Private Forward

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING:
TAG: Kaila Irons

The Wolf found himself back in Echnos City. It was not far removed from the battle which took place, and it was at the request of the Interim Governor. She was the newest Darth, the youngest by naming. Time would tell if she would choose to go by the moniker, or like Gerwald and the Echani Empress, choose to forgo the title in favor of their given name. He was curious as to why she was requesting the meeting, but Gerwald had been responsible for the oversight and execution of the Sith defenses in Echnos City.

Srina Talon may have been the one who set off the device, but the plan from the use of battle meditation, and the use of the people themselves had been the design of the Dread Wolf.

The Galactic Alliance had been predictable. They could no more push their advancement into the city without risking the loss of civilian and innocent life. Those which chose to infiltrate only added to the panic and confusion which the phobis device had created. Gerwald was not arrogant enough to think his plan could have worked without Darth Carnifex or Srina Talon , but he no longer hid behind the pretense of humility. Others in the Order took credit for their successes, the Wolf would do the same. It helped those who followed to know their leaders were capable and competent.

Rubble lay in a pile where the mansion once stood. The Dread Wolf had learned later of the Jedi which had foolishly chosen to engage the empress at the location. She had brought the building down on the shadow, though the body had not been recovered. Renovation and rebuilding was underway. The abode taking on the form of something more fitting a Sith ruler than an overweight politician.

Gerwald nodded in approval as he stepped into the main hall. They were an occupying force even if there were those which refused to see their presence as such. Proximity to Sulis Van made Echnos City vital. It would be the profits from their casinos which helped to fund the completion of the Second Legion. Darth Empyrean had given his command, and the Wolf was determined to see it done.

“The work is coming along nicely, I see,” the Wolf offered in greeting. “I take it you are settling into this role okay?”

 

[Kaila Irons]

The city of Echnos was recovering remarkably quickly. Darth Anathemous had of course invested in the military presence, ships came and went with cargo and souls bound for the frontlines on worlds such as Praesitlyn or to resupply between Jutrand and Slius Van, Imperial soldiers marched on patrol while pro-sith propaganda blared from holo-projectors in front of key buildings. But equally so, she had invested in the city. In it's people.

The buildings surrounding the manor had been patched with shiny new durasteel, construction workers were being paid well to clear rubble, creating new job opportunities which the holoprojectors claimed would develop skills that might translate well to future employment in the industry of shipwrights and constructing fortifications as the empire continued to expand, all aiming to recruit these people into the larger military industrial complex. New orphanages were built with a particular care, usually not far from newly repaired hospitals and schools which had begun replacing teachers lost during the siege with imperial academics from elsewhere, Kainite or otherwise.

If there was some pragmatism behind it all or merely atonement for the sins she had inflicted upon this city, who could say, but Anathemous had taken special care of this place in the months which passed between now and her promotion, the quick but proud moment which Gerwald had witnessed just outside this very manor.

Yet, it remained a ruin.

Surrounded by pristine or nearly completed buildings, the governor's manor which had since been given to Anathemous was an ugly, jagged thing as The Empress had left it. Only the bare essentials had been replaced, enough for the her and this new regime to do it's duty, so utterly divorced from the vanities of it's previous ruler. Anathemous was, perhaps to the chagrin of her peers, more of a public servant than a ruler. She always had been, even if she was about the process of learning Ambition for herself. So it was that she served, siphoning funds that were meant for the reparations of her headquarters into the city around her, a commitment to do right by the people whose lives she helped put at risk.

"Lord Lechner," She would greet him upon arrival, flanked by a pair of SB-H Commando Droids who, albeit unknown to her at the time, bore a striking resemblance to those produced by the very confederacy which the wolf once served. Yet these were not confederate droids, nor were they of imperial make either, and their blood red markings would be utterly alien to this corner of the galaxy. At least for awhile longer.

"Welcome back to Echnos."

She herself wore new armor more befitting of a newly ascended dark lord, silken cloak swaying gently as she marched up to the man and bowed her head in greetings to the dark councilor, though it could not hide the pragmatic armor and bodyglove she wore underneath, a sign that this new role had not dulled her sense of caution nor the mentality that she was, even newly risen to the height of politics, a warrior at heart. A warrior whose eyes shone a fiery gold even under the ample lighting as they looked up to the larger man, outshining even the silken hair that hung from her shoulders.

“The work is coming along nicely, I see,” the Wolf offered in greeting. “I take it you are settling into this role okay?”

"I'd like to think we've made quick progress, even if less than I'd hoped. The city is recovering quickly and resources are being sent to the shipyards of Slius Van on schedule, without alliance interference thus far. We've intercepted some collaborators and sympathizers, with investigations yielding acceptable results as we speak." She spoke more of her results than of her opinions.

"...however,"

Had she done something wrong, she wondered. Missed something, perhaps?

"We have not yet found the saboteurs responsible for the generator attack, whether they escaped the city during the alliance siege or remain here remains a mystery. I'm told you'd engaged these men during the battle, and I was wondering if... If you'd allow me to ask some questions, as your insight may reveal what I have not"

Hesitant though she was, Anathemous was not afraid to admit her plan, while producing results, was not flawless. Or at the very least, she would own up to her perceived mistakes even at personal cost. Carnifex and The Empress had given her a task, seeing it through was more important than saving face.


