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Maena
Early Evening

Once, when the One Sith had been at its peak, Matsu Xiangu had been Empress of Coruscant. For all her reclusive habits she had a natural flair for the social and business aspect of overseeing the jewel of the galaxy. One might suppose she missed it, but the same tasks had never really ended - now she was just
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in it for herself.

As such, she was not one to keep important visitors waiting.

“Lord Yaomo - several of your guests have arrived, and the rest have just been directed to landing pads and should arrive momentarily,” said a quiet woman who bowed when Matsu nodded to her from her seat at the table.

“Very well. Please, show them in,” she responded equally as quiet. Matsu’s sprawling complexes on Maena were modern in every way, stylish and lavish as most everywhere she lived and worked. She and Darth Prazutis had taken this world for their own and remade it exactly to their liking. She hated the transylvanian trappings of some Sith, hackneyed and overbearing in their attempts to beat others around the head with their status. No, Matsu craved clean lines and quiet efficiency in all things and everything about her was unassuming. Those of the Assassins who found themselves entering would see the small Sith Lady at the head of a table. She was alone save for two sleek-looking droids dressed in traditional Atrisian attire, their black eyes tracking the newcomers but otherwise motionless.

Matsu rose as they entered. Though she’d had her face reconstructed since Valiens Nantaris had seen fit to contact it with his lightsaber, scar tissue still gnarled both sides of her lower jaw. Extending two black, burnished cybernetics out in front of her, she indicated the seats around the table. “Welcome. Please, have a seat.” Her voice was like sea-glass, smooth and beautiful to listen to. Usually it seemed like a spider’s trick to lull unsuspecting prey, but these were men and women she hoped would join her web.

[member="Darth Ferox"] | [member="Darth Ophidia"] | [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Darth Lykos"]​
 
Matsu Xiangu - A spider of the deadliest kind.

Darth Ophidia had done her research on the Atrisian Sith Lord when they both served in The One Sith, and she had kept a running subscription to her greater deeds even since. Such a creature as Darth Yaomo were not wise to put out of sight, and certainly out of mind. The fact that the silken empress was so reclusive and secretive had only enforced the Pale's resolve to learn as much as she possibly could in advance.

One could perhaps say the ashen-skinned woman came with many expectations to their meeting and dealings to come.

Clean, lavish, elegant in its simplicity; Ophidia did not have much of a mind for fashion or interior design, but she could most certainly appreciate these qualities in her surroundings. It brought a focus and stillness to her mind; one not to be confused with the "peace" so sought by the Jedi. No, it was a stillness in the same way a predator is still before the strike, or the deafening quiet in the eye of a tempest; It was the clean-cut focus of genuine excellence.

Ophidia herself kept to a sense of the simplistic as well, though in her own way. An inner robe in dark purple silk peeking out from two different lengths of thicker charcoal fabric. At the waist, a leather belt cinched the fabrics together around her slender form. At the back of her hip rested two curved hilts, twinned in design. Her hands, clasped behind her back, between her hilts, were gloved in thin, supple leather while her arms were practically swallowed in wide sleeves - perfect for hiding little things she might need.

On most occasions, she would have kept the wide hood raised in order to maintain a mystic persona, but in this setting she deemed it more prudent to show herself

It was a face few ever saw and lived to talk about. Ashen skinned and hairless as were her kind. She had tattoos, two stripes on either cheek and along either side of the crown of her head. Her ears were inky black and each decorated with a triangular piece of silver. Her lips were painted purple and her eyes accentuated with smokey black. There was a distinctive lightning scar that crept up from the high collar of her dress and crested all over the back of her skull - some even climbing as far as her right cheek. The eyes were lit like burning coals or a bed of embers, accentuated against the monochrome tones of her flesh. Her demeanour was cold, serious, dominant and dignified in its silence.

Darth Ophidia - the Pale Assassin.

She was the first of the troupe to enter through the doors and lay eyes upon the spider queen and her two android companions. The eyes surveyed their surroundings and Yaomo's features quickly as she mentally mapped their situation. Ophidia did not speak in reply, but accepted the invitation to sit by way of a nod as she stepped towards one of the inner seats, thus making room for the others behind her.

[member="Darth Lykos"] [member="Darth Ferox"] [member="Darth Abyss"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"]
 
Abyss was yet to meet the sith lord that was [member="Matsu Xiangu"], but the fact that the other leaders of the assassins had agreed to this meeting, as well as the design and interio he had seen on his way in, already told him much. That she was calculating, dangerous and well connected, all qualities he respected in a sith. He had meet enough of the mindless brutes that called themselves sith, so being in a room with those that had accepted the shadows they lived in as an powerful allie, and not as a mark that they carried with shame.

