Private Eyes

[Darth Osano]

ATHISS
CASA DE NASHAR

Quite some time ago, Maleagant had agreed to act as an information broker on behalf of Vrak Nashar. It had been an agreement reached while under great duress, so one could not be terribly surprised that specifics had not been ironed out.

Since then, the Resurgent Empire had sprung into existence, followed shortly by the Sith Ascendancy. It was not a pretty thing, having multiple Sith states active at once. The Ascendancy and the Empire could both claim to be the heir to the Sith Empires of old, but so long as they both existed at once there was little credibility in either of them. Squabbling Sith states to be divided and conquered. Diplomacy seemed to be muddled between the two. Some members of the Ascendancy were keen to assist the Empire in battle, others were leading insurrections on Malachor V. If the Empire broke the Dominion, as many suspected it would, then conflict with the Ascendancy would be inevitable.

Meanwhile, Maleagant's little criminal enterprise was in something of a... Transitory period. As it grew from a profitable enterprise to a regional power in its own right, the scope and scale of the intelligence it was gathering increased as well. The Sith Ascendancy had rolled over all the systems of the Alignment, even going so far as to establish its capitol in the region. The region where the Syndicate happened to be most concentrated.

It would be safe to say [member="Vrak Nashar"] would prefer information on Ascendancy matters rather than the usual underworld gossip he had been forwarded so far.

The Helix Syndicate's web of contacts, informants, and corrupted officials could be turned to gleaning information on anything within the Alignment, the current cradle of the Ascendancy. It was just a matter of finding out what Vrak wanted to know and how much about it he wanted to know. These sorts of deals were better cut in person, so Maleagant traveled by shuttle to the planet of Athiss, where a meeting could then be arranged at a location favorable to Vrak's tastes.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Maleagant"]

The estate that Vrak sat in was one his family had held for centuries. Thousands of deals had been made over the years in the very place he sat, hundreds of bargains had sprung forth, all in an attempt to grab what meager power could be divided up on Athiss itself.

Now things had moved far beyond that. They had sprung forth from their little refuge world and taken back what was theirs. They had not taken the entire galaxy, not yet, but they'd taken the Caldera. The ancient homes of the Sith had been conquered and rebuilt, remade into their proper place. It felt right in a way, though of course it was not enough, it was never enough. The Pureblood frowned slightly as an attendant knelt by his side, whispering in his ear.

"Bring him here once he lands." The Sith Lord stated simply, glancing off the balcony and towards the canyons below.

His expression didn't change.

"No need for guards." He stated simply. "And make sure the estate is cleared."

Simple commands, all of which would be followed.

 

[Darth Osano]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

The estate seemed devoid of inhabitants. There were no guards or servants milling about, save for the ones that had been sent to bring him to Lord Nashar. Maleagant was guided up a staircase and left to step out onto the balcony on his own. The Lord of the Sphere of Intelligence was staring out at the canyons. Maleagant could only hazard a guess as to what he might have been thinking about. Some byzantine string of conspiracies, political maneuvers, and royal intrigue no doubt. Maleagant did not envy his position.

A handshake would have been in poor taste, so Maleagant merely half-bowed with due reverence. "Your grace."

Maleagant corrected his posture.

"I believe we may wish to discuss things relating to the Sith Ascendancy."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Maleagant"]

Vrak glanced towards the man.

He remembered their last interaction rather well, though in truth it had been forgotten under a mile of dozens of other events since. The rise of the Empire, the conquest of Dromund Kaas, half a dozen other things that had nearly changed the entire course of his life. He frowned for a moment, then motioned for the man to take a seat.

"We do?' He asked with mild amusement.

The Ascendancy was not something he'd really thought about as of late, mostly because there had been more pressing issues. The Conquest of Dromund Kaas and war with the Silver Jedi had only just come to its conclusion, and within a short few weeks the Empire would attempt to take Serenno. Vrak wasn't exactly on board with the idea, mostly because he would have preferred something more...subtle, but the Council's will was what it was.

He mused for a moment.

"What do you wish to discuss?" He asked. "Their expansion? Their adverse to risk?"

