Faction No One Expects... (Sith Order Inquisition)

[Darth Strosius]

"The Sith Order finds itself...in need."

Bailiff Station hung in front of Faldos like a stalwart sentinel guarding the entrance to some grand structure. The shipyards of the Inquisition were visible from the meeting room's windows, allowing all present to see the fleet being built in real time. A subtle yet enticing display for those among their number that wished to claim a few vessels for themselves. Inquisitors were entitled to ships of their own after all, although only High Inquisitors were able to command fleets. A vaunted position that everyone in the room desired or already possessed, and thus was the reason for them being gathered. All but one anyway.

"The Jedi, the Imperials, the Mandalorians, even the heretics and false Sith of the Dark Empire, all of them pale in comparison to the greatest threat to the Sith Order."

Darth Strosius, Lord Inquisitor of the Sith Order's Holy Inquisition, sat at the head of the long table. His image was almost perfectly reflected on the glossy black surface for all to see, no doubt an intentional design feature given that it cast his masked visage to even the farthest end of the table. A constant reminder of just who was in control. "It's greatest threat, that which we must pursue and destroy as no one else will, is quite numerous and dangerous indeed."

He leaned forward and folded his hands on the table in front of himself as he surveyed the gathered Sith. Drawn from the ranks of the Inquisition and those from beyond his servants who he deemed worthy enough to be Inquisitors. A select and precious few that had been called to Faldos in order to heed his demands and hear his words. "It is the Sith Order itself which we find ourselves at odd with. Those that would subvert and pervert our forces and worlds for their own gain, those that would waste lives simply to build their own staircase to a throne that they are unworthy of, those whom we shall find and drag to the grave for their treachery and sin."

Of course he had yet to mention that the primary examples of such enemies would indeed be the very leaders of the Sith Order themselves, but such things were better left unsaid. For now. For who was in a better position to damage the Sith internally than the 'great powers' among them? And no one was greater in rank than the Emperor himself of course. "But of course you are all aware of this, for you would not be here otherwise. I expect all of you to be the solution to this issue. To hunt the traitors with every minute of your lifespan, to find them wherever they may hide and cull them from our ranks, to make their ends visible so that all of their ilk may see the fate of those that cross the Holy Inquisition of the Sith Order."

His voice echoed across the meeting room as his hidden gaze slowly swept over those seated, as if peering straight through each attendant one at a time. "What say you? You who would be tasked with such a grand goal? You who would take up arms against your own fellow Sith who have lost their way and turned from our Order? Speak now, or let yourselves be counted among my underlings rather than my lieutenants. For I invited Inquisitors here this day, not mere soldiers."

 

[Archlord Dryas]

The opportunity to serve the Sith Order had presented itself to Dryas on a backwater world in Sith space. A traitor had been uncovered, his plan to betray and extort the Order exposed, and his followers destroyed and scattered. Apprehended by Dryas and his cult, the traitor was bound and brought to Bailiff Station.

A small frigate docked with the station, delivering the Archlord and his followers to the Inquisition. Dryas gave orders to his people as he exited the ship with the captured traitor Sith in stuncuffs. "Remain with my ship." The cultists obeyed without question or comment, and the Archlord took his captive along.

Moving into the main chamber with regal bearing, the traitor shuffling before him, hands bound, head down, Dryas entered. "I say to you, that I have brought an enemy of the Sith!" A wry smile crossed his weathered and worn face, exposing teeth. His deep commanding voice boomed out, filling the room.

Dryas strode the length of the room to stand before the High Inquisitor, where he threw the prisoner to the ground. "A traitor." the Archlord said by way of presentation. He had brought the criminal, and all the evidence that might be required. The lesser accomplices had already been brought to immediate and final justice, but for the ringleader, a quick death was not.

"I am called Dryas, and I serve the Order."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Fatalia]

TAG: Darth Strosius

A formal summons was not customary unless it was a matter of grave importance. The Twi’lek arrived into the grand hall where she ascended some stairs and made her way to the great table, at the end was The Lord Inquistor Himself, arrayed in his fine robes and shrouded in his mask. Taking a seat at the other end, she arched her thigh and leg in the chair, poising herself in lounging posture as she listened to The Plot.

The gist was dry rot in The Sith Order and would they become the chistle and hammer to remove the traitors. The aim was noble, though the risk was more than failure, it meant their heads.