Darth Abyss, the black assassin, was a very recognizable figure at least in some way. Some sith chose to hide in plane sight, posing as everyman for their whole live, others decided to become monsters that showed nothing of their former humanity. Abyss had picked the hood of a specter, a being that could easily be a ghost that had just risen from the netherworld to hunt the living. The only thing that gave him away was his cybernetic right. His body was shrouded in a wide, black and fairly ragged robe, his head obscured by the hood of it. The mask on his face kept all but the lower half of his face unseen from the outside, and the crown that rested below that hood was barley viable at all. Pale skin, purple veins, the clear signs of the corruption of the dark side marked what was visible of his body, topped of with the yellow eyes, that burned under his mask like twin suns.

His ghostly appearance was underlined by the lack of sound that his steps made, as he entered inside the room where Matsu and [member="Darth Ophidia"] had already taken place. As he entered he offer a slight, firm bow, first to his master than to woman that had invited him. It was rather impolite, but in Ophidias presence he was still the apprentice, and he wouldn't risk to have her question his loyalty just yet. Now that had to wait until a later point of his live.

Descending onto a chair on the opposite side to his master. His eyes watchful to his surroundings he monitored the robots behind his host for the day, mentally marking any escape or vantage points if things should go south. While he was a cautious man, he had his doubts if anyone was arrogant enough to invite the whole assassin council only to attack them.

[member="Darth Ferox"] [member="Darth Lykos"]
 
How long had it been since the Zabrak made his attempt on [member="Matsu Xiangu"] 's life? It seemed of decades, when the One Sith first arose to power on Coruscant. Before the beginning of the Sith Assassins. It was during that failed attempt of assassination that Ferox, at the time called Ferus, was given the opportunity to server a greater purpose and create the shadowy group. So many years had passed since then, with so many events. His own apprentice, [member="Darth Ophidia"] , now resided on the Council alongside him. Her own apprentices [member="Darth Abyss"] and [member="Darth Lykos"] had followed in suit.

For the first time, however, all four seats of the Council were filled. And for the first time since the fall of Malif Cove, they had the opportunity to find a new home.

War was one of the last to arrive, just exiting his ship as the others had made their way into the Spider's room. He was dressed in the clothing of his people, thick leathers with silver accents, and a headdress of blue and red. On his hip rested not Templar's Edge, but the Sword of the First, an heirloom of the first true king of Iridonia. The blade was magnificent to behold, but it was a simple durasteel blade with a map in the hilt leading to the location of the other kings tombs. Regardless, it marked his claim as King of the Zabrak, and he went anywhere he could with it.

Of course, he had his lightsaber on his other hip. The ornate sword was a badge of office. The simple hilt of a Sith's best friend was his true weapon.

Blue eyes focused on one of the attendants that stopped before him. "This way Lord, they are about to begin." A swift nod was given, and Darth Ferox made his way to the meeting room.
 
[member="Darth Lykos"], sorry to post before you but feel free to join in whenever you can/if you want to! :)

The first to arrive was very clearly the Pale, Ophidia. Not a name many knew of course - at least not in the sense that they could connect it to a particular face, could separate it from the fiction their minds created in the absence of a concrete image. Something was always more frightening when one didn’t have all the answers, when the mind was allowed to fill in the gaps with its own personal demons. There were very few Sith who did not find obsession in the climb to notoriety, that did not waste their lives chasing titles. As a fellow practitioner of mystery, Yaomo couldn’t deny great interest in the Rattataki that swept in to the room first. There was something in the Atrisian that sang to the cold, silent dominance of the other woman’s personality - a curl of the neck in a nod to matron lions of another pride, perhaps.

Process of elimination considering her scant knowledge meant that the Black was next. She’d heard some of this Abyss from her son, a man capable of a surprising burst of humor here and there - unsettling from under a shroud and mask that suggested otherwise, but present. She took no offense when he nodded to one of his own first. She was not the sort of person that demanded validation through other’s reverence.

And Ferox. The Red. The lives of Sith were either exceedingly short, or packed so full of war and plans that its length felt elastic at best. When he’d showed up to kill her on Coruscant felt both like yesterday and a million years ago. But either way it was something that did not factor in to her their meeting today. She was nothing if not practical and she could put things behind her. Besides - what was a little attempted murder in the past of future allies? That she'd seen his work firsthand only made her feel more confident in extending her offer. Prowess beget confidence.

