No Mercy

[Asharad Graush]

Darth Vyrassu's Infiltrator dropped out of hyperspace over the planet of Val'hala. Down below, there were minors from the formerly known Sith corporation known as Tantorian Industries, his father's company, now named Vitiate after being inherited by his Sith child. His death had been some time ago, back when he was still an Acolyte as a sacrifice to the Yuuzhan Vong. Since then, he hadn't seen or hard from the extra-galactic species, but it made no difference.

He didn't need them to win the war against the Galactic Alliance.

Only himself.

His own White Wolves were disbanded, newly named the 482nd Legion, aptly nicknamed Vyrassu's Hammer.

Much of the new soldiers within the newly formed 482nd Legion were Sith Purebloods and half-Sith loyal to his family on Tantorus. After slaying his father, A'sharad had ascended to becoming the Head of the House, and thus, that meant all those that were loyal to the Sith Lord were now loyal to his son. They had been for some time, and had they wanted to kill him, they hadn't acted.

Only one House had attempted to erase the Graush Dynasty, and the Epicant-Hybrid had handled them personally. Or rather, he had handled the lesser Lord's establishments on Tantorus personally. The man had evacuated the planet when A'sharad and his host were enroute to his estate.

A'sharad's Infiltrator was heading for the planet below, already angling with the Sith Lord behind the controls for once.

 

[Asharad Graush]

Descending through the atmosphere of the planet, his console started to blink as he was contacted by his people far below. There were likely hundreds of droids and organic personnel down there working, only a small portion actually funded by House Graush and thus, Vitiate. Still, they were efficient. It wouldn't be the first time the Sith Lord funded a project in these phrik mines. Once before he had been here with the Gundark Gunners and had a small skirmish against raiders who wanted to steal their phrik.

Or they wanted to kill the man that had only been a Colonel at the time.

Whatever their reasoning, they had failed, many of them dying or being incapacitated before the faceless white warriors of the First Order disappeared with their prize.

Although A'sharad wasn't the sort to have the memory to recognize things perfectly, or to even remember minor details, when he spotted the entrance to the mine some distance away, he immediately recognized the battlezone, having been less than one hundred yards away.

Landing the Daisya upon his designated landing pad, he walked out of the ship and down the ramp, heading for the mine.

 

[Asharad Graush]

His left hand dropping down to brush upon the lightsabre at his waist, he had barely gotten a few metres away from his ramp before there was a duo of large figures heading for him, garbed in black from the mouth of the cave. He reached out to them in the Force, and he found that they were subservient to his will. There was no harm to be found for them.

"Arsaud." He greeted the one on the left. "Arvengis," he said to the one on the right. In response, they spoke at the same time.

"Lord Vyrassu. It has been some time."

"I hadn't noticed."

Time passed differently for the Sith Lord. At times he would spend hours training with his cybernetic arm. Even with a lack of the capability of using the Force from his right side, he still felt even more powerful, at least when it came to lightsabre combat. When it came to telekinetics however, he was forced to use his left which had originally been destined for lightsabre usage.

It merely made things... Different for him. A'sharad of course, was too arrogant to swap his lightsabre for the right hand. Even if the events on Kaeshana had shown him otherwise, Vyrassu still saw himself unbeaten, even if he lost the hand that he used for the Force.

"Are the mines active?"

"Of course, they have already begun being carted up, the first one is awaiting inspection for you at the top of the lift."

"It arrived the same time that you did."

"Good. Show me."

 

[Asharad Graush]

In sync, the trio walked towards the mine. The two Sith Warriors that accompanied him had previously been his bodyguards, but when A'sharad had become a General he had sent them away, instead they both worked together to control Vitiate on Tantorus when he was away. From time to time they made their way into First Order Space to safeguard important products for Vitiate, or rather, Vyrassu.

Between those two duties, he couldn't say as to where they were.

The trio entered the mine, multiple troopers from House Graush exiting and jogging towards the Infiltrator. They took up positions outside of the ship. The path was to be protected. After the last time he was here, he wanted to make sure they wouldn't be attacked again.

"How many of my soldiers are here?"

"Up to thirty, My lord."

"Good. Half of them outside, keep the rest inside. They'll transport the ore to the ship."

"Yes, My Lord."

 

[Asharad Graush]

The trio were within the mine now, the doors to the lift opening up and heading down to the lower mines. They were already viewing First Order workers around, watching the trio of tall Sith Lords before the doors to the lift closed.

When the doors opened, they were admitted to the deafening sound of droids and their lasers chipping rocks from the walls, jackhammers drilling and the all around sound of pain and toil. Hard work. He could feel their suffering through the Force, those that were Sith workers anyway, and he breathed in deep, almost as if he were feeding off of them before he walked forwards.

Past him, a crate came by, full of phrik ore.

"These'll go to good use in our war against the Galaxy." He said with a nod of his head. "The First Order cannot dedicate forces to every action that I will commit," he explained to Arsaud and Arvengis over the deafening sounds. "And so, my personal forces must be ready to fight at a moment's notice. Anyone who slights me, will be punished," he said.

