Private To Make the Fractured Whole Again

[Revna Marr]

Darth Strosius // Varin Mortifer // Lysander von Ascania ​

Revna smiled gently upon hearing the Sith Lord’s amused huff at her sly commentary, her eyes glimmering with the same mischief before it faded as their conversation evolved to other topics. The way He almost seemed anxious when she made her comments about Him being divinely appointed, and she listened without interruption as Darth Strosius agreed with her - to an extent. What He balked at, however, was the fact that their followers, His followers, had believed Him to be divinely appointed before His demise.

And that was something she could understand; in the very beginning, even she had fallen into the same train of thought as all her other siblings in faith. She had thought him divinely appointed, even divine Himself. But over time, she had come to understand and recognize that this wasn’t the case. Darth Strosius, before His demise, had simply been a man who was bold enough to carry out the will of the Dark Side. He had carried its blessings the same as any of His other Sith - but that had all changed the moment He had died and been returned back to life.

It could have happened to any of them. But it had happened to Him.

She was thankful for it…thankful to have Him back, to have Him be a part of her life once more. But now it changed the course of not only Darth Strosius’s direction and life as well as His mission…but by proxy, hers too. Whether she liked it or not - her destiny was bound with His.

She wouldn’t have it any other way, either.

But she knew…deep in her heart…that one day, they would stand against each other - at odds with one another and what each should do. It was just the way of the Sith, the differences between Master and Apprentice. Despite the bond they shared, the affirmations that they were family - there would be moments of division and strife.

She disagreed with Him on many things, and already she heard things He was saying that she did not agree with. He felt that all the leaders and powers that be within the Sith Order needed to go…but she was tied to several of them directly. What would happen when He moved to stand against them, to strike against them?

Would she choose Him…or those she had bound herself to?

She pushed those thoughts aside for the moment, to simply be present and listen to what He had to say in the moment, as the conversation shifted towards His response to her question about the title of Queen and why it was not a fit for her…in His opinion, anyway.

Not that what He believed or said would change the fact that she was on her way to becoming the Sith Queen, but it was still amusing to hear Him rant about it. It also gave her an indication in areas where she could prove Him wrong, again.

Though she had to admit, there were threads of truth to His statements - even if they were presented through His viewpoint. Such as the fact that many monarchies were maintained through cultural means and reasons. Such was the case, to some extent, for the kingdom of Korriban. It had been a monarchy off and on for thousands of years, and she was happy to maintain that bit of culture in her own way.

As for the rest of what her Father had to say…she had to keep her mouth shut to stop herself from correcting Him. She knew the truth, and that was all that mattered. Perhaps, in time, He would come to see it for Himself too.

“Okay. That is one reason…what are the other two? And…while You’re at it…tell me what position You think would be best for me, if being a Queen isn’t one of them? I…would genuinely like to know…and though we may not agree on everything, I do value Your insights and input on the matter.”

 

[Darth Strosius]

"The other two occurrences are similar yet the intent and application is what marks their separate categorization." Darth Strosius chose not to comment on the remark of them having disagreements in some regards, although it did make Him raise an eyebrow beneath His mask. He didn't quite see the relevancy of that little reminder at the moment. Was Revna more attached to the bloated title of "queen" than He had assumed? Why? She wasn't the type for vanity like most that claim such monikers were, perhaps it was related to another matter then?

Something to inquire about later for certain. "The second and most common application of such terms is in that of cultural significance yet literal incorrectness. As you'll find 'kings and queens' among many Mid-Rim worlds that either simply hold the titles from their ancestors without any modern institutional power or as the title for the planet's sovereign in spite of such position being an elective one rather than hereditary." As per usual with any topic regarding the more "civilized" worlds of the galaxy, the masked man didn't bother to hide His disdain.

"In these instances the monarchy is largely symbolic, however its precisely what it represents that is an issue. For while in most cases the 'royal family' holds little to no sway or there is indeed no set royalty at all, it serves as a rather potent reminder that the world is still largely controlled and influenced by nobility. Families with generations of rulership and sovereignty over the planet who now masquerade as pillars of society and common rule while at the same time passing around the despotic titles without any care or intent to change." He clicked His tongue in disgust and shook His head.

"Bluebloods ruin everything, Revna. Interested only in themselves and their wretched legacies. In dynasties which should have been put down long ago but which have persisted in spite of their parasitic nature." Darth Strosius then gestured back to His daughter. "I'm sure I don't even have to bother with explaining why you don't fit such a mantle. And before you start-" He raised a finger before slowly lowering it back down. "You might have 'noble blood' or whatever you'd call it from your Marr heritage, but you are no noble. You're a real person, you've suffered and struggled and seen the worst of the galaxy. You're more than your upbringing and ancestors, whereas nobility spend their whole lives trying to be on par with such notions."

The two of them had some vaguely similar chats before but the masked man always kept His stance firm. Blood meant nothing, it was spilt far easier than it was spread. As far as He was concerned Revna would always be a child of Wonosa, His child, first and foremost with everything else being secondary. If that. "Last, and certainly least, would be those who wish to revive the title of a monarch in order to legitimize their own conquest. Purely out of selfish ambition and the need for validation."

This was the least interesting to speak of so He chose to keep it brief. "A conqueror has a far easier time getting the populace to comply and accept their rule when they have to be referred to as 'king' or 'queen' rather than 'tyrant' after all. The subtle acknowledgement of a real title gives the illusion of legitimacy, an illusion that a self-crowned 'monarch' will cultivate in order to keep their rule absolute and unquestioned. They have no equal, only lessers which they've subjugated. Obviously you don't need to craft such an image, it would be counterproductive to all you've learned from me."

Darth Strosius seemed so very certain in that statement that He carried right on after it, evidently very assured that she'd never divert from His teachings in any meaningful way. For better or worse. "As for what title would fit you as a planet's ruler? You have several options, including the Wonosan title of Exarch of course." He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "But perhaps something more akin to Consul or Minister might be preferable, or you could always take on a Prophet mantle of your own."

Revna Marr / Varin Mortifer / Lysander von Ascania

 

[Revna Marr]

Darth Strosius // Varin Mortifer // Lysander von Ascania ​

The temptation to let her mind wander while Darth Strosius delivered His thoughts and opinions on the matter at hand, was strong - but she forced herself to focus on what He had to say, what He had to deliver and teach. She did not interrupt Him, even when she really wanted to and interject her own thoughts and opinions - but she had learned by now that doing so would only aggravate the man to some degree, or knock their discussion off course and onto a plethora of side conversations or discussions.

His views of monarchies and how they were structured was not incorrect. Mentally, Revna compared what all He had to say, to what she had seen and knew of Korriban’s ‘monarchy’. There were similarities…but there were very distinct and key differences too. Trying to get Him to see those differences would be next to impossible, so she didn’t even bother to try. She would still forge ahead with the path laid out before her, though she had a sinking feeling that He would be most displeased by it, by her choices in the matter.

But she had to make her own decisions and choices in matters such as this. If she didn’t, then she was letting someone else’s wants and desires shape her path, her journey, her destiny. She couldn’t lose sight of the reasons why she was doing what she was doing…even if it brought her a headache.

A faint half smirk touched her lips when her Father brought up the fact of “bluebloods” ruining everything - and made it very clear (again) that though she had “noble heritage”, she was no noble. She was set apart from all the rest because she had struggled and suffered and seen the worst of the galaxy, and He wasn’t wrong. Most inherited nobles, the ones she had seen anyway, had grown up with relative comfort - away from the dirty business of the rest of the galaxy.

Like her cousin, Malum and his siblings.

