Private The Unforgiven

[Alina Tremiru]

"No, Ali. He is a lord. Only stupid pride would keep you from seeing that. Blight or not, he commands millions. He holds power over life and death. To kill your enemy, you must know your enemy." Her eyes narrowed. His contempt was not lost to her. Was this truly how she was herself before she died?

"We are Sith. This is our nature. I will make use of every asset, every scrap I get my hands on, and cut off their heads when I have everything I want and need. He knows I'm plotting behind his back because that is our nature. But I am useful. That is the exchange. The moment I stop being useful, I'm dead. The moment he stops being useful, he's dead. Don't tie your hands because of some foolish superiority belief."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius stifled a growl at her insistence but didn't interrupt her, even if her grim truths did cause him to dent the armrests of the chair he sat in with his clenching grip. He knew enough of his enemy, knew he had armies and fleets to destroy, knew that there was a Malsheem to burn, what more was there to know? Nothing that necessitated putting oneself at risk by being under the thumb of the Kainites, of that he was certain.

"If, and I do very much mean if, he ever had any usefulness then it has long since expired. His Kainate and its mass-printed armies and fleets will crumble the moment he dies." There would still be so much to clean up and slay afterwards of course but without their leader they would be far easier to divide and slaughter. "What use do you offer him exactly? And how can you be so sure that you can keep it up until you have the chance to strike?"

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"He made the Empire we grew in. It only fell when he stepped away for his own ambitions. I can hate him for such a choice, but I will not ignore the fact that it was him who made the Empire so strong."

That was by far the lesson she had needed to learn the most. There was a difference between hating someone, and blindly hating someone. But, she smiled after a moment. Leaned back comfortably in her seat. "By becoming indispensable. Not to just him, but the Order as a whole. There are limits, of course, but provided I don't rage as I used to I imagine I'll last long enough to properly strike him down. Make allies, make reasons for them to keep me around. That's how to truly change the Order so the infection can be cut out. We're not children anymore, Ali. You killed your master, and with it, earned both the ire and respect of many. I can use that."

That was the other reason she'd come here. She wasn't blind. The rumors had spread, and the Tsis'kar was strong enough to rival the Eternals and the Kainites. Any remnants would likely fall under Alisteri and Malum's purview.

Assets that she wanted to make use of.

"You want to change the Sith. Who do you have on your side?"

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"He made the empire that was surrounded on all sides by enemies and splintered off Sith in droves, a war-torn state that bled millions of good soldiers and Sith in order to try and keep it alive. He and the others took integral pieces of the empire and left the rest of us to rot. So yes we agree, he did make the empire you grew up in and that I inherited." Alisteri's tone was an odd mixture of frustration and a bit of sass, as if his scowl had slipped into a smirk.

He raised an eyebrow as she began talking about her plans, idly shifting in his seat a bit. Her indispensability idea wasn't too dissimilar to what he had in mind to ensure his own survival and existence within the Sith Order, albeit with her being more direct in her methods. As usual he preferred to sit back and let the politicking and spotlighting fall to those foolish enough to want such things while he worked towards his goals in obscurity.

But she made a good point in pointing out that his master's death would thrust him into the eyes of many regardless of how he felt on the matter, however his musings paused as she inserted herself into that new reputation he had unfortunately garnered. "Ah. I see." She had came to talk business then, now that made far more sense than a simply social call.

"Surprise surprise, not many. Malum is the only one I could call an ally but we have our...different visions of the path going forward. As well as some disagreements regarding some of the happenings during the Crisis that we've yet to fully settle. Aside from him, none that would stand with me aside from my cult." They had been enough thus far, but he was well aware that to ensure the necessary changes occurred in his lifetime.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"You were not part of the Empire that brought the Galaxy to it's knees for decades before the Imperials decided to rebel. Know your history. He failed in the end, but he succeeded for far longer than most Sith of our generation. It wasn't until he left that the Sith fractured and the Imperials rebelled. That's why I hate him and want to see him dead." The Sith weren't worthy in Carnifex's eyes. The Empire wasn't. Her sister wasn't. She died defending that Empire, as so many of hers and Alisteri's own colleagues had. Abandoned and left to rot.