Gerwald Lechner

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING:
TAG: Kaila Irons

She seemed nervous. Gerwald’s presence often made those he visited wonder if his visits were borne of his role as Councilor or Executioner. The Dread Wolf was there as neither for the moment. Kaila did not need to worry about whether he was there to relieve her head from the rest of her. It would be a pity and a shame to be forced to do so with one so young. Darth Carnifex had put her in place. If she failed, the failure would be his to bear and to remedy. Gerwald was not there to assess her performance, but rather to determine her value for himself.

“And I do not suppose you will,” Gerwald said of the saboteurs. “I killed them.”

His answer was short. It was a simple enough solution to her quandary. Why she had not already come to that conclusion herself was puzzling. Maybe she had and simply wanted the Wolf to confirm it.

“Does that satisfy any of the questions you may have, or is the more you wish to know?”

He walked toward the window and looked out at the continuing construction which was well underway. His arms crossed over his chest as he observed the work which Kaila had been able to achieve so far. He smiled slightly as he waited for her answer.

“Of course, as long as I am here, I am at your disposal.”

 

[Kaila Irons]

"Ah. This is good news" Her brows rose, though a subtle relief washed over her as the tension released from her shoulders.

"I did not wish to waste your time, but rather, to follow up on a foul rumor. Something about a lone survivor, you see. I had to hear for myself that it was only a rumor."

It simply wouldn't do to let one escape during her first command.

Her eyes shone in the dim light, trailing him like the sun does it's moon as he wandered toward the window, ever alert, ever observant. Yet perhaps without cause, as they found him smiling. Was he not some militant hardass like the Kainites commanders? Honestly, it felt like she was gambling with a new culture shock every time she met Sith who were not of Carnifex's making. Although even they were varied in their own peculiarities.

“Of course, as long as I am here, I am at your disposal.”

She remained quiet for but a moment, eventually drifting towards the windowsill which she leaned into with crossed arms, finally allowing her guard to slip and her eyes to wander over the domed cityscape beyond.

"You are... not what I expected, Lord Lechner." she half chuckled, half sighed.

"None of you are, really. Our empress especially. Very few have been cruel to me the way Kainites have, not since I returned from the field far beyond our borders. It's... confusing, you know"

"And yet," she gestured to the few distant buildings which had not yet been repaired

"In working with you lot, I've helped destroy imperial families. Orphaned many children, most of which are deaf to the force and so doomed to be cast about by the whims of fate, never to know the dark side nor rise for it. It's not half as cruel as the my master might have done were he in her shoes, but that's just it. This... duality... it confuses me, I can no longer trust the my judgement, my instincts which have kept me alive for no long."

"Mind you," She was quick to clarify

"I am not questioning The Empress' orders. I have every intention of seeing my mission through. I just... So new, I suppose, unused to how the new order operates. When Carnifex took me as his apprentice, it was still his empire. And yet I've been away for so long, you actually have more experience in this business than I do"

"What is she like...?" She turned abruptly, an almost childlike curiosity in her eye.

"The Empress, I mean. What it is like, to serve so close to her?"


Gerwald Lechner

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING:
TAG: Kaila Irons

There had been a lone survivor. Gerwald had left him. It was an old tradition of warlords for days long since past to leave one to tell the story of what had been done. It was meant to elicit fear. In some ways the Wolf felt partially responsible for the menace the New Jedi Order had become. He had saved the current grandmaster and her apprentice when Naboo came under attack from otherworldly creatures. Maliphant may not have become the Dead God. Then again another may have struck him down. Gerwald could not allow his thoughts to rest on the matter.

Sith did not apologize. It was a lesson the Wolf had learned from the Kainites. His friendship with Darth Carnifex had given him a perspective on what it meant to be Sith he did not get from the others. Most of his practice still came from what he gleaned from the Empress Srina Talon , and her master which trained her. Some had called Gerwald a modern Sith, if he even knew what that meant, and perhaps that was the duality Kaila Irons was referring to.

He nodded at her comment. The Wolf understood what she meant more intimately than she realized. His blue gaze, still clear of the taint most dark siders bore in their eyes, followed her movements. They were both Sith. Trust was not a luxury they could afford each other.

“It is not duality in the way you think it is.”

His body turned toward her.

“It was our Empress that unleashed the device on the citizens of Echnos, the Galactic Alliance, and those of our army, all at once. We fed it, and to do what, hide behind the innocent? The Alliance made their choice when they attacked the airlocks, took out the power, and bombed a portion of the city’s sewer systems. We did what was required, nothing more and nothing less.”

He motioned out toward the city as he continued.

“Now we also do what is required. Those who work on the shipyards on Sulis Van retreat here, this is their escape. It generates income for the Order, which we need for our expansion. Everything about this is…”

The Wolf almost rolled his eyes at the word which was about to come out of his mouth. It was the culmination of the years he had known his mistress. Long before she had joined Empyrean’s Sith Order she had been as she was in this regard. Her lessons were framed about the word.

“...practical.”

Gerwald was quiet for a moment as he scanned the room. He moved about until he found a place which looked comfortable to sit. As if the room was his to command, Gerwald made his presence felt. It was a lesson for the girl, one she needed to remember. Sith dominated everything they touched.