“Truth be told, Father, I think my ancestor Lord Marr would hate the idea of blue blood nobles just as much as You do. And I feel that he would have cast them out of his family line with great prejudice.” Revna said in the brief pause that followed her Master’s words on the topic.

The young Sith returned to her quiet reflection as Darth Strosius continued His spiel, nodding along in understanding and to some degree, agreement.

But now came the part she was most interested to hear: what He thought would be a better term for her, since He did not think the term ‘queen’ fit her (she disagreed with that particular bit but then again, she understood the usage of the term and position she would be stepping into in the future).

She couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows as the titles He mentioned would ‘fit’ her better: Consul, Exarch, Minister, even Prophet…and she sighed softly and shook her head with a small measure of amusement. “Ugh those are boring titles. Well, except for the term ‘Prophet’ - and honestly there is no way that I would accept such a title since, to me, there is only one Prophet - and that would be You.” She said with some weight of lightheartedness, before she sighed heavily and rubbed the bridge of her nose for a moment as she mentally tried to find the best way forward in the conversation.

“I believe that titles are but a tool to be used, like anything else. If I became a queen, or took the title, it wouldn’t be for some feeling of self importance or because I feel like I deserve it. It would be because it was a tool that I had at my disposal, and I took advantage of it. It would allow me to…get close to the powers that be. Not because I want to be in their shadow, soaking up their favor, but because it allows me to find the weakest chain in the link, to help dismantle what's wrong in a more subtle manner. You prefer methods that are direct and in one’s face…I do not. I have always preferred to work from the shadows, and You know this. Much can be learned, and much can be manipulated, when no one suspects you to be the source of such subterfuge. Are there other ways to do this? Yes, there might be. But not ones that I would choose for myself.”

Revna paused and chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment, before she moved forward with what she wanted to say, fully aware that it would probably invite more questions. “I...I need to know that You trust me, that You trust that I have taken to heart the things that You’ve taught me. No matter what You see with Your own eyes and hear with Your own ears. Do not ever think, or believe, that I would betray You, or my Wonosan brothers and sisters.” Not willingly, anyway. Revna felt a pang of guilt stab through her as memories flashed through her mind briefly. She pushed those aside, and inhaled deeply to settle her nerves.

“...we must be getting close, yeah? You said it would only be a few minutes to get to Korriban - it’s been a little bit.”

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius blinked in surprise at her assessment of her ancestor but found Himself nodding all the same. "I've thought so as well, yes." Most of the Sith of old would undoubtedly be ashamed and balk at the Sith of the present. Back during the time of Darth Marr and Darth Malgus, the Sith in power earned their positions through might and dedication to their empire. Now, the Sith Order bent and strained to the whims of those that had placed themselves in power without any right to do so.

A horrendous state of affairs to be certain and one that He intended to have corrected soon.

Revna's exasperation drew a hidden glare from the masked man, albeit one that lacked any heat behind it, at the sheer gall she had to so easily dismiss His suggested titles. As though they weren't cultivated and picked out specifically on her behalf! If it weren't for the Prophet remark tugging on His heartstrings then He'd almost be offended. "Hm. You don't like Exarch at least? I'm rather fond of it." It was another example of His naming convention in action and one that had worked rather well in His mind. Salneva had never complained about it if nothing else.

Her next remark wasn't one of further questioning, or even one of rebuttal, as He had been somewhat anticipating but instead a far more carefully worded perspective. Already Darth Strosius began to get a sinking feeling that He wasn't going to like where this conversation was heading, a notion that was quickly confirmed as she continued. His daughter started as though it was a mere hypothetical, however as she went on He saw the intent and thought that had gone into ehat she spoke of. Far too much to be a simple musing or idle thought that she had entertained.

The masked man couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the concept of Revna somehow managing to slip into and manipulate those of power within the Sith Order. It was as though she was forgetting who her instructor was. "My dear, I mean no offense but I highly doubt that anyone of note or great threat within the ranks of the Sith will be fooled by you. Our association is far from a mystery and my intentions are as clear as they come, they'll never trust you to simply not be plotting against them at every opportunity." Only the most foolish would ever think that she had gone astray from Him and even then He doubted that they'd be foolish enough to fall for such a ruse for long.

Her pause didn't bring any reassurance and it most assuredly didn't soothe His concerns at all regarding what she'd been thinking up. It sounded as though all Revna would be doing would be inviting her own trouble and hoping that she could prevail without their notice. Darth Strosius was starting to wonder if she'd learned too much of His methods or too little, and He couldn't decide on a satisfying answer either way. The request for trust was initially met with no response aside from a slight incline of His head, a subtle tilt that implied a chain of thought was reaching the end of its course but the exact result was still somewhat up for debate. Thankfully though, He was never one to be indecisive for long.

"I trust your judgement." He finally spoke after several long moments. "I trust that you will do what you believe is best, that you will only take risks when you absolutely have to or are certain that they won't prove too detrimental." And then the other shoe dropped, as it were. "What I don't trust is your knowledge and experience with the wider Sith Order. People such as us are decidedly rare, my dear. Most do not think as we do, do not act as we would, and don't function as you may be certain they will. You've seen some of the worst parts of those that adorn the ranks of our Order, but if you knew how deep the poison that has seeped from the powers-that-be has spread then you wouldn't have such notions as you do now. You'd know better how futile it is." He stood up straight and crossed His arms behind His back.

"And when, not if, when your designs begin to falter in the face of the monsters that we are currently forced to share a Sith Order with, I expect to be the first one that you call for aid from. As unlike anyone else, I'll always be there for you." It was disapproval and indeed dismissal, but not at all an outright disavowing of her intentions. Darth Strosius knew well enough that His daughter wouldn't simply take His warning to heart and be satisfied with never attempting her own plots, it wasn't in her nature. She was always too eager to branch out and find her own path, for better or worse.

An attitude that He could most certainly respect and one that He was even very familiar with. Albeit one that He wished allowed for more acceptance of His wisdom in some key regards such as this one. But no matter, she'd see eventually. At the question of their destination He turned on His heel and began walking towards the door. "Oh, we arrived just before the title discussion. I simply didn't wish to interrupt our talk. I'll have a shuttle readied for us momentarily."

Revna Marr / Lysander von Ascania / Varin Mortifer

 

[Revna Marr]

Darth Strosius // Varin Mortifer // Lysander von Ascania ​

Revna didn’t see His hidden glare - but she felt it, even as she pinched the bridge of her nose. There was no real anger or heat behind the pressure that ghosted along her senses, however, and she knew her words had not truly upset Darth Strosius. He still wasn’t happy about her apparent dismissal though, and He tried one last time to convince her that the titles He had chosen were good enough for her, instead of ‘queen’.

"Hm. You don't like Exarch at least? I'm rather fond of it.”

“And I’m rather fond of the title ‘Darth’ but that doesn’t seem to be a part of the options.” She quipped back almost immediately after her sigh, her more sassy nature poking through, but it melted almost instantly as a smile curled upon her lips to show Him that her comments had been in jest, to keep the mood light between them, despite the topic and what it would eventually lead into. “I would accept ‘Exarch’, because You are fond of it, if for no other reason.”

As the rest of the conversation unfolded, her Father let her speak her part without interruption, and for that she was glad. But she knew He would have things to say, no doubt. He always did, and as she finished and paused, He took the chance to respond.

"My dear, I mean no offense but I highly doubt that anyone of note or great threat within the ranks of the Sith will be fooled by you. Our association is far from a mystery and my intentions are as clear as they come, they'll never trust you to simply not be plotting against them at every opportunity."

