Private Juxtaposed, Scorned and Wanting

[Alicia Drey]

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Juxtaposed, Scorned and Wanting​

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"Our revenge will be achieved not through subjugation but by contagion."
-- Darth Tenebrous.

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Synopsis:

It is the second night of the Convocation of Sojourn. As the invitees to the auction quietly muse over Sith paraphernalia- sold to both themselves and other wealthy clientele while they rest in their respective quarters during the five day summit on upon the Hunter's Moon- two Sith are set to meet in the dead of night to discuss an arrangement set to change the internal politics and affairs of the Sith Order based on the planet Jutrand.

But is a mutual cause enough to create an alliance between these two strangers?
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Tags: Trayze Tesar

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Upon a cliff overlooking the lush forests of the Hunter's Moon rests a fortress of archaic design that was once known as the Damask fortress. In the eons since the assassination attempt made upon Darth Plagueis the structure had been re-constructed through the seminal efforts of one of his successors. As her predecessor had gone about his business and held Gatherings to influence the politics of the past Darth Ayra pursued the same work in the present day. Her efforts to uncover the mysterious and often obfuscated past of her predecessors had revealed very little. Only through careful design and plot had Ayra managed to uncover the link between Damask Holdings and Sojourn through her former position in the now defunct corporation once known as Subach-Innes.

It was night time. Guards belonging to the Mecetti Nationalized Industries patrolled the ramparts of the fort providing a layer of security and protection to the on-going summit. An abundance of wealth, politics and intrigue had engulfed the day as the hostess of the event auctioned off several trinkets of Sith paraphernalia to her wealthy clientele. But it became clear to the guests that the auction and subsequent sale of the items put on display within the Fort had been a means to entice them into their attendance to discuss an arrangement more broad in scope then the original invitation of the late Muun suggested.

Trayze Tesar of the Jutrand Police Commisionerate had been an oddity amid the invitees gathered by Serj Sularis as his last act. A being of relatively low position among the Sith Order of Jutrand and a mere Lieutenant Inspector of the Police force Tesar was a minor Acolyte among his far stronger and more influential peers. Strong and with skill in his own right, no doubt. But with no respective apprenticeship in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force suggested an unrefined ability with only some potential. As cousin to Darth Malum of House Marr : a powerful Sith Lord and one of the most influential beings in the Galaxy who ruled as a member of the newly commiserated Dark Council suggested some insight into why Tesar had been selected over the more prominent figures of the Trade Federation of Planets who had requested an invitation to the convocation but were subsequently refused in favour of this Sith of low rank, and station.

As the second day of the convocation had started Alicia had engaged Tesar in a short conversation about a hero of the Old Republic. Ella Nova, the Jedi Knight who disappeared at the end of the One Sith Purge, had been one of the talking points of the summit as the guests deliberated over which item to barter for. Among the displayed pieces of rare Holocrons, manuscripts and technology was a section dedicated entirely about Nova. As Tesar had browsed the selection of Jedi memorabilia Alicia had spoken about her sacrifice giving unique and strange insight into a hero lost to the annuals of history from a conflict long forgotten about in the modern day. After this conversation the day itself had ended with another windful of credits won by Tesar's hostess and her other guests had taken another break as night took Sojourn for a second time during the convocation.

Walking along the darkened corridors of the Fort Alicia approached the courtyard that had been designated to hold the auction during the daytime. As she opened the sleek wooden portcullis and entered the room Alicia took the lit torch in her hand to place it onto one of the sconce before turning to admire the Sochi Ru. While the rest of the auction had been sealed away until the next day (save for the items that were purchased by the other guests) Alicia had ordered her servants to leave the ship and other items which belonged to the late Ella Nova behind. She wanted them to be present when Trayze met with her here at this late hour to discuss an arrangement, which if secured, was set to change the internal politicks of the Sith Order at the turn of the 9th century.

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[Trayze Tesar]

CURRENT MISSION - A RULE OF TWO
Immediate Goals -
1: PRIORITY ONE - Confront Alicia Drey
2: Attain the artifacts of import!
2.1: The Book of Rhand
2.2: Pendant of Aay'han (It might be a nice gift for a certain Mandalorian...)
2.3: The Jal-Shay Teachings
2.4: Ella Nova's Lightsaber
3: Make it back alive...

BLUFOR - Darth Malum of House Marr

OPFOR - Headfirst into the Maw, headfirst into oblivion.

TARGETING ACTION(S) - Alicia Drey

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Contrary to common sense, Trayze Tesar did not detest politics. In the deep bowels of obfuscated and deleted histories were various chatlogs of alternate history forums, trashy fanfics delving into worldbuilding based on the past or hypothetical future, and of late, treatises of efficacious government - being a lawman meant that he had to have an aptitude to the subject matter.