“That is her, in a word if you must know. Your ascension into this position, if you recall, was because your plan made sense. It appealed to her. Carnifex vouched for you. I trust them both to make a good decision, so I backed you.”

He motioned for her to sit.

“No duality. Practicality.”

 

[Kaila Irons]

Practical. It was a good way to describe the woman, she thought, certainly from what she'd gathered so far. Perhaps there was some caution she should be taking from this, that whatever kindness she perceived The Empress having given unto her was not truly kindness, merely the seizing of an opportunity, or even a test. Perhaps years of being treated like a worthless drone had rendered such recognition so alien to her that it was perhaps now a weakness even, leaving her easily manipulated, even if self inflicted, by a simple act of pragmatism.

Yet, Kaila wished to respect the woman for more than her sense of practicality in a culture driven by emotion, although it was certainly worthy of respect in their line of work. Despite her nature, Srina had also demonstrated a certain degree of passion towards her own empire that Kaila was unused to seeing. She had an agenda of course, and they were all being used to her designs, But it appeared that these designs were for the betterment of their entire empire, or at least Kaila suspected as much.

Or perhaps she was merely projecting, it was certainly a variable for her to consider.

She watched the dark councilor wander the room while he spoke, imparting a lesson upon the young darth until he'd found a place to sit. Kaila supposed it right that he remind her of Carnifex's support. Of her master's support. It was just easy to forget sometimes, when he had carefully cultivated such hate in her. The Empress had called her by this truest of names, considered her Darth Anathemous before the battle had even ended. When one chases approval for as long as she has, such a thing could easily overshadow the gift He had bestowed upon her.

She made mental note to remember this.

"Practicality..." Anathemous echoed, coming to stand before Lord Lechner.

Without so much as a gesture, a chair was pulled from the other room as if by it's own accord, settling just behind as she sat down, crossing one leg over the other. The young Darth was perhaps more powerful than she acted, nor gave herself credit for. Certainly better trained, at least, even she if lacked refinement in a few areas while others, such as her Telekinetic powers, had since been polished.

And it was The Empress who had begun her path to seeing this in herself. Towards realizing her own worth.

"She spoke to me, you know" She hummed in thought

"During the battle, I could hear her voice. she reached out to me when I needed it most"

It wasn't something she saw as a confession of weakness, not anymore at least. For if she were weak, The Empress would not have wasted time on her. It was a dangerous realization, for their enemies.

"I gave myself fully to the dark side, shouted Anathemous for the Jedi to hear. And it was in that moment she greeted me by this name"

Her eyes flicked upward at him, a hint of resolve having overtaken her prior anxieties.

"I didn't learn until returning to the manor that I learned she'd been fighting Jedi all the while. She took that time and focus to reach out to me despite the danger... I suppose it is for this reason that I feel a desire to do right by her, not only because it is my duty."

"And with this in mind," Anathemous looked out towards the city again.

"I am bringing some of my connections into the equation. With so many bodies needed for The Emperor's second legion, I'd like to re-assign the majority of our PDF to the cause... And replace them with battle droids to guard the system"

Saryn Zambrano had been most helpful in this regard, both for the emotional and practical support he had always leant her. Her was also one of the most skilled designers and businessmen she'd ever known. Echnos would be well defended, at no cost to the empire that she herself could not pay.

"Although the local culture hates the replacement of organics via automatons. Even cyborgs, of which I am one, even if I do not look it" she admitted with a slight sigh.

"My hope is that the care I've taken to improve their conditions will make them more pliable, and less resistant to so many changes, although I suspect most would advise that I simply start beheadings" She chuckled cynically.

"It may come to that. I've invested enough time and money into their well being that instigation on their part would simply be... petty."


Gerwald Lechner

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING:
TAG: Kaila Irons

“She had her tendrils all over the battle,” Gerwald said, opting to burst the girl's bubble just a little. “I am glad for you that she chose to honor your ascension, but she pulled on all of us to power the device. We are only as strong as the weakest among us. If you wish to take pride in anything about what happened that day, be reassured that you were not found wanting.”

This was likely a better example of the duality which Kaila spoke of. Kindness among the Sith was not easy to come by, and the Wolf was not a kind man to most. There were those who saw the rare glimpses of who had been before embracing the dark side, and those who could pull back the curtain long enough to see him once more. Kaila was not among them. Not even Carnifex had been among them. While the Epicanthix knew of Gerwald’s exploits, he never knew the Wolf for who he had been.

He chuckled at her display of the force. These younger Sith were flashy. They liked to show off in ways which did not matter. Gerwald did not begrudge them for it. He had been flashy in his inexperience and youth as well. Over time he opted to save his energy for battle. On occasion he used the force for mundane tasks, but only when it suited him to do so. This was going to be an interesting meeting after all.

It shifted to the topic of ongoing plans. Her mention of droids piqued his interest. Had she known he came from the old Confederacy, and the Empress had as well. There was something nostalgic which touched some forgotten part of his memories. It was fleeting. The Confederacy no longer existed, and Gerwald was not its Lord Commander any longer. Srina Talon was not Exarch but Empress. They were no longer those people, even if they still carried some of her ideals.

Kaila expressed the hatred which the people of Echnos City had with replacing organics with droids. He could understand it. This was not the same as using droids to replace slaves. The machines took jobs away from people, which meant they took wages from them.

