Crimson Intention

[ToKola Bakari]

Location: Geonosis {Dominus Prime's Office}​

Wearing: Master-Obsidian Strike Armor​

Tags: [member="Alkor Centaris"]​

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Winter eyes danced over Golbah City. It was nothing like Eshan, but it was a city like any other. The Echani man took a moment to watch the flight paths that a number of speeders were following. He timed them, watching how they flew by with a calculated effeciency. You could always tell just how well a city was operating by the path the speeders followed. Elessar continued to watch the speeders fly by until finally he could not justify the waste in time. His new office was well kept, clean, and most of the documents were well organized. It seemed that his predecessor had done his job well. Not well enough, obviously.

Soft, measured steps brought Elessar to his desk. He took one of the datapads from the surface of the desk and glanced over his appointments for the evening. He had a number of things to see to. The first matter was the most important however. [member="Alkor Centaris"] had, in a short time, proven he was a capable Knight of the order. When Elessar took command of the Knights he noticed they had a single commanding officer under him. A woman who had proved himself, but it was not nearly enough. He had looked through the Knight's files and a number of names had stood out, but lately it was Alkor who was the most noticable. So the new Dominus Prime would summon the man to his office, intent to see if he was a man who could lead the Knight's Obsidian under Elessar.

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[Alkor Centaris]

It had only been months, possibly less, since Cardinal had seen Alkor in this very office. In that span of time, he had trained alongside [member="Naedira Darcrath"] and learned about Golbah City firsthand. He had walked patrol beats like a city cop and gone out on investigations- on Kuat, among many other duties now. There was nothing worth mentioning among those tasks, at least not in Alkor's opinion. The only thing different of note was that the Dominus Prime who called on him now, was not Vi'dreya. He was called by an [member="Elessar Talon"], someone he had not met prior to this.

It was worthwhile to note that this man may have brought him to strip him of rank, in light of his predecssor's loss of rank. Decisions made by Cardinal during that time could be called into question, and appointments to Knighthood might have been ill conceived. So it was that he wore his Obsidian Strike armor, but remained otherwise unarmed. If his fate was to be expelled, he would accept it without question.

"Knight Centaris," the Servitor gestured toward the door behind which Talon waited, "the Dominus Prime will see you now."

He bowed his head, then stepped beyond the portcullis. The room was a stark contrast to the darkness of the halls beyond, lit by the skies of Ryloth and bathed in rich, desert sunlight. The cool, conditioned air was a nice touch, of course. "Sir," Alkor saluted respectfully. "You summoned me?"

 

[ToKola Bakari]

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[member="Alkor Centaris"]​

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In the simplest eye, Elessar seemed to generally host a very uncaring expression on his face. Of course, it was the furthest thing from the truth. His eyes gazed at the Mandalorian almost dismissively but he looked at every little aspect he could and then silently processed all that was before him. He was a bit like a droid in that respect. Before he dared speak, he would watch. He took notice of each scar and cut along the man's chiseled jaw. He spied the sunken features that war so often put among the men and women who participate in it. Still, those sunken eyes did not mask the fire beneath or the youthful presence that came with it. At this, Elessar's lips seemed to twitch ever so slightly. He was smiling, damningly small, but he was.

He turned from the Knight, gazing back at Golbah city and taking in the sight just as he had Alkor. He was yet considering his words.

"Please sit." He asked, gently even. Gesturing a single hand towards the chair that sat across from Elessar's. The Dominus Prime made his way to the corner of the office where a small cabinet rested. From it he produced a small tea pot that kept his favorite. Chilled Sapir Tea. He took two cups and made his way back to the desk, pouring one for himself and one for Alkor as well. The entire time, the presence of the Force was so willfully at ease with the man. The Dark stance that Alkor had was unwavering, Elessar's presence in the Force was as a stone wall to a creek.

"I would like to speak with you about your future in the Knight's Obsidian, tea?" He lifted the cup towards Alkor, with an expectant eye. His eyes told so much. They told Alkor that this was a test, would he drink the tea or would he not? However it was quite clear Elessar would not say another choice until the decision was made.

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[Alkor Centaris]

The man was intense in his own way; where Alkor remained calm, yet seethed with an all-consuming fire beneath the surface, this Echani resonated a true calm. Like other members of his race that the Dark Jedi had met, his demeanor betrayed nothing of his thoughts. It was a perfect complement to the passion their people put into combat: grounded, aloof, yet tempered like steel in the hottest flame.

There was something to be said for those qualities in a leader. Quiet, reserved, yet thoughtful and focused. Such men had no time to play games, for they busied themselves with taking pride in their work. They excelled at trimming out weakness. Ah, Alkor recognized he had not been far off as he took his place in the designated seat. He was coming under scrutiny after all.

At the offer of tea, Alkor glanced up momentarily. "Please," he replied, "that would be nice." If the man intended to poison him, he could think of worse ways to die. Still, it took some of the tension off of the situation, and the topic [member="Elessar Talon"] had chosen was generally considered a tense one.

He took the offered drink and sipped it, eyes closed as he savored the warm brew.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

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[member="Alkor Centaris"]​

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When people, especially humans, began to have anxieties over a certain moment or thought they often refused nourishment. They did not wish to eat bread, or have meals, or drink tea. Alkor had taken the tea with what appeared to be no hesitation. Elessar did not smile, though he was pleased that Alkor did not show his discomforts on the surface if he had any. Elessar rested in the chair across from Alkor while taking a treasured sip of his own chilled tea. He downed it, enjoying the refreshing liquid for a moment before finally parting his lips once again.

