Private Hunting Jedi

[Darth Hydra]

Darth Hydra sat his tentacles and lip twitching, almost spasming as he meditated. He searched out with the force searching as he had thousands of times before for his old apprentice Darth Wu. Rather the man he had reverted into being Xuan Wu. He wondered not for the first time where he could be hiding. When they had been master and apprentice Hydra could have sensed his presence from across the galaxy or so it had seemed. Now it was like he was Force dead a void. Hydra summoned up an image of Wu to focus his search. Of them boarding a Galactic Alliance ship during some battle or other. Wu had slipped on an arm of all things Hydra had rushed to save him, Wu had merely nodded and continued fighting. After the battle was over. Hydra could not remember if the Sith they had been with at the time had won or lost. Hydra had gotten out of the shower and found the arm Wu had slipped on wrapped up in a bow on his bed. With a note saying 'Next time you need hand.'

Hydra had laughed roaringly.

In the present moment Hydra grew enraged at the moment of camaraderie emphasising the betrayal. Hydra sent a Force Push filled with his rage across the room, sending a person sized dent in the wall. Hydra needed a hunt. He needed to fight. He needed to kill. He needed a Jedi. If he could not find Wu any Jedi would do. Leaving his room he made his way to the cockpit. Where Darth Strosius was piloting the craft.

Darth Strosius was an old… well not quite friend, but certainly an acquaintance. As two of the most long lived Sith around they had been aware of each other for quite some time. While other species came and went like may fly's, growing weaker with age. A Feeorin could live up to four hundred standard years and grew stronger with age and a Sangnir was more or less eternal. It was easy for some upon first meeting Strosius that he was a powerful Sith Lord, not the fresh faced Sith Apprentice he appeared to be.

They also shared a disdain for tyrannical Sith practices. Albeit for different reasons.

"Darth Strosius" Hydra greeted formally.

Hydra sat in the copilots seat, restraining himself from asking the age old youthful question; Are we there yet. Hydra was no tadpole pup to chafe at every instance of impatience. Hydra was a hunter, he used to study his targets for years. Their habits, their wants, their desires, their fears, their weaknesses. These days they did not have time for such preparations.

They had gotten word that a pair of Jedi had been scouting the edges of Sith space, perhaps in a pitiful attempt to rescue some refugee's perhaps as a first probe for an all out assault. It was difficult to say with Jedi. In the mean time Hydra and Strosius had been asked to verify and eliminate them. Hydra thought two Sith Lords would normally think two Sith Lords were over kill for two Jedi, but the intelligence had been unclear whether it was just Knight and Padawan or if it may indeed be two Jedi Masters.

"Tell me Darth Strosius I understand you to be a study of Ancient Sith. Whom among them are your favourites?" Hydra asked politely.

Normally Hydra refrained from small talk, but he'd spent enough time on battlefield to believe a pair working together needed communication if they were going to work well together. Besides he was bored.

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius could count the amount of former colleagues of the Sith Empire He still knew to be alive on His fingers. Darth Hydra was one of the very few Sith older than He which didn't hide away in some opulent palace and let the rest of the Sith and soldiers under them do all the fighting. For as long as He had known of him and indeed the occasional times that they had crossed paths and worked together, Darth Hydra had no qualms at all about delving into the fray where a Sith should be.

An attitude which had bred a sort of mutual respect in spite of the relatively few instances that they cooperated during an operation. While Darth Strosius of course never shied away from the frontline, He preferred to be leading troopers into battle firsthand whereas Darth Hydra typically hunted Jedi during engagements. Personal conquests which weren't at all to be dismissed or looked down upon of course. Especially not given that they were on one such hunt now.

Darth Strosius initially simply hummed in response to the greeting, occupied with checking one of the various consoles which comprised the cockpit's controls whenever the other Sith Lord entered. Darth Hydra had been dispatched to put an end to two potential Jedi just beyond the Blackwall, potentially looking for some breach or hole to slither through and inform their wider allies of. Darth Strosius had been in the area by happenstance more so than anything else, He certainly didn't care for the order that came for Him to accompany Darth Hydra on the assignment.