“Then find them better jobs.”

His words were given as a directive.

“Their hatred is simple, and any revolt would not be petty. These are working people who rely on the jobs for wages. Droids replacing them is not seen as a benefit if they also lose what they perceive to be the way in which to earn their livelihood. I grew up the son of a farmer. He wanted better for me, so he ensured my brother and I were taken into the military where we became warriors. I can empathize with the mindset you face here.”

He motioned around the city to indicate the people.

“If you do not want them to revolt, improving their conditions will not be enough. You must ensure they do not grow idle. You must keep them working.”

Gerwald looked to the woman to ensure he understood what she meant.

“If you can manage that, they will let you make your changes with little resistance, and with adding the droids you will have doubled your workforce here. As for the Second Legion,” he said with a grin. “I will take whomever you will send.”

He paused.

“Tell me… do plan to remain until a new governor is named or are your sights set on making this a permanent position for yourself?”

 

[Kaila Irons]

"I see."

So it was hardly as she once thought it to be. It was entirely possible that The Empress' voice was heard all across the battlefield, and not merely the eerie counting either.

While it might have been nice to feel special for but a moment, she was no less encouraged that her performance had been up to the high standard of this new order, in addition to what was required of her by Darth Carnifex. Most importantly however, she had a great deal more freedom for it, even if nobody but Xyrah and herself realized just what that meant for her, nor the shape that freedom would take.

But there would be time to explore this new frontier, for now she must listen carefully to the dark councilor sitting before her, who had more to say.

He spoke of the reasons working men might have to hate automatons and his own origins as a farmer's boy. Though mentioned but briefly, she found the idea that he had gone from farmer to soldier and from soldier to dark councilor quite fascinating. In that small way, she believed they were similar. If Lord Lechner had done his research, he'd know that there was actually quite little to know about her past. She had no records in any imperial system, not even the original empire, save one: She was an unnamed patient at a military hospital in occupied Krownest many years ago, and it was from this place that she was plucked by Carnifex before being given a name.

She was nobody. Not until very recently.

But more importantly than her ability to relate with a man who'd clawed his way out of the much like she was trying to do, He also a offered strategy in which to prevent any potential revolt.

And so it was that she made the very same decision for these people that Lord Lechner's father had made for him.

She would put them to use in a military setting.

These battle droids would need living commanders to oversee them, as would the many ships that would carry them across the Echnos system and the empire at large. Human hands could be employed in the factories that would churn out these robotic defenders, and given time, perhaps relations could be established with other worlds if she could somehow lease out these workers who would otherwise have been replaced. The wider empire was not as prolific in the use of droids as she and the kainate were, after all. Those worlds would need them, even if Echnos did. She'd just lend them long enough to turn a profit was all.

It was plain to see by the distant but focused look on her face that Anathemous had come up with something which she believed satisfactory, even if she did not voice it so as not to interrupt the dark councilor.

And she was thankful she didn't, when asked an important question.

“Tell me… do plan to remain until a new governor is named or are your sights set on making this a permanent position for yourself?”

Right. This wasn't permanent, she'd nearly forgotten.

"I... "

She ran gloved fingers through her silken hair.

"I'm unsure the assembly would vote for a newcomer with such an... enshrouded past as mine. I'm sure I appear as something of a wildcard" She sighed

"Though if they did, I think I'd prefer this post, or at least one within imperial space. It would allow me to stay better connected with The Order, not just the Kainate. I am... still finding my place within The Sith... It would be nice just to have one at all"

Anathemous supposed it wasn't the grandest reason for her to stay, nor did it display the ambition typically desired from sith in her position. Then again, The Empress had supported her exactly because she did not display the cannibalistic ambitions of the other candidates. She had ambitions of her own of course, they were just irrelevant to the order.

"To be honest with you? When I first heard I was deploying to this place, I was-" Frightened, but also-

"-excited. That is, I was excited to be a part of something. I've spent so long wandering the galaxy, alone, hunting for old tombs and artefacts. I feel as though I'd forgotten what it was like to be an imperial. I've already met so many strange and interesting people since coming here, it would be a shame to leave so early"



Gerwald Lechner

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING:
TAG: Kaila Irons

She spoke as though she were lost. Gerwald did not believe it for a second, but the words this new Darth used were full of self-doubt and uncertainty. It was a wonder she survived the tutelage of Darth Carnifex at all if that were the case. What the Wolf did not know was the threat which had been against her. Echnos had been her final opportunity to prove herself. Kaila had, and now it was time to believe that was enough. It needed to be.

The assembly was a joke, a body which slowed the progress which the Order could make without their involvement. Gerwald hated the bureaucratic red tape which often accompanied politics and government. Srina had taught him to be patient with it, to use it when it gave him an advantage, but she had never quite gotten him to like it.

He was not convinced she liked it either.

Gerwald scoffed at the comment about what the assembly would or would not do.

“Frak the assembly.”

It was rare the Wolf used language so strongly among those he did not know. His choice showed the disdain he had for the process. This woman had earned the post, and if the assembly could not see it, they were blind.

“Being a Kainite is more than some get to claim in our Order. If that was the only place for you, it is still a place.”