The fourth of their council had not yet arrived, but Matsu sat down as her guests settled, crossing her legs in front of her and resting her hands in her lap. “Thank you for coming all this way,” she began, her eyes drifting over each of them in turn. “We are all busy individuals, so I won’t waste time with the usual pleasantries - I’m sure you won’t mind.” The corner of her mouth quirked up. She doubted assassins held tedious social graces in much regard. “Maena is my home, but also much more to myself and the Order. It is a huge operation and as such it requires protection. Of course we have trained military, the Undead, and automated defense systems but that does not cover individuals with...expertise. So I would like to put forth a mutually beneficial trade. In return for your agreement to come to Maena’s aide should someone grow a large enough pair to try and attack it, I will provide a quiet, well-protected base of operations here for you and your people. You can have access to all of my resources, including chemical and biological weaponry. All I ask is for your full support if war ever knocks on my door.”

She paused. She rarely talked so much at once. Letting the offer sit on the table, she quirked one eyebrow slightly. “Please, if you are interested and have questions or concerns, I would be happy to hear them.”

[member="Darth Ophidia"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Darth Abyss"]​
 
The words of Matsu would reach the final member of the Sith Assassin's Council upon his guided approach towards the chambers where the meeting between Lords was taking place within; his sensitive hearing just allowing him to make out what the Sith Lady was saying. And, just as the words of the meeting were reaching his ears, the sounds Lykos made as he approuched would also reach the ears of the other Sith. A steady, slow beat of polish wood.

The source of the sound that heralded the Zabrak's approach would be revealed upon his entrance into the sleek and stylish meeting room; a cane gripped tightly within the single, left hand that emerged forth from the loose folds of the robes Lykos wore - black cybernetic fingers clearly marking an indentation beneath where they were wrapped around the handle. An air of seething annoyance seemed to twist and swirl around the Assassin even as his Presence within the Force stayed subdued and concealed, anger boiling into an inferno within his chest. Yet, due to the way that his chosen attire fell around his form, obscuring both body language and outline, such understanding into Lykos' mood could only be discerned from the heady aura that seemed to settle over his shoulders.

Bowing his head slightly, Lykos made no move to explain his tardiness as he approached on of the final empty seats. On his first attempt, a wild grab at the backrest fell short and to the side, leaving the biological fingers to grasp at nothing but air. A low, rumbling growl of annoyance would emerged from the cloaked form as, instead of trying again, the cane he so tightly gripped would slowly swing forwards until it impacted gently with the chair itself. His second attempt was, this time, successful as instead of blindly reaching forwards, his hand trailed along his cane until fingers now curled around the back of the seat instead of empty nothingness.

Lowering himself gingerly into the chair, the Zabrak's gravelly would, quietly, speak forth as his right hand would lift to pull back the hood of his robes, revealing ashen hair and an empty right ocular socket. "My apologies for my delayed arrival. I'm afraid that operating and moving around without depth perception can be a hindrance at times." As stoic as his voice was, a small, wry and angered smirk would pull at the corner of scarred lips.

The truth was of course to be found in his words, but such a reveal of a weakness was one that was carefully chosen. Normally, to compensate for his lost eye - which resulted in him loosing depth perception and an understanding of all three dimension, especially in areas he had yet to familiarise himself with - Lykos would call upon an amalgamation of his senses of smell and hearing (evolutionarily designed to aid Zabraks in hunting and tracking within the sandstorm ravaged plains of Iridonia) as well as minor manipulations of the Force. However, there came times, like on this day, that the phantom pains could grow to be too much, grow to be lances of agony directly piercing his brain, which would affect him in such away that his focus could not be given towards these coping techniques. Of course, only the minor, subconscious, things were robbed from him on days like this, leaving him relying on his cane to get around but meaning that, should it be required, he could very much focus on combat.

Overall, the weakness he was now exhibiting was rare in and of itself but was only applied to the mundane situations, meaning that what may very well seem like a major weakness should his fellow Sith not see through his veiled intentions (like he very much predicted that they should) was, in truth, a minor one, one that he was comfortable in letting be known just to gauge reactions. Even the reaction of his fellow Assassins, as he knew that none had seem him on days like this day before.

Leaning forwards slightly, Lykos' head would cock to the side minutely, shifting just enough that his lone eye could be fixed directly upon Matsu. "I know that I was not present for your words, but I did hear them none the less. If I may, and my fellows will allow it, might I ask as to what assurance we would have of independence and continued independence? Should we very well accept the offer laid before us, this base would be within your domain, fed by yourself and your agents. Yes, I suppose that the argument of an agreement to bear arms should war arrive could serve to be adequate, but should you be able to wrest independence from us, that support would still be assured. Not," here his gaze would flicker towards each of his fellow Council Members, head twisting to ensure that his amber gaze would fall upon each, "that I do not believe that whomever should be stationed with control of such a base would not have the fortitude to resist such advances. I only wish to ensure that all avenues - whether they be beneficial to us Assassin, you Lord Matsu or both of our parties - born from this potential agreement are addressed."


