Private Taking Stock

[Darth Strosius]

The familiar jolt of emerging from hyperspace rocked through the Altorius for but a moment as the frigate appeared in space, the crew quick to recover from the momentary feeling and get back to their usual duties. Alisteri normally wouldn't have brought them all the way out into Sith space for a simple meeting but he felt it appropriate. Despite his best efforts the crew had always been on the forefront of the cult's limited interaction with the wider Sith Order.

It only made sense to drag them along this time as well given the circumstances.

"We have arrived sir, shall I transmit our coordinates?" The Knight shook his head and waved off the subsequent look of confusion from the crewmate. "That won't be necessary. This is a social call more so than anything else, I'll transmit it myself. Just alert me when we have something on approach." Without much further explanation Alisteri turned away from the bridge and began the walk to the hangar.

He had the coordinates transmitted with the tap of a few buttons and knew that he wouldn't have to wait too long. Showing up near Inquisitorius space uninvited was more than enough to get attention even if he hadn't bothered to send anything.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Ma'am, Alisteri is in the system and broadcasting his location."

Vincent, the ever faithful, bowed his head as he stepped into the room. The Sangnir butler kept his eyes low as Alina emerged from the bath she'd been enjoying. Power had it's benefits. The more the Inquisitorius spread, the easier her taste for a lavish lifestyle could be sated. Even now, in this room so draped with gothic finery. Even the black silk robe she slipped on was probably too expensive for her own good.

So long as she didn't let the wealth make her soft, though, shouldn't she live it up?

"Prepare my ship. I'll go meet him."

It'd be a little bit before she did finally show up. She'd send the signal for her ship to dock. Step onto the vessel in all her glory. A black dress of fine silks, lacework, all the stops pulled. She liked looking good. The moment Alisteri came into view she grinned wide, shamelessly flashing her fangs as she practically skipped over.

"Ali! To what do I owe the pleasure today?"

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Alisteri was nothing if not patient, when he had to be anyway, so he didn't mind the time it took until a ship was finally on approach to meet with his vessel. His normally proper and formal stance faltered slightly as the other Sangnir Sith stepped out of her ship. It had been many years since he had last seen Alina in a dress, and never in one that looked as expensive as that.

"Alina." He was quick to clear his throat and recompose himself, his arms crossing behind his back as he nodded to his friend. "I heard that you and yours had been granted a domain, so I figured I'd drop by and see how things were going. After I had to handle some business of my own of course."

Couldn't appear too eager or available nowadays after all. "You know how busy it is these days. So tell me how you've been. I see that you at the very least have found a tailor."

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Overeager or not, Alina threw her arms around Alisteri's shoulders and gave her friend a hug. A long hug, before she broke away to look around the ship. Seemed he was just as busy as she had been. His line of questions only brought back the grin. Playful, full of life. "If you look like you have money, most assume you do. And fools who think money makes someone weak will further underestimate me." Any chance to increase her odds in the coming infighting, the better.

"The Inquisitorius is doing fantastic, though. We have our home here for training. My Inqusitors, while some are bit.. Arrogant, are skilled enough to survive. And you? How is your cult? And your master?"

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

There was a slight pause before the hug was returned but thankfully it wasn't long enough to be awkward. Or so he hoped anyway. Given how wide her smile was he doubted anything could dampen her mood at the moment. "Hm, fair. I'm sure there are plenty of benefits even without spending every credit to get them too." Facades were something that he was familiar with, something that most Sith had to be familiar with.

"Arrogance can be tempered with time, nothing that a good training session can't fix." To some extent anyway. "Myself and my master are doing fine I suppose, I'm being sent out on missions so it can't be that bad. My cult is finally able to have some rest and time to themselves at their little hideaway, although I'd hesitate to say they're as luxurious as your Inquisitors." Alisteri chuckled and nodded to her dress. "My third in command would kill to flaunt that around the town."

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"As she should. If you've the funding, why not spoil your little cult a bit? They've been loyal through thick and thin. If there was ever a time to reward them for such, it'd be now." It would certainly ensure further loyalty, in Alina's mind anyway. The cult side of the Sith had never been her best area, though. "Maybe I should plan out a training session for my little darlings though. Remind them our mission and goal."

She paused, letting her smile dim just for a moment in the process.

"So many plans and goals. How obnoxious, really."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

He did his best not to snort at the word 'funding' when he realized that she was serious. Best to leave out that part for the moment. "That they have. Far more loyal than they should be even, given what I've had them endure." Alisteri noted with a somewhat monotonous tone before his usual pep returned. "Plans and goals are vital Alina, such is the burden of leadership."

The masked man nodded and offered his friend a simple shrug in solidarity.

"If it is any consolation, from what I've seen and heard they are far more competent and deadly than most would have thought given how recent your order has sprung up. You have made very wise choices in your recruitment indeed. Take pride in that and let it soothe the pain of meetings and planning." He couldn't resist another laugh at that.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"I've been plotting their foundation for years, now. I don't like planning in the slightest, but I do actually plan." A curse of leadership, indeed. She closed her eyes for a moment, humming in thought. Then clicked her tongue. "I've done my best to make sure my plans are my own. I refused to have my plans hinge on another, even my own Master. I'll take what I can from Taeli, of course. But nothing that will get me in a debt I can't repay, mm?"

She had questions she wanted to ask him, that much was obvious. But she didn't bring it up. Not yet.

