Private The Greatest Lie Ever Told

[Nida Perl]

Dromund Kaas
The Emperor’s Citadel
Darth Carnifex | AMCO​

The events of Yavin had exceeded anything Nida ever imagined could happen.

Jedi always ran certain risk when operating in Sith territory. Nida had been prepared for the situation should she be discovered. Fleeing was the best option, and combat was certainly not out of the realm of possibilities. Capture, imprisonment, torture—these were all possibilities not discussed by somberly implied. She had not expected to be identified by a charming Sith Lord who’d caused a change in her as easy and succinct as flicking a light switch.

His thoughtful demeanor hadn’t ceased when they left Yavin, and for that she was thankful, if still wary. Her mind was addled with new sensations, trying to acclimate to the pulse of the dark side of the Force.

Today, her anxieties resurfaced when they’d made their way to The Emperor’s Citadel to meet with The Dark Lord of the Sith himself. Nida did not know why someone like the Emperor would bother with a newborn like her, but she did as she was instructed.

Fortunately, she was accompanied by Adrian, the Sith Lord not appearing rattled in the least. She envied his composure and wondered if it was his natural persona or confidence borne out of his own power and position.

As they were lead into the throne room, Nida tried to keep from fidgeting with her clothes.

“What if he is displeased with me?” She whispered, violet eyes wide with nerves. Stories of the Sith’s cruelty flowed through her mind.

 

[AMCO]

In an instant, Nida Perl had been rewritten - loyalties, desires, hopes and dreams all reshaped by the hidden remnants of a long-forgotten childhood. It was no wonder, then, that the woman still struggled to find herself and her place amongst the Sith.

As they were escorted into the Emperor's Citadel, Adrian sensed her growing anxiety, could not help but notice her fidgeting, and yet he waited for her to finally speak what was on her mind... and there it was. Fear, fear for herself and fear of being a disappointment.

Looking over at her with a slight smile on his lips, the Sith Lord's voice was warm, reassuring, and deprived of even the faintest sliver of doubt, as if he somehow knew the inner workings of the Sith Emperor's no-doubt peculiar mind, even though that could not be further from the truth.

"As clever and capable as you are, I'm sure you'll do fine. Yavin could have gone better, certainly, but it could also have gone worse."

A soft chuckle, as if to alleviate her tension.

"I would not go in expecting praise, however; the Emperor's not known for his sympathetic nature."

Overstatement of the century, that. The man had mutilated foes, betrayed allies, bound untold numbers of sentients into slavery and subservience, and coldly eliminated various rogue elements of his own family. Par for the course for a Dark Lord, perhaps, but extreme nonetheless.

Adrian had always favoured the subtler hand.

Nida Perl | Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The metropolis of New Kaas City was a sprawling edifice of Sith glory and Imperial might, encompassing the near entirety of the continent it was situated on. The city was so large that it had been divided into twenty-five districts, each one possessing a particular quirk which was represented in the district's name. At the farthest point of the city was District One, the Emperor's Citadel, a massive spire of glittering light and shimmering metal surrounded by a seemingly bottomless trench connected to the rest of the city by enclosed bridges.​

​

It was the nucleus of New Kaas City, the beating heart of the Empire itself. ​

​

Hovercars swarmed the Citadel like a plague of locusts, the majority of them were government officials moving between the apparatus of bureaucracy, the rest were security vehicles keeping a vigilant eye on the Emperor's airspace. The footpath to the Citadel was similarly guarded by the robed members of the Emperor's Crownguard and the black-plated thugs of the Blackblade Guard. They regarded the two Sith with some measure of scrutiny and suspicion, but ultimately let them pass without much hassle.​

​

They were expected, of course, and the Emperor's will was law.​

​

A set of gargantuan gates opened at their approach, technologically advanced analogs of a more antiquated age. They were guided through the labyrinthine belly of the Citadel by other Sith, their bodies adorned with the red and black tattoos of the One Sith; members of the former Sith government who were suicidally loyal to the Sith Emperor. The Emperor's throne room was a single platform suspended over a bottomless pit, an empty amphitheater encircling the chamber along the edges of the pit. The Emperor's throne itself sat at the platform's center, currently facing away from them and towards a large crescent holodisplay which was currently showing over a dozen different live feeds from across the Empire. Most of them involved some sort of building project, but the feeds were cut as they approached.​