His words were designed to correct her perspective. Not everyone were fortunate enough to claim allegiance to any of the sects within the Order. Gerwald for a long time had been seen as nothing more than Empyrean’s executioner. His directive had been simple. Advance Darth Empyrean’s will among the Sith and enforce it. His loyalty had been rewarded, and it opened a path for him to step into more.

The same was true for the woman he sat across. Her obedience opened a path for her few would ever walk. Both the Empress and her master elevated her because of it. While Gerwald knew little of her, the others he trusted to have good judgment in those matters. This visit was simply to verify her efforts would fall in line with what the Emperor willed and not advance the wishes of her master. While Gerwald liked Carnifex, he could not allow the twice-emperor to be the hand holding the leash of the newest governor.

“If you leave early it is because you failed. Failure has only one outcome here,” he began. “Sulis Van is integral to the completion of the Second Legion. It must not be delayed or hindered further by the Galactic Alliance. If you succeed in that, your tenure here will likely be for some time.”

A wolfish grin tugged at his lips.

“Worry less about how soon you may or may not leave, and worry more about the task at hand.”

His smile faded.

“I wish to pursue rebel elements plaguing the borders which have risen up from the remnants of those belonging to the Rimward Trade League. You govern a world which belonged to them once, and will be my eyes and ears here. If they advance or make even the smallest amount of noise I wish to know about it.”

He looked her in the eyes.

“Will this be a problem for you?”

 

[Kaila Irons]

“Frak the assembly.”

A wry little smile tugged at the corners of her lips. While she may have found ways to benefit from politics a time or two, and may even be learning to play the game herself, she despised the bureaucrats and all their scheming. She did not believe it conducive to a thriving and united empire, which was the very thing she had hoped to be a part of.

Though her smile became a look of contemplation as Gerwald shifted the conversation.

“Being a Kainite is more than some get to claim in our Order. If that was the only place for you, it is still a place.”

While Darth Anathemous presented herself to be a loyal Kainite and mainstream Imperial both, Kaila Irons hated her master with a carefully crafted intensity which He had instilled. She had been beaten into shape, their relationship was as the blade and the blacksmith's hammer.

But this blade was far from untended now that her days of lonesome field work were over.

She was kept dry, sheathed in the softest materials each night, she had money even if it often came from Xyrah's accounts and not the Kainate's coffers.

She had a place, she supposed.

It was just that she'd stubbornly distanced herself from the affairs of her master, done everything in her power to cool the fires of vengeance by letting them burn away at a distance so as not hurt...

Xyrah. She couldn't bear to break the poor boy's heart by forcing him to choose between Carnifex and herself.

She had a place, she just worried she'd burn it down if made to linger.

It was something she'd have to consider the next time Xyrah asked her to return with him.

“Worry less about how soon you may or may not leave, and worry more about the task at hand.”

Kaila glanced up at him, realizing she'd dwelled on this too much over the past few days, and simply nodded.

“I wish to pursue rebel elements plaguing the borders which have risen up from the remnants of those belonging to the Rimward Trade League. You govern a world which belonged to them once, and will be my eyes and ears here. If they advance or make even the smallest amount of noise I wish to know about it.”

He looked her in the eyes.

“Will this be a problem for you?”

"No" she answered quickly.

"Of course not, my lord. In fact, once my droids arrive, It will free many hands for the task"

Perhaps she had spoken too quickly, however. Considering his clear disdain for the assembly, she did not wish to look like some brown nosing sycophant. They had chosen her for her ability, her mind, not simply because they wanted to refill the shoes of some pompous governor.

If she were to survive in these new lands, she'd need to continually demonstrate the validity of this decision.

"The Trade League were primarily a maritime merchant peoples, yes? I suspect then that they'd be fond of employing smugglers. If I had permission to extend my reach a little, we could set up checkpoints along the Hydian way or perhaps the borders. With Interdictor-class vessels laying in wait at key points, we could stop and search vessels to catch them, enough to interrogate at least."

"Although, if you'd prefer a more... subtle approach?" she added with a degree of hesitancy.

"The Kainate maintains fingers in many... criminal enterprises abroad. I've not brought them here, I wouldn't wish to violate Imperial law of course, But I have certain connections that could easily be employed here. It would not be difficult to implant eyes and ears into the criminal underworld from which rebels often spawn, Attach them right to the source rather than the symptom. But I'd have to loosen their leash, just a little"

She knew how it sounded, she knew it was a little bold to suggest. But she also knew that leading criminals was a very sith thing to do, Kaila was merely asking permission, something the other dark lords neglected.

"I figure it'd be a quiet way to keep tabs on smuggling, arms sales, stolen vessels, everything rebels need and risk discovery for. But equally important as subtlety, we could cast a much wider net"



Gerwald Lechner

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING:
TAG: Kaila Irons

Was the woman leveraging for more power? Gerwald mused on her offer and suggestions. She did not know much about him, so he did not hold her question about subtlety against her. If it was required, the Wolf would employ Oleander Webb for such a task. In general he did not trust organizations which did most of their work in shadow and secret. They could easily plot against the Order as readily as complete the secret missions no one wanted to speak of openly. Gerwald was one who preferred to be direct whenever possible.

There was an element of wisdom in her words, however. Gerwald could not ignore the fact she was offering him a way to gain intelligence as he needed it without relying on the Tsis’Kaar for it. He did not like being indebted to the Kainites either, but if this was something which gave him an upper hand, it would not matter. After all, the Wolf was not among those who held hard and fast to the factions or regimes of the past. His loyalty had never been to one over the other as much as it had been to a person.