He didn't take orders from mortals these days but catching up with an old comrade and ensuring a threat was dealt with were always affairs that He enjoyed tending to. "Darth Hydra. It seems as though we've had another sensor ping in the same sector as the last. They don't seem to be in any hurry to leave." The masked man idly tapped on the screen indicating the data coming in from the probe in the sector, although exact positioning was still somewhat vague.

That their prey hadn't moved could mean any number of things but hopefully it indicated that they were confident they hadn't been discovered as of yet. The element of surprise was always a welcome companion to any mission, even if it was just to slay a pair of Jedi scum. "You ask a question that I'm uncertain if you're willing to hear answered fully." The Feeorin must have been very bored indeed if he was asking such a question, although they were still a fair few minutes out from their search area so there was time to kill.

"Naga Sadow and Darth Jadus come to mind most immediately when I think of the Sith of old. Sadow's desires for expansion weren't universal among the Sith and yet he proved a capable warlord able to bring the Core to its knees with his brilliant mastery of the Force. Darth Jadus was similarly controversial in his views and went through great lengths to see his vision brought about no matter the gripes of his peers." Clearly Darth Strosius felt some manner of kinship given His fond words.

Darth Hydra

 

[Darth Hydra]

Darth Hydra respected Darth Strosius, which he couldn't say of every Sith. Certainly their paths were different, but they were still adjacent. Both of them sought victory. Strosius on the battlefield, and Hydra over Jedi. Unlike most Sith the internal bickering, backstabbing, plots and schemes held no interest to them. Power was direct, overt. There was no point in having it without freedom and freedom only occurred with victory. That was the plain text truth of the Sith Code. That was Hydra's personal philosophy at any rate. He wouldn't speak for Strosius, but he was curious to hear what his philosophy was. Hydra made a point of studying Sith philosophy in his spare time. It made him wield the dark side more powerfully if he understood the perspectives of powerful Sith before him.

"Powerful and worthy Sith Lords." Hydra nodded with approval. "For myself I prefer the more direct Sith. Darth Maul, Darth Malgus, Darth Vader. The ones who made hunting Jedi their purpose. I find them inspirational."

"Though I do not entirely of course. Maul was easily manipulated and lacked the strength to face his own master, Malgus let his affections blind him and Vader well if the Jedi are to be believed was a traitor to the Sith way at the end. Though who can really say what happened during those final moments on the second Death Star."

"Tell me, what is your perspective on the Sith Code?" Hydra asked "I find each Sith's interpretation of it of interest"

"It helps when teaching my students how to develop their combat skills. To better wield the dark side and apply it with force" Hydra elaborated "Not that I'm comparing you to my students of course, but I rarely get to compare notes with other Sith Lords."

"A consequence of my own preferences to not engage with politics." Hydra's lip twitched the only indication of a sneer.

"Though I suppose I have been reconsidering my recalcitrance. Not the politics, but the power. I believe I could apply my skills in command easily enough. A frontline unit perhaps. Designed to engage the Jedi on the battlefield would be a good start."

Hyrda turned his head slightly as he thought of it.

"Perhaps. It is a possibility."

Hydra turned his head to look at Strosius.

"One of the benefits of not being interested in politics, is I have no fear of working with other Sith whom I deem worthy. It is why I agreed to this mission with you. Have no fear. I am not suggesting we team up and form a powerful new Sith faction. Merely expressing my interests with someone whom I respect."

Hydra was careful not to say the word trust. That would have been too far, and perhaps a lie. It was close however. Hydra trusted Strosius to be himself. Which was enough. No Sith could ever be entirely trusted. Not even ones you've trained, moulded, shaped and formed into your very own image. Hydra's tentacles twitched a little at the reminder of his former apprentice. In any case certainly not Sith who admired the political scheming of Darth Jadus.

"In any case give it a couple centuries and chances are we'll be among the only Sith of our time left. I'd rather not have us snarling at each other throughout those years."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius hummed at the response of Darth Hydra's own preferred Sith of old, inclining His head slightly in acknowledgment. He could certainly see the similarities and admirable qualities that the older Sith would have picked up on. He was more partial to Darth Malgus Himself, more for his initiative and willingness to stand against the established Sith Empire of the time in order to prevent its failings from bringing it to ruin rather than his actions against the Jedi in particular.