​

Swiveling in his throne, the Sith Emperor turned to regard his new guests. "Welcome," he said in his deep smooth voice, "I have been waiting for you to come home for some time, Nida Perl. I am pleased that Lord Prospero has revealed to you the true path."​

Nida Perl | AMCO ​

 

[Nida Perl]

Nida took in Adrian’s words carefully, seeking comfort in them. In the span of a few days, she’d been thrust from one world to another. The newly minted Sith had no time to ease into a dark side transition; once her programming had been triggered the switch was flipped and that was that. Now, she was struggling to acclimate to the change of scenery, companionship, and of course, the Force’s darker half.

Her hands folded neatly in front of her, pink skin contrasting with the simple floor-length white robe she wore. Simple buttons dotted the fabric from her collar to her midsection, and it was all Nida could do not to fiddle with them. “I see.” She wondered aloud. “I wonder what he wants from me.” The Zeltron had never been anything remarkable in her life, overshadowed by her bolder, louder family.

Entering the throne room, the first thing Nida noticed was the largest holodisplay she’d ever seen not attached to the side of the building. It clicked off the moment they’d entered, but her eyes caught a few sparks glitching across the screen before they faded into nothingness.

Come home.

The Emperor’s voice rang in her head, bouncing back and forth off of the edges of her mind. What startled Nida the most was that she felt as if she knew this man, despite this being the first and only meeting she could recall.

“Emperor Carnifex.” Equally unnerved and intrigued, she bowed low in greeting. “I am fortunate that Lord Prospero was present on Yavin, My Lord.” Rising, she took her first good look at Kaine Zambrano. Nearly twice her height, Nida remained still as she looked upon the face of the Dark Lord of Sith before her eyes averted low in apology. “May I be permitted to ask why you wished to see us, My Lord?”

AMCO | Darth Carnifex

 

[AMCO]

What did the Emperor want with the Zeltron? Adrian had his suspicions, certainly, well-founded ones at that, but he had learned long ago not to let assumptions stand unchallenged. Best to simply wait and see, then, he was confident the Sith Emperor would get to the point after the obligatory display of dramatic positioning and/or fashionable lateness.

Speaking of, they were guided into the throne room and met with the swiveling throne. Ah, a fan of the classics - Adrian himself had done the same on more than one occasion, albeit with less impressive pieces of furniture.

Even as he bowed before the living beacon of dark energies, the nigh-perpetual smile remained on his otherwise calm features; it was only natural to fear such an earth-shatteringly powerful being... but Adrian had made numerous contributions to Sith-Imperial efforts through his experiments and no moves worth mentioning in opposition to the Emperor's power base. Harming him would be illogical...

... and as utterly ruthless as Kaine Zambrano was, he did not have a reputation for wastefulness.

"Your Imperial Highness."

Seemingly content but to watch, at least for now, Adrian took the slightest step backwards, the subtle smile remaining. This should be interesting.

Darth Carnifex | Nida Perl​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Ah, my child. I wished to lay eyes upon my long lost daughter."​

​

The Emperor rose from his throne, the true scale of his immensity now becoming starkly apparent as he descended the small ring of steps that encircled his seat. While Nida was only as tall as Adrian's shoulders standing side-to-side, face-to-face with the Dark Lord of the Sith she only reached his stomach. The Dark Lord of the Sith wore black knee-length boots covered in metal plates and soles, a black uniform that covered his entire body bearing the red symbol of the Empire across his chest, and metallic vambraces which covered the entirety of both of his forearms and were adorned with vibrant red crystals. His head was uncovered and unadorned, his mane of dark black hair pulled back and bound by simple leather bands. No weapon dangled from his belt, the Emperor was completely unarmed but not defenseless.​

​

He advanced to stand directly before the pair, his left hand reaching out to gently cusp her chin and draw her gaze purposefully upwards. "All those years you wallowed in ignorance, years wasted on foolish gestures. But no more, you are home once again. We have reunited again, and nothing will ever tear us apart." He let his hand slip from her chin, now kneeling down to stare Nida Perl directly in her eyes. "I doubt they told you the truth of what happened when you were born. They probably told you that you were the child of slaves, shackled in the Outer Rim, liberated by Joza Perl from a life of bondage to instead serve her and the Jedi." The shadows grew across the Emperor's face as it contorted in disgust and anger, "How disgusting a falsity."​

​

He stood then, walking around Nida and laying a gentle hand on her right shoulder. "You were not born from slaves, dear Nida, you were born from royalty. You are my child not only in name but in blood. Joza Perl stole you away from me after murdering your mother in cold blood and filled your head with lies for years. I gave Lord Prospero the means to part the fog of lies and reveal the truth."​

​

Nida Perl | AMCO ​

 

[Nida Perl]

“…I wished to lay eyes upon my long lost daughter."