There were confirming grunts.

"Bring me to the Foreman."

 

[Asharad Graush]

They both nodded, and then Arvengis took the lead. He was the oldest of the two, and Arsaud didn't seem the sort to be seeking advancement. He was content in being a shadow to both his brother and his Lord, Darth Vyrassu. There was a faint tug at his lips.

Arsaud should be killed for his weakness.

And then he shook his head.

No. If the Sith are to continue existing, we must purge the Galactic Alliance and the Silver Jedi to the East.

That was why he had gone to Midvinter after having answered the call of Darth Prazutis. Not because he owed him anything, not because he liked him, not because he served him. No. If A'sharad wanted, he himself could wipe the Pacanth Reach from the face of the Galaxy. All he needed was timing, and the whole of the 482nd Taskforce at his command.

Essentially, he'd have to become Supreme Commander to control both the Navy and the Army of the First Order.

Still, if the First Order tolerated the other Sith, then there was no reason he needn't also.

 

[Asharad Graush]

They continued walking through the winding caves. Some corridors were long and wide, leaving plenty of room for the trio to walk abreast and then some, others forced them to walk in single file, while others left only room for two, and he allowed both brothers to secure his front, just like in the past. Armoured, they were two hulking masses of flesh and bone. They were nearly seven foot in height. A'sharad could asdmit that had they been opponents on the battlefield, he wasn't entirely certain he'd win.

Arsaud for certain, but Arvengis was a warrior like no other.

He was calm and cool, silent. Almost never spoke unless it was to A'sharad. He was the one who directed the company in his stead on Tantorus. If A'sharad were to... Acknowledge the strength of Arvengis, then the remaining Board of Directors most certainly feared him.

And then the tunnel system opened up, and the Epicant-Hybrid realized that the deafening sound of the mining equipment had vastly decreased, more akin to an echo at the back of your consciousness, rather than destroying your eardrums. At the end of the tunnel was a opening with light that spilled out of it.

"Foreman," Arvengis said as he stomped through the doorway, followed by A'sharad when Arsaud stepped out of the way and remained a sentry outdoors.

 

[Asharad Graush]

The Foreman was a stocky man, nothing too impressive. He hardly appeared to be threatening in nature. In a fight, A'sharad imagined he would surrender immediately, even if it were against one of his subordinates in the mine. He was weak. He could sense it, see i in his eyes as he looked at A'sharad in the eyes, briefly, before turning away in fear.

"Foreman," A'sharad said. His voice soft, the Force intoning in his words to get his attention. "Look me in the eyes," he said, almost lazily. "I have come to check on your progress."

"Colonel everything is going as scheduled."

A'sharad imagined that it was a mistake to have said the wrong rank. Of course, it was his own fault for not wearing the Imperial uniform, but he wasn't on First Order business. He was on his business, and his business meant that he would be regarded as a Lord of the Sith, not some weak, and grovelling Officer who followed orders on the battlefield.

I'm the one who gives orders now.

"It is Darth, now," he said with a smile. "I want to know how much phrik has been mined," he said.

"Soon, e-uh e-enough for an army."

"Good. I will be taking the first shipment back to my facility." That would be Tantorus in the Unknown Regions. "The rest you can send to Yalara. I will attach my own personal guard."

 

[Asharad Graush]

"O-of course Dar- My Lord," the Foreman started.

A'sharad shook his head as he looked about the comely room. There was plenty of surveillance equipment around, and he spotted a fight beginning. There was shoving involved, and both those he could spot as being Sith Purebloods and members of the First Order were gathering around, though even in the larger mass there as shoving. Whether they had actual problems with each other, or if they were trying to get closer to the fight, the Sith Lord couldn't tell.

In the doorway, Arsaud was leaning in and watching, Lord Graush shot a look to him over his shoulder and said, "Go." Before he disappeared in a heartbeat. A'sharad straightened out, before spotting the entrance camera and seeing more hovercrates floating out of the mine and towards his ship.

Good.

At least his shipment wouldn't be delayed.

"Arvengis? Let's go."

"Yes, My Lord."

 

[Asharad Graush]

Arsaud rose to the upper levels of the mine where the fight was beginning. Punches were being swung, the tall Pureblood pushing through the crowd, pushing those loyal to House Graush and to Sieger Ren aside all in the same manner. Arsaud's loyalty was solely to House Graush like many here, but none held an authority over him. All of them in his eyes were worms.

Only his brother and cousin were capable of commanding him.

A crimson fist cracked across the jaw of one of the First Order men, crumpling him on the ground as if he were a lawn chair. Folded, even.

Arsaud lunged into the fray to grapple the Sith that was creating the disturbance. In the Force, he assaulted the entire group. A few of those present resisted the attack, practically ignoring it entirely as they fought the attack, while those that weren't from the Unknown Regions ceased movement. By that time, A'sharad and Arvengis, Foreman in tow broke through the lines and walked into the centre of the mass.

