Private The Meeting of the Minds

[Cairan Shannon]

Location: Carlac
Tags: Darth Azal'thul
Equipment: Lightsaber​

Carlac, home of the Dark Empire.

The snow covered planet housed both the Dark Empire and the Knights of Ren. It was going to serve as the launching pad for the galactic wide war that was brewing in the background. Tython had been but a taste of the conflict that was brewing between the Dark Empire and the Galactic Alliance. It was due to be a proper good old fashioned battle, a proper war akin to the Second Galactic Hyperspace War.

Whilst the Empire went on about it's business preparing for the upcoming war, a singular Knight of Ren was focused on other tasks. It was almost time for said Knight of Ren to take his leave from Carlac and the Dark Empire, but a few more things needed to fall into place first. This meeting would determine if the first of those would fall into place or not. The Knight of Ren had to admit, he was excited.

A name had appeared on his radar a few times. Darth Azal'thul, darkside user who much like Cairan didn't much care for orders and strucutre unless he was on top. Cairan didn't much care for the Jedi or the Sith either, both of them were ideologies that just didn't work. It was something that he had learnt since leaving the Jedi Order, since the execution of his old Jedi Master.

Cairan stood on the balcony of his accommodation, staring out over the snow covered planet. His arms were crossed behind his back, eyes closed. He could feel the darkness radiating. There was a new Sith Order operating out of Carlac, but that wasn't what he was sensing. What he was sensing was a lot closer, and approaching quickly. No, what he was sensing was his guest whom he had invited.

He let out a smile, and waited for the arrival of Darth Azal'thul .

 

[Darth Azal'thul]

Darth Azal'thul has had many combat missions in his entrepreneurial reign as the self-appointed Darth. This mission, however, was one out of curiosity, not necessity. The Miralukan Renegade felt something in the Force that caught his attention, which ultimately led him to Carlac, housing two orders; the Dark Empire and the Knights of Ren. Azal'thul began his usual procedures as he landed planet-side, feeling the vastness of Carlac before his Force enabled eyes. "Now where are you, sibylline one?" He said to himself, taking his first steps off of his ship and onto the frozen yet surprisingly well inhabited world.

It did not take long for the young ronin to familiarize himself with his new surroundings, and moreover the signature of the Force ping whom had sent for him. Life of the Empire went on around him, filling his senses with the stain of corporative filth. That was not his mission however. No, his mind was fixed on Cairan and whatever scheme the Mad One was cooking up.

So then, Azal'thul closed the distance between he and his to be client. As the distance closed, Azal'thul did come to find common ground that was shared between the two. Neither cared much for orders nor organizations and likewise set themselves aside from the Jedi and Sith ideologies. "Perhaps this could finally be an accomplice, after all these years." He thought to himself, but did not grant himself the hope of the thought as many before seemed promising, however proved to be the opposite.

Reaching his client's residence, he was met at the door by what appeared to be one of Cairan's helpers. The false Darth felt a slight murmur in the Force as the helper laid eyes upon him, to which he motioned the helper aside and walked inside. The chaos resonating within the Force was at it's interal peak for Azal'thul. He knew around the next turn would be standing either his to-be strongest ally, or his next combatant. As he rounded the corner, he felt a still yet serene landscape before him and the source of the Force pings standing before him.

Time for a moment seemed to pause. Whether it was excitement, anxiety, or unsurity of the next moments...maybe it was a combination of them all. After all, what credibility is there to a man who values chaos and disorder for the sake of chaos and disorder? He felt different though. His flaky exterior almost felt supported by a rock solid internal drive. A drive that the Miralukan shared. Azal'thul dressed in his common battle attire, consisting of a dark red robe underneath a hooded red and black overshirt, and cargo pants akin to those issued by the Empire for foot soldiers. On his hip is his favorite blaster pistol and opposite of that, his lightsaber hilt.

Gathering himself, Azal'thul gave a slight and respectful nod of the head and finally broke the silence. "From the shadows come power, some greater than others. Yet here we stand as equals. Greetings, Cairan Shannon ."

 

[Cairan Shannon]

Location: Carlac
Tags: Darth Azal'thul
Equipment: Lightsaber​

Feeling the presence behind him, he offered a smile.