Before He could comment on Darth Hydra's assessment of the aforementioned Sith however, another question was asked that made His masked gaze shift over to the Feeorin properly. An amused sigh escaped Him at the quick sight of the beginnings of a sneer on His compatriot's face. "It could very well be a benefit more so than a consequence at times, Darth Hydra." While He understood the other Sith Lord's disdain and disinterest in such matters, He couldn't sympathize at all.

"If you're looking for a position of command on the front then perhaps one of the Legions would be of interest to you, they tend to be at the forefront of our military movements these days. Experience against enemies such as Jedi would be invaluable in ensuring they remain effective." While there may have been no shortage of Sith Lords that had faced off against common enemies of the Sith such as Jedi, the soldiers and lesser Sith of the Order couldn't quite boast the same. Experience was hard earned and He knew that Darth Hydra had plenty to spare just as He did.

He hummed in agreement with the sentiments of respect and cordiality being for the best between them, while He may have seen Darth Hydra as somewhat naive for his lack of presence and interest in the ruling of the Sith Order He had no need of another enemy in their ranks to contend with. Having a consistent comrade against the Jedi was always useful even if He didn't find Himself facing off with them nearly as much as Darth Hydra did.

"To answer your earlier question, my perspective on the holy Code of the Sith is that liberation is our ultimate purpose. Liberation of ourselves, of our peers, of the galaxy. Far too many of the powers that be now have forgotten that, too focused on binding everything to their will rather than working through the Force as the Code ordains us to do." He nodded to the display of the ever-nearing ping that they were hunting at the moment. "Take the Jedi for example, restricted not only by their abhorrent mockery of the Force but by their own pride and self assurance in themselves as arbiters of justice and the lie of peace. They exemplify all that we struggle against just as we should be embodiments of all that they could never become. They will fall not because of our hatred or even our empires, but because the Code's truth demands that they simply must. And so it will be, one at a time if need be."

Darth Hydra

 

[Darth Hydra]

"Indeed" Hydra flicked a hand in acknowledgement of the wisdom of a perspective of benefit more than consequence. Truthfully Hydra tended to agree with Strosius. It could perhaps be irksome at times, not being given as much respect amongst Sith Lords that those with political power accumulated. The troublesome nature of political power and maneuvering however was a wearying thought. Let alone the realities of such a pursuit. Particularly among the Sith.

Hydra pondered the idea of joining the Legion for a few moments. The idea had potential. He would have to consider it.

"Perhaps. It is certainly worth consideration. Thank you for the suggestion." Hydra nodded.

Hydra glanced at Strosius to see if her would react to his expressed gratitude.

"Unlike some Sith. I do not believe politeness to be a weakness. In fact I find it an exercise in control. The Dark Side should be harnessed, utilized, directed and occasionally unleashed, but to do so one needs control. Little acts of control such as politeness builds discipline which can be applied to other abilities."

"While I can't say I follow his political path Darth Tyrannus mannerisms in the old holovids always seemed quite elegant to me."

Hydra considered Strosius perspective on the Code and liberation.

"That is a unique and interesting perspective." Hydra thought of his words carefully. "Most of the acolytes at the academy only care about what their power can be used for themselves. Whether it be their power, their ability, their enforcement of their will on others, or even perhaps rather unfortunately their budding uncontrolled sadism."

"I do my best to direct them to where they may be of service. There are still elements of the Sith Order for which such talents may be put to use. Or if not they are often sent as fodder to the front lines. I try my best to avoid that fate. Seems a tremendous waste of talent at times."

"I digress to demonstrate that it is pleasant to hear someone talk of the Code with conviction and elegance. I cannot say I agree however, not because it isn't an admirable perspective. I merely believe the ultimate purpose of the Sith Code is self fulfillment. In my case it is victory and therefore personal freedom. That is not to say self serving. I serve the Sith. The Sith as a whole. I do so by hunting Jedi and teaching at the academy. Every Sith's journey however is unique. When I teach I try to help the acolytes find their own iron will using the code. To hopefully serve the Sith and themselves both."

"I can however admire a Sith who has considered their understanding of the Code carefully."

Hydra paused for a few moments to let his words sink in. It was pleasant to talk with another Sith without having to withhold sighs at nervous young acolytes answers desperate not to displease the academy masters.

"I can also agree that the Jedi are an abhorrent abomination and must fall." Hydra paused then smirked "Of course. I would miss them. Who else am I to hunt as a challenge?"