What he hated was the dance.

It was obvious that Alicia Drey, or (potentially, he reminded himself) Darth Arya, while acting as a Hostess attempted to pull together a variety of strands - disparate soft power movers and shakers from around the galaxy. Commodore Helix , a mechanical mercenary that had assisted the House of Marr in the past - the venerable tactical droid was more loyal to credits than to a specific polity. Danger Arceneau , of the eponymous Arceneau Trade Company was a woman of financial repute - and of course, there was Taeli Raaf , his own (albeit distant) superior. The Mother of Monsters had been more interested in acquiring goods and knowledge, rather than bandying about with the unseen games that were at play.

This left Maldor Mecetti - the black sheep of the Mecetti Family, a Moff, a tycoon, and subservient to Alicia Drey's Imperial Security Bureau - the Empire of the Lost's answer to the Tsis'kaar. He had been a conversation partner of his, and the Kiffar truly pitied the young lordling - his Force sensitivity and subservience meant that he was either an apprentice or a useful idiot - and honestly? Trayze was struggling to discern which path was the best for him.

Trayze had a great deal to think about, despite this being "on paper" a routine auction - the lightsaber of a woman who had apparently contested Darth Carnifex during the days of the One Sith Purge... well, Trayze had been shopping around for a replacement for the one that he... lost while contesting with the Sword of the Jedi.

As well as an apprenticeship.

But he hated the dance, though Alicia made for at least a visually attractive partner - the late night and silent footfalls an all too familiar backdrop for the former detective. The portcullis, the firelight dancing across the sheen of the spacecraft and the various artifacts - he had to admit, he loved the "sappy overdramatically thematic shit" that he bemoaned his peers in the Order. If there were two things that the Sith knew how to do - one was pomp and circumstance, the other was the dance.

The rythmn had already thrummed in the mind of the Kiffar. He had overplayed his hand, she knew it. She knew, too, that he suspected her of being a Sith - and she knew he knew that she didn't hide it. She knew he knew she knew he knew that there were too many pieces to be a coincidence - and that the tension gained since the start of this auction would now snap.

Three boot steps would be all that was heard, though Trayze made no attempt to hide his presence in the Force - the elaborate dance had begun long before Trayze stepped foot in the room, and had been going on for at least a day. Now was the time to actually move in the swaying of unseen songs.

"Ya seem ta' 'ave a great deal of respect fer th' late Ella Nova." a coarse brogue caressed the sputtering crackle of the torch. "Was she friend or foe ta' ya?"

 

[Alicia Drey]

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Tags: Trayze Tesar

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"I am Ella Nova."

Alicia turned around to face Trayze. She had since changed out of the trappings of her public persona and into the traditional clothes of her ancient Order. A black sleek tunic that was not only perfect for the purposes of Lightsaber duelling but also distinctly Sith in it's style. The cowl of her robe was lowered and hung along her back where the long strands of sulphuric blonde hair nestled neatly between the black garments. A curved Lightsaber blade hung from her hip. A comfortable weight in the presence of a man the size of Trayze Tesar.

Averting her gaze away from Tesar (as he came to terms with her revelation) Alicia lifted her gaze to the ceiling and spoke aloud: "Silence!" As it had been during the first day of the convocation the eerie white light of the Cone of Silence engulfed the pair. From here on out Alicia did not desire her other guests to hear what was about to spoken about in this hall particularly in the case of Taeli Raaf . As the Mother of Monsters rested nearby- waiting for the dawn of the third day of this suspicious summit- Alicia had no desire to upon her wrath. After all she was well aware of it's consequences given what happened to the late Darth Ayra at Galactic Center when the Jedi had attempted to liberate the planet Coruscant from the clutches of Arcanix's former associates. The pair had duelled during the battle and the result had consigned Ayra to death for Darth Arcanix would dare not share the secrets of the cure to the orbalisk infection that had ravaged her former ally to the brink of insanity, and by the end of the battle, certain death.

"I hold no respect for my seminal efforts," Ella spoke carefully as she lowered her gaze back down to look into Trayze's eyes. "In my former life I was a failure. Through the dark side I have embraced a new life. One of purpose and distinction. Where there was clouded doubt there is now only singular focus: the destruction of Darth Carnifex and his Kainites at the Stygian Caldera."

Ella turned to place her hand along the hull of the Sochi Ru. Her eyes turned to look upon the vessel as she run her palm along it's sleek surface. So many memories brimming with nostalgia and the familiar desire to stop the work. To return home and live in peace. But there was no turning back now for she knew the truth. Her home had been destroyed, and besides that, there was the ultimatum that every true follower of the dark side knew best:

Peace is a lie.

