Hostile Negotiations

[Darth Ferus]

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Tatooine​

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There was no place better to meet someone on neutral grounds than the dusty planet of Tatooine. Among the bounty hunters, slavers, those looking to hide in plain sight, and the general scum of the galaxy it was rare you'd ever have to deal with any sort of authority. Save for the Hutts who owned the planet, there were little to piss off and get yourself killed because. Krest had been here multiple times, once he had even owned the planet turning the Templar reign. But that was no more. The red man was nothing on this planet.

Dressed in nothing other then his normal armor, he fit in rather well, blending as a local despite his odd choice of clothing. Here on this planet his outfit was the norm, meant to help with the sandstorms that would come through every now and then. Yet he was not here to be hiding. [member="Darth Arcanix"] had taken his old apprentice Minna, and warped the Yodaling into something terrible. He had lost his best friend in a matter of moments, all thanks to a woman he had never met or even seen before. Finding the name was easy, but there was no telling if this woman would even show.

Sitting in one of the many cantinas on this planet, the Zabrak waited. Strapped to his back was a crossbow of an order long past, his only visible weapon. Of course, Krest wouldn't go anywhere without some sort of melee weapon, and strapped to the inside of his outer jacket was a rather simplistic green lightsaber. He did not want things to go bad yet, but he was prepared in case it did. Sipping at a small ceramic cup of tea, he would wait.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli, known as Darth Arcanix in the Sith, had never been to Tatooine, even though one of the companies she ran had facilities her to test weapons. Regardless, she could see why some called it rough place as she walked through the mob of people. Smugglers, thieves, thugs, lowlifes of all kinds, it was a world that she wouldn't voluntarily come to. Curiosity had brought her here though, a message from Valtryx's former friend and master had summoned her to this armpit of the galaxy to a certain cantina.

She suspected it wouldn't be a pleasant chat, so she had brought both her primary lightsaber and her shoto just in case. Those were concealed under the brown robe she was wearing over her dress, the hood up to hide her features. Walking into the cantina, she spotted the Zabrak sitting by himself with a cup of tea.

Making her way through the crowded watering hole, she sat down next to him and ordered tea as well.

"You wanted to speak to me?" she asked in a quiet voice. Her purple eyes were dancing with curiosity at what he had to say.

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Ah, [member="Darth Arcanix"] I presume yes?" The Zabrak, without looking to her, took another sip of tea. He was strangely calm for having called a Sith from a faction he openly opposed to a meeting in a place like this. His blue eyes however would turn to look over her form, the piercing coldness of them apparent. "I already don't like you. Turning Minna into.. What ever you did is a quick and thorough way to anger me. To make this clear, you will let her go." No hand moved to a weapon, but the clear cut anger within his eyes would be clear for any to see, no matter how drunk. He would, however, set down his tea, seeming to get ready for some sort of violence.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"[member="Krest"], yes?" she asked, an eyebrow raising at his demand. "I suppose I should tell you, all I did was defend myself. Minna attacked me while I was working on Alderaan. All I did was deny her a swift victory and her hatred and anger exploded out and took control."

He seemed very . . . confident, but she could see the anger in his eyes. She didn't move to grab her sabers either, she didn't want this meeting to devolve into violence if she could avoid it. But . . . if it came to that, she wasn't sure how that would go. He was powerful.

"As for letting her go, I'm not holding her against her will," she said, taking a sip of the tea in front of her and blanching a little from the taste. "I'm trying to teach her to control that anger and hatred she has in her, to use it effectively instead of allowing it to rule her. I didn't force her to, I simply offered. Can you fault me for that, when I recognized what I saw and what needed to be done?"

 

[Darth Ferus]

"No, I cannot. It simply means her fall was her own, which honestly I figured was true." A sigh would escape the red lips of the man as he turned his head. He just wanted someone to blame, and [member="Darth Arcanix"] seemed to be a good candidate. But despite her Sith nature, he could not put a false blame upon her head for simply doing what she knew how to do. "She claimed my leg the last time I tried to teach her how to control her anger. Be wary she may do the same to you." Odd, now he was giving advise to his would be nemesis. Perhaps it was because of the fact that she had not only came, but did not come with the intention of killing Krest. She must be one of the more.. Peaceful Sith, if you could call it that.