As Kaine Zambrano reached to tilt her chin upwards, he’d find Nida’s eyes as round as saucers. As if her mind had not been swimming enough.

The gestures of affection, however small, were not lost on her. The gentle hand upon her shoulder and the way the Emperor knelt so that they were eye level were done to create some semblance of a bond, and Nida’s mind was too eager to accept it. Ever cautious as she was, Zeltrons were beings that craved physical and emotional attentiveness. And Nida was starved, finding no comfort in thoughts of her past loved ones. Thirdas, Kyra, Yula, Joza…she couldn’t figure out what they represented to her anymore.

Perhaps as a Jedi, she would not have believed Kaine Zambrano. The Sith were known to use lies and deceit to manipulate situations into their favor, but Nida’s mind was now rationalizing why she should believe him. How did he find out about her past? Or perhaps, what she thought was her past? She dismissed it as something he’d gleaned from her own mind, or perhaps from Darth Prospero as he’d worked to find her trigger.

But the truth was abjectly horrifying. A wave of anger she’d only felt when holding a knife to the Senator of Duro boiled to the surface in the form of clenched fists and a flushed face. Exhaling slowly, covertly through her nose, Nida unwound her shoulders and steadied her mind. “I…I don’t understand.” Though calmer now, the resentment and confusion in her voice was not hidden. “It felt so real. How did…how was my mo-“ Pausing, Nida lingered for a moment, realizing that the woman who’d raised her like a daughter was now who she thought she was “…how was she able to make the memories seem so real?” Nida’s early life as a slave had a lasting impact on her, and was often the subject matter of nightmares. Why would Joza have put such horrible thoughts into her head?

She looked between Prospero and Carnifex, hoping that one of them would have the answer. That line of thought revealed the next question to her, as uneasy of a thought as it was. “If you are my father, who was my birth mother?”

Darth Carnifex | AMCO

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"The Jedi have always been deceitful, my dear, they desperately cling to preserve chaos and anarchy."​

​

His hand squeezed affectionately, reassuringly, a strategic gesture that would hopefully resonate with the young Zeltron. The subject of her birth mother was broached, and the Emperor allowed the mask of solemn grief to slowly descend over his countenance. Remorse and sadness raged conjointly in his eyes, though it was all a feint derived from decades of manipulation of both emotions and physical attributes. He could not read another person's mind, nor could his own mind be read, but he knew how to read a person by their posture, the slightest deviations in their face, and the sound of their voice.​

​

"Your mother's name was Shylar. She and I met one another twenty years ago during my diplomatic mission to Zeltros, I was tasked by my Lord to establish close diplomatic ties between the Queendom of Zeltros and the Sith Empire. She was one of the noblewomen I interacted with while on my consulship, and we grew affectionate towards one another. She asked me if she could accompany me back to the Empire once my consulship had ended, and I eagerly agreed. You were born on Coruscant, and your mother doted over you without reserve. It was then that the Jedi staged an assassination attempt on me and my family, another act of sedition against those who were trying to restore justice to the galaxy. The Jedi known as Joza Perl struck down your mother while she was protecting you from the assassins. She kidnapped you while your mother's body was still warm."​

​

At will, the Emperor's eyes grew misty as he wove his tale. Absently he brushed aside the wetness from his eyes as he finished, suppressing what could have been construed as a shudder before he released his hold on Nida's shoulder and moved a few paces in front of her, his back facing her, and clasped both hands behind his back. ​

​

"I once thought you were dead, my child, another casualty of the Jedi and their egomaniacal war. But when I learned that you had survived in the custody of the Jedi, I did everything in my power to try and bring you back to your home."​

Nida Perl | AMCO ​

 

[AMCO]

The Emperor's tale was expertly-woven, carefully engineered to tug at the heartstrings at the right moment, provide enough detail to seem authentic yet not so much as to provoke suspicion. Paired with misty eyes and seemingly deeply personal affection, it told an excellent story - but that was just what it was, a story. Adrian could not claim to know the exact truth of the Zeltron's origins...