A'sharad, completely unbecoming of himself had a grin upon his face, looking about the room and nodding his head at all those present.

"Half of you..." He started with that same, unnerving smile on his face as earlier, "Work for me." Arsaud could see, from over the restrained man's shoulder A'sharad's hand lingering by his right side. Arsaud tightened his hold on the man. "Is this the man that had been causing the disturbance?"

"I'm sorry m-m-My Lord, I-I," he stuttered.

"The one on the floor too, My lord," Arsaud said.

"Cuff him," A'sharad directed to Arsaud.

"Of course my Lord," and he shoved him forwards and away from him.

A'sharad's right hand moved in a blur as A'sharad lowered, not bothering to watch the reaction, only hearing the gasps and the shuffling of feet as Graush loyalists and Imperials alike stumbled back to work. Arsaud pulled the downed man's hands behind his back and removed his cuffs from a pouch in his belt.

 

[Asharad Graush]

After A'sharad had pushed the man away from him and headed to ground, A'sharad's right hand swept the lightsabre off of his belt and had the hilt pressed the throat of the disruptive Pureblood in a moment. There was a gasp from the watching crowd, the tell tale sound of a Snap-Hiss, and then the faint sound of deactivation, overwhelmed by the sound of surprise from those watching, and then the subsequent fleeing from the scene.

Whether they went back to work or not was unknown to Arsaud, though he was doubtful that those that belonged to the First Order would leave the mine. Probably go to some room they hadn't been to yet.

A'sharad stepped over the body.

Those that were Graush Loyalties had all gone back to work. There were plenty of crates there, and they had immediately begun moving again, towards the cargolift that would bring them up to the surface. A'sharad glanced to the Foreman behind him and said, "Thank you for your hospitality," and he backed away, replacing the lightsabre on his belt and heading for the waiting lift, Arsaud forced to drag the incapacitated man alone as Arvengis followed a few steps behind their Lord.

 

[Asharad Graush]

The Foreman had a shocked look on his face, watching as the trio of Sith and their captive departed from the mine. When the door of the lift closed, there was a visible tension lost in the mine for the most part, though the Sith workers hadn't ceased their performance, if anything, they had doubled their progress since the Sith Lord had first passed through. Whether it was in fear of being tortured by their Lord, or merely so that the faster they finished the faster they could get off of the planet and back home...

Regardless, they picked up the pace.

A'sharad stepped out of the lift first, the three following behind him, ahead of them were a few troopers pushing along hovercrates to the Daisya Infiltrator. There were other shuttles descending from the sky, likely to also transport the phrik when the Daisya began to weigh too heavily on Vyrassu's personal shuttle.

"Y-you can't t-t-t-t-take me," the man stuttered out.

A jab, right into his midsection was delivered by Arsaud who was forced to slow down as the man struggled even more. There was a little hop, and the man almost wrestled himself out of the Pureblood's grasp. Through the Force, Arsaud's anger flashed out, which drew the attention of all those present. A'sharad came to a stop to look behind him, and Arvengis matched him, almost in sync, just in time to see the crimson lightsabre impaling the man from the side, to which he appeared to freeze in place and just... Stood there.

"... Arsaud."

 

[Asharad Graush]

A'sharad was making a hissing sound, accentuated by the annoyance he felt before he turned and said, "Bring the body, or are you incapable of doing that as well?" And then he turned again, heading up and into the Daisya Infiltrator. Some of the hovercarts carrying the mined phrik were pushed up and into the cargo bay of the ship, while others bypassed A'sharad's ship entirely and headed past it, to the other shuttles that were landing.

When Arvengis, followed by Arsaud climbed the ramp into the ship, before Arsaud was even capable of placing the body on the ground, his lightsabre flew off of his belt and into A'sharad's waiting palm, booted foot crushing ribs as it slammed into his chest and knocking him off the wall. "Did you think my command was... Unwise, cousin?"

"He was... Annoying," Arsaud said, struggling to push up onto his feet. As he started to raise up, his own lightsabre appeared in his face, crimson saber hanging just below his throat.

"Idiot."

The lightsabre flicked off to the side, nicking one of the lower hanging face tendrils from his face before deactivating the lightsabre and dropping it in his lap. "Don't get up."

 

[Asharad Graush]

Some time later when the ship was lifting up and out of orbit of the planet, A'sharad turned his head to Arvengis.

"Change of plans. We're going to Tantorus."

"Of course, My Lord... Is there anything else?"

A pause from A'sharad as he thought for a moment. He shook his head. It had been a long time since he had actually harmed another relative since he had slayed his Father. It felt... Odd. As if it were a betrayal, considering the amount of time that the two Pureblood cousins had been in his service. Almost as long as he could remember in truth.

He huffed.

"You understand that... If he doesn't see the importance in one of my orders again, he will be killed?"

"Yes, My Lord... And so does he. It will not happen again."

"See to it that it doesn't, Arsaud."