Vrak smiled slightly.

 

[Darth Osano]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Maleagant took the seat as indicated, although he did not appear to relax. "The administrative heart of their territory established itself on top of my information networks."

The closer one got to the Pentastar Alignment, the more the influence of the Helix Syndicate could be felt. Once you reached major Alignment worlds - Bastion, Dubrillion, Yaga Minor, Muunilinist - that was where things reached their peak intensity. And these worlds were among the most crucial to the Ascendancy's operations. Maleagant could not predict or learn of every conceivable move the Ascendancy would make, but he could get most of them. On a good day.

"​Conflict with them will be inevitable for the Empire," he continued, "I believe you'd be better served if I were to inform on their movements, intentions... Potential weaknesses."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Maleagant"]

The man was right of course. Conflict with the Ascendancy was in all likelihood inevitable, in fact it had already happened with a few who claimed their banners. Malachor had become a rather large annoyance, one purveyed by more than a few members of the Sith Ascendancy.

It was something that Vrak, and the Council, had largely ignored, mostly because their position demanded it. Eventually however things would change, and if the strike on Serenno was successful Vrak suspected they would soon see a fight for dominance. It was obvious to anyone who knew the culture of the Sith, knew that there could only be one solid strength. The Pureblood mused for a moment more, glancing out at the canyons before turning to Maleagant.

"And why would you do this?" He asked simply.

His gaze fell back towards the canyons.

"You are of course correct. Conflict is inevitable." The Pureblood didn't mind admitting the obvious. "But do you really think you'll be better served under the Empire?"

 

[Darth Osano]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

If he wanted to serve himself as best he could, he wouldn't have been here. He would have broken ties with Nashar and relied on the Ascendancy for protection from his vengeance, if he even bothered to seek it. That was if he didn't just change his name and appearance. Then vanish. It wouldn't have been the first time. He could have lived quite comfortably, benefited by both his Syndicate and a lofty position in the Ascendancy.

But he didn't want any of that.

"I won't presume to ask favors before I prove useful," he eventually replied. "I have a score to settle with certain elements in the Ascendancy. That is my chief concern. Not a reward."

The Sith Ascendancy was too disjointed and fractious to serve as the heir to the Sith Empire. There was no direction. While its hierarchy was more accessible, what was the point of that if there was no chain of command? Maleagant said none of this, of course, because he doubted Vrak cared to hear a random spook from the other end of the galaxy the hollow praises of the government he happened to serve.

The Shi'ido continued, "One such element governs Thule and Bastion. I doubt he's made you a similar offer. I could speculate as to why..."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Maleagant"]

He glanced towards Maleagant for a moment. "He has not."

Though perhaps he would in time. For now the Ascendancy and the Resurgent Empire were not at war, and thus it wasn't a concern to most people. In truth Vrak hadn't given it all that much thought either, mostly because he preferred to focus on the short term with only overarching goals for the long term, at least ever since the Empire had come into full being.

It didn't pay to watch out for the coming branch if you didn't notice the rock right in front of you.

"The Empire doesn't care who rules what world or why." He stated plainly. "As long as tithes are paid."

It was something he'd repeated quite often, and since the burning of Malachor he suspected that most would be familiar with that policy. The Pureblood mused for a few moments, eyes wandering towards the canyons once more as he focused himself. It was clear that Maleagant wanted one of the two worlds, or perhaps simply the man who ruled them both. He smiled eventually, and once again regarded the other man. "That doesn't mean things can't change, however."

As long as he held power anyway.

 

[Darth Osano]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

"Caring may be a matter of national security," replied Maleagant. "The good king has a fanatical allegiance to the Ascendancy's warmaster. We are not the only ones who recognize conflict is inevitable. It would be easy for them, with the right equipment and funding, to set up a listening post. Then to sow plants in your government right from Thule. It may already be happening. He could know anything - everything - and directly inform their military leader with no delay."

Even Maleagant had to admit he would be putting too much stock into the cunning of his rivals. Generally speaking, they were not as clever as they thought they were. Perhaps Maleagant had a similar problem. Brazen overconfidence was endemic to most Sith. Only time would tell if Maleagant's assessments were well placed.