Revna couldn’t stop the sly smile that slipped across her face at His words, the glimmer of almost wicked mischief within her eyes. But, she chose not to speak or elaborate on that, choosing to keep her silence instead and let Him wonder perhaps why she was giving Him that grin.

Her allies trusted her, because she had proven herself to be trustworthy. Even with her association to Darth Strosius and His rather infamous antics within the wider Order. To those she had brushed shoulders with, had tea with, even learned from without His awareness - she had proven to be the more…grounded, of the two of them. More open and thoughtful and slow to speak or act, for the most part.

Revna could hold the values that her Master had instilled within her, and not be as foolish as He was sometimes. Darth Strosius was near blinded by His zealotry and beliefs, and she had watched Him make missteps and miscalculations because of it. Things that hurt Him and His people instead of helping them. He wanted her to learn by His examples and she did - she learned from His mistakes, and what not to do in certain situations.

When the conversation came down to her asking Him for His trust in her, the silence that met her made tension creep up her back. His head tilted in a manner that told her He was thinking, He was processing her words, and deciding on if He did, or did not, actually trust her. She suddenly realized that she didn’t know what she would do, or how she would feel, if His answer was “no”. She felt she might be utterly crushed by it and she prayed that His answer was different than what she suddenly feared it might be.

Finally, the answer came - and she felt a surge of guarded relief. "I trust your judgement. I trust that you will do what you believe is best, that you will only take risks when you absolutely have to or are certain that they won't prove too detrimental."

In the brief pause, Revna could hear the silent “but” , and she steeled herself for whatever He was about to say next. "What I don't trust is your knowledge and experience with the wider Sith Order. People such as us are decidedly rare, my dear. Most do not think as we do, do not act as we would, and don't function as you may be certain they will. You've seen some of the worst parts of those that adorn the ranks of our Order, but if you knew how deep the poison that has seeped from the powers-that-be has spread then you wouldn't have such notions as you do now. You'd know better how futile it is." Darth Strosius stood up a little further and pulled His arms behind His back, taking a more familiar stance - the one that told her He was the Lord of Wonosa, and her Master. "And when, not if, when your designs begin to falter in the face of the monsters that we are currently forced to share a Sith Order with, I expect to be the first one that you call for aid from. As unlike anyone else, I'll always be there for you."

Revna inhaled softly, quietly, but her eyes flared brightly with impassioned emotion that was on the verge of being unleashed. Before she could do so, however, He told her that they had already arrived at Korriban - He had just wanted them to finish their conversation before departing, before He turned on His heel to walk out the door. Revna was right on His heel, and she seized the moment to say her mind as they walked.

“Of course I don’t have the knowledge and experience of the wider Sith Order. That is why I am doing what I am doing, putting myself in positions that I am…to gain it. And You should know that knowledge and experience comes with time, patience, and active participation. I can’t get that knowledge or experience sitting on my ass in a pew! I can’t SEE for myself where that ‘poison’ is, and where it is not, unless I figure it out for myself! If I followed Your words without investigating it myself, then I would be following You with blind trust and faith and You have taught me not to do that.”

Her voice was sharp, but it was not angry. It was energized, as she unveiled something that she believed so deeply and held fast to so strongly for herself. In this…Darth Strosius would certainly see a piece of Himself in her.

“I have seen with my own eyes, and heard with my own ears, where some of that poison is…and most importantly, where it is not. In this, I have found allies that You have so foolishly cast aside because of your zealous hatred that I feel blinds You. I will not make the same mistakes. If You see fit to cast aside those embedded in the Order that would join Your cause, that believe what You believe…then I will make the bridge myself. And I have, and I will continue to do so.”

Revna paused for a moment as she followed alongside her Master and inhaled deeply, before pulling herself together and glancing at Him with a serious expression; she had certainly noted His dismissal and disapproval and though her heart ached inside, she nonetheless made her position clear.

“I am not so foolish to believe that all my plans and ideas will succeed. Failure will happen; I will make allies and connections that inevitably burn me. They are mistakes that I can and will learn from. That is the point. But if I ever find myself in a position where I must call upon You for aid - know that I will do so. But You should also know that I do have allies within the Order that will come to my call and fight alongside me as well, should I ask for it. And those allies could be Your allies too - if You accept them.” She fell silent for another heartbeat, before speaking again. The time for beating around the bush was gone now. “I worked damn hard while You were away. And in time, I think You will see the work that I have done, and appreciate it. And if You don't...well, it wasn't for lack of trying on my part.”

And perhaps, for the first time ever, Revna strode past Darth Strosius - even with her slight limp, taking the lead as they began to make their way out of the ship and towards the starport. This was her world now too, and she had been the one to ask that they come here. It was only fair and right, in her opinion, that she led the man into the place she still called home. The place she was to one day have a measure of dominion over - whether He liked it or not.

“You did direct us to Vardin, yes? If not, we will have to pick up and go to the Royal City. If any issues arise with clearance, I will speak personally. I have full authority and clearance anywhere on Korriban, and no one will hinder me from going where I please here.”

 

[Darth Strosius]

He almost couldn't stop the roll of His eyes at the sly quips that His daughter so generously offered, shaking His head slightly to make the expression more visible even through the mask. She was starting to have a response for everything in a manner that dangerously reminded Him of Himself. And with just as few qualms about letting such responses fly as He did to boot it seemed. Yet again the masked man wasn't sure whether He should be proud or concerned.

Although given how Revna tensed when listening to His response to her request He was getting a sinking feeling that the latter notion might prove more applicable at the moment. There was a small glimmer of hope that she might let whatever remark she held lay to rest as they began moving towards the hangar, ideally in favor of contemplating His words of wisdom, however it was a slim hope and one that was dashed almost instantly the moment that He led the way out of the room and down the hall.

"I also recall teaching you to heed words of warning and be able to see threats before they manifest, not throw yourself into them just to check how deadly they might be. Lest you forget I'm the one that can regenerate any injury, you can't." The sharp tone of the apprentice was met by the cold stalwart words of the master, an attempt to match her blow for blow as it were. "We as Sith put ourselves at risk so that our peers needn't have to, but not to the point of excess as you're describing. Especially when you already know more than enough of what festers within the Order at large."

It wasn't as if Revna was exactly ignorant of those within the Sith Order, somewhat to His own chagrin, even before her unfortunate kidnapping. The handful of social events that Darth Strosius had brought her to had been for the explicit and singular purpose of identifying such threats after all. An exercise that had wound up backfiring more than once of course but it went to show that her insistence that she needed firsthand experience was simply unnecessary all the same.

At the mention of gaining allies, a laughable thought, and more importantly Revna herself having made attempts towards doing so though He found Himself stopping in His tracks briefly alongside the pause in her speech. The masked man looked back at her over His shoulder, the dark visor leaving little clue to what mood might adorn the visage that it hid beneath itself. His "wings" did give some idea however, the thin smoky strands having sharpened into frayed points and edges.

Darth Strosius let her steady herself, allowed her to gather up her thoughts and will without any interruption or rebuttal even though one surely was already brewing within His mind. And yet for all the preparation He still found her next remark to be lacking in any convincing manner, actually scoffing at the brief suggestion that He could find aid due to her efforts. One of these days He really needed to get to the bottom of who had planted all these ideas in her head over the course of her captivity, evidently they were far more persuasive than He was.

As Revna strode forward His gaze tracked her path, waiting until she had passed Him to speak. "You'll be disappointed, my dear." It was perhaps one of the most vitriolic things He'd ever uttered in her presence. And that was most certainly saying something. Those three words were laden with a lifetime of regret and betrayal, one that He'd never let befall His daughter if she'd just listen to Him. "Sith will always disappoint you. You should come to accept that, if nothing else."