"[member="Naedira Darcrath"] has some faith in your abilities. So did the former Dominus Prime and the Vicelord. They believe that a command could be beneficial to you." Elessar was straight forward, exceptionally so. He did not mince words, or hide his intent in some rediculous slew of thoughts, instead he brought it forward and utilized it as a catalyst for what was to come.

"Do you believe you are caapble of leading the Knight's Obsidian with me? Before his departure, Cardinal Vi'Dreya named one of the other Knight's as a Commander. I don't believe the Dominus Prime should lead alone, however one Commander is not enough. I've decided to name another, and I believe you're a fit."

 

[Alkor Centaris]

[member="Elessar Talon"]​

Alkor took a sip of tea and weighed it on his tongue. If it tasted like death, it was an unfamiliar form of it and one that Alkor had no experience with. Battlefields and assassinations had been his entire life. He had been to the brink. There were no such dangers in the small, white cup. It was A simple drink, yet demanded nothing of his body and offered refreshment.

A change of pace, to be certain.

He placed the cup down and remained seated, folding his hands as he listened to the man speak. There was often more said in the words of men who offered few than in the lengthy conversations with men who had much to say. "When I first met Cardinal," he replied slowly after he took in all that the new Dominus Prime had to say, "I told him I wanted to be equal. I wanted the hardships of my peers, I wanted to share in victory and in defeat, and to come to be accepted by my peers. I wanted to earn that for myself."

He placed both hands on the table in front of him. "I have led men before, and I do not believe I did so in a way that was respectful of their lives and their sacrifice. When I was made Warmaster, it was for lack of a better choice, so I do not want to lie to you and say with confidence that I am the best choice.

I am a dangerous man, and possibly one of the most skilled killers in this Galaxy. The ability to take life is unexceptional. There are thousands of men who have the same qualifications, if all you need is a warrior." Alkor took the tea in hand again, sipped it, then looked into the half empty cup.

"Permit me to ask, Dominus," he spoke quietly after a moment. "What is it you expect from a Knight Commander of your Knights Obsidian?"

 

[ToKola Bakari]

[member="Alkor Centaris"]

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The Knight who sat before Elessar had certainly taken the man's full attention. The son of Eshan was keen to every movement, every subtle shift that gave away so much about the man. The natural demeanor of a soldier, the eyes that hinted of a darkness awaiting to be unleashed, the way he grasped his cup with a firm grip showing a strong will and devotion to what he was doing. All traits that The Confederacy could make use of. The Knight brought the cup of tea to his lips, and just before it reached them there was a subtle tense that Elessar was able to identify.

“No, it's not poisoned.” He promised, maintaining that uncaring expression that told so many false truths. Many believed Elessar, and many of the Echani, were capable of seeing into the future or reading minds. A crude thought. No the truth was much less dramatic, they merely paid attention to what was before them.

Alkor spoke, and even now Elessar found himself growing...fond of the man. He had morals and values, while they may not have been the most pragmatic it was to be commended. He truly believed a man needed a code to follow, even if it was one paved with the bodies of his enemies. It would do.

“That's very good of you...” He said, his crystalline voice sounding so much like a song not to be heard by human ears. “...but you're of better use to us in a position of command. Remaining in the rank and file only serves to waste time and lives.” And it was true. If Alkor did not accept then perhaps a less competent man will take the position and that could lead to lower results, which would subsequently lead to higher casualties. None of this was ideal to the General.

After Alkor had spoken his piece, Elessar raised his hand to halt the conversation. Of course, he would answer the man's question but in due time. Instead he took his cup and brought it to his lips, savoring the bitter flavors that flowed over his tongue while he washed his mouth clear.

“Had you come through my door claiming to be the best or boasting some ridiculous history I would have told you to leave. If I even anticipated that, I would never have called you here. You are here because I watched you. I listened to what was said about you and most importantly I watched for what you did not do.”

“You're not a Mandalorian Warmaster anymore, Knight Centaris. You are a soldier and there is a large difference between a soldier and a warrior. Pride and Strength mean nothing next to duty and loyalty.” As Elessar spoke his hands brushed against the desk idly,. Small tapping motion that accented his words in certain places.

“The duties of a Knight Commander are to establish bases and footholds for the Knight, train the next generation in our ways, and most importantly to lead the other Knight's in combat in large operations. There is no small bit of paperwork to attend to as well “ Elessar glanced down at the datapad resting on the corner of his desk with an almost disdainful look.

“Now. Will you help me lead these men or not? This choice comes just once.”

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Alkor sat back as [member="Elessar Talon"] answered his questions, and he sipped at the tea with a certain calm he could not have attained before. If he had entered this room and been forced to take a position, he may well have tendered his resignation. There was an unspoken understanding between these two men- both of them saw the importance of each life, of maintaining the careful balance of strength and duty. He had learned much since Isley brought him into the Verd clan, about loyalty and about how to put aside his individualistic ways in favor of something larger.

When he came to the Confederacy, he vowed to finally build something, rather than simply being the Destroyer God he had been molded into. Though he would never quite escape that reality, in the Knights Obsidian Alkor had found a Brotherhood with more unity than the dystopian Dark Jedi Order had ever given him. These people were not constantly feuding to be at the top, nor were there bottom feeders picking at the leavings of those who stood at the top. There were only equals who differed in levels of knowledge and experience.

He found himself content with the idea of Knighthood, of protecting something, of a code of honor that demanded excellence. "I will," he replied. There was little more to be said. Both of them were men of few words, and everything that needed to be laid out in the open, had been. "It would be my honor."