Gerwald nodded, at least to let the woman know he was listening as he continued to ponder the options before him.

“It is possible extra hands will be needed on Seswenna soon. That being said, procure your droids, but be mindful of what I said in regards to the morale of the people.”

He felt his warning was worth repeating.

“That being said, when we do make for the former planets of the Rimward Trade League, I will not be subtle. It does not mean we should not be subtle now. If you have contacts which can get me information before the Tsis’Kaar can get their hands on it, I will be sure to reward you personally.”

Gerwald did not know how he would do that as of now, but it was an issue to handle if she managed to deliver in the way she suggested she could.

“All ships rise with the tide, and I intend to be that tide.”

 

[Kaila Irons]

"As you wish, Dark Councilor" In truth, the young darth would offer up whatever she needed to improve her position so long as it secured her freedom. Power meant independence, freedom of movement, to stay as far away from Carnifex as she possibly could. Once she had achieved that level of independence, then she would happily leave the politics and backstabbing to more ambitious men and women. For all she cared, she'd lock herself in a library, only come out to share new discoveries and powers when it suited her.

Or at least, that's what she chose to believe.

But that world was a fantasy, and she had come to terms with reality sooner or later. Gerwald could afford not to play the game if he wanted, She could not. She was no Dark Councilor. And as much as she wished to be bold, to disregard the complicated world of politics her master had placed her in on the other side of the galaxy, surrounded by enemies within and without, she had to control her passions here. She had to be subtle, at least about her true agenda. And so for the time being, she also needed to demonstrate her effectiveness, her reliability.

"I will put the people of Echnos hard at work, the droids will merely replace the soldiers. Technology is our highest export, So I will employ them to manufacture weapons which will be sent to Sluis Van and your second legion. And If that is not enough, then I will also send them abroad for work. Destruction will follow your advance like a plague from the sound of it, but so too will the construction industry, especially as we capture underdeveloped outer rim territories"

She explained her reasoning, assuming that it would be fairly easy to simply absorb them into the workforce while the droids did most of the fighting and dying.

"Although, may I ask, my lord, what do you seek in Seswenna? If I remember my studies correctly, it hosts a shipyard, I assume that is the reason? Admittedly I may have to expand operations here to do so, but perhaps to combat my city's unemployment concerns, we should be manufacturing starship components and delivering them to all these new shipyards."



Gerwald Lechner

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING:
TAG: Kaila Irons

What did he see in Seswenna? This one was trying to get him to tell her his plan. It was simple, however, the Emperor wanted the Second Legion completed, and the Wolf was going to see it done. Sulis Van had been damaged in the attack brought on by the Galactic Alliance, and additional supply was needed. It was a simple matter of what was required. They could not rebuild and complete the Second Legion without additional shipyards under their control.

He smiled when her offer came to combat her city’s unemployment with constructing parts.

“This city is built on tourism, it is not a sustainable economy during war. Perhaps that is a good idea,” he nodded.

Thus far her ideas greatly benefited the Wolf, but in the back of his mind he wondered if there was a catch. She had been trained by Carnifex. Kaila must have had some kind of angle she was working. Gerwald liked this one, but he was also cautious. He did not know her well enough to know just how warry he needed to be, so he was on complete reserve.

“I will see the former worlds of the Rimward Trade League come into compliance. They have assets we need, and worlds I want. We cannot be allowed to think that what happened on Sulis Van or Echnos has weakened our position. This is a time to show strength. If we back down now our enemies will pounce on us at once.”

Gerwald stood and went back toward the window and overlooked the city. The tremor of what they had done still echoed through the force. Kaila had been given something more than a city to repair and a planet to govern. She was given a wound to manage. Whether the blight of it spread or not would be her responsibility. The Wolf certainly hoped she was up for the task.

He closed his eyes.

“Do you still feel it?”

Gerwald did not define it further.

“This will be the story of many more worlds should we lower our guard and become weak or complacent. We must be vigilant and we must push back against those that would see us wiped from the annals of history. You and I are merely players in a story much larger than us, and yet our actions control its outcome.”

Gerwald turned back to face the newest Darth once more.

“What will be the end of your story?”

 

[Kaila Irons]

“Do you still feel it?”

"Every day, my lord." Her voice was barely more than a whisper in that moment, but it came quickly and without hesitation.

She knew his meaning long before alluding to the fate of her city that day. The Empress' masterful use of the Phobis Device that day had changed her. Years of fear, anguish, and utter hate which she'd locked away so as to remain in control, every ounce of her truest self came pouring out like a tidal wave. She could not claim to be fearless as that was exactly what the accursed device had drawn upon, but it had taught her a valuable lesson. One needn't be fearless to be sith, so long as one does not run from it. Not only had she stood her ground, she had taken ground like a ravenous animal that day.

But it had also brought some uncomfortable truths to her attention.

Not only the depths of her soul which Carnifex had reached his claws into, but how others had touched it as well. She had done the one thing no sith should ever do, and given her heart to another.

Yet it was not a weakness the device had been able to exploit, for the grief of loss had given way to only violence.