[member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Darth Ophidia"]

1) I'm sorry for the delay in posting. Unfortunately, I've not been well for the past, well, while (I'm not too sure on the exact time frame), suffering from migraines as well as just being generally ill. Sorry, again, for the delay.
2) I hope that you don't mind the direction of my post, I was kind of stuck on where to take it.
3) I hope you don't mind the bit where I do address the negative effects of Xavka loosing his eye. I realised that in recent times I've been seeing such a loss as purely cosmetic and was no longer considering the consequences he would be suffering. So, yeah, I thought to twist it in the complete other direction for this post. If you wish for me to edit this, let me know.
 
It was odd to begin without the White present, but Krest very much understood the importance of time. Time was a high price for many a Sith, especially for those in the position of Assassination. Every moment the Council was preoccupied their enemies were not being watched or hunted. Every minute spent in silence was a minute that could of been spent sowing the seeds of fear the Assassins lived off of. War appreciated [member="Matsu Xiangu"] 's desire to get things moving before they had remained idle for too long.

Though, it proved unnecessary as [member="Darth Lykos"] made his way in. A brow raised as the red man watched his fellow Zabrak struggle to find his seat, and a sense of curiousness washed over his mind. How long had the son of Iridonia had such problems? Then again, the pain of loosing sight in an eye was one Krest had heard of, but never experienced. At least he could still fight.

"We will not keep all of our secrets in one place, no matter how guarded they are." Ferox spoke up to answer the White's question of independence. His own gaze traveled around the room to [member="Darth Abyss"] and [member="Darth Ophidia"] , nodding once. "I don't expect there to be any offer that would bring us to serve our gracious host as a part of her army. We are by nature free roaming, and our blades serve not one Sith, but the Sith as a whole. Empires rise and fall, and we shall always persevere." The blue gaze settled upon the Spider once again, a smile on his lips. Both he and she had served many Sith Orders in their lifetimes. He perhaps more than her. "Our independence is assured by our trade. Should this new order survive, we shall serve them. Should they fall, we will move on. I hope that is understandable, Lord Matsu."
 
While Lady Yaomo evidently did not mind the display of reverence, Ophidia did. She made a slight, but notable movement of the head in recognition of the given respect, much as she would greet Yaomo. However, mentally, she made a note to instruct the Black to keep such greetings away from meetings like these. The open display of subordinance spoke too many words and could influence the negotiations. He was here as the Black Assassin. The less others knew about the council's internal social standings, the better. In an attempt to defuse the information, she presented a similar nod to each of the council members as they entered.

It was rather difficult to see if Darth Ophidia was comfortable or not. Her expression remained unmoved and her posture retained its upright position. She breathed steadily and beheld silently with eyes that appeared never needing to blink. She did not appear tense, nor truly relaxed. Her burning eyes remained mostly in the direction of Yaomo, but trailed to each Sith as they entered. It was minimal, but currently made necessary.

There was most certainly visual difference between herself and the Red, Krest. Her blacks, greys, purples and blues contrasted with his brighter red and silver. She mused about difference briefly, thinking how absurd it would be to assume they were from the same order if one did not already know. However, the Black and White were more in tune with her own aesthetic - With their own distinct variations and accents. Perhaps indeed that was the genius of the Red's attire: An inconspicuous peacock.

Upon the arrival of Darth Lykos, the White, one could almost discern emotion in the twitch of her lower eyelids. She knew he had taken considerable beatings in the past. Some of which she had personally administrated, others she had witnessed. However, she had never before seen him in such an accumulated state. Ophidia did not worry about him; Lykos had mopped himself off many floors and proven himself a more than capable assassin even now. If he should die, well then he simply lacked perseverance and another would take his place. Whether or not it was a ruse, it did cross her mind, but she could not pin it on him. Which, in turn, gave her a sense of pride. He had become craftier than when she had first met him.

Ophidia watched Matsu while Lykos presented his thoughts and Ferox replied. The White had made a point, but the Pale was more interested in their host's reaction than the replies of her fellow Council members.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Krest"] [member="Darth Abyss"] [member="Darth Lykos"]
 
"The assassins are a quite effective force in this galaxy, but in the end we are few in numbers and even the council will not be able to defend this place from groups like the alliance or the first order."

It sounded like a rather pessimistic approach to all this, but it was leading to point he was about to make. They all were exceptionally talented individuals, but calling upon them as guardians was far from the most effective way of doing this. Their power came from the shadows, from intelligence both in the actual and the military sense.

"Our weapon has to be secrecy above else, the position of this base can be known to no one. We are not servants of the sith order, so we will need the means to secure that this place will last once the order breaks apart."

