All It Takes Is A Little...Push

[Stephanie Swail]

Korriban Arrival Port
Korriban, Horuset System ​

With the looming dual missile launchers erected around the lip of the cavern housing the Spaceport, Asterion couldn’t be sure if they were now simply deactivated and there to show an ancient Sith muscle. Embedded within the orange rock that loomed above and below into a deathly drop, the Spaceport consisted of one sole landing pad and a few small walkways leading into the arrival bay and onto the planet.

But as he had only a small Sith transport that he still found difficult to pilot, Asterion had taken a steady path from Coruscant to Korriban after making his presence felt across the many links and systems coming from his datapad, faithfully with him and a pool of resources for all known active Sith and their Factions across the galaxy. Months before, Sith Lord Kryptus has honed in on him by just the same method, and now Asterion was doing it once more to see who came this time.

With the return of Lady Kyros and her appearance on Teth, Asterion was walking the line between returning to a disbanded faction that was now once more on the rise and separating from her to find his own path. While he had learnt a great deal about himself during his time with The Sith Order, Asterion was still novice in many things including lightsaber combat and a various deal of powerful Force skills that he deemed to be an essential tool in order to fulfil a destiny of being a mighty Sith warrior. It was things like this that surged the anger in him; feeling he was overlooked and not being given the chance to BE somebody. He would show them. He would show everyone who he really was.

Leaning on the iron barriers over the abyss below, he was minus his Knight’s cowl, the last time seeing it in tatters on the floor of Teth beneath the feet of Sith Knight Thyrian Ashborn – safe to say not someone he agreed with at the best of times – and now stood with his worn armour covering his body, heavily stubbled jaw and swept back hair completing the image of a man now in some sort of control over his destiny and himself; knowing where that destiny lay however, was a different story altogether.

Watching the moon above beyond the small clouds in the purple sky, Asterion caught a ship circling in the atmosphere and kept his eye on it. The missile launchers remained dormant and inactive as ever as the ship circled closer.

[member="Darth Mierin"]

 

[J3C0]

Mierins ship dropped from the skies of Coruscant like an eloquent brick. The Manta like infiltrator had slipped passed Republic sensors and fleets quite easily, its stygium hiding it from anyone and anything looking for it. As soon as it broached the atmosphere it slowly began to reveal itself, the active camouflage across its skin peeling back inch by inch until the metallic winged ship began to reflect the light of Korribans sun.

It took only a moment for the ship to hone in on the signal, and quickly the infiltrator made its way towards the Starport.

There it landed, its massive support struts extending, and the ramp lowering itself almost immediately. The owner of the ship had no time to waste. No patients for long hours of doing nothing. No, a Hand of the Dark Lord could not wait for things to happen, she had to make things happen. When the ramp touched the ground, Darth Mierin was not far behind it.

Sharp clicking boots rang out as she stepped onto the surface of Korriban, the first time in an age.

She sniffed the air, taking in a breath of the dead tomb world as she looked about her surroundings. For a moment, she squatted, picking up a few loose rocks from the earth. A frown slowly crossed her face, a look of disgust entering her eyes as she saw what had become of the once great kingdom. The cybernetic hand of her right arm clenched slightly, making a silent whirring noise as she crushed the rocks into absolute dust.

Quickly she stood once more, making her way towards [member="Asterion"].

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Only his eyes moved as Asterion watched sleek, dagger like ship come into view; an impressive craft to be sure and it even manged an approved nod from the Knight and he observed the landing. Next, the figure swept out from the inside with an immediate air of power and determination, but with an urgency that didn’t look like they were rushing, but more that they simply knew what had to be done and everything else wasn’t important.

Asterion moved along the walkway as the figure approached after a nice display of theatrics crushing rocks. A handy skill, if you were attacked by the earth beneath your feet. And it so appeared the figure as a woman; crimson skin, shrouded in black with intricate markings on her face.

”Why is it all these Sith have to be women.” Asterion mumbled, almost to himself with the slightest roll of his eyes.

He stopped a few yards before her, offering no sense of intimidation or aggression. That was something he was determined to restrain until he needed to use them. She was almost a mirror image of him, in size and stance; confident and full of self-belief.

”Welcome to Korriban. I trust you picked up a signal? Well, you just found it. Who are you?”


[member="Darth Mierin"]

 

[J3C0]

Mierin wandered towards the man, her steps confident, her stride taking her to eventually stand only a few meters away from him.

Before she even spoke, she allowed herself a moment to study him. Mierin had no knowledge of who the man was, just that he was Sith, and that he had wanted to be found. Now that she got a closer look and was able to delve him slightly with the force she could tell that he was powerful, though not overtly so. Her glowing yellow eyes eventually leveled on his own, staring at him with a cold impassive gaze.

“I am Darth Miern, Hand of the Dark Lord.” she could have perhaps given herself more titles, but that wouldn't help the situation.

Korriban had been her home once upon a time. During the days of the Ancient Empire, when Naga Sadow had ruled here this place had been the location of her many plots. Now that it was naught but a barren ruin, she found herself disgusted.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

A Darth by introduction? She was serious, and there was no chit-chat; no inflammation of ego or snarky remark. She was a Sith through and through, he could feel it, and her amber eyes bore into him.

Offering a small nod of the head, he couldn’t help but be inquisitive.

”I am Asterion. That’s it really. May I ask which Hand of the Dark Lord you are? One for killing or one for saving?”