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius hummed in agreement with the shared sentiment of politeness and control, finding both to be rather sparse in the Sith Order at present. Decorum in the galaxy in general was always a rather tumultuous thing of course but Sith were meant to be above the blind mannerisms of the common scum. "Darth Tyrannus was a skilled orator to be sure, he knew how to make the often overlooked tool of words into a vital weapon to bring ruin to his enemies and allies to his banner." A pity that all such effort had been in service to Banite Sith but still, the skill was commendable.

He clicked His tongue and nodded at the remark of the Acolytes and their often tempestuous nature. That Darth Hydra sought to try and bring some semblance of order and propriety to the young Sith at all was admirable. A pitiless and thankless task indeed. "It is shameful that competition is more rife than unity within our Acolytes." He mused aloud. "One can only hope that the crucible will breed strong Sith rather than weak brutes and nameless soldiers with lightsabers."

Darth Strosius did finally give the other Sith Lord a proper look at his response and subsequent display of his own opinion of the Sith's Code and purpose. Self fulfillment, victory, was a noble goal to be sure. One that was simply not broad enough for the masked man Himself to rely upon but He could acquiesce that it did have merit. Even if it was somewhat limited by personal factors rather than applicable to the Sith Order as a whole.

"We may not be in complete agreement, but we are of like mind still Darth Hydra." His words were chosen carefully as well, picked and arranged so that His response couldn't be misconstrued as anything more than a simple acknowledgment of a fact. "There are dreadfully few Sith that think of the whole Order and their place within it. Especially in any constructive manners." Most simply wanted to sit atop the highest throne with little consideration or care for what was below.

The masked man let out a light chuckle at the jest but nevertheless did have an answer at the ready. "We have no shortage of enemies, even without regarding the Jedi. Perhaps not as challenging in the same manner as they are but variety in prey keeps one from getting bored and stagnant, wouldn't you agree?"

Darth Hydra

 

[Darth Hydra]

Darth Hydra was glad to have met such a like mind among the Sith Order. He had begun to despair that he would ever have an intelligent discussion with another Sith of similar views. Hydra wasn't one to quibble over the minor points of disagreement. "Indeed. Tyrannus skill with Makashi was also considerable. It suited his nature I think. The refinement of it." Darth Hydra considered that for a few moments. He personally preferred a bit of diversity to his lightsaber skills, but it would be curious to identify one that suited his nature.

Hydra almost sighed in agreement with Strosius as he shared his lamentation over the state of Sith Acolytes in the Order at the present time. "Indeed. It is a delicate endeavour to raise young Sith to be anything other than mindless warriors. Too many indulge in the power of the dark side as their only recourse. Instead of appreciating it, taking the time to properly study it so that they may be enhanced by it. Some are little more than dark jedi in their natures. With little regard for the intricacies that the Sith Code and the Dark Side offer."

"Even so." Hydra agreed "I am aware that my own interpretation of the Sith Code has begun to limit myself. Not in any meaningful way of power or debasement. Simply that I have more to offer in service of the Sith, than teaching or personal pursuits."

"It is one of the reasons I agreed to this mission with you. I had found myself isolated from other Sith when my initial purpose for joining the greater Sith Order was the antithesis of such. Isolated Sith such as the Banes Rule of Two had to scurry and hide like rats while the Jedi Hunted the remnant traces of them. It is a troubling vulnerability. A vulnerability I intend to correct."

"I have also come to find a rotation of teaching acolytes and hunting Jedi to become tedious without company I could respect."

Hydra tilted his chin slightly the closest he would ever come to a shrug.

"I had thought a more active presence on Sith Order missions might do both. Help me fulfill my purpose and reintroduce me to other Sith as it were."

Hydra considered Strosius question for a few moments and nodded slowly.

"So far the mission has been productive in that regard. Yes I agree. I have been growing discontent with just one or two Jedi. Other prey had not appealed to me. Perhaps you are right and diversifying my menu such as it were would provide other experiences I have been ignoring."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"Discipline is difficult to instill in young Sith, but especially so in these new and just past generation it seems." Darth Strosius agreed with a nod and a rather dry tone. He did have some thoughts as to why and most of them related to the present state religion of the Sith Order as it were. With the Sepulchral Priests telling the masses under Sith rule that all Sith from Acolyte to the so-called "emperor" were divine beings above reproach and deserving of the right to rule, it was little surprise that such messages went to the heads of the younger Sith.