... but he knew enough about the Emperor himself to see through his sympathetic mask for the lie it was.

Making no effort whatsoever to relay this information, the Sith Lord instead adopted a mildly surprised expression - one that hinted towards knowing some of the previously stated, but not the whole story. The perfect combination for plausible deniability, in other words.

Speaking up for the first time in a while, Adrian's tone was unusually cheerless. "It may not seem like the woman you know, but you've been the recipient of a Jedi education. You know what they consider the Dark - a stain upon the Balance, a pervasive corruption."

A sad smile and a shrug. "Some, especially the crusading youth, would very much like to wipe out anything and anyone "contaminated"."

The implication was clear enough - and not necessarily unwarranted, at least in regards to certain sects of the greater tradition.

Nida Perl | Darth Carnifex​

 

[Nida Perl]

Until now, Nida had been acutely aware of her own emotional fragility and how that could be used against her. Removing yourself from your loved ones, and everything familiar was bound to agitate anyone and make them vulnerable. Having experienced transitions in her life, this she knew well. But the shift from Jedi to Sith—light to dark, family to strangers—was powerful. Even the influence of the dark side, as pressuring as it was, could not bring her any comfort yet. It was too unfamiliar.

Shylar. That was my mother’s name.

The Emperor’s well-crafted physical and emotional gestures overpowered the self-preservation Nida was unknowingly clinging to. It had crossed her mind that this could all be an impeccable lie, but the notion evaporated upon hearing the name of her true mother.

Her legs buckled and Nida found herself on her hands and knees, head steady as she tried to stave off a wave of nausea. As it passed, she pressed a hand to her stomach and swallowed thickly before collecting herself. Rising shakily, she put on a level mask before bowing her head in regret.

“My apologies, Emperor, My Lord. I did not know what to expect today, and the truth is quite shocking to hear.” So shocking, that Nida wasn’t sure if she truly believed it. Kaine’s words would sink in and consume her thoughts over the next few weeks, until Nida genuinely believed for herself that her life had been a lie.

Straightening, the Zeltron tried to calm the storm of thoughts and questions in her head. “I was treated well by my-“ A pause. “By the Perl family. The memories I have from before I joined them are…troubling.” Another momentary pause, this time to breathe her way through it. “If I may be permitted to ask, why do they feel so real if they did not happen?” Her head tilted towards Adrian, wondering if the Sith Scientist had any insight. “Can false memories be planted? I’ve never heard of such a power.”

A look of realization flashed in her eyes.

“Perhaps it was not something thought permissible by the Jedi.”

Darth Carnifex | AMCO

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"It is not something the Jedi would openly speak of."​

​

The Emperor regarded Nida with expressions of comfort and sympathy, reaching a hand out to steady her as she rose from her brief moment of nausea. "The Jedi have long resorted to memory manipulation to achieve their ends, Nida. Such practices date back to the days of Xandor the Great, who was once an adherent of the Jedi Order twenty-five-thousand years ago before he renounced the Order after having discovered their dark secrets of thought control. Though he was defeated, his legacy lives on in all those who reject the Jedi and their vile teachings." Such statements were perversions of the truth, but the best of lies held a stable core of fact to buoy them as fiction is woven around it.​

​

"Jedi Master Taeli Raaf is a more recent example. She was once a member of the Jedi Council under the Galactic Alliance, but she discovered the lengths of depravity the Jedi would go to secure their control over others. Her own sister, Jedi Master Corvus Raaf, was sacrificed by the Jedi to further their schemes. She came to me for help, and together we broke the power of the Jedi on Coruscant. Unfortunately, the Jedi again congregate in the Core, and we must once more work to limit the destruction they will inflict upon the galaxy."​

​

He smiled sadly, "But I am rambling, and I haven't answered your question. We have long held intelligence that had led us to believe that the Perls were the chief architects of the Jedi's latest operations to kidnap and indoctrinate youths across the galaxy, and we have developed ways to counteract their brainwashing. With your permission, I would help cleanse your mind." Then he laughed, short but jovial, "But that can come at a later date, my dear. I imagine that you would like to accommodate yourself in your new surroundings rather than listen to an old man dither on."​

Nida Perl | AMCO ​

 

[AMCO]

It was not every day that flamboyant Sith Lord remained largely in the background, but today was not an average day - it was quite fascinating to behold the ease with which the Emperor wove his tale, truth and lies blending together until even he could not tell them apart with certainty.

