one of them.

Spoiler

Logically for me at least, this happens immediately after the Assassins/Shadows skirmish where Taeli’s move to the Jedi will be hard to keep a secret. But Taeli and Corvus’ relationship would not be public knowledge yet.

 

[Via Dolorosa]

Her hands began to clap gently together as a cold smile slowly erected itself on the lips of the Sith Lady's corrupted face. She had chosen, as it was her forte, the right girl to teach. Another Apprentice in which she could mold into something far greater than what the girl before her could ever imagine possible. The girl wanted to be feared. Good. Respect was over-rated and normally was misplaced. Fear, however, kept people in line but more importantly, it kept people from delusions of rebellion; if properly used.​

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"Fear is very powerful, indeed. But one should be cautious when installing fear into others." The smile fading away and the hands falling silent. "Fear should always be balanced and never abused. Or one risks giving hope and courage to those infected. A fool shrouded in fear may one day find the courage to rise up against their oppressor...and then one is forced to kill the rebel. And a dead fool can never be made to continue to serve."​

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The Sith Lady motioned for the girl to walk with her. As they walked, Darth Venefica found she was amused by the girl's words; mostly the part about do with me as you wish. The Dagobah Sith had to admit to herself that those were bold words, but dangerous ones as well. Still the girl had willingly gave herself over to Darth Venefica and she would be rewarded handsomely.​

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"How do you feel about dominating the minds of others?"​

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[member="Melori Raaf"]​

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori was either secretive or honest – she didn’t seem to have a middle ground - at least not when it came to Sith Lords.

So she listened, prepared to either keep her own counsel or speak up if she disagreed. But nothing she heard she could challenge - nor would she want to. Her preoccupation with fear was linked to her obsession with a long dead Sith Lord – but she was aware he allowed his strengths to tip over into flaws – confidence into arrogance, the hatred for Jedi into a blindness to their potential.

So she took the advice on board to reflect on. She knew that fear attracts the right sort of attention and could be a potent ally – but she would have to be measured. Under her former Master (she refused to accept to refer to her as anything else now – she had no sisters any more – just the Covenant) she’d been headstrong and the moulding process had begun. Now she was ready for the next phase and was more than prepared to press forward. Arrogance was giving way to ambition. Her desire to succeed was fortunately allowing her to bend her strong views in order to achieve her maximum.

And she knew that to maximise her role within the OS, sacrifices would have to be made. She sometimes romanticised she was the next Sith’ari. One to make the Sith stronger than before. Regardless, she had to have confidence in the Sith Lord entirely. Remain wary yet be assured she would develop her in all ways.

"How do you feel about dominating the minds of others?”

Melori was momentarily lost for words. She’d been groomed so far to be a physical combatant. She’d tasted the power of the mind with a lesson from Matsu and also during the Acolyte tournament from Sage. It was something she’d not considered entirely – but she was certainly open to persuasion.

“I am certainly intrigued. Tell me more, my Master.”

[member="Darth Venefica"]

 

[Via Dolorosa]

"Mastery of the lightsaber is all well and good," she began. "But there will come a time that simply striking down an enemy will birth far more disaster than good. What is the greatest victory you can achieve over your enemy?"​

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She fell silent letting the question to dance through the air. Most young Sith, and sadly a few more high ranking Sith, would quickly answer killing them. How wrong of an answer that was. ​

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"The answer to my own question is simple. Converting your enemy to support your cause. Breaking their will so that they serve you. Killing them is absolute...robbing you of achieving further uses for them. Here's a hypothetical situation."​

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After clasping her hands behind her back, she began to walk around her Apprentice. The Sith Lady always felt more comfortable in motion when instructing or teaching or putting forth lessons to her Apprentices. She can't recall why and when she began this tradition of hers but it somehow cleared her mind, made her feel more centred.​

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"A political figure head who rules over a planet is stirring dissension among the masses...encouraging them to rebel against the Sith Empire. Currently the planet is not under direct control of the Sith Empire but whispers...and leaks...have been floating about that the Sith war machine is coming to claim the planet. You have been sent to this planet to deal with this figure and you have two options....kill him or bring him into the fold."​

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Again she fell silent letting her words to be soaked up by her Apprentice.​

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"You choose to kill him. You cut the head off the snake but in turn give the masses motivation to continue following his words. You made him a martyr and the people will fight endlessly, even if they are conquered, in his name. They will use his death as a rallying cry. The planet will never be stabilized....rebellion will always be in the shadows. From one simple act of killing....you have caused countless problems for the Sith Empire."​

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"You decided to bring him into the fold. Using subtle mind persuasion or mental dominance you have achieved two goals successfully. The first goal, you have convinced him that it is in the best interest of the planet and it's people that being under the rule of the Sith is beneficial to everyone. As their leader, the people will respect his decision to side with the Sith Empire. Some may grumble at first, but overtime they will join their brothers and sisters in welcoming the Sith. The second goal, you have created an even greater stability on the planet where war and the loss of life was avoided. In essence, you have raised the flag of the Sith over the planet without one single shot being fired."​

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Darth Venefica stopped in front of the girl, giving her a smile.​

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"Options....one should always have options. I'm not saying you should walk the path of a Mentalist or DreadMaster like myself....but options should always be taken into consideration."​

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[member="Melori Raaf"]​

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori listened. She was about to answer the question posed when she realised it was not supposed to be. The answer surprised and delighted her. It was as if she had been progressing down a log corridor. She was making progress and happy with the direction but suddenly the Sith Lord opened a side-door that gave her choices, options – and she liked that.