Raising her saber hilt to her mouth mask as she eyed The Lord Inquisitor with her ripple flame eyes. She considered her words carefully, even though the invitation was to Inquistorous, spies have a tendency to be among those you trusted most.

“My Lord Inquisitor, pardon if I must inquire..” a amusing word among inquistors, “The Sith who have lost their way..’ when gone are they, who will take their place?”

She enjoyed the construction of those words. She had a talented tongue when she put effort forth and where better than in a secret meeting place where they connived in dark corners to achieve reformation through raising arms against the renegades.

 

[Lady Falentra]

A young woman dressed in a cloak fitting for a formal meeting rather than battle sat a seat away from the formidable Darth Strosius. The hood obscured her hair tentacles and odd ears away from sight, so as not to be a distraction. Falentra was here behalf of her master, Darth Malum of House Marr , she was likely the youngest, an apprentice seated at the long table amongst sith lords. As Lord Malum would certainly not tolerate disrespect, neither would she despite her evident youth and inexperience. The young apprentice would be her Master's eyes, ears and presence here today - and perhaps his voice speaking on bealf of him if she had to, tasked to learn about the inquistion and report back to him. Malum had also advised her to assist Alisteri with anything that was not unreasonable.

Falentra listened. A brow arched as she watched a horrid looking sith that quite reminded of the undead she encountered in the caldera crisis drag in a prisoner. She turned to Alisteri, "I do hope this remains a civil inquistion foremost and a trial of execution only second." Falentra hadn't expected that an execution would take place in a meeting, but it was no surprise. A woman barged in, immediately making herself comfortable on the other seat at the end of the table across Alisteri. Falentra, only recently fallen into the order under the guidance of Darth Malum, was still unfamiliar with the many individuals.

 

[Charles Castex]

THE ORDER
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Location: Bailiff Station

Tags: Darth Strosius Darth Fatalia Archlord Dryas Lady Falentra

Dress: His Long black kimono, with a matching robe going around it and white and red flowers decorating it.

Gear: -Hologram Projecting Droid

-Two Lightsabers hidden in his belt

-Personal Surgical Tools

-His Razor Fingernails are firmly in place

-Implants turned on and running

-Darth Udezi's Legacy

Charles arrival to this event had been strategic if anything. As he found that it would be important to keep a thumb on the pulse of the Inquisition if he had a chance. The former Admiral saw many uses for such information to counter both internal and external threats. That was his real question, what was their leaders focus… internal… or external threats. A group like the Inquisition that saw threats everywhere among its own could be as much of a problem as it was a boon. So he needed to see it for himself. He had taken a different ship to arrive a bit later than his newest comrade Fatalia, the Inquisitor who had certainly made life on the Phylactery interesting… no it was more than that… she added a sense of warmth that had been missing recently. At least in her own way if one could say.

This fact certainly didn't melt the cold nature by which the large man carried himself, or the surgical calculation with which he looked into the eyes of anyone he passed the moment he had stepped off his shuttle and onto the station of Bailiff. His gentle black kimono fitted over with an old cape that he used to wear as a symbol of station, curled around his form as he sighed softly. Yes he had arrived slightly late, but soon enough to step inside just as the Grand Inquisitor was starting and thus he moved around in his typical ever silent manner.

As he found his seat, purposefully taking the one next to Fatalia, a gentle resting of his hand on her shoulder before he moved to sit down. At a meeting of spies anything could happen and so he wanted to be next to his newly found lover, the prefect position to protect her. Beyond the gentle touch of her shoulder he did try not to make this connection obvious, and he was thankful that one of the other people in the room decided to put on a display drew attention. Allowing him quickly disengage from that single moment of open warmth he had showed the Twi'lek.

This was a world of spies and information trading and because Fatalia was deeper in it than him, he didn't want to cause her any problems… become a… no that was a laughable sentiment. Anyone who tried to use him as a weakness would find everything about themselves lobotomized. It was also in this vein he wanted to make himself… memorable and he did so with what was a playfully slow, but building clap that eventually tapered off in reaction to Dryas's display,

"Very good show… very good show indeed. I do echo the ladies sentiment. I thought this was a meeting for the Inquisition not a circus to dispose of our enemies. I really hope you where discreet about bringing him here. Traitors should die in the dark… unless they become martyrs." As he spoke he would lounge back in his chair, relaxing a bit, temped for a moment to put his feet up. The only thing stopping him was that meeting was one of 'first impressions' so it was best to wait.