His strides were slow and long when He began walking again, trailing after her and letting the distance between them remain consistent as He continued. "I once thought as you did, that there would be those that would see my plight and mission and sympathize with me. That I wasn't alone amongst our ranks." He sighed, not in wistful memory but instead in resignation. "I was wrong. And it wasn't just myself that had to pay the price for putting my trust in those that would never return it."

She was reflected in His visor as His gaze leveled back to her. "Those in our Order will only ever choose what, or indeed whom, serves their advantages the most. That will never be us, my dear. Not with our goals. Not with our morals. They'd rather let themselves be tread on, only so that they can grasp the boot when it lifts off of them and claim that they've ascended the hierarchy in doing so. The only way to have allies is to remove the alternatives, there are no 'friends' in the Sith Order until the poison has been cut out. Until there is no choice but the one that aligns them with us."

He inclined His head, a grimly smug expression painting His hidden features. "You'll see. You'll learn. And you'll suffer for ever thinking otherwise, but don't you dare say I didn't try to warn you. Your stubbornness will be the death of us both if you aren't careful Revna." Darth Strosius concluded with a sigh as He finally caught back up to her limping pace without having to hurry Himself all that much to do so. Walking alongside her until casting her what must have been an incredulous look at her question.

"Tch, clearance? This is Holy Korriban and we are some of the few true Sith left. We need no 'clearance' to visit what is rightfully ours." He let His words hang in the air for a moment before chuckling and nodding. "Yes we should be positioned above Vardin now, all that remains is to board the shuttle and descend. Have no fear, I wouldn't allow any to hinder us regardless. It wouldn't be the first time I've evaded the sensors and authorities on this world after all."

Revna Marr / Varin Mortifer / Lysander von Ascania

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Darth Strosius // Varin Mortifer // Lysander von Ascania ​

Revna didn’t have to wait long for her Master to respond back to her sharply spoken words with His own cold response. She suppressed a sigh, her fists clenching slightly at her side in rising frustration at the man. She inhaled deeply and let it free in a long, slow manner, before she quipped back.

“You are correct. You can regenerate whereas I cannot. You can also survive things that I could not. It gives You an advantage over me and many others. It also makes You incredibly reckless - throwing Yourself into things that a mere mortal such as myself would think twice about doing. You say things that others would think twice about saying, or not say at all - because You think that You can survive whatever fallout comes of Your words and Your actions. So do not speak to me of risks taken in excess. You are just as guilty of it, and do not even try to deny it. You know I’m right.”

Revna lifted her chin ever so slightly, the release of her pent up frustrations making her feel more bold and vocal than she’d ever been in Strosius’s presence. It was quite unlike her - but it was as if something almost…snapped. In the silence that followed, for the moment anyway, she ruefully reflected on the fact that she must have sounded a lot like Him in that moment. A grim feeling of satisfaction overtook her then: Good - He is getting a taste of His own stubborn medicine. This is what He is like to everyone else. And I am not afraid to push back. Not like He’s going to reprimand me for my sharp words and defiance anyway.

The raven haired Vahla strode past the Sith Lord when He briefly paused in His steps upon hearing the rest of what she had to say, and she could feel the stare He was giving her through His visor. She swore she could see the gleaming shine of His eyes beyond, but she did not let it deter her.

"You'll be disappointed, my dear." her Master’s words were spoken with such vitriol that she felt it slam into her very soul, in a way. There was so much behind those words, a lifetime of injuries He had endured at the hands of others. She kept on walking, though her eyes burned with something else that she couldn’t quite name. "Sith will always disappoint you. You should come to accept that, if nothing else."

He picked up His pace behind her, some distance back now, and spoke further on how He had once thought like she had, that He had been wrong. That He hadn’t been the one to just pay the price. And that there, was where His apprentice was different from Him.

“Oh I have already been disappointed.” Revna said in a voice that bordered on scathing - very much a mirror of His own vitriol, as she cast her gaze back over her shoulder, catching His through the visor. “Numerous times. Unlike Your younger self, however, I expect to be disappointed. I do not put my full faith into anyone…not even You.”

She paused in her words as she turned her face forward again, striding through the halls of the ship, a sharp bitterness rising up in her. The flood gates had been opened, and now she wasn’t sure if they could be closed. Part of her wanted them to shut - to stay her voice and bow her head and assume the posture of the submissive and obedient Apprentice, and not say words that could possibly destroy the bond she shared with the man behind her.

But the other part of her just didn’t want to stop it.

Think before speaking Revna. This is a battle you are waging - choose your words and your actions wisely. They can bring truce…or destroy more than what you want. Things that cannot be undone.

"Those in our Order will only ever choose what, or indeed whom, serves their advantages the most. That will never be us, my dear. Not with our goals. Not with our morals. They'd rather let themselves be tread on, only so that they can grasp the boot when it lifts off of them and claim that they've ascended the hierarchy in doing so. The only way to have allies is to remove the alternatives, there are no 'friends' in the Sith Order until the poison has been cut out. Until there is no choice but the one that aligns them with us."

Once more, she inhaled deeply. She wanted to scream, unleash her frustration - consequences be damned. But that would get neither of them anywhere and only drive a wedge between them. She kept on walking, and let Him say what He wanted to say.

In the end, sooner or later, she knew that she would be proven right - and her Father would have to swallow His own words. One day, He would be surrounded by allies, companions, compatriots - those willing to fight beside Him and for Him - people who had incredible influence and power beyond what He did…and she would be the one to tell Him ‘I told You so’.

"You'll see. You'll learn. And you'll suffer for ever thinking otherwise, but don't you dare say I didn't try to warn you. Your stubbornness will be the death of us both if you aren't careful Revna."

At this, she did clench her fists, and a cold aura radiated off her to surround Him for a brief moment, dreadful and so unlike her. She would be the death of both of them?! The gall of this man! Did He already forget that it was HIS actions that ended with her being captured, tortured, and almost killed?!

Revna almost turned around to verbally blast the man. Her patience had worn very thin. He was pushing her now, needling His way beneath her skin - and part of her wondered if He was doing it on purpose.. Yet she restrained herself. She was not going to fall so far as to turn on her own Father in a fit of rage - though it was a very tempting urge in the moment.

She was silent for a moment, weighing her options. If this conversation continued on its trajectory then they were going to fight. She didn’t want that; she wanted this journey to Korriban to be a good experience for the both of them - as much as it could be anyway.

“Warning noted.” the raven haired woman growled through clenched teeth. “For the record - I do agree with You about some things You’ve said so far. On other things, I do not.”

They turned down another corridor, and He caught back up to her, only to give her an incredulous look at her mention of clearance upon Korriban. He did confirm that they were above Vardin, all they needed to do was board the shuttle and descend to the city below. He spouted more words, and she looked at him with a flat, unamused expression, huffing as they continued towards the hangar and the awaiting shuttle - not even bothering to respond back to His statements on the matter.

“You said earlier that we are not like the other Sith out there, and You are right. We are not. You don’t punish my defiance or torture me or use me like You should as a Sith Master, and I don’t try to stab You in the back any chance I get and take Your powerbase from You, like a Sith Apprentice should.”

Together, they reached the shuttle, finally - but before they both entered, she stopped and turned to face Him directly, the restrained anger and hurt visible in her ember eyes.

“You said You would trust me. I really wish You would give me some credit, instead of taking everything I’ve done for myself and throwing it into mud and stomping all over it. I don’t feel Your pride in me, in stepping out on my own. You’re just reinforcing that I can’t trust You with things I hold close to my heart, things I want to share with You. I want to share my achievements here with You - my successes, my victories. I want to show You things that You believe impossible. Everything I’ve ever done was to make You proud of me. And You do me a deep injustice by even suggesting that I haven’t taken Your lessons to heart or learned from them.”