There was a clear difference in the way he talked about the sith order compared to the others. He had absolutely no faith that the order would stand the test of time, so it was fairly important that the sith assassins would outlast it in the shadows. Openly showing themselves as warlords to keep a planet save wasn't really part of this idea.

"You spoke about biological and chemical weapons you have at your disposal Lady Yaomo. Would you care to elaborate the details. In case of an attack they could be the key to balance out our lack of numbers."

His mind was already racing, planning based on the small bits of information he had about this world, trying to find a effective way to defend it from intruders. With the weapons that [member="Matsu Xiangu"] had mentioned there was a chance but there had to be something more.

"The path of dark side was always one of sacrifice, and if we intend to walk it we have to be ready to sacrifice this base in case we fail to secure it. If the assassins are to reside here, there will be things to be guarded, even if that means burning this place down. And I am sure you share this sentiment for your own secrets."

[member="Krest"] [member="Darth Lykos"] [member="Darth Ophidia"]
 
That the answer would be ‘no’ had crossed her mind. It wasn’t a word she was used to hearing much anymore, but the possibility was there. What she proposed was unorthodox to be sure, but their questions were valid - and intelligent. She waited for each to speak, or in the case of Ophidia observe, before responding. At first it was clear she was thinking of each of their points, formulating an answer that would touch on all concerns.

The White’s concern was on the forefront of her mind. It would be her own, were the tables turned. She had noticed his condition when he came in to the room, felt the emotions that came with it. Perhaps in a different life she might have mistook the impediment for the promising limp of prey. At the end of the day they were just animals attempting to pick which would fail to run fast enough to remain in the safety of the escaping herd. But when he looked directly at her and saw he was without an eye, she knew assuming all threat was gone was suicidal. The one person in the galaxy she truly - in her own way - loved, the father of her son, was missing an eye. And in her mind there were very few Sith as fearsome as Reverance.

“This arrangement is between you and I, and as such it behooves me to make sure you are satisfied with every detail. And freedom is the key to happiness, is it not?” She paused, the ghost of a smile flitting on her mouth as she thought of her days sneaking on to transports to get between planets - days when she barely had a name at all, let alone a Darth before her chosen one. “I have no more than my word, but I am willing to negotiate exactly how much of my presence is within your base here. I offer my resources simply as incentive because they are vast, but if you would prefer to have only your men, only your money, only your weapons...that’s quite alright with me. I truly have no wish to control any aspect of your organization, or any of you personally. I just want to protect what is mine from every angle.”

Next, she turned to Krest. She could still remember the shock of his appearance on Coruscant, the glint of a blade in the neons of the ecumenopolis as they fought. How far they all had come. “Maena is a base for research that benefits the Sith Order, but it is first and foremost my home. It will survive after the Sith Order falls just as your organization will survive, and Maena will still need to be protected. I am asking for your organization’s assistance on a more personal level. If that makes any of you unwilling I will understand. But please know I do not see this as buying your loyalty, or as if the Assassins are some cheap mercenary group prepared to follow the whims of the highest bidder. I asked for you because I remember you on Coruscant, and I know you all have survived the rise and fall of more than one Sith organization. No, this arrangement would not be on behalf of the Sith Order entirely. But the same rules would apply. If you no longer find the arrangement useful you - as you put it - move on. My goal is to make said arrangement beneficial enough to both parties that you don’t feel as if you have to.”

Another eerily quiet Atrisian droid carried in tea, placing some in front of each guest in case they chose to partake.

And then she turned to Abyss. His points were tied to the others and she nodded in understanding. “You and your people are not the only numbers defending Maena,” she said quietly, counting the number between her allies and Darth Prazutis’ in her head. A cadre of Sith Lord's with various interests on the ravaged world, their underlings, the thousands of contracted doctors...Matsu had worked hard to pull in a formidable defensive force for the planet. And she hoped the Assassins would find value in the trade. “I am not concerned with the Alliance or the New Order attempting to take this place, but more so with stacking the odds against them as greatly as possible should they try. But that does not mean I expect any of you to act as soldiers, as guardians to suddenly wage war if someone comes calling. When I say protect this place, I mean in whatever fashion suits you. If war comes, you push back from the shadows in the manner that pleases you and your people.” She rarely ever talked so much, and she drew to a close for the moment with his last question. “For obvious reasons I would prefer to keep the finer details of the weaponry at my disposal vague, but should we all come to an agreement you would be given files on the research being done. However, we have access to both aerosolized, droplet, and contact-based pathogens that can act in an extremely short period of time if they needed to be used in a combat situation. In the event that things should go wrong...my researchers have instructions to destroy all records. It would be unfortunate, but I would fully understand if that was the only way. We all must be protected.”