It wasn't his intention to scare the Empire into action. Merely point out potential weaknesses, the sort he was trying to sell Vrak on exploiting. "If that's the case, he'll have a late start. I have dozens of listening posts. Many of their bureaucrats and officers were already on my payroll before they even arrived in the Alignment. All I need are orders from you."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Maleagant"]

He let out a small chuckle at Maleagant's assertion. The theories weren't too wild, after all it was exactly what he himself would do, but the Sith Lord highly doubted that the King of Thule or anyone was as clever as that. More else, the rulers of the various worlds inside of the Resrugent Empire were weary. After what had happened on Kaas, it was clear what displeasing the Empire would do to ones holdings.

Various worlds had their defenses, but The Council had an armada. "Don't oversell."

Vrak stated simply.

"It makes you look desperate." This was a moment of confidence for him, and they both knew it. The end goal here was already close enough to achieved, Maleagant would know that very well. Vrak hardly cared about Thule or any other planet within the Empire's sphere of influence. He had already gotten everything he'd wanted and more, now was just the time to build as much as he could. Whether that be Alliances or wealth, it didn't matter. "I'm no fool, I see the value of your proposal."

He paused for a moment. "What is it, exactly, you want in return for these services?"

 

[Darth Osano]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Maleagant bristled at the chuckle and Vrak's advice. Who ever liked to be laughed at? Especially among the Sith? He kept quiet, of course. This was not some underling or colleague he could yell at as he pleased. No, like a good salesman, Maleagant just answered the question asked of him. "Officially, some token funding. Some hardware will need to be installed for secure communication without me needing to travel. And give you direct access to our information hub."

Eventually, Maleagant anticipated rising to a position in the Ascendancy where repeat trips to Resurgent space might reflect poorly. Better to cut that out. Besides, Vrak would probably enjoy usage of an HSNET connection. It was a nifty tool, to say the least.

"Unofficially, several challenges to the current regime on Thule will rise in the future. It would be... Preferable... If that monarchy was left to stand or fall on its own merit."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Maleagant"]

The Sith Lord mused for a few moments.

Time was on his side for this. He doubted movements against the Sith Ascendancy would occur in the next few months, but if he got information on them now...then all the better. The Council wouldn't have to know, not until it became an issue anyway, and deals like this were well within his discretion as the head of the Sphere of Intelligence. Vrak thought for a moment more, and then slowly nodded.

"The Empire isn't inclined to interfere in planetary conflicts." Unless it began to hurt it's tithes, but he doubted Maleagant would let it fall to that in the end.

Vrak could ensure easily enough that no one on the Council interfered with anything. As long as their own holdings went untouched it would be doubtful they'd want to move anyway. He paused for a moment, then continued to speak.

"Ensure that whatever challenge is brought isn't at the hands of the Jedi." He didn't know Maleagants reach, but he wouldn't put it past the other man to manipulate the Silver Jedi or even the Alliance to strike at his enemy. "Other then that, you'll have what you need."

He smiled slightly, wondering if they would have another Kaggath soon.

 

[Darth Osano]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Maleagant nodded in earnest. "Of course." The Jedi had tried to remove Maleagant's enemies from their seat on Panatha in the past. They had tried to curb their penchant for mindless atrocity. They always failed each and every time. Maleagant was not interested in exploring dead ends.

As long as no interference could be expected of the Resurgent Armada, this was a vital step in getting Maleagant what he wanted. Then maybe he could rest easy for a while.

"You have my thanks," he said. "If it pleases, your grace, I can depart now and get things underway."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Maleagant"]

It was a decision that he might regret later, but for now at least he was satisfied with allowing things to run their course.

Unfortunately he still did not wield ultimate power within the Empire. The Council was still mostly stacked against his favor and certain things were bound to happen no matter what he desired. Serenno would go on ahead and beyond that...well there was no telling really. Maleagant would have his opportunity to strike however, as long as he kept his part of the bargain.

"Go." He gestured towards the man.

There was no need to discuss anything else, though Vrak expected the flow of information to begin quickly.