"I won't take up any more of your time now. There's not much else I can say, save for something like I'll kill you when I see you again or something else cliche. I will however be getting Minna back, and if you do get in the way I will not hesitate."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Krest"]

"You can certainly try of course, but I don't kindly to people taking others away from me," she said. "I had a . . . trying experience recently that only reinforced that I'm highly protective of those that I associate with."

If Krest did try to take her apprentice from her, it probably wouldn't be a quiet affair and would result in missing limbs or death. Either way, she was glad that he wasn't casting blame on her for Minna's fall anymore. A small voice in her head said now would be the time to kill him, end his threat to her student. But, she wouldn't act on that impulse unless he made an aggressive move beyond words.

"Please, sit awhile longer," she continued. "You called me out to Tatooine, so humor me a moment and let's talk a while longer. Do you have any questions for me or other . . . grievances?"

 

[Darth Ferus]

"I'd like you to keep in mind that you in a way took her from me, and ultimately I will take her back." Once more he would bring his tea to his lips, sipping at the ceramic cup. This had turned into something.. Awkward. Glancing around the busy bar, he would begin to laugh, a large grin forming on his face. Here he was, getting asked if he had any grievances by a Sith.

"Are you even Sith? Aren't you supposed to try and kill me or something?"

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Krest"]

"You might consider me a . . . moderate within the One Sith," she said with a smile, taking another sip of tea. "I don't go in for the atrocities my colleagues like to perpetuate, so you won't find my name attached to anything besides leading forces in battle, just like many Jedi and Sith. Let's see, I don't keep slaves as I find the practice grotesque, I don't torture prisoners because that doesn't lead to anything productive."

"And no, I won't try and kill you unless you try and go for it first," she said, a small sly smile on her lips. "But yes, I am a Sith. I'm loyal to the institution of the Sith, not to individuals that currently hold ranks above me."

 

[Darth Ferus]

"If you were around when I was Sith, you probably would have made it to the top pretty quick. Of course, after I had killed my master." Not something he talked about often, but this wasn't a normal thing to begin with. Other possibilities started to form in his head, odd and random, but still there.

"Why do you tolerate the other Sith?" [member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"I do it because I must," she replied simply. "I don't have a strong enough ally or power base to challenge them, I only recently ascended to be a Sith Lady and I rather like living. If I had my way, things would be done differently, more moderately, but . . . I can only do so much right now. I do my duty to try and expand Sith power, yes, but I do it with . . . other motives."

Taking a sip of tea, she continued saying, "Every change has to be gradual, carefully calculated to be accepted. Hearts and minds are the most important things to claim of a people, or a group of individuals. For example, I was in Imperial Remnant space awhile ago, working on a project and I left behind materials and supplies enough to help with their refugee problem, out of the goodness of my heart. In my opinion, Sith represent change, and yes it can be messy, and yes it can be deadly, and yes it allows those with sadistic natures to play, but that can change as well. It just takes . . . time."

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"So you wish, in your own way, to make the the Sith peaceful. Tell me your take on the code.". Now this was actually interesting to Krest. This was something he could work with. To bring Minna back, he might have to. Many ideas were forming within the head of the red man, some good, others dark. His gaze returned [member="Darth Arcanix"] , his blue eyes looking to find some sort of tell for a lie.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Oh I have no problems with the Sith code," she said, taking another sip of tea. "The Sith code, in my opinion, is about being . . . unrestrained in one's humanity. But, what one can't do is allow their self-control to be overridden by their emotions. One must harness them and control them, not the other way around."

She could see half-formed thoughts forming in that Zabrak's eyes, and possibly searching for a lie. To demonstrate her convictions, she allowed her presence to be felt by him. He would see the truth in her words, including what she said about her emotions. Hatred and anger writhed within her, pain as well, but they were tightly under her control now.

"I'm trying to teach Minna to do the same, to stop her from losing her cool anymore," she continued. "Consider one small step towards changing the Sith."

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"So, you think you can teach her in what I had failed in? Controlled Rage?" It's not often he meets a Sith with the same mindset he had. Despite [member="Darth Arcanix"] 's background as simply being a foe, the path to the future was going to be change. The republic is failing. But the One are not. He wasn't thinking about joining them, no. But if he could assist Arcanix in her path to change it, he would. And with her presence plain, it only solidified the idea.