It was the core reason she wanted him dead.

"Work with me. Lord Carnifex is long aware of yours and Malum's plans, as I'm sure he's already aware I'm speaking with you. He's decided to stay his hand. He doesn't view us as threats, not truly. So we'll use that. Let him underestimate us until we do strike him and the Worm down."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"I had to help try and keep it going and then try to pick up the pieces once the rest of them had left us to die. I saw enough of Carnifex and his ilk's ambitions and where it led them. They've more than earned an execution for leading the Sith astray and then abandoning them." Alisteri had heard tales of glorious days in the past, when the Sith were the dominant force in the galaxy rather than the Galactic Alliance and their pet Jedi.

He had even caught glimpses of it through those unfamiliar memories that his master's spirit cursed him with. It mattered little what had happened in the past, the present was all that he could change so therefore it was all that he could focus on. There were new glories to be had.

When Alina suggested working with her however, any notion of agreement fled from his body in an instant. Darth Strosius recoiled and stood from his chair, slamming his fist against the table as he glared down at the other Sith. "You come to my cult, to my church, and dare even suggest such a thing?!" In a somewhat ironic twist now it was his wrath which twisted and churned the Force around them as he hissed out his response. "I am no betrayer! I am true to the Sith, true to my goals! I will not be subjected to will of tyrants and heretics ever again!"

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Oh they have. But you're not going to be able to behead Lord Carnifex as you did your own master."

Her brow twitched. Anger. Annoyance. She didn't hesitate to let her suppression of the Force spread to quell the results of his anger around them as she openly glared at him. They were discussing business now. Emotional outbursts had no place here. Though that was just hypocritical of her, she wouldn't stand it now.

"You quite literally betrayed your master to kill her. I'm not asking you to bend the knee to Lord Carnifex or the current Emperor. You thrive in shadow, behind the scenes. Continue to do so, and when the time comes work with me to remove the sickened heads we've been looking to cut off all this time. Or don't and let your pride ruin your chances as I had. Perhaps you'll be fortunate enough to have someone rip you from hell."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"I can try." It was a quick and petty response, one that lacked any real belief or fire aside from his existing seething and anger. He knew well enough the years of planning that it took to get his master in a position where he could cut her down and that such a plan couldn't be replicated on the other Sith in need of slaying. His master had actually welcomed his presence, none of the others would even before her death.

Darth Strosius could sense the moment her ability to shut him off from the Force was deployed and he had half a mind to bark out some sort of threat but reluctantly bit his tongue and sat back down. Probably best to keep things civil, she knew far more of him and his abilities than he did of hers after all. "I betrayed nothing. She failed in her attempts against our enemies and allowed them to fester and grow into the roles they occupy now. She betrayed the Sith, and so she shared in the fate of all traitors."

The rather pointed manner in which he defended his actions against his master almost seemed like a threat given the context. "I will continue my work towards the liberation of the Sith as I always have. I don't know what it is you intend anymore nor do I care." He crossed his arms and sat back in his chair, his usual stubborn and defiant self. No matter who it was that he had to stand against. "You want help? Go ask your precious Quinn or one of your new Kainite friends."

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"I would never trust a Kainite or their home-grown trash." Alina's eyes narrowed further. This wasn't what she remembered. The bits she did, the friendship she once had with Alisteri, she couldn't see it. Only bitter resentment and stubborn pride.

"When you're done pitying yourself and are ready to make the next step in purging the Sith, I will be waiting. Until then," She stood. Turned from him as she let the Force return around them.

"I'm done listening. You've grown petty in my time away."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"But you're content abiding by their rules and oversight." He noted, spiteful and vengeful as ever when it came to the topic of the tyrant. The Alina that he knew would have never joined in with Carnifex and his horrid creations no matter how dire the situation was. Or so he had thought anyway, the living breathing Alina before him seemed intent on proving his recollection wrong.

"And when you come to your senses like you've come back to life, I'll be waiting. You've grown foolish in your time dead." He wasn't fully sure if she was listening but for his own sake he had to have some sort of last remark, otherwise his pride would be too wounded. Darth Stroisus turned away as she left, slumping down in his seat and resting his head on his hand.

"Fething Kainites."

Alina Tremiru