Asterion supressed a small smile. It had been too long since addressing someone who didn’t end up either attacking him or challenging him, and then abandoning him.

”And Dark Lord? Who would that be.”

If she was the one who had come to find him, he had to know just how she saw herself, and the one she served.


[member="Darth Mierin"]

 

[J3C0]

[member="Asterion"]

A flash of anger surged through her, though she didn't budge.

There was only one Dark Lord in Mierins mind, the one that reigned over Coruscant. The one that could destroy men and mountains with but a wave of a hand, the one that had humbled her. She could not fault this man for not knowing him of course, the Dark Lord was secretive, ever weary. Yet the indignation of the question still stung the oh so loyal woman.

“I am one for whatever he requires me to do.” She answered his question first, and that was truth. She killed, she had killed on Alderaan, she had murdered on Csilla, and she had saved on Copero. Different things called for different actions, and Mierin would carry them out. “I do as the Lord of Coruscant wills me to do.”

That should help identify who she was talking about without actually having to answer the question, at least if this man hadn't been living in a box.

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Asterion wasn't phased by her icy tone, or the flash of rage in her amber eyes when she spoke. He had wanted someone with a muted fire, a cool exterior but raging core. Much like himself but with greater control.

"I see." Asterion crossed his arms and looked away into the abyss beside them for a second, thinking about how to phrase his wants in the best way.

"I am a Knight of The Sith Order. Or, should I say former Sith Order, and so former Knight...I guess. Anyway. I was born here on Korriban, with Jedi blood. I've known nothing but abandonment, anger and hatred and I need to channel them into a cause for good. The good of the Sith."

He walked around the Sith, speaking as he went.

"I don't know if you're aware of Lady Kryos - Vi'dreya - but I've come from under her teaching at a crossroads to find if I can be someone - something - greater than I can under her teaching. Her vision is... I don't know. It's not what I expected, or feel I deserve, and one day she will see the Minotaur she could have claimed as her greatest ally against the Jedi."

Asterion stopped once again before her, arms crossed.

"If you can give me the means and training to be the greatest, I give you my word I will be the Sith you wished all Sith could have been like. And I will help you destroy those who use our name in shame."

His dark eyes focused on hers, and all he could do was wait for her response.


[member="Darth Mierin"]

 

[J3C0]

Mierin observed him for a time, her level gaze impassive as always. She gave away nothing, no emotion, no surprise, nothing.

She knew well who Kyros was. She had betrayed the One Sith, used them to revive her servant and them simply left. If Mierin knew where she was, the woman would very likely be dead. Though The Sith Pureblood didn't know her personally, it was her duty to do such things. Yet she couldn't help but smile when Asterion spoke of peeling away, when he spoke of gaining power and strength, when he spoke of the grandeur he could produce.

“We have Coruscant, we pried the jewel of the Republic from their hands.” She spoke with passion this time. “We have strength, we have power, and we have the means to give the same to you. Come Asterion, follow the Dark Lord and his path, and you will be granted what you seek.”

A strange aura appeared around her, a frightful glow that was invisible to the naked eye.

The flow of the force surrounded her, extending to Asterion and grazing him, as if it was luring him into its fold. A touch of the strength that she could offer. “Join us, and we will show you what you can truly become.”

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

As she spoke, Asterion glanced down at his arms. Feeling something on them, but yet...there was nothing. He looked up and saw a glow in her eyes as she spoke about firm facts - power, domination, strength. Had had seen Coruscant fall to the Sith but thought nothing of it, their real web that was spun across the galaxy was something Asterion never payed attention to, but now he felt he should.

He nodded slowly.

"Let me see what you've got, and then I'll decide if I join you or not. Nothing personal, but I've been burnt twice before. I'm not going to make that mistake a third time. Besides, you'll get what you want in return if I side with you."

Looking over to her ship, he indicated to it with his head.

"Do I get to meet the big man himself, or is he one who resides in the shadows?"


[member="Darth Mierin"]

 

[J3C0]

[member="Asterion"]

There was no flash of anger this time, only patience.

“No. You will not meet him.” She said simply. “Perhaps in time, but not yet. There are far more important matters that require his attention.”

She took a few steps forward. The Black Vonduun Skerr Kyrric that covered her entirety seemed to click as she did so, the living Yuuzhan Vong armor sensing the exertion of the force that Mierin was conducting, the display of strength that she was showing. “If you wish to see our strength, then i shall show you myself.”

Asking to see what they had was a bit, vague. Did he want to see their armies, their Sith Lords? Their dozens if not hundreds of Acolytes. Mierin guessed all of the above, but for that, they would need to venture away from this dead world, and back to Coruscant.

“Come.” She said, simply turning her back to him and walking towards her ship.

The Sith Pureblood never considered that he might have his own vessel, never gave it the thought that it mattered. Once he joined the One Sith he would have everything he needed.

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Who was he to argue with that - plain and simple, he wasn't worthy. Fair enough. His time would come. Asterion inclined his head in acceptance. As the Sith walked forward to him, he was distracted from her words by the armour she wore which seemed to move for her, not with her - like it was an extension of her; a part of her.

He smirked a little as she turned to lead him away and he made sure to walk beside her along the walkway to the impressive ship.

"Say, what is that stuff you wear. I've never seen anything like it."

Asterion looked at her and thought about touching the armour, but he valued his head at present. The Sith was unlike any previously he had encountered. There was no bravado about her, no theatricals or long words. She spoke with clear intentions and the piercing precision of a blade; he respected that.


[member="Darth Mierin"]