Revna turned away and walked into the shuttle, the darkness of its interior draping over her for a moment. Her limp was more pronounced - her rapid walk having aggravated the numbness and tingling that radiated through her spine and down her leg. She had no idea how her words would settle with the man, or how it would shift the mood between them. The man would know that she was upset and hurt - but Revna wasn’t entirely sure if Strosius even cared anymore.

 

[Darth Strosius]

While His daughter critiqued His approach to various situations, everything from simple danger to conversations of all things, Darth Strosius quirked an eyebrow beneath His mask in response. He supposed from the external perspective she did have a point in a sense. By all accounts He was willing to throw Himself into any situation at hand without much in the way of protection or assurance aside from His armor and regenerative capability. But therein lied the part that made "reckless" a somewhat mute point.

Revna didn't know the full extent of His regeneration's scope and potential, but He did. The masked man was intimately aware of just how much His body could strain and handle before it gave out in one form or another. Which, admittedly to her credit, had often come proven in the form of receiving such damage during an aforementioned situation that He had thought Himself more than capable for. Yet at the same time He had done more than enough tests Himself to know His limits just as well.

There was no risk when He knew exactly where it lay with Him, but of course He couldn't expect her to know that. What He did expect though was her responses to His words of wisdom which He already knew she vehemently disagreed with, for whatever reason. One of these days He simply had to discover the full extent of what she'd been put through without Him as it had certainly caused a great change in her outlook and opinions. As well as her sheer gall to match.

Enough gall to insinuate that she didn't entirely trust Him. That struck a chord within Darth Strosius.

He gaze snapped back at her with such incredulity that for a brief moment His golden eyes were visible even in the dark visor, a flash of light that was perhaps easy enough to miss on her part as she turned back to face forward. He was actually speechless. He couldn't believe that she'd say such a thing! She didn't trust Him? Who else was there to trust?! For His own sake He wanted to simply dismiss it as a heated remark but He couldn't with the raw emotion that had bled into her words when she spoke them.

Clearly Revna was in dire need of another grounding after this venture was over. That idea was dismissed quickly, no that simply wouldn't be enough. She always found a way around His restrictions. Instead He'd find whoever had put these manipulative little ideas in her head that there was anyone else in the Order or beyond that she could trust more than Him and strangle the life out of them in front of her. Someone had driven a wedge between Himself and His daughter and He was going to have their head mounted to the bumper of the Harbinger once He figured out who it was.

The silence that she offered was no respite and Darth Strosius knew better than to think of it as such, it was stewing. For the both of them to an extent really. He could sense the fury radiating off of her in droves and for a few moments He reveled in the turnabout, that she was as distressed about His words as He was about hers. It was fitting, even if it did make something in the back of His mind wince and wonder at just when she'd lose her temper fully. And even more, worry on what she'd say in the heat of the moment that He'd hoped she wouldn't really mean.

Yet that sentiment was all but drowned out by His own sheer spite at present. "Oh you do?" The masked man cocked His head to the side as He regarded Revna, His tone dripping with venom and sarcasm. "Hm. Well you have quite the interesting way of showing your agreement you know. Ignoring my warnings wholeheartedly was starting to give me the wrong impression, but I'm glad you clarified that." He could not be more obviously less glad about anything she'd said within the past few minutes.

An eyebrow raised at His daughter's comment on the relatively unusual nature of their dynamic and connection as opposed to a more typical Sith master and apprentice. Had they not grown beyond such simple terms and notions by now? Of course they weren't bound by the classic stifle and outgrow that a master and apprentice performed respectively, they were more than that and their goals necessitated more than that. But when she stopped and turned back to Him with such a vivid look in her eyes He found Himself faltering in His stride and assurance.

Revna's impassioned and, even dare He say, hurt words weren't quite what He'd been expecting given their talk up to this point. He had been anticipating a lashing out of sorts but not in this manner by any means, not this personal at the very least. At first His own frustration and anger simmered at her repeated apparent mistrust of Him, but it simmered without boiling over as she continued and soon gave way from a tensing wrath to a coiling pain that sapped any energy for argument.

Although, naturally Darth Strosius had plenty to say even if He couldn't find the strength to do so at the moment. As she limped away His gaze flickered towards the shuttle and then the hangar itself. It would be so easy to just revoke this little venture from her, to have the shuttle unprepared and put back into storage, to send His daughter back to her quarters and try to forget this whole discussion had ever happened. But her words were burned too deep into His mind for that.

"She can't trust me." He huffed under His breath. "Yet she admits to hiding things from me? To conspiring behind my back? To ignoring my warnings and forgoing all of my attempts to spare her sharing my fate?! The audacity." Something wet in His palm stirred Him from His puffing and muttering. A glance down revealed the culprit, His own fingers had been clenched to the point that they dug through His glove in two places. A small scratch in the glove revealed the little puncture wound, a few droplets of maroon still beading on its surface even as the skin knitted itself back together.

Darth Strosius stared at His hand in a disgust that could only have been hidden by His mask before marching towards the shuttle, long after Revna had already entered and undoubtedly found a seat. He shut the entrance to the shuttle after He entered and all but threw Himself into a seat as it prepared itself to take off. His gaze was affixed to the floor, His now damaged glove hidden by His other hand as He held it on His lap. For a few long moments He was totally still and silent, not even visibly or audibly seeming to breath.

And then He spoke. "Did I ever tell you of when I was reunited with my master? On Odavessa?"

Revna Marr / Varin Mortifer / Lysander von Ascania

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Darth Strosius // Varin Mortifer // Lysander von Ascania ​

Luckily for the Sith Lord, Revna was out of earshot of His mumbled, outraged words at her imbittered final statement before entering the craft. She found a seat and sat down, and almost immediately she felt hot tears well up and drip down her cheeks.

How the feth had they ended up like this? Arguing? Fighting? Throwing barbed words at each other? He had done them in spite, while she had done them from indignant outrage. For a heart chilling moment…Revna suddenly felt like one of His enemies…not His daughter.

It was a long moment before Alisteri entered the ship behind Revna, sealing the door before practically throwing Himself into a seat on the opposite side from her. She hastily turned her head away and tried to wipe the evidence of tear streaks from her cheeks, hoping He hadn’t noticed the movements of her doing so. She cast a wary, furtive glance His way, and saw that He was staring at the floor. Was He being introspective? Maybe trying to understand why she had said what she said.

A snaking bitter thought slipped through her mind: I doubt it.

A heavy and awkward silence filled the space between them, and tension coiled tightly within Revna. She wanted to hope and pray that He was done being an absolute ass towards her, that He was done fighting her on everything. That…for once in this situation…He would honor His word and just listen to her. Give her the benefit of a doubt.

But she knew she wasn’t entirely blameless in this situation either. He kept harping on the fact that she seemed so bent on disregarding His lessons, His wisdom. Revna wanted some time to actually think about that. She didn’t believe she was doing that to Him…but what if she was, and she just wasn’t seeing it right now?

"Did I ever tell you of when I was reunited with my master? On Odavessa?"

Revna practically jumped out of her skin when she heard Alisteri’s voice. She had been wound so tightly from their interaction that Him simply talking to her elicited a startled reaction from her - as if she’d been physically struck. She composed herself quickly enough, but she wasn’t sure if He noticed the startled jerk of her form or not.