Having heard the door creak open, the voice wasn't a surprise to him. Instead, he turned to face his new associate. The man had come dressed simply, dark red robe with black and red undergarments. It was different to the shirtless asthetic that the butcher usually went for, leather pants and leather trenchcoat completing the look.

"Welcome to my home" he spoke softly, eyes dancing up and down the man. He noted the blaster and lightsaber at his side, not surprised by their presence. His own weapon sat at his hip. He was almost certain that they would be best friends or worst enemies, he wasn't sure which yes. "A drink. Yeah, I believe a drink is in order don't you?" he stated, offering the signature slightly insane grin he was known for.

"Let me guess, an Alderaanian gin kinda drinker?" he spoke, walking towards a semi stocked bar in the corner. "Nah, maybe a Corellian drinker?" he shook his head. "Yknow what, I don't care enough. Help yourself" he finally decided, gesturing towards the alcohol. He was most definitely going to judge the man based on what he picked, though he didn't need to know that.

"Probably wondering why I asked you here" he started again once a drink had been arranged. He led the man over to a simple sitting area and gestured to a duo of armchairs, to which he slung himself into one and allowed his companion to take the other. "Your name has become well known to the right people, Azal'thul. Or the wrong people, depending on your opinions"

He took a moment to pause, then he smiled. "The galaxy is tearing itself apart, as I'm sure you noticed. All around us, soldiers are preparing for war with the Alliance. Soliders, doing exactly as they are told like good boys and girls whilst officers sit in their ivory towers barely getting their hands dirty" he spat, making his thoughts and disgust well known.

"Tell me why you're worth my time Azal'thul, and we might just be able to show them how to do it"

 

[Darth Azal'thul]

Watching the young yet confident man before him not be threatened by his presence gave an unusual sense of peace to the Miralukan. The longer he focused further on Cairan, the stronger his Force signature seemed to resonate; exuding a sporadic nature unlike anything Azal had felt before. He glanced at the bar before him and walked closer, examining the gin from Alderaan.

"You seem to hold yourself highly, Cairan. I respect those who do not seek outward approval." Azal said before pouring himself a shot of the alcohol. "I am of the same opinion. I would ask you to prove yourself to me, but all that would result, is two renegades sharing a drink before one of them falls. Rather I will ask you this: what matters more to you? The lives of the soldiers and conscripts within the Empire's Army, or the Army's agenda?"

With that, Azal'thul finished his gin and stepped towards the balcony he found Cairan at, feeling the view before him. He always wondered what true sight was like, and if the sight granted by him through the Force was the same as that granted via conventional means. "What say you?"

 

[Cairan Shannon]

Location: Carlac
Tags: Darth Azal'thul
Equipment: Lightsaber​

What mattered to him more?

"Neither" he spoke finally. "The agenda of the Dark Empire is the eridication of the Galactic Alliance. A noble mission, sure, but foolish to think it's a winnable one" he paused for a few moments, sipping his drink. "The solider is just an expendable body, painting targets for the real soliders to come and do the job themselves" he finished.

He cast his eyes towards the rogue darkside user and cracked a smile. "The only agenda worth giving a damn about princess is my own" he spoke, eyes dancing up and down his companion. "Why should we let some silly politician or some wannabe Sith Lord rule the galaxy when I could do it so much better" he gestured out over the planet of Carlac.

"All of this is wasted on the Dark Empire"

Once Xander Draith had tracked down the Jedi who had caused him so much bother on Tython, his mind would finally be clear of the distraction that the unkillable Jedi had caused him. Following that, once the planet Terminus was under the control of Drazen Lutris , his numbers would increase and he would be able to start making his own moves.

"The galaxy needs a rebuild" he said bluntly. He took a pause to sip his drink. "Corrupt policians and filthy Sith Lords should be allowed no-where near power. They wouldn't even come close to using it correctly." he cracked a smile. Politicans and Sith Lords were always touted as having no morales, but they did. The difference between those and Cairan is that he didn't.