Though it only did so much to prepare her for Leven Jeyd to actually go missing. Now she often wondered if those visions had been more prophetic than she initially thought. Perhaps Leven really had been buried in the mines of Dorvalla, and one day she might also slay Saryn in a hellfire of her own making.

Unless perhaps through mastery of the dark side, one might steal back their destiny from the meddling will of the force.

But for now she must learn from her betters, and so she would continue to serve dutifully as she always had, with the hopes that one day she might rise for it such that she could be left to her own devices, and seek vengeance against the living force for all it had done, and might yet do.

“This will be the story of many more worlds should we lower our guard and become weak or complacent. We must be vigilant and we must push back against those that would see us wiped from the annals of history. You and I are merely players in a story much larger than us, and yet our actions control its outcome.”

Gerwald turned back to face the newest Darth once more.

“What will be the end of your story?”

"...my story?"

She looked up at him with sudden resolve.

"You might be the first to ask me such a question where others prefer to answer in my stead."

Her tone betrayed no hint of emotion initially, as if she were merely stating fact. But in truth she wondered if perhaps she'd grown tired of this reality in which others seemed to tell her story, rendering her but a silent audience to her own life.

"Forgive me for answering a question with a question, but might I ask, Do you believe in fate, lord Lechner?"



Gerwald Lechner

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING:
TAG: Kaila Irons

He nodded at the simplicity of her answer. It seemed Kaila could still feel the effect of what they had done in the city. The nightmare which had been unleashed was unfortunate, but necessary. There were those who would think it overkill, too much, an evil that should have never been unleashed. Gerwald did not like it when Sith tried to hold some level of moral superiority over others. They did what they had to do, nothing more and nothing less.

The Galactic Alliance had once been allies with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The Dread Wolf had supported their efforts. He had also supported those of the The Sith Empire under other rulers when Imperialism threatened their own form of genocide against those who used the dark side of the force. He had learned there was no one who could claim to be better than the other. It was a false platform which crumbled under the weight of truth. What the Sith had done proved a point. The Alliance cared nothing about the citizens they had claimed to be liberating. The city saw that now, and it only made them embrace the hand of the Sith more readily.

It was the question of fate, destiny, which pulled his attention to the woman once more. Her answer had not been enlightening. Rather it was a question of predestination, a path determined beforehand which was inevitable. The Wolf mused on the answer he wanted to give before opening his mouth. It was not a matter that he did not know what he believed, instead he wished to word it in a way which would best communicate it.

He shook his head.

“We are masters of our own fate, or in this case the author of our story. There are things which happen around us, circumstances which happen to us, things we cannot control. What we do about them or with them determines the outcome, however. Some things are unavoidable, but that does not mean the force has willed it or that some external being is guiding the course of our lives.”

Gerwald looked out to the city once more.

“You were placed over this city. What you do with it is yours to decide. You are the only one who will determine how this chapter unfolds. Yes, I am making requests, others have certain expectations of you, but that does not mean this was somehow prearranged.”

HIs gaze returned to her.

“So back to my question, how do you see this ending? What is the outcome you prefer?”

 

[Kaila Irons]

“We are masters of our own fate,

She withdrew her gaze to the window almost immediately, knowing the rest of his speech before he spoke. Not because it was fated of course, but because she'd heard it's likeness so many times before. Her understanding of the force was a thing gleaned from countless hours poured over ancient texts, and so it should be no wonder that these modern sith did not share it.

They weren't wrong per se, for the great will did not outright control them, but she had seen too much evidence to believe that it did not have influence. No, it was something like Banite sith in it's modus operandi, carefully influencing events and even people towards a desired outcome. It was not a master of fate in the literal sense, though it certainly came close, but it was trying to be, and that made it so much worse.

It was a usurper. And it didn't care who or what it had to sacrifice to remain in control.

That is why sith often suffered for their powers, for they resisted fate, and the harder they fought, the more they were punished. She had seen it in Empress Talon's face, and she had seen it in the mirror every time Darth Carnifex , fate's way of punishing her, took something from her. Every limb severed and regrown in a vat, every companion she had been forced to execute or made to betray her.

But like Traya, like Plagueis and like so many legends that had since been ignored, she would rise and one day attempt to break the wheel of fate through mastery of the dark side.

One day.

“You were placed over this city. What you do with it is yours to decide. You are the only one who will determine how this chapter unfolds. Yes, I am making requests, others have certain expectations of you, but that does not mean this was somehow prearranged.”

To this however, she afforded herself a feint smile.

Kaila most certainly agreed that this at least was no act of fate. It was her doing. Hers, and The Empress. At most, perhaps the force had determined that she be sent to Echnos, but she had since come to accept that whatever The Empress thought of her capabilities must be true, for she had survived when fate seemed keen on her death, or perhaps to be turned to it's blinding light by Dreidi Xeraic .

Both outcomes she had since navigated, and been rewarded for it.

“So back to my question, how do you see this ending? What is the outcome you prefer?”

"Hm."

She thought on it awhile. She had but one ambition, one thing which dictated her every action that not even fate could be allowed to supersede. And that was true freedom. Freedom from Carnifex, and freedom from The Will. But it was a lonesome quest, and one which she could not speak of outright, for she would thus be seen as a traitor, and make enemies more powerful than she was ready to face in the open. But what did she want beside that? Did she have any remaining passions, did any of this serve another purpose here and now?