“No.” Revna said in a mute, sullen voice after a moment. “You never really share stories that involve her, unless it's to ridicule her or whatever.” Another pause, and a quiet inhaled breath as if she was trying to steady or ground herself. “...I’d like to hear it though.” ​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius kept His hidden gaze on the floor even as Revna's answer drew a humorless chuckle from Him, unclear on if His eyes were watching her from the corner of His visor or not. He sat back in His seat, His head lolling back and resting against the headrest as His visor shifted from regarding the floor to the ceiling instead. He took a deep breath as decades old memories returned to Him, ones that were far from fond. As such when He spoke again there was little warmth to be found in His words.

"It was a few months after the Sith Empire had fallen, torn apart by enemies on all sides. I had gathered my followers and any soul willing to accompany us aboard a frigate when we made our escape from Dromund Kaas, fleeing before Imperial or Ashlan forces moved against the world. We had been drifting from station to station, picking up stragglers and refugees until the ship was full. We'd come into contact with one or two other groups such as ours, fleeing from the chaos of the lost war, but no signs of official decrees or orders from any command." He clicked His tongue.

"And then one day, I find a thing aboard our ship." He didn't spare the venom that seeped into His tone for a moment. "The self-proclaimed 'Worm Emperor' had sent out messengers to invite every Sith that could be found to a nebula on the edge of known space. I expected the worst and went by myself, after all the Worm and his 'Sith Eternal' had been traitors to the empire during the war. I figured he was just trying to coax the desperate to his banner, and I wound up being right. In a sense."

He raised a gloved finger, one which had pierced through the tip of the glove itself only a couple minutes ago and who's umbral skin seemed to absorb the dim light of the shuttle interior. "Odavessa was where he and his lot had fled to. A hidden world, Banite in origin as it turned out. Something which had been secreted away and forgotten until we returned to it. I expected to see the fractured and disparate remnants of his Eternal and whatever was left of the Sith Empire there, more than likely at each other's throats. But I was...disappointed."

The shuttle jolted slightly as it rose off of the ground and exited the hangar, although the movement did little to interrupt the masked man's recollection. "I saw legions. Armadas. Sith Lords who I had only heard of in whispers on the front lines of the war. Living legends, and they'd all gathered under the banner drawn up by the Worm. And I remember feeling so...disjointed. In disbelief." He sighed as His finger bloomed into an opened and waving hand. "Where were these armies when the Imperials broke our lines? Where were these Lords when the Ashlans tore through our worlds? And why had they gathered here now?"

He shook His head slowly as His hand returned to His lap. "I expected them to kill each other. To place blame, to refute blame, to do something." Darth Strosius finally looked back at Revna. "And 'something' is exactly what they did. They stood around, met like old friends, conversed, preened, waltzed, all as though we hadn't just lost our place in the galaxy. For they hadn't lost one fething thing. Not a one of them. And the Worm? Our old foe? Well, they were all to happy to conspire with him on planning their next excursion into the galaxy at large."

A very familiar tone of cold resentment was seeded into His words, one that she would have undoubtedly heard almost any time that He spoke of the empire of old and its betrayers which He reviled even now. "I was disgusted, how could I have felt anything else? Four years of my life, and the lives of so many others around me, spent waging a war that those who led us clearly weren't affected by. I wanted to lash out. To scream. To know why they'd just abandon the empire so easily, so seamlessly. But before I could summon the courage to do anything, there she was at my side."

Once again His gaze drifted away in an idle lilt. "Darth Ophidia, Lady of Assassins. My master. I had presumed her dead, and of course at the time she had been but I never knew until much later, and here she was with me again. As though she'd never left me at all, as though I hadn't spent my time as an Acolyte without her instruction in a war that was doomed to fail." He shook His head slowly, softly. "And she told me to watch, to listen, to see what they would wrought there. Coached me to keep track of our numerous foes, that we were beset by them within just as we were without. And then..."

Another humorless chuckle escaped Him. "And then," It evolved into an almost manic cackle, reigned in quickly with a seething breath. "And then she steps away from me, gesturing for me to follow, as she joins in with the cowards and tyrants. As she adds her voice into the discussion of the next war. As she showed me exactly who she was. And who she would throw her lot in with." He sat up slightly. "I didn't join her of course, I was an Acolyte with no place at such a talk. And in that moment, of her movement and my stillness, we both knew that our dynamic had shifted. That I had grown beyond being her Apprentice, and she beyond my Master."

He sat up properly now, more energy returning to His words where they'd fallen into a somber tone. "From then on our relationship became one of transaction rather than respect. She instructed me only so that I act when she wished, I followed her commands simply in order to further my own power and being building some sort of place for myself in her shadow. Over time I saw more and more of the concessions and agreements she was willing to make with our foes, and she in turn began perusing more Apprentices to serve as my competition."

He hummed as He looked back at His daughter. "None of them met her standards for very long, until Malum was happened upon. I think she believed that she could mold him like she didn't get the chance to with me, a proper successor to her legacy. But of course she kept me around and trained to give the Heir of Marr someone to rival against. And someone to take the fall if he wound up failing too publicly I'm sure. I knew that it was only a matter of time until she turned him onto me, and she knew that I wasn't going to sit back and let her steer the Sith into ruin again. It was simply a question of which one of us would strike first."

He paused, letting His words hang in the air for a moment before cocking His head to the side. Revna's face was reflected in His visor as He took a breath and propped His chin on His hands, elbows resting atop His knees. "Would you like to know a secret that only one living soul aside from myself is privy to?"

Revna Marr / Varin Mortifer / Lysander von Ascania

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Darth Strosius // Varin Mortifer // Lysander von Ascania ​

Revna was quiet, still somewhat sour, when Alisteri began to recount the memory, the story, to her. Despite her mood, she listened as she always did - with focused attention, hanging on to every word the man said. Despite the heated words exchanged, and the temper flare that almost ended with her turning and punching Him in His face mask, Revna was thankful once more that she had mastery over herself…for the opportunity to even hear this story from Him to begin with.

Not so very long ago, that wouldn’t have been the case.

She listened as He shared what happened when the ‘Worm Emperor’ made his appearance, how Sith from all over had gathered together, how Alisteri had expected one thing to happen but witnessed another, and she tried her very best to understand the sort of disappointment he felt through it all. Of course, she hadn’t been there, hadn’t experienced it herself so she truly couldn’t understand the depths…but she had known disappointment before in her life - especially when she expected one thing, and received another outcome.

He continued sharing - explained how His master, Darth Ophidia herself, had arrived. Explained how He had presumed her dead because she had left Him for most of His Acolyte years, and how she had just…reappeared. As if nothing had ever happened. Revna shifted somewhat uncomfortably hearing that - she saw similar parallels in what she did to her own Apprentices. Disappearing, not giving them a single word as to her whereabouts or that she was okay after very nearly dying.

And now, shortly, she was about to drop back into their lives without warning…if they stayed at the Academy.

She pushed those thoughts away, returning her focus to her Father’s story. She could almost feel the bitterness, the resentment, in her own skin when He recounted how His master had told Him to watch, to listen - to learn who their foes were. And then she surprised Him by joining their ranks.

Revna could understand rather well just why there had been a shift between Him and Darth Ophidia. Their relationship shifted to as a consequence of that, to one of transaction between master and apprentice. Revna knew that her grand-master had been more old school when it came to Sith teachings, employing tactics that were more Banite than anything else. Teachings and pathways that Revna’s own Master had steadfastly refused to employ on her.