She’d previously only considered killing Jedi. It was – at the very least – a simple plan albeit not particularly inventive. She was not naturally Machiavellian, at least not consciously. But how many Younglings and foolish Padawans had she wrapped around her finger back on Corellia that she was able to do her bidding for her. The more she thought of it, the more it made perfect sense.

So she continued to listen and learn and her Master circled her. She didn’t follow her motion but instead kept her eyes straight ahead, focusing on the words. Drinking them in, savouring them and seeking more.

A smile played on her lips. “I have to admit the first option sounded more like fun, but I readily accept the wisdom of the second choice. It will further the cause of the One Sith and further my cause too. Which is what is important after all. I can have…fun any day of the week, in any manner of my choosing, but to dominate a planet through subtlety and cunning…well it outweighs the alternative outcome.”

“I’m not going to pretend that the second is natural to me just now, but believe me when I say I am eager to learn. As a lone fighter, I can do only so much. I wish to become more than just the product of these…” She held up her hands. “But rather be only restricted by the power of this…” She tapped the side of her head. “Power is my next vocalised goal, please show me how to obtain it my Master. Push me as hard as you need to, I shall not break but rather be moulded into whatever is necessary to achieve greatness. I am truly ready.”

[member="Darth Venefica"]

 

[Via Dolorosa]

Finding an Acolyte that was willing to broaden their horizons was almost unheard of. The teachers at the Sith Academies and Temples were focusing on only one topic; to churn out killers. She hated what was being force fed to the new generation of Sith because as a Master, it fell on her shoulders to undo the damage caused by their flawed lessons. To find an Apprentice that had studied under another Master who was willing to broaden their horizons was even rarer. Most by then had been set in their ways only accepting what was shown to them to be the only course laid out before them. Refusing to see the bigger picture. ​

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This girl, her Apprentice, was cut from a different cloth. She was willing to learn how to dominate others without resorting to killing them. Or killing them if all other options had been exhausted. Even Darth Venefica had learned early on under the Apprenticeship of her Master that any Sith could kill; but a powerful and true Sith understood that manipulation and deceit was what made you dangerous to others. Including other Sith. So she had took to the lessons of dominating the minds of others quickly; forging a reputation as a Mentalist. ​

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"Breaking the wills of others or simply invading their mind can be tough going at first. Everyone possess a different level of strength of will. First you will need to train your mind and strengthen your own will. What is your greatest fear in life?"​

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[member="Melori Raaf"]​

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori reflected on her Master’s words. She’d had a very quick lesson in mental control of others from Lord Xiangu – and had even had been exposed to her greatest fears by Darth Hauntruss to show her how to tap into hidden depths of power from the Force. She suspected both would help her now, but that neither was the same and that she needed to approach her Master’s instruction with an open mind – devoid of any preconceptions.

So she answered the question openly and honestly. Her first ever trip with her former Master was oddly also with her new Master – to Korriban. There she faced a creature that scared the living daylights out of her, and it was only her sister’s intervention that stopped her likely death.

In her mind’s eye was a creature that fed off the blood of Force-sensitives – that in her nightmares were all spines, claws and poisonous tusks. “Terentateks,” she said, unable to suppress an involuntary shudder.

[member="Darth Venefica"]

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The Goddess of Madness simply nodded her head at the mention of the mighty and fearsome Terentateks. She had only faced one in her life and killed it. Still, she had no desire to go out and face one again. Leave that to fools trying to prove themselves by claiming their tusks and claws as trophies. Her trophy collecting had started out by obtaining lightsabers from dead Jedi, and on occasion dead Sith. These days, she collected bones from her fallen foes; mainly their skulls for decorations and their teeth to be woven into her hair. The latter utilized to install fear into their minds, making their minds easier prey. But that was what they were going to do; face the beast.​

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" When you faced the beast you felt fear and from that fear it made you feel vulnerable. Fear is a powerful sensation. Like distractions, fear can cause people to let their guard down....in this case their mental walls. To truly grasp the concept of mind dominance, you must learn to conquer your own fears. I did....and so will you. Then and only then can you strengthen your will."​

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It was now time for her Apprentice to become a true Sith. Sith infected others with fear, not allow it to embrace them or linger about. In order for her Apprentice to fully be blessed in the ways of the Darkside and proudly carry the mantle of Sith, then she would be required to face a Terentatek again. Whether she killed it or not was of no consequence, that was not the pointe of the lesson.​

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"Pack whatever you need....we are going to Korriban. And there you will face your fear...and destroy it."​

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[member="Melori Raaf"]​

 

[Darth Timoris]

No sooner had she uttered the name of her fear than she knew what was coming. Actually that wasn’t true. She had expected her Master to conjure an illusion to test her. Which – given what was actually going to happen – would have been the easier option.

And of course the waiting would make it worse. Facing something now, without a chance to talk doubt into herself, she could simply throw herself into the task. But now she’d have a long wait to face it. And that was never a good thing.

There was not much of the Jedi training she held on to, but one Master on Corellia had told her something that had, at the time amused her. And now she clung to it. It seemed her precious middle sister was frightened of electrical storms. Ironic given they thought one had claimed her life all those years ago.

And her Master had cured her though a simple phrase. Not the Force but the power of the spoken word. ‘Nothing is as terrible as fear of the thing itself.’ It mad sense. These fortune cookie type thoughts always did. But it was easy to say and harder to believe. It stood to reason. In her mind’s eye, the creature she feared took on epic abilities. It would be the fastest, most ferocious creature that ever walked the tombs on Korriban. The truth would be some way short of that.

Which made her feel not one jot more confident. But she was a Sith, and an arrogant one at that. “Yes Master,” she finally offered. “I pack light and can be ready within the hour.”

[member="Darth Venefica"]