"Oh but me and you my dear, I feel like we could so much more"

 

[Darth Azal'thul]

"So much more". Those words lingered in his mind for a moment, envisioning all the possibilities that he could achieve with someone like Cairan to assist him. Further intriguing him was his answer to the prompt. A man who cares not for the ideologies of others, and agrees that the entirety of the galaxy needs a fresh start? Had he not known better, Azal would be convinced he is talking to himself. "You and I stand on common ground then, seeing as the Galactic Alliance and Dark Empire both have their shortcomings."

After a moment of reconciliation, the rogue Darth turned his body to his colleague, his head following shortly after. "We, together, are capable of achievements I believe neither of us alone could fathom. I have my enemies as I'm sure you do. Shall we pursue mine first or do you have business needing settled here on Carlac?" Azal found himself becoming comfortable around Cairan, and walked back to the bar to get himself another shot of the gin.

So much of his training taught him to detest other Force sensitives, yet this one stood out so far from the rest, he couldn't help but be curious. Why did his master teach him hostility over discipline? Surely there are situations that call for violence, whilst others call for diplomatic measures; the latter Azal definitely despised. He came prepared to do battle against Carain, yet the Miralukan found himself enjoying off-world alcohol with a man who shared his galactic viewpoint.

Azal'thul ventured deeper into his mental rabbit hole, finding himself wondering about this man's upbringing. "Was he raised as I was? Is he some rich guy's kid, or did he struggle too?" Perhaps he was letting his guard down too much, but something told him that he could trust Cairan. For the first time since his master's death, Azal'thul found himself looking upon another as an ally.

 

[Cairan Shannon]

Location: Carlac
Tags: Darth Azal'thul
Equipment: Lightsaber​

The Jedi was personal business.

Azal'thul was nothing more than an extra tool to Cairan, and the manipulator of darkness wasn't quite ready to spill all of his secrets. Tython wasn't a sharable problem, it was a problem for the Knight of Ren to deal with independantly. It a problem that he either needed to kill or that would kill him, but it was also a problem for another day.

"Shortcomings, yes" he mused, almost to himself. "Burn the entire goddamn lot down and rebuild it" he chuckled, again mostly to himself. His mind had wondered for so long about how possible his dreams actually were and now there was a tool, a person opposite who could actually help him in making those goals a reality. It was almost too good to be true.

"Nothing urgent buisnesswise" he spoke up finally so that Aza'thul could overhear him. "No army either, won't be ready till the stupid brother of the Sith Emperor gets his planet" he continued. "But either way, we can make it work. We are an army, with the force and lightsabers I would like to see any fool try and best us" he offered a chuckle out loud this time.

Casting his eyes towards his associate, Cairan smiled. "So I guess it's your business that we are attending to first, Azal'thul. So tell me, what scum and villiany has crossed you over the years, hmm?" he asked of the man, probing for information about what business the darkside user could have. "Is it an ex who perhaps turned you down, or a spice dealer who owes you money?"

Licking his lips, he let out an evil looking grin. "Either way, an example must be made"

 

[Darth Azal'thul]

A man of business he seemed to be. "Let us not waste time then." The Miralukan gestures towards the nearby table in Cairan's abode, taking a seat for himself and settles in. "I have this...issue that needs resolution. A type that is simple in concept, yet anything but in execution. You see, before I had learned the crookedness of organized factions, all of which are inherently wrong by the way, I had a master to teach me the ways of the Sith. She was cruel and unforgiving, but fair." After mentioning her, Azal takes a momentary pause to reflect on the only person with whom he had grown fond of, before returning to the task at hand. "Her life was uprooted prematurely by Jedi filth" He continues, hatred spitting from his lips. "I want that Jedi's head on a frame overtop my fireplace!" Azal'thul uncharacteristically letting his stored rage show through his clenched fists and temporarily elevated tone. "As you know, Miralukans do not have eye sight like most creatures, rather we use the Force to grant us vision. Yet, I cannot trace the proverbial scent of the Jedi whom felled my master." Azal'thul collects himself and sits upright.

"Allow me to be clear with you, Knight of Ren. I do not care to do this venture as a means to avenge my fallen master, rather to free myself of her memory; to free myself from her shadow." After this short monologue, the rogue Darth fall silent, pondering the conversation and the actions that may result. Could this similar Sith be plotting to hold his plans against him? Or is this a first small step of trust to build what could be an inseparable bond between two strangers, not too estranged from each as one might think?