 

[Archlord Dryas]

Though his pride was somewhat affronted by the mockery of his fellow Sith, Dryas wouldn't dream of showing any outward chagrin, on his weathered face or in the Dark Side. This was a meeting of inquisitors, and his purpose was to show his worth. Petulant displays of emotion would not serve. He would explain himself, for these others, and for the High Inquisitor.

"The fate of this traitor is not my concern. He is here as evidence of my commitment to this organization, nothing more." What Dryas did not say was that if a public execution bothered one, one might consider a career in the diplomatic corps. Nor did he comment on the obvious weight class imbalance between himself and the smaller Sith. Nor did he reach out with the Dark Side, to inquire or to strike.

Brooding, the Siniteen simply behaved as if the others had not spoken. His attention was mainly focused on the High Inquisitor, but he had taken note of the others who had presented themselves.

But he had been paying careful attention to each of them, whilst feigning disinterest.

This was not the venue for confrontation. He could not allow himself to be baited so easily. Dryas reminded himself that they did not know him yet, and he knew that surely they would know him soon enough. He would demonstrate his character, his resolve, and his ability to complete difficult and dangerous tasks. He would show his dedication to the Sith Order, and to the Inquisition. Then, they would know him. For the current time, it was the judgement of the High Inquisitor which concerned him.

Darth Strosius Charles Castex Lady Falentra Darth Fatalia

 

[Darth Strosius]

​

Archlord Dryas / Darth Fatalia / Lady Falentra / Charles Castex

An eyebrow quirked up beneath his mask as the first to speak and put themselves into the limelight as it were was a newcomer, one uninvited and yet dragging in an apparent traitor to the Sith. Quite the entrance. "How...unexpected. Dryas you said your name was?" With one hand he gestured for the Siniteen to have a seat at one of the empty spots while the other waved at a pair of troopers. Said troopers swiftly moved to grab the traitor in question and haul him out of the room.

"He will have a proper trial later, as is expected, and his fate shall be determined then. The blood of the unworthy is not fit to stain my station." Not that he himself minded a bit of crimson of course. "Dryas you may share your evidence and testimony of the suspect after this meeting. For now however, there is much to be discussed and planned for." Hopefully that would assuage the concerns of Malum's apprentice and the tagalong of one of the Inquisitors. Speaking of which, his attention then shifted to Darth Fatalia.

"The answer to your question should be an obvious one. We shall. Any who betray our order must have their powerbase and areas of operation inspected not only for evidence but also for additional traitors and enemies that could be lurking under their banner." A supposedly temporary arrangement, but so long as they removed anyone who would bother contending with them 'overstaying their welcome' in regards to how they extended their presence then there should be no issue of any noteworthy sort.

"In order to properly secure the Sith Order from threats within and without we must expand our reach and influence. Faldos is a fine enough bastion in the west of Sith space but it isn't at all centrally located nor is it within striking distance of our most outlying bases and worlds." There was a small pause, as though he was considering his words carefully for a moment before adding. "Should the need arise to strike them of course. For if our reach only encompasses the entire Sith Order in theory rather than in actuality, then our work is doomed."

He gestured to those assembled as he sat back in his seat. "To that end, that is why I have summoned you all here this day. To discuss plans of expansion, targets of acquisition, and courses of action. Faldos is our headquarters and our industrial heart but it cannot support us alone. We will require more bases and worlds with which to operate from and arm ourselves with. Without which we cannot maintain our primary objective of locating and disabling threats to our Order on a large scale."

 

[Darth Fatalia]

TAG: Darth Strosius

Fatalia noticed Charles Castex who acted rather public in his display of affections. She allowed it, since she still owed him for saving her life on Anatoa.

Then the Lord Inquistor gave the usual promise of a coup, that all of them would have thrones as they caste others off theirs. Promises such as these were honestly propagandic, the peril they would be in would far outweighed the titles and accolades. Besides, where did the cleansing end? Who was to say The Lord Inquistor should not also be purged? And every seat have flesh blood.

The Red Twi’lek held her hilt to her pink tongue. She eyed The Masked Menance who asked them to suggest plans of expansion and to mark targets, and build industry. She watched as The Puppet Master pulled his strings, no doubt each of these summoned would be loud with their brilliant tactics and ideas. Fatalia had to consider carefully, what Lord Strosius was suggesting was treason. She had to decide if she was in or out, for failure would mean her severed head with dangling lekku. She could play along for now as she decided the course of the rest of her life, right here, right now.