While a large part of Revna was thankful for that - another part of her secretly resented it. Sometimes she felt “cheated” out of what it truly meant to be a Sith apprentice. She didn’t fear for her life, she didn’t face reprimands or punishments that she knew others certainly had. She felt…safe…protected, cherished…loved, even. It was a large part in why she had come to see Alisteri as her Father figure, instead of as her Master. She still respected Him as such - but their own dynamic had shifted quietly over the years.

Perhaps that was why she had sought out others in secret to teach her things, behind His back. Why she had so willingly agreed to learn under the likes of Darth Carnifex. Missteps on her part were not given a slap on the wrist, or a stern lecture. She had to fight for the right to even exist, sometimes. Prove herself. Over and over again. One misstep, one word spoken out of line, one wrong move or miscalculation, would have seen her killed without a second thought.

And what scared her most? She had relished it, and a part of her even missed it.

Revna turned her gaze back to her Father as He mentioned Ophidia searching for other Apprentices to serve as “competition” for Him. It was how Malum, her own flesh and blood, had come into the picture. A young hot-blooded noble meant to be His rival, one that turned into a sort of tenuous battle brother who was never meant to fill that role. Revna quietly considered the motivations behind all that, but some darker lurked in her thoughts.

Perhaps…the moment that the fracture happened between Ophidia and Alisteri…was the moment she realized He would not be a useful tool for her…and she began to find His replacement. Banite Sith Lords were known for doing that - quietly deciding that one apprentice was worthless, but instead of just outright killing them, they tried to have someone else do it. Namely, a “better” option. She couldn’t say for certain if that was what had occurred in Alisteri’s case - but it certainly felt that way based on His recollection.

In the end, however, Darth Ophidia’s plans, or choices, hadn’t really mattered. She fell to both Alisteri and Malum’s blades…though both men liked to argue who actually struck the killing blow, who claimed it for themselves. Darth Strosius certainly did and she knew Malum did as well. It was a point of contention…one that pushed them towards fracture.

Alisteri fell silent for a few moments, letting His story hang in the space between them. Revna’s face reflected off the shine of His visor, and she didn’t look away from it, as He propped His elbows on His knees.

"Would you like to know a secret that only one living soul aside from myself is privy to?"

Now that perked up her interest. Him? Share a secret with her? She almost opened up her mouth to say ‘Uh, yeah!’ - but she paused and narrowed her eyes slightly. He may have been her Father…but He was still a Sith Lord, and still her Master. He wouldn’t, or rather shouldn’t, give up His secrets for free.

“What kind of question is that?! Of course I do.” she said, hoping that the eagerness she felt wasn’t apparent in her voice. “...but I’m also not naive. Information like that comes with a cost. So what do You want from me, in return for You letting me know this secret? What’s the catch?”

 

[Darth Strosius]

A grin spread across His hidden features at the hesitation that Revna showed, at any other time it would have been disheartening but now it only served to confirm His suspicions. Thankfully she hadn't fully cast aside all that He'd attempted to instill in her it seemed, she was still smart enough to know when an empty hand hid the other one clutching a blade. That was certainly a relief but one that Darth Strosius didn't let Himself show as He sat up once more at her question.

"The catch is that I want you to listen." He stressed, a subtle hint of the frustration from their earlier conversation that was still buried beneath His composed demeanor. "Not just to what I'm about to tell you, but most importantly to what I don't say. Read between the lines of what I will reveal and tell me what you find. If you get the message I'm attempting to impart, then you'll be all the wiser for it. If you don't, well," He shrugged. "I'll have this shuttle turned around and we'll leave this system right here and now."

It was spoken casually but there was a clear intensity to His words, a threat that was far from idle. "Now, listen well because I'm only going to recount this once. And remember what you're meant to be learning from this, beyond simple history." With that firm statement established He allowed Himself to ease back into His seat slightly, folding His hands together in His lap as He stared past her. "The Ouroboros Crisis is what the Sith Order would label the Tsis'Kaar's revolt. An attempt by Darth Ophidia to snatch power in the wake of Empyrean's declaration of himself as a new Sith Emperor and the sparing of Carnifex and his wretched Kainate after their own short lived yet bloody rebellion."

He took a breath. "So goes the official story anyway, the one that those even within the highest levels of the Order would tell you. History is written by those holding the pen, but history is lived by those in the moment. And in the moment the truth of the Ouroboros Crisis is far different from what any believe to be true." The reflective visor settled back onto His daughter. "Ophidia wasn't the one to start the Tsis'Kaar's attempted coup that resulted in the Crisis, it was me."

For a moment He let the admission hang in the air before He shifted in His seat and continued, gaze growing distant once more. "I saw my opportunity to strike. My master had locked herself away during the latter days of the Kainite rebellion, letting Empyrean consolidate his power and position whilst she spun her webs amidst the chaos. Without her direct orders I used my authority as one of her Apprentices to subvert her control. I turned as much of the Tsis'Kaar to my side as I could, and those that I couldn't were the first to die during the outbreak of the crisis. She didn't know what was happening until Empyrean had already called for her head."

While He did speak matter-of-factly it was evident that He had a fair bit of grim pride in His work. "Soon enough as the tides inevitably turned against our favor, more and more of the Tsis'Kaar sought new leadership in myself and Malum. I kept as much of a communication blackout between Ophidia and her network as I could, giving conflicting orders and information to those that I couldn't simply deafen. Turning Malum against her wasn't easy, but by the time it came to put her down he agreed all the same. His back was against the wall and he needed someone to help claw him out of the grave that the Tsis'Kaar had dug itself, he even went and showed some backbone by meeting with Empyrean of all people."

Darth Strosius let out an amused huff and shook His head at the memory before continuing. "We cut down Ophidia together, salvaged what we could of the Tsis'Kaar separately, and in the end we both had what we wanted. Malum had a platform that brought in attention and platitudes from the powers-that-be within the Order and I had the Inquisition all to myself to use as I saw fit. I was at the height of my power and influence within the Sith, I thought that I was only one move away from taking down the whole rotten structure that Empyrean had built and supplanting it."

Then He clicked His tongue and raised a finger. "But I made a crucial mistake. One that led directly into the current state of affairs that we find ourselves in now. That led to you being captured, to my demise, to the ousting of our relevancy within the Sith Order. Can you see where I went wrong, Revna? Where I made that one fatal error?" He paused as though to coax a response only to continue before she could reasonably offer any. "I made the mistake of not slaying Ophidia alone."

Darth Strosius suddenly rose from His seat, gripping onto the rails lining the ceiling for support as the shuttle bucked due to entering the atmosphere of Korriban. "In the eyes of the wider Order, the Tsis'Kaar and its Lady of Assassins hadn't been defeated. They'd been diluted. In the two heirs sharing in the demise of Ophidia, they saw no equals but rather two lesser players on a board that they had long since stacked in their favor already. They wasted little time in tempting Malum to their ranks I'm sure, even Lady Srina Talon herself aided in that. But as for me?"

He gave a humorless laugh, more a scoff really. "There were no invitations or platitudes for me. I can only assume they thought me to be such a lesser threat, and with Malum lured into their pockets easily enough the Tsis'Kaar had been effectively handled in their minds. I had no leverage. No respect. No authority worth recognizing. I was nothing to them, even after I'd come so far and done so much. And once I realized that I rushed to correct it in any way that I could. Even if it meant kidnapping some of Raaf miserable little brats."

He stepped closer and loomed over Revna as the shuttle soared through some light turbulence, shuddering the seating area in the process. "If I had been wiser, then I would have destroyed Ophidia alone. In two they saw weakness, but in one they would have been forced to see an equal. A threat, at the very least. One that they would have parleyed with until they thought that they knew me well enough to placate me as they had done with every Sith Lord before. In that moment, right as they trusted me handled, that's when I would have played my final hand. That's when I would have finished the job, slain them all. Rebirthed the Sith Order into the Sith Empire that it parades itself as now. But I didn't, couldn't. Because I made that one mistake. Because in the moment I believed I knew best, that I had all the advantages and set pieces that I needed to succeed."