"What if I told you I could help?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Hold on a moment, did you just ask if you could help?" Taeli asked incredulously. [member="Krest"] had called her here to essentially trade verbal jabs and have her relinquish whatever hold she had on Minna, and now he was asking to help her with her long term plan. She couldn't stop herself from blinking rapidly a bit.

"Okay, say I was interested, why do you want to help and what sort of aid would you be offering?" she asked, curious about his sudden offer.

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Before my untimely death, I was known as Darth Ferus. I was a pawn to my master and emperor Darth Vulcanus of the New Order, and I was trying something similar to what it is you are doing now. My reason? The possibility of stopping war." His tone was level, and his form seemed relax. He was either a terribly good liar, or he was simply telling the truth. "As for what I can offer, wisdom and strength. I know how Sith work far better than any other group, and I am well versed in silent killings. Asides, wouldn't it be nice to have your own secret weapon?"

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Excuse me for a moment as I blink in bewilderment," Taeli said, allowing a little humor to seep into her voice. "So you would help out, giving advice and taking care of . . . obstacles for my plan, just for a chance I can change the Sith towards something far less sadistic? That seems a bit . . . trusting for you, no offense. I wouldn't say no out of hand, but what exactly would you get out of such an arrangement if you don't mind me asking?"

She was curious about [member="Krest"], especially about his past association with an earlier incarnation of the Sith. It was interesting to say the least, and would explain why he was . . . hesitant to trust Sith and more likely to fight them.

 

[Darth Ferus]

"This is something I've wanted long before your One Sith revealed themselves. I have seen the rise and fall of many orders, be it Sith, Jedi, or otherwise, but no matter what they have always died due to one another. Constantly at war over differing beliefs. But if the Sith stop wanton slaughter, well. There is a chance of peace I would like to see. I simply want to see it succeed. If I have any other agenda, I'll let you know as soon as I can think of one."

The Zabrak's presence, which had been shrunk all this time, suddenly expanded outwards to its fullest reach, his own way of showing his truth as [member="Darth Arcanix"] had done only a moment ago. He did not seem to be hiding anything but the details of his own past at this point.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"The endless cycle of war is rather pointless isn't it?" she said, agreeing with his statement. She appreciated [member="Krest"] being honest with her, to showing he was telling her the truth. "I will try and do what I can to focus Minna's hatred and anger, but she will need something to latch onto for a time while I siphon it towards another outlet."

She took a sip of tea, shuddering at the nasty taste before continuing.

"You will, for the time being, have to be the focus of her controlling that rage within her, to be that object. Once she's got it under control, I can turn it towards targets more deserving of your hatred. We have to keep this arrangement completely secret, from any of our other allies or factions," she said. "We need to quietly deal with those who are too grounded in the old ways or radicalism."

 

[Darth Ferus]

Once more the Zabrak's signature would shrink away to nothing, and he would nod in agreement. "Simply arrange a meeting between her and myself. I wish to show her what her anger will bring if she leaves it unchecked. After she cut off my arm, I'm sure she wont suspect you sending her to me as much as me tracking her down aye?" This meeting had been far more productive then he had anticipated. However, he wasn't going to let his friend wallow away in the darkness. He would still help, just in a different way now. Reaching down into his boot, the Zabrak would pull free a small alchemized dagger, nodding once to [member="Darth Arcanix"] .

"Shall we seal this in blood?" This wasn't a Sith tradition, but rather an Iridonian honor pact. Just because Krest wasn't as blood thirsty as the few remaining warriors didn't mean he didn't still use the customs.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

There was the tiniest flinch on her part as [member="Krest"] pulled the knife out, the tiniest flinch towards her lightsabers but she resisted the urge. To seal something blood seemed . . . a strange custom and she wasn't a bit uneasy about it, for medical reasons mostly.

"Is that really necessary?" she asked, with an eyebrow raised. "I suppose it is because I'm a Sith and you don't fully trust me. I can try and arrange the meeting, but you'll have to give me some time to get her in mind to agree to it. I won't lie to my apprentice about something like that. Understood?"

Holding her hand out for him to slash, she waited to see what he would say.