She closed her eyes for but a moment, then wandered to the window again, looking out over her city.

"I want..." and only once the silence threatened to paint her incapable of answering did she speak.

"To see the beginning."

A cryptic answer, hardly more enlightening than her question, something she knew might annoy the dark councilor. And so she would attempt to explain further, without giving him too much.

"When I was brought before my lord to become his apprentice, I was taken from a hospital within the borders of the tenth sith empire, during an age in which our banner still flew over Mandalore. But I've no memory of what transpired before... I believe it difficult to chart one's path forward if one does not know from where they began, and so that is the place I seek."

It was a half truth, only one of her secretive goals, and one she was closer to achieving than she let on.

"But I suppose that is one of several beginnings I wish to see. The beginning of a new era on Echnos, I believe this within my reach. And the beginning of an era in which the sith once more rule over the galaxy,"

She clasped her hands together behind her back, giving her a more militaristic look as she continued.

"Only then can the work begin."

"A galaxy in which the Jedi do not seek to hide or destroy the answers I seek. I am merely after the freedom to pursue my research uninterrupted."

"For I seek the origins of the force."

"And like Plagueis"

And like Traya

"I seek to control it,"

I seek to destroy it

"For the good of all sith."

For the good of All.​

Gerwald Lechner

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING:
TAG: Kaila Irons

Gerwald listened to what the woman had to say. A proverb he had learned to live by was that where words were many, sin was not absent. The sentiment was valuable in political settings. If one was allowed to talk long enough they would mess up. Some called it giving a person enough rope to hang themselves. Whether he was doing that with Kaila or not was something he was not fully sure of. His read on the girl was mixed. Something about her was off, but he could not place it.

It bothered the Wolf she had the need to constantly justify her value, worth, and importance. Through their conversation a certain level of insecurity was present, but that did not disqualify her from service. Gerwald remembered what it was like to be in her position, to feel as though he was inadequate to lead. He vividly recalled his reaction to the news he would become the next Lord Commander of the Knights Obsidian. The Wolf had not felt he deserved the command, and yet it was given to him for that express reason.

Her story was tragic. Most Sith seemed to have some tragic thread written into the manuscript of their lives. The Dread Wolf was no different. It was a defining thing, the reason which propelled them to gain power, to become stronger, and defy the limitations of what was possible. Hers was a missing memory, unanswered questions which she needed to decide whether she wanted the answers to. It seemed she had already determined the desired outcome. The question which Gerwald was not sure she was asking was what would she do if the answers revealed a truth she could not bear.

What would she do if those she deemed heroes were the villains?

The Sith Lord smiled.

“Plagueis was killed by his apprentice while sleeping. As wise as he was… he was also a fool.”

It was Gerwald’s observation.

“I am glad you wish to build this city into something. I hope you find the answers you are looking for, and I hope they do not disappoint.”

Optimism was not always Gerwald’s strong suit. He persevered. The ring he had carried around his neck for the better part of a decade had not been because he was optimistic, it was his stubborn commitment to his promise, his duty, loyalty, and love. It had taken much longer to find the solution he had been looking for, and in the end he would say it had been well worth it.

 

[Kaila Irons]

"Ah? I suppose that's true." she chuckled softly.

She knew the Tale of Darth Plagueis the Wise to be a thing of irony, a tragedy meant to caution against those who sought immortality. Most of all however, she knew it to be a tale of punishment. The Force destroyed him, for he had usurped the midi-chlorians. His apprentice had succeeded where he had failed by gaining power over death, yet the Jedi too had slain him and by extension the light claimed yet another kill that day. Carnifex however, had succeeded where Sideous failed, and lived well beyond his natural lifespan.

And so it stood to reason that the sith were getting closer.

"Perhaps he was a fool, or perhaps not, It's not like I knew him." She smiled.

"However, I think all founding fathers seem the fool now, for they lacked the hindsight with which we're so gifted. They live so that they may learn from their triumphs, and they die, so that we may learn from their mistakes."

"Before I was ordered to Echnos, my lord had kept me in the field for many years, and In that time, I learned from the mistakes of many fallen sith." Kaila began, that soft smile still about her face, feint yet genuine as she recalled a better time. Certainly compared to the rest of her service to the Kainate at least.

"I was a Seeker, you see. A wandering scholar tasked with uncovering and returning ancient lore, Sith or Jedi, to the Malsheem. Some might think it tiresome work, delving into dusty tombs, living under the stars most nights, nothing but my lightsaber and I. But it has it's perks."

"And it taught me a valuable lesson;"

She turned to regard lord Lechner over her shoulder.

"Sometimes, the dead have more to teach than the living."

She faced the window again, thinking of all the ways Carnifex was deliberately holding her back. It had forced her to learn from these aforementioned sources. It is the reason for her powers. Even now, her presence in the force alluded to this, seeming as though two or more beings stood before the dark councilor, one young and other souls far too ancient to inhabit the body standing here, gazing out the window.

She was a walking graveyard.

And they had just given her an entire city.

"I think we live in exciting times, my lord. Not ideal times, but certainly exciting. Anyway I suppose I shouldn't keep you over long with questions, even if I find the three of you fascinating in your own ways. I am sure the council must keep you all quite busy."



Gerwald Lechner