[member="Darth Ophidia"] | [member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Krest"]​
 
Listening intently to the answers that Lady Yaomo was supplying to his posed question and the questions of Red and Black, Lykos leant back in his seat slightly; not relaxing per se, as his remained ready to act should he be required to do so on little to no notice, but simply rest his back against the back of the seat instead of leaning forwards slightly as he had been doing so. Rhythmically, one cybernetic finger would tap gently against the cane that still rested against his thigh as he analysed the words that had been spoken in the quiet that followed.

Independence, in this case, was if her words were to be trusted ('Steady heartbeat, no hitching of breathing. Potentially truthful.'), something that may very well occur, his worries left to the wayside as he words spoke of situations where they would be left alone to be self autonomous should they desire it, allowed to call upon as much of their own resources to use over her own as they so saw fit. In that case very well be just as she said, a bridge being extended between the two parties so that Yaomo would be able to rely upon the shadows so as to protect her investments should they come under fire. Still, the more that she spoke, the less his worries were truly abated. She spoke of Maena as a bastion of research and advancement, a veritable power in itself, defended by more than just her own resources, as she spoke to Abyss about, yet sought to install more lines of defense.

Humming softly under his breath, he chose to speak up once more. "Please do correct me should I be wrong, but, as I understand it, you seek us to serve as a hidden defense, shadows that would surge forth to strike in obscurity at any that may chose to strike at yourself or your holdings, yes? You would give us land to settle upon? Willingly extend the offer of utilising the resources that Maena would have to offer? Just so long as we do serve as some sort of defense? Something that would most likely occur anyway as it wouldn't be wise of us to allow invading forces to be able to discover even a whisper of our presence here."

Rapping his fingers against the cane once more, this time hard enough to be audible, the Zabrak would pause in consideration. Taking the moment, he would reach forth with his biological hand, sliding it across the table before him until it reached the cup of tea before him. Bringing it to his lips, he took the moment to scent the warm liquid, searching for any sign of poison before taking a small sip upon detecting none. Should a poison have truly been concealed, Lykos was partially sure that he would be able to nullify it, his experience from his years as a Jath in his youth making him more than use to being able to heal himself from the inside through the Force. Besides, he had a fondness for teas and was more than willing to try a new blend.

Setting the cup down, he would affix his gaze once more to the Sith opposite of him. "It does seem to me, especially considering the answer you just present to Black," his right hand would wave in Abyss' direction, "that you gain little from this arrangement. Which does bring me to ask, why now? You have explained why, at all, you would choose to approach us on this, but not as to why now. What drives you to call upon us now?"

[member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Darth Ophidia"]
 
It was a question she’d heard before. She was offering more than she was receiving. [member="Irajah Ven"] had said the same when Matsu had offered her private labs to carry out her own personal research in return for agreeing to help protect Maena. In a galaxy where so many were driven by greed, it was hard to believe that a Sith of all creatures was not looking to tip the scales of a trade in their favor.

She picked up the teacup in front of her, metal fingers ticking against its china sides delicately as she took a sip. It was still in her palms once she lowered it to answer.

“I came from a wealthy family. Not exceedingly rich, but we had enough credits to be very comfortable. At eighteen years old I disappeared from my parent’s life to stow away on transport ships. I traveled half the galaxy cramped up between cargo boxes so no one would find me and make me pay for the ride,” she shared, a quiet huff of amusement escaping her at the memories. “Though I’m no longer that girl, I spent the twenty years following those days with no home. I gained power, wealth, and opportunities of my own but I never saw fit to settle. Even my apartments on Coruscant weren’t really a home.” Her gaze flickered to the Red for a moment, a different kind of amusement in her expression. “Maena is home. I suppose I ask this of you now because for the first time in my life I have a place worth protecting, both for myself and for those I call allies.”

The others had been quiet, but she did not mistake their silence for complacency. She was sure they were dissecting her every word. But despite her arachnid reputation for creeping up before one realized her plans, there was nothing but truth here.

[member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Darth Ophidia"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Darth Abyss"]​
 
When a monster builds her nest, how does she protect it from those who would chase her away? She invites the scariest and the deadliest monsters she can find to coop with her. And woe be those who dare trespass upon their domain. In a sense, it was the same general idea of protection that had spurred the earliest sentients to domesticate animals. It was also one of the fundamental ideas behind the usefulness of Sithspawning. While the power of each individual spawn was dubious, the nightmarish scene they created took the heart out of most invaders.