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Plotting was something that he was in a far greater need of, if Alina and her order were all the products of such. Salneva would be more than excited to get right on it whenever he got back to Formos. "A wise decision. No point in leaning on someone when you can stand alone just fine, especially with how things are currently."

The temporary status quo would be shattered in time, everyone that knew it was just waiting to see who went down first at this point. Alisteri hoped that neither he nor Alina were on the losing side when the time came. "At least she does offer assistance, I know plenty of masters that leave their apprentices high and dry. But you're right, she does certainly have a loan shark vibe about her."

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Loan sharks are just less successful CEOs. And Taeli is likely the most successful in the Galaxy right now." One of, if not the. Hard to tell given she never had the best nose for business, even with her own stakes now in the company. She let out a sigh after a second, closing her eyes. Thinking. There were topics to broach. Topics she wanted to talk to him about of all people.

"Your master. What do you think of her?"

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"That she is, but one doesn't become successful without devouring the failing." The climb to success is a long one, and paved with the remains of those that came before. Such was true with anything, especially the cutthroat world of business. Or so he had heard from the most recent business partners of his cult anyway. "Not that I blame her of course. We all have our specialties."

The question brought him a moment of pause before he responded. A moment of thought and reflection. "She is my master. I have sworn myself to her service and she picked me from the thousands of other potential apprentices. I am in her debt, and she stands as one of the best chances to rid the Sith of those that would poison us at our very core." Another pause, as well as a glance around as if he was worried about someone overhearing.

"But I cannot say that I don't question her judgment. Carnifex and that Empyrean fellow still draw breath after all."

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"I don't trust your master, Ali." The fight with Wyatt, Iasha. She'd seen how cold this Darth Ophidia could get. More, she had already died. And clawed her way back like so many others.

"I don't trust any of them. These big three trying to take the throne for themselves. More old faces squabbling and using the young, the future, as their weapons. The Sith need change, Ali."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Alisteri actually laughed at her remark, well more of cackling really, as he nodded. "Alina, I never knew you were one to preach to choir!" He chuckled before straightening up and nodding again. He doubted that she would let him chuckle and joke about such a serious matter for too long after all.

"But yes, you are correct. Do not mistake my loyalty and gratitude for faith and trust. I am more than aware of what needs to be done, but I also know that killing any member of the Triumvirate can't be done without the help of another said member." A very sobering thing indeed.

He crossed his arms behind his back and shrugged. "Besides, my master is no saint but she is the lesser of three evils. I have no guilt in serving her, but I do not believe that she could unite the Sith as they should be. She has spent too long in the shadows. Too long parleying with monsters. But for now there is nothing to do but wait until their little ceasefire runs hot again."

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Alina blinked.

Then practically deflated on the spot. Whatever tension she had just melted away as she plopped back onto a seat. Sighed in relief. Then she laughed. Where he thought he couldn't she just did. She came here half expecting to make an enemy of Alisteri. She wouldn't lie to him, wouldn't mince words. She would tell him straight up if they were going to be enemies. Maybe they still would, but right now?

They didn't have to be. And that alone was the relief she needed.

"I don't mind pitting the Triumative against themselves if it doesn't cost the Order it's stability. But if you support one and put them in power without the threat of the other two, they will control everything. I can freely build my Inquisitorius because of this stalemate. Of this cold war. .. Join me, Ali. We can bring more with us. Build up in their shadow so when they finally boil over and strike each other the Order itself doesn't crumble. That they don't end up taking over if they win."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

The laughter was surprising to say the least, given the nature of the particular topic of conversation at the moment, but he wasn't about to complain. Better that than another heated discussion aboard his ship. "That is a lovely idea Alina. One that I wouldn't mind getting behind and indulging, so you can count my support for when the veil of peace eventually drops." It was long past time for the due of the higher Sith to be paid in full after all.

"However, as I said, I have sworn my service and such a thing is not easily broken. Nor will it be easy to stabilize the Order with the Triumvirate at each other's throats. Your Inquisitorius will not be enough to keep the Sith whole, just like none of the Triumvirate can keep it whole alone. The Tsis'kaar, the Eternals, even the wretched Kainites, we will need likeminded individuals from each if we are to ensure as bloodless of a transition as possible. Not to mention whatever other factions and warlords will crop up and demand power with or without the Triumvirate. We have a long game to play."

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"You make it sound like I plan to go into action tomorrow or something. I don't. I'm no fool. We, in the grand scheme of things, are still nothing compared to our Masters. Their rivals. I've already been gathering allies. Those who don't join the Inquisitorius themselves, I try to make alliances with. Those who aren't y'know, blind servants of the current trio. Numbers are the only advantage we could have against them. Not even my power will be enough to overthrow them."

Still, this was a relaxing conversation to have. With someone of a similar mind at least. Someone she didn't think would just stab her in the back. She smiled ever so faintly as a different thought came to mind, though.

"Also, Strosius, mm? Should I call you that from now on?"

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"I know, you are smarter than that after all, but we must still temper ourselves. We play a very dangerous game just by speaking about such things, let alone planning them." These days he never knew when eyes and ears were around, even with the steps that he had taken to ensure total loyalty. "I trust you'll find us capable allies, you do have a knack for people."

He shifted and chuckled at the mention of his title. He supposed he had broadcast it to most of the Sith Order's fleet not too long ago after all, so it was something he should get used to. "Only if I have to call you Madame Inquisitor."

Alina Tremiru