All without making use of a Force User's more insidious techniques, at least as far as Adrian could sense.

The idea of Carnifex "cleansing" her mind did make him somewhat uncomfortable, but not to the extent of provoking action; he would clean his own house and the rest of the Sith would do what they always did, there was no changing that. It was, however, possible to direct them towards a higher purpose, as the Emperor himself was attempting. A Galaxy finally reunited, if that was not worth a few (unwilling) sacrifices then what was?

Only time would tell if this grand project of theirs would succeed or whether rivers of blood had been spilt in vain.

Nida Perl | Darth Carnifex​

 

[Nida Perl]

The notion of having her mind cleansed was frightening. As painful as it was to transition into her new role, she wanted to rationalize it for herself. That meant working through and living with the memories of her life before the Sith. Someday, pleasant memories would turn sour, serving as nothing more than fuel for her. At least, that was the hope. To become truly at home with her choice.

You don’t want this.

A whisper in her head, but Nida had grown used to the murmurs of self-doubt throughout her life. It bothered her, but she didn’t give the thought much merit.

Adrian had been largely silent, but he’d offered her kindly looks whenever she managed to glance his way. Nida envied his confidence and charisma, idly wondering what he had to do to come so far in life at such a young age.

Is he, though?

She recalled the strange form he’d taken during the evacuation of Yavin, and Nida was reminded that there were many beings in the galaxy who did not age as humans did.

Her gaze swept back up to the hulking form of the Emperor, violet eyes edged with gold flecks of dark side influence. Fidgeting with her hands, the Zeltron picked at a nail while asking the question that had been on her tongue for the entirely of the meeting.

“Does the name Heavenshield mean anything to you?”

Darth Carnifex | AMCO

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Emperor paused, a solemn mask descending over his face as those words echoed in his mind.​

​

"The Heavenshields?"​

​

He clasped his hands together slowly, fingers sliding along one another in an interlocking pattern.​

​

"The Heavenshields."​

​

His eyes closed briefly but then opened once that faux smile again graced his lips.​

​

"The Heavenshields are criminals, dear Nida. They had committed a great many lawless acts against the people of the Empire, constantly infringing upon our sovereignty. Their patriarch, Thurion, is among one of the bloodiest tyrants in galactic history, himself responsible for countless civilian casualties." Such things were fabrications, of course, but through careful planning and manipulation, the vast majority of the Sith Empire's population had been gaslit into believing the government's propaganda about the Silver Jedi, especially the Heavenshields.​

​

"Under the Heavenshield's direction, entire cities had been laid to waste through bombardment campaigns and orbital strikes. Korriban City was almost completely wiped away by the actions of Captain Charzon Loulan, who fired upon the city while the people of Korriban revolted against Jedi occupation." The Emperor would have mentioned Mirial as well, but Connor Harrison had been acting Grandmaster during that battle, so it was not worth bringing up.​

​

"Such acts have been meticulously recorded for the posterity of the generations who will come after us, my dear Nida. You will have more than enough time to browse through our Empire's history at your leisure, but now come. We needn't dwell on such unpleasantries."​

​

Nida Perl | AMCO

 

[AMCO]

Her uncertainty was palpable, internal strife reflecting on her face, in her stance, in the little gestures - and no wonder, for it was not all that long ago that her life and mind alike were flipped on their head, buried memories beginning to reemerge...

... or, as he was beginning to suspect, buried conditioning. It would certainly explain a lot.

Listening as the Emperor explained the official Sith-Imperial narrative - truth and lies blended together until they became indistinguishable, for he who controls the past controls the future - Adrian nodded along, his own comments carefully phrased to be perfectly true, if perhaps somewhat deceptive when seen in context with the Epicanthix's earlier comments.

"Dedicated to the Light and the Jedi to a man too, from what I've heard. The youngest lion did not hesitate for long, as I'm sure you remember."

From Adrian's perspective, that was very much the case, though Thurion Heavenshield might very well be inclined to protest that he had not, in fact, meant to squash his ex under an entire building's worth of rubble. Alas, he was not here to make his opinion known.