Maena was already infested with swarms of the living dead. And the Atrisian Queen had already mentioned: They would not be the only ones protecting this place. Ophidia could already imagine a few candidates of enlistment for more overt protection, considering Matsu's vast connections. So, how would the Assassins protect this place? More importantly, how would this place aid the Assassins?

Stretching out a gloved hand, she plucked the cup of tea from the table, brought it to her nose and inhaled the fragrant vapours. Darth Ophidia had considerable experience with liquid refreshments, Atrisian tea in particular. After inspecting the colour and fragrance for abnormalities and then simply appreciating the character of the tea, she sipped it with an audible, but slurp. The ingested air enhanced the flavour, engaging the palate and the olfactory organs. Her eyes closed for a moment as she mapped the flavour in her mind. Then, they opened again as she put the warm cup back down upon the table.

"Allies is a most tenuous term. However, in an instance such as this, I do believe it is applicable. An alliance is only possible as long as both parties benefit from it. The moment one's usefulness fails to satisfy, such contracts are eliminated. It is our nature."

What if they were double crossed? Naivety never got an assassin far and Ophidia knew well that there were risks involved in dealing with spiders. The other parties could - and probably would - turn on the Assassins, given proper incentive and opportunity. However, it would be a most expensive affair, hardly cost-effective. Only a portion of their resources and manpower would ever be stationed on Maena and in the event of a double-cross most of it would be destroyed so as to not fall into the wrong hands - Be it Sith, Jedi, or any others. Some defences would have to be established, but if they could not protect themselves from the potential backlash of this deal, were they worthy of their position and reputation? And if Maena ceased to be useful for the Assassins, what then? She had some ideas.

"I find this arrangement worthwhile."

Her eyes glided from one Assassin to the other. Weighing their expressions, specifically looking for signs of disapproval. They were all experienced liars with more masks than one could peel off in a standard century, but having trained two and been taught by one, she had a certain insight. Her gaze slipped over to Matsu Xiangu. For a fraction of a moment, there was a ghost of a smile at the Pale's lips. Whether it was approving, mocking, or sinister, one could hardly quite tell.

"As such, I move to accept. Any objections?"

[member="Krest"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Darth Lykos"] [member="Darth Abyss"]
 
As Matsu had spoken her answer to his inquiry, Lykos would let his eyelids slide closed, focused his utmost attention on the stimulus affecting his ears, listening to everything as closely as he could. With his senses bolstered through the Force, the heartbeats of his fellow Sith would play their tattoos across his mind, and, with his focus on Matsu, he sought once more to determine how much truth could be found within her words. One could fool others through their words, twisting lies into fact and creating false truths for those without the power to shed their chains, but, fooling the instinctive reactions of the body when lying was not as such an easy task. A slight jump of the heart no matter how calm, a slight pause in speech as the mind fought to disobey its natural reaction to tell the truth.

These tells were hard to subdue even for the most skilled liar and it was these tells that Lykos so intently sought for, even more so than before. And it was none of those tells that came to his attention. The Sith Lady did simply desire them to serve as a hidden line of defense for her new found home of Maena simply because a home was not something she had experienced much in the past and now wished to protect now that she had found it.

Sighing out a silent huff of air, Lykos simply opened his gaze to stare not at any of his surrounding fellows but, instead, at the refreshment set before him, the smooth surface of the tea holding his focus. Matsu's words were truthful, yet, for one to settle within the den, the self-made home, of someone with obvious power, and not just within the Force, when the possibility of being turned upon was present was akin to a fly accepting the offers of peace and a place upon the spider's web. For how long could that spider hold back its hunger, if at all?

But then, the Assassins were not much like the fly in that analogy nor did he expect Matsu to be much like the spider, after all, with her, they would not be food invited into her home but a fellow spider for the sake of protecting the web, to continue with the analogy. Predator and predator instead of predator and prey and, while it may serve to benefit one to turn on the other, the strength and boons that would come with even an uneasy alignment of purpose could forestall that betrayal. Besides, in the end, it was not like they could not leave behind fail safes in the event of being turned upon and an ally as well as a place to call theirs would benefit the Assassins as a whole.

Humming in agreement to Ophidia's words, Lykos would put forward his final word on the matter. In that moment, the influence that Ophidia had cast upon him by being his Master would be visible as a smile of dubious nature and emotion would also pull at his lips for a single second. "I too move to accept."


[member="Darth Ophidia"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Darth Abyss"]
OOC Note: Meant to post this a while ago. Sorry for the delay.
 
Abyss leaned back in his chair. His first impulse had been to accept the offer, but he allowed the others to speak first. The desire to secure a new home after the old was long lost was something he understood well, maybe a bit to well to make a objective decision by himself. Now that the others had stated their opinion he felt confident that it was the right decision, without his feelings clouding his thoughts.