"When Ignacious Korvan initiated Operation Absolution to free the former Imperial Knight Sahar from her prison on Coruscant I was also freed by what I later learned to be a fortuitous chance caused by a Gungan inmate who begun pressing buttons that he shouldn't have been touching while Korvan's men attacked the prison installation that was holding Kaigan Fossk's weapon. His mistake was my advantage because when I was also freed from my cell and there I was given an opportunity to begin working again towards something that has become... necessary."

Ella stopped running her palm along the Sochi Ru and turned to find her former weapon. As she took the hilt into her hand Ella ignited the Lightsaber and an astonishing blue light engulfed the pair of them. It was so strong that even the white eeriness of the Cone of Silence shining above them was cast aside. As Ella held the activated blade to her left and begun to walk away from the stand that had previously been holding it she held her gaze upon Trayze as she continued her tale.

"When I was freed by these Imperials that now seek to destroy this so called Galactic Alliance I was confronted with the realisation that my incarcerators in the New Jedi Order had been deceived by my enemy into believing that I had become Darth Ayra. This Sith Lord, who was once a member of the One Sith, had become my identity via a malicious lie Carnifex had invented during the Summit of Governments!"

"Alexandra Feanor- a Jedi Master- convened a peace summit on the planet Alderaan to negotiate with the galactic players in an attempt to end the conflicts that had ravaged the Galaxy. The One Sith's invasion of the Galactic Republic was not the only war that was happening back then and now that they had defeated their enemy Feanor saw an opportunity to win peace in the wake of the Old Republic's fall. The summit was, however, attacked by a Sith Infiltrator that had been sent to stop the peace talks from happening and the consequences of that day were... extreme."

Ella paused her pace and broke eye contact with Trayze to admire the blue shine of her former weapon while she reminisced. It had been beautifully constructed. She could still remember the teachings of her former Jedi Master- a Togruta called Sochi Ru- as she explained what this weapon was supposed to represent as they had crafted it together piece by piece. It was not an instrument of war but a weapon made for defence and to maintain the peace. But she had been wrong. There had never been a chance for Ella Nova to live the life of a peacekeeper like the Jedi of old.

All that she had known was war.

Ever since Carn Dista had discovered her in the agricultural corps among the other Jedi Initiates who were either not yet ready, or did not possess the potential of an apprenticeship, Ella Nova had known nothing but a life filled with war and strife. When the One Sith had revealed themselves on Coruscant and took Galactic Center Ella had watched as an unwilling and yet fierce participant in the war that had started on that fateful day. It had culminated in her watching the Galactic Republic finally surrender and dissolve. By that time only a few fledging star systems had been left in the grasp of the former cradle of civilization as it fell into the rule of the mysterious (and still yet to be determined) Dark Lord of the Sith as they went onto rule the Galaxy.

"By that time Carnifex knew about my goal to bring him to justice," Ella explained as she looked back up from the blade to meet Trayze's gaze again. "We had fought at the end of the war when I went back into occupied space to challenge him. I was captured and held in the Black Pyramid for seven-hundred and ninety-four days. I had come to the summit to win allies and support for my cause after I was freed by the Sun Guards of Sojourn. But instead I was framed for the attack. As the Temple of Peace was destroyed by Carnifex's infiltrator he tricked Feanor and her husband Vulpesen into believing that it was me who had attacked their guests. I was defeated by the Valde and taken to the Jedi Order."

Ella deactivated the blade. As the blue light vanished and the eerie white shin returned it's former owner continued to speak solemnly: "Somehow Carnifex had manufactured evidence that I was not Ella Nova but a former ally of his called Darth Ayra. When I was captured at the Summit of Governments this lie turned into fact as the Jedi Council ruled that I should be incarcerated. I was taken by the Jedi to Coruscant and stored in stasis until I could be redeemed. But they never came for me. For decades I languished alone in cryostasis as their newly formed Galactic Alliance lost control of the Galactic Center and the Jedi Order was brought into a new conflict."

"They called it the Second Great Hyperspace War!" Ella's face contorted in rage and every syllable sounded like a snarl as the origins of her demise and subsequent return to the Galaxy came together in a crescendo of revelation and hate. "A relic lost to time for over half-a-century! But I alone endured it. As cryostasis sustained me through the decades I emerged from my incarceration with a choice: I could return to my captors and seek clemency from the Jedi of the day. To try and convince Valery Noble and her decadent High Council that Carnifex framed me. That I was not Darth Ayra as their predecessors had been tricked into believing."