Nida Perl | Darth Carnifex​

 

[Nida Perl]

Watching his face carefully, Nida nearly flinched as The Emperor’s kindly expression slid into something more grave. For a moment, she feared that a line had been crossed.

But the hammer never dropped, and her father’s smile returned once more. Still, Nida’s heart fluttered wildly in her chest.

She tried to remember Thurion through the haze of her corrupted memories. Nida could recall the benevolent manner of the gentle giant, but who’s to say that it was not a ruse? Especially in the light of Kaine’s explanation. Kindness was not always sincere, but the Dark influence and Nida’s need to belong kept her suspicions about The Emperor vague at best. If he said that the Jedi were the true imposters, committing atrocities while wearing the façade of a hero, then she believed him.

This was not her first exposure to criticisms of the Jedi, after all. Her own mother had been present for the execution of Charzon Loulan.

Usually more careful with her thoughts, Nida was unaware of how clear her anxieties would be to both The Emperor and Adrian, their naturally perceptive natures aside.

At the mention of Thirdas, Nida visibly gulped to find that a lump had formed in her throat. It dawned on her, from that simple gesture, that she must be anxious.

“No, he-“ Fumbling with her thoughts—because remembering Thirdas hurt—Nida paused in an attempt to regulate her breathing and heart rate despite the adrenaline and shame flooding her system. Usually, she could place her feelings easily, tie them to a certain event, but this mix of guilt and glory was difficult to name. “He is not a Jedi.” Her answer was soft, subdued. Though he had the gift, Thirdas had once told her that he lacked the patience necessary for such a path.

Glancing at Adrian, who had witnessed her attempted assassination, Nida’s eyes moved forward once more as she shuffled behind her father.

Darth Carnifex | AMCO

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Then there may be hope for him yet, my darling."​

​

They departed the throne auditorium and moved into the ancillary halls which surrounded it, a maze of corridors and antechambers which seemed to stretch on forever. Designed deliberately to confuse unwanted trespassers, the halls seemed to operate on a logic all their own. The Emperor, however, navigated the halls without difficulty, the layout permanently affixed in his mind.​

​

Ahead of them was a series of turbolifts, which would then take them further up into the Citadel superstructure. ​

​

Above them were the Halls of Solomon, the private residence of the Imperial Ruling Family, the Zambranos. Typically, only one of their own was allowed to walk within the Halls, but an exception was being made for Adrian Vandiir in part due to his role in reuniting Nida back with her true family. Undoubtedly he would recognize what honor was being bestowed upon him at this moment, a chance to catch a first-hand glimpse into a secluded world that very few were ever privy to. The Halls were exceptionally lavish, far more decorated than the austere halls of the Citadel proper. Occasionally they would cross the path of another Zambrano, one of the Emperor's children, cousins, or other associated family members, it was often impossible to tell if one was not familiar with their lineage.​

​

Eventually, they passed through the Imperial Commons, the nominal relaxation quarters for the Zambranos. Beyond that were the personal residences of the Zambrano family, rooms upon rooms of living quarters reserved just for them. There were several empty quarters, the Emperor had commanded more rooms built than there were Zambranos in the event of an overabundance of Zambranos at any given time. Opening one of these empty rooms, the Emperor ushered the young Nida Perl and Adrian inside. The interior was well furnished with all of the accommodations that one would expect of a high-quality residence, multiple pieces of art hanging from the walls, the finest furniture that credits could buy, and a personal refresher and entertainment room.​

​

"This is where you'll stay for now."​

AMCO | Nida Perl ​

 

[Nida Perl]

"Then there may be hope for him yet, my darling."

Nida’s heart soared, her mood changing on a dime. Here she had thought her attachment to Thirdas as hopeless and damning, but perhaps there was still a way.

A way they could be together. It would require him to forsake his family and the values they’d instilled in him, but if she could do it, then maybe he could be convinced to make the same choice she had. Thirdas did not have the connections she did—his father was the opposite of the Dark Lord of the Sith—but fleeting hope kept the candle burning.

The trio made their way through the Halls of Solomon, passing extravagant, vaulted architecture and the occasional life form. It was clear that this was a place of higher importance from the manner in which it was adorned. Numerous doorways went by until they stopped at one. The Emperor opened the door to reveal a sophisticatedly decorated and lavish interior with two personal rooms and a dedicated refresher.