"I also believe that this agreement would be beneficial for all of us. I vote we accept."

For a second he considered to reach for a tea, but he decided against it. This was all a bit to clean and strict for him, he preferred to serve something stronger when discussing business with others. All would be well, but while he was in favor of the deal she was offering there was still a detail that itched in the back of his mind. Others would defend this world alike him and the other members of the council, and that could be as much of a drawback as an advantage in case of an attack.

"Obviously I understand that you can not reveal the names of your other allies at this time and place, and yet I can not leave this unsaid. In our order alliances rise and fall every day, allies become enemies and the other way around. I believe the knife in my back to be more dangerous than the blade in front of me, so I have another question."

He folded his hands in front of him, making sure that his next words would sound as neutral as possible. They weren't meant to insult her, or tip this new alliance out of balance right from the start, so he had to be careful in choosing the exact wording for his question.

"Betrayal is second nature to all of us. These allies, they stand closer to you then we do, right?"

The question was implied, yet not spoken loudly. He was sure that she would understand it anyway.

[member="Darth Lykos"] [member="Darth Ophidia"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Krest"]
 
"You'll have none from me, and I too move to accept." Not that it would have mattered. Unanimous always wins, and with the other three having accepted Krest's approval meant nothing. Still, he gave it. But as [member="Darth Abyss"] spoke the Zabrak stood up, turning his gaze to the newer member and to [member="Darth Lykos"] . "Famine. Conquest. Death. War. Four heads of one great serpent. Each with their own onwerships and powers, each with their own resources and strengths. This place our gracious host has offered shall belong to only one of these heads. There is no reason for us to create another Malif Cove and hoard all our secrets in one spot." His blue eyes flashed over to [member="Matsu Xiangu"] for a moment before he continued. "As such, I move that the construction and any further questions be asked and the answers received by only one of us. And with the field of undead outside of the base, I only find it fitting the Pale be the one in charge of this instillation. Let it be only one head that could be severed instead of all four in the case of betrayal or attack, and only a fourth of our secrets up for grab should the failsafe fail."
 
The Pale’s voice was a surprise but welcome, starting the wave of acceptance of her peers. It was the best outcome Matsu could have hoped for. This was a situation in which they easily could have found too much risk in the prospect - and she would have understood. But they would all be stronger for it.

The others seemed to have all their current questions answered, but Abyss brought up another that Matsu weighed just as carefully as the question itself seemed to be worded.

Truth was the only way to forge their delicate alliance.

“Through virtue of time at my side, yes. I know them better. I trust them as much as our Kind can. But don’t think that means time can’t see the same for those gathered in this room. Should this arrangement prove as advantageous as I hope it does and we have both proven to the other that even Sith can put aside petty power grabs, I think you’ll find I’ve gotten where I am because I make it my business to be good to my...friends.” It didn’t seem a word any of those gathered seemed fond of, and the twist she put on it made it somewhat humorous almost. But she thought she’d answered his message in kind.

They stand closer. But gravity pulled them all closer to the ultimate goal together.

Matsu stood as the Red did, nodding in agreement and understanding with the decision to leave only one in charge of all secrets regarding their safehouse on Maena. The Pale did indeed seem a fortuitous choice.

“I thank you all for meeting with me, and for finding something in this arrangement. I am sure you all have much to attend to, but you are welcome to stay on Maena for as long as it pleases you - the New City has something for everyone.” Her head tilted slightly to the Pale. “And we can discuss specifics whenever works best for you.”

[member="Krest"] | [member="Darth Abyss"] | [member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Darth Ophidia"]​
 
The Pale stood with the others.

To divide up bases was easily the safer way of governing across the galaxy. Not all bases needed to be overseen by one of the four, Maena would be different. It would not only be a fortress for their order, but an embassy between the assassins and some of this galaxy's most influential Sith Lords. When she was mentioned as the one to take care of the Maena base, there was a glint in her eye. Indeed, it was the motion she had hoped for. Her mind kicked into gear as she began planning defences and mentally mapping ways to create the perfect base.


"I will remain on Maena for now. At least until the schematics are complete and construction has begun."

Her eyes trailed to Matsu, and her head inclined on a nod of recognition. She then looked to each of the assassins. Her hands clasped behind her back, the left holding her right. Between the fingers of her right hand, a tarnished piece of gold flicked from one knuckle to the other, before disappearing into the palm.

"Red, Black, White, you will be informed of the progress as necessary."

The less they revealed, the better.

"Lady Yaomo, perhaps you or one of your associates would like to help me become more acquainted with Maena. I am curious about this world, and about your home."

[member="Darth Abyss"] [member="Darth Lykos"] [member="Krest"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"]
 

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