"Or I could embrace it..."

Raising her hands to the cowl of her robe Ella raised the hood over her head and concealed her facial features beneath the robe. She allowed the Jedi Lightsaber to fall from her grasp and heard it clatter on the sleek flooring beneath her as she folded both her arms into either sleeve. "By becoming Darth Ayra and embracing Carnifex's lie I was granted a rare opportunity to finish what I started. Through my powers in the dark side I have concealed my true identity. Adopting the alias of my predecessor and weaving myself into her tapestry I have acquired influence and power across the Galaxy. Through these acts I will form a plan to destroy my foe and bring true justice to the Butcher King!"

"Join me Trayze Tesar and we will accomplish what no Jedi or Sith has yet managed. Let us conspire together against the Kainites and their leader! With your help we will acquire the means to destroy Darth Carnifex and complete our destiny!" Closing her eyes Darth Ayra reached out with the Dark Side of the Force and felt the gnawing emotions that filled the air. "Yes... I can feel your hatred Trayze Tesar! We both want the same thing! Only we can stop Carnifex together!"

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[Trayze Tesar]

CURRENT MISSION - A RULE OF TWO
Immediate Goals -
1: PRIORITY ONE - Confront Alicia Drey

BLUFOR - There is none here, none beside yourself.

OPFOR - Headfirst into the Maw, headfirst into oblivion.

TARGETING ACTION(S) - Alicia Drey

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And so, with a declaration of "Silence!" the trap shut its' jaws around the Kiffar. She spoke at length, and Trayze digested every word - and though Sith were wont to deceive as much as they enjoyed hearing their own voice, there was something that shifted the lackadaisical posture of the Detective turned Acolyte to rapt but somber attention.

The Lightsaber.

For some reason, he felt drawn, a yearning - and now he understood why. This blade had contested Carnifex, a valuable weapon even for symbolic value, but when it glowed in the blue hue, he sensed that Darth Arya - or Alicia Drey, she spoke true. She was once a Jedi Knight called Ella Nova - and much history she bore. Much history, sadly, Trayze did not know and could not digest - even if he shared his cousin's rapacious desire for knowledge, and during the fiery twilight that was the Second Great Hyperspace War - a time of his father's and grandfather's generation - he was blessed and cursed with an insular knowledge and understanding, even now seeing things through a dimmed but still defiant light that burned in a Besberran bantha-hand.

She spoke of betrayal, his anguish turned to sympathy - a suffering for the sake of others. She spoke of abandonment, the hypocrisy of the Jedi, and the taking up of the mask. Carnifex, even now, irked Trayze on a philosophical level - the Force-That-Devoured, as he termed those who gorged themselves like fat ticks upon the power of the Galaxy - both temporal and intangible. But before him stood a victim defiant of the scars she held, the scars inflicted by the Butcher King during his heydey.

A familiar tang, a familiar pulse, contempt, righteous indignation for the suffering of those beneath the throne that Carnifex sat upon, languishing in opulence while the common man suffered. He had taken upon this path of a Detective to mete out justice, to defend the innocent - what he had found was an insurmountable hydra with a bloated bowel.

He felt the Dark Side seep from his hostess, and Darth Arya would have had him, she truly would have...

"Yes... I can feel your hatred Trayze Tesar! We both want the same thing! Only we can stop Carnifex together!"

But the weirding ways of the Force twisted so often in the dance between Sith - even now. As she exudes her aura to gnaw at Trayze, she would feel - almost a slap. Like a slap from a date when the prospective partner got a bit too forward, a grapple from years of a drilled mind. Trayze Tesar may have been an Acolyte on paper, but he was no fool. Even though he had contested Valery Noble on Yavin IV, the worst that his hostess would feel was the mental equivalent of an Indian Burn.

Burgundied eyes looked upon her, a mix of betrayal, of... pity.

Too much. Too much like the others. Came the unspoken words that twitched behind his face, before he cleared his throat. "Darth Arya, Alicia Drey, Ella Nova..." he exhaled, his own aura pushing back the influence of Darth Arya. His loyalty, if she would have it, would be given and earned - not coaxed. "So many names... and so little in common so far." As his Hostess donned mask after mask, the current and whirlpool of thought and observation thrummed beneath the Cone of Silence, and Trayze's gaze hardened, his soul afire in a dance between deception and understanding the truth. "Say we have Carnifex. Say he lies dead and bloodied, answer me this - and you will have my sword... what next?"

Vengeance was the way of the Sith - but to allow one's "Sith-hood" to devour oneself would be no better than to pass into oblivion as the Jedi have.