Nida stepped inside with Adrian and examined the interior, turning towards Kaine in surprise when he informed her that this was to be her quarters. “Really?” Her voice sounded childlike for a moment. Her accommodations as a Jedi were far more spartan, and this whole area—entirely for her—was roughly the size of the apartment she and Thirdas had shared.

Her heart panged at the thought. The room was beautiful but big. Even the home she’d grown up in, with plenty of space, always felt lively with her siblings. That stirred another thought within her.

“Thank you, Emperor. Your hospitality is most gracious.” She bowed to him in thanks with a deep incline of her head, bending at the waist. As she straightened, another question swirled in her eyes.

“My Lord, is it possible…or even appropriate…for me to meet the others?”

Darth Carnifex | AMCO

 

[AMCO]

Seeing the purple-haired Zeltron all-but hide behind her father in response to his comment brought a flicker of compassion tinged with sadness to Adrian's carefully schooled features, for there was something distinctly deserving of sympathy of how her life had been flipped on its head...

... by his hand, no less. For all his power the young Councillor had never been one to get his hands dirty.

Looking almost as if he meant to apologise, the Emperor assuaged her concerns quite expertly. Good.

Could the young Heavenshild actually, realistically, be turned? He wouldn't think so, but it was hard to say - many a man had broken with his principles in the name of love and the Dark was the sweetest of lures, once one had sampled its easy, seemingly limitless power.

It was possible - improbable, but possible.

Content to follow along as the Dark Lord introduced Nida to her place in the household, his gaze was inquisitive, assessing. House Zambrano was rich, almost to the point of absurdity, but it was expressed tastefully. Elegantly. Quite different from the nouveau riche.

"My compliments to the interior designer, your highness, it is clear nothing was left to chance."

Darth Carnifex | Nida Perl​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"She will appreciate your admiration, Lord Vandiir, I will have to inform her of your compliments. And of course, my dear. They already assemble in anticipation of your introduction."​

​

Little was done within the Sith Citadel that didn't conform to the will of the Dark Lord, and while the Dark Lord toured Adrian and Nida through the magnificent halls the other Zambranos were being gathered to meet the newest addition to their family. The six wives of the Dark Lord would also be in attendance;​

​

Ineffable Salara, the Emperor's first wife and court alchemist of the Zambranos.​

​

Mischievous Invicta, the Emperor's second wife and a vampiric vixen.​

​

Shrewd Emma, the Emperor's third wife and a powerful priestess of Vahl.​

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Salacious Izazsh, the Emperor's fourth wife and a shapeshifting spymaster.​

​

Sagacious Ahani, the Emperor's fifth wife and a centuries-old sorceress.​

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And last, though not least, the ever-attentive Gunnr, the Emperor's sixth wife and battle-hardened warrioress.​

​

All were deeply loyal to the Emperor and to each other, themselves never far from the Emperor's presence at any given time. Through them, the Emperor had spawned a litany of children to carry on his work in the decades and centuries beyond. Most of them were fervently loyal to their lord and father, though there were some who had strayed from the path in the past. Those malcontents had, for the most part, been destroyed by either the Emperor himself or by another on his behalf.​

​

"Come, we will meet them."​

​

The chamber they traveled to was massive, far larger than any they had set foot in before with the exception of the Emperor's throne room. It was ringed by wide obsidian columns engraved with various decorations, while the family's insignia, the Eye of Solomon, was emblazoned on every scrap of banner which hung from the ceiling and adorned the walls. The various seating arrangements were filled with the other members of the Zambrano family, the low din of hushed conversation drawing to a close as the Emperor and his guests came into view.​

​

All eyes were thrust onto them, the gaze of a hundred different faces now focusing on the small girl next to the towering patriarch of darkness.​

​

He raised a hand to them, and they in turn reciprocated the motion.​

​

"Kin of Solomon, another of the lost has been returned to the flock. Once stolen from us by the wicked Jedi, she has been shown the truth of her bloodline and has willingly returned to our embrace. Behold now, my daughter, Nida Zambrano."​

​

The silence carried on as the Zambranos, individually and in groups, began to approach Nida and the Emperor to look upon this new addition.​

​

Nida Perl | AMCO ​