He could certainly sympathize with the apparent isolation that one could often face within the Sith Order's ranks, especially when it came to the levels of Sith Lords such as they. Cliques and old alliances dominated the upper tiers of Sith and the pair of them were fairly devoid of both but for the exact opposite reasons surprisingly. Darth Hydra was too disinterested in the machinations of Sith politics and Darth Strosius was too hardline, or so He had been told.

"There is no shortage of duties that need to be done, Darth Hydra, but they may very well be out of your comfort zone as it were." He wasn't quite sure how fond the other Sith was of logistics and infrastructure, both of which were in tragically short supply within the Sith Order at present. More than likely not nearly as fond of such things as He was at least if He had to guess. "If you are seeking to brush elbows with more of our Order then you may indeed need to broaden your horizon. Perhaps attend a social event every now and then, although I must say they are a bit too opulent for my tastes typically." Not to mention that the company at such events could often be terrible.

Darth Strosius hummed in agreement with the mission's productivity and the potential for different prey for Darth Hydra to hunt to keep his skills sharp. Jedi even with all the various lightsaber forms and techniques tended to be rather similar in terms of tracking and trapping into a duel. All one really had to do was threaten a local or two in public and they would come running with garish lightsabers drawn. "I'd recommend some organized group, dissecting the pieces and players within one at a time until you dismantle the whole operation. Its an old favorite of mine and quite entertaining at times." Not that He was biased at all of course. Definitely not.

Darth Hydra

 

[Darth Hydra]

"I have often thought they don't have enough fear of the consequences of failure. My master made each lesson a test. One I had to either succeed or face consequences. It was an excellent motivation to succeed. I do my best to emulate the teachings, but too hard and all they do is cringe in fear tell you what they think you want to hear, too soft they become spoiled. It is a delicate hmm balance is the wrong word… precarious fulcrum perhaps." Hydra tilted his head in thought before nodding satisfied with the metaphor for the moment.

Hydra considered Strosius. He was not as inflexible as his reputation would have one believe. His thoughts were surprisingly adaptable and his conversation lively. Hydra found himself enjoying a conversation with another Sith Lord who demonstrated some thought beyond the usual self ego. It was a conversation with substance due to the fact that were on a mission together. Hydra's favourite kind of mission. He wondered if this was the same kind of pleasure mundane people felt at sharing a favourite meal and conversation with a respected colleague.

Hydra frowned, almost forgot himself a moment as he let out a slow breath.

"Indeed. I have been thinking along similar lines. I had been contemplating attending the upcoming races, paying my respect to the King. It seems appropriate given I am an instructor at his academy that he be the one I approach." Hydra let out another slow breath close to a sigh, yet more controlled. "I confess such events are also often too ostentatious for my own comfort zone not to mention the snide sniping comments and veiled insults. It is often only self control that stops me from challenging the ones who do so there and then."

Hydra lips twitched in the faint shadow of a grimace.

"You are however correct. Finding purpose beyond my won self challenges will require some level of expanding my horizons including my comfort zone."

Hydra almost laughed at the memories Darth Strosius suggestion prompted.

"Heh. It has been a long time since I have done so. It was one of my first tests as an apprentice in fact. Dismantling my former comrades in a demonstration of skill and loyalty to my then Master. It was a useful test and lesson. Hmm I should set it as a thought exercise an essay perhaps. Might force the Acolytes to think on their own for a change."

Hydra would have to think of his own adaption of such an exercise.

Hmm perhaps to absorb the organisation into my own.

The dashboard computer chimed alerting them to the fact that they were approaching the departure from hyperspace.

"Hmm a most productive conversation. I thank you for it. In demonstration of my gratitude if it is a Master Padawan pair you may have the Master. Though let us hope they are of more substance, it would be rare for the Jedi to send two Masters worthy of our skill on a mission together."

Hydra paused considering.

"Although according to Darth Tyrannus personal Sith Holocron he was once sent on a mission with Master Windu while they were both comparable Jedi Masters. If I recall correctly neither were on the Council though of similar skill."

Darth Strosius