His head cocked to the side again. "Do you understand Revna? Do you see the lesson I'm imparting? Answer quickly, it would be rude to make a landing and then leave before the doors even opened after all."

Revna Marr / Lysander von Ascania / Varin Mortifer

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Darth Strosius // Varin Mortifer // Lysander von Ascania ​

The catch, it would seem, was His demand for her to truly listen - a hint of His concealed frustration seeping into the word. He wanted her to truly listen to what He was going to tell her, and more importantly, what He didn’t outright say. His price was for her to pick up on the message He was going to try and impart to her…and if she didn’t?

Then He would order the ship away and this trip would be for nothing. It was said with such seriousness that Revna knew without a shadow of a doubt that He would follow through on that threat. And it was a threat, even if He wasn’t threatening her life or promising pain or whatever else. She understood the stakes at hand quite clearly, and her only acceptance of those terms (she didn’t have a choice in the matter and they both knew it) - was to dip her chin in agreement. If He had hoped His threat would elicit some response from her, He would find nothing. It was as if it didn’t phase her…though internally she had to roll her eyes.

But now it was her turn to lean forward, eyes intent and ears sharp, aware of what she needed to do.

Darth Strosius began the lesson with a recounting of the infamous Ouroboros Crisis. He gave a basic overview, what was told in Academies, what was known to the public, and what the rest of the Sith in the Order believed. It was what Revna had come to believe as well.

The truth, however, was delivered from the man seated across from her - an admission that made her sit back and give Him a proper look in astonishment. “You did that?” she breathed in the space He left for the admission to settle in, shocked awe clear in her voice. She said nothing further as He continued, her rapt attention settled fully upon Him now, hanging on to every word…truly listening.

For some reason, hearing Him speak about His involvement, what He did to bring about the Crisis, made Revna regard Him in a new light. He had always seemed so brazen, up front in His decisions, His actions - for good or ill - that to hear Him say He orchestrated something mostly from the shadows surprised her. The fact that Darth Ophidia of all people didn’t see it coming…said a lot. He saw an opportunity and took it - putting forth into action events that would shape the Sith Order moving forward, and something that would go down in history.

And yet…no one knew He was behind it. That was probably a good thing, but it made her wonder why that was. The more He spoke however, the more the picture began to come together, piece by piece.

And the more she began to catch onto things that He was insinuating, buried beneath the history lesson, the admission.

At the end of the Crisis, both He and Malum had what they wanted. Darth Ophidia was gone, her powerbase split between them. Her Master claimed that He had come into the height of His power and influence then as Lord Inquisitor. He thought Himself in the perfect place to stage what He thought would be His last move to make that would bring down everything.

And that was where He confessed to making a mistake. One that He claimed led to their current situation within the wider Order - led to her capture, to His demise, so on and so forth. He didn’t kill Ophidia alone. He had an accomplice. And in having Malum there with Him, it diluted Alisteri’s grab for power. It took away from Him the very thing He needed to be taken seriously by the Sith Order. Instead, it made Him a ghost in the machine.

Tragic, for someone who had sought to make a name for themselves, and rise higher than what was expected from them.

And it seemed that such a fate got underneath her Master’s skin. So much so, that He tried to do anything and everything He could to get the recognition He felt He was owed. All the way up to and including kidnapping children to use them as leverage against a rival he woefully underestimated.

Revna watched the Sith Lord rise up and approach where she was seated, and the way He did so made her straighten in her seat, regarding Him with a measure of caution and wariness. He loomed over her seated form - and for perhaps the first time in a very long time, Revna got to see the Lord side of Him shine through. A reminder that He was the Master, and she was the Apprentice. The difference between them was made sharply aware to her in that moment, enough to sober her and swallow back any retort or sharp response she might have had for Him at the end of all of this.

Darth Strosius reiterated that, had He been wiser, He would have destroyed His master alone. With both Him and Malum killing her - it took away the recognition that was owed to Him for such a feat. And Revna knew, at least somewhat, that her own cousin claimed that triumph for himself and paraded it before anyone that would hear of it. The truth of the matter was a harsh one: her Master was right. It would have been to his advantage, if He had killed his master alone. But she knew that it never would have been fully his right to claim, if Malum had been left alive.

His mistake had been to not kill her cousin when He had the chance, and thus remove any chance for doubt on his claim, any chance for a rival to steal it out from underneath Him.

Darth Strosius’s words evoked a slew of thoughts that zipped through Revna’s mind, the understanding that He expected a response from her - and He had no qualms about putting the pressure on her the moment He finished speaking.

"Do you understand Revna? Do you see the lesson I'm imparting? Answer quickly, it would be rude to make a landing and then leave before the doors even opened after all."

“I see a few lessons in what You have shared, Master.” Revna replied evenly. “Perhaps lessons You were not even intending on imparting, or insights that You didn’t think about. I will share them all - and if it is not to Your satisfaction, then it is what it is and I will abide by Your decision.”

A pause, a breath, feeling the shuttle rumble as it zipped through the atmosphere of Korriban. They were close; she could feel its familiar presence and power seeping into her bones…calling to her. Yet she set it aside to focus on the moment before her.

“Firstly…You did everything You could to make them notice You. To be someone worthy of recognition, that all that You’ve done would be noticed and applauded and You would be a voice that was listened to, a presence that was respected, perhaps even feared. And they didn’t - and it burned You. I…I echoed the same sentiment before we got on this shuttle. That all I wanted was Your recognition for the things that I’ve done…and instead, You turned a deaf ear and a blind eye. You spurned me…just like the wider Order rejected You and Your hard work.

And I feel that it is Your way of telling me, showing me, that nothing I do will matter to them either. All my achievements will amount to nothing, if I am doing it to win their favor, their approval. And because I have You as my Master…Your reputation also falls over me. Which means that if they scorn You…they will scorn me too. Maybe not today, or tomorrow…or five years from now…but in the end it will happen. All my achievements will amount to nothing, because I remain in your shadow. How does the saying go? ‘The sins of the father are visited upon their children’?”

Revna tilted her head to look up at Darth Strosius from her still seated position. She wasn’t entirely confident in her statement…if it was something He was looking for, but she forged ahead anyway.

“Secondly…I saw something else, layered between the words You were sharing, the history. You didn’t take advantage of the situation You found Yourself in after You and Malum killed Darth Ophidia, and use it to achieve Your goals, Your desires. You didn’t fall back on what You had been taught by Your master - You forged ahead and did Your own thing, because You thought you knew better. You disregarded the wisdom and lessons of Your elder in favor of Your own pride and self confidence.”

She stared at the mask for a moment, before she continued to her next observation.

“You could have destroyed the Order from the shadows, from within, because You were nameless. They didn’t expect You to do anything, because they thought You worthless, weak, nothing. A lesser being. But instead of seeing the opportunity this position afforded You…You tried to take power in haste and prove Yourself worthy to a bunch of people who didn’t care about You or what You’ve done. You tried to step outside of your master’s shadow and do something that went against how You were trained. Assassins don’t attack from the front, in broad sight - they wait in ambush and strike when their victim least expects it.

As for the lesson I have taken away from this, is what happens when you don’t listen to the wisdom of your own master…and believe your own to be superior, or even above their lessons and teachings. It is a lesson of caution and warning: I think You fear that I am making the same mistakes You did…and all You can do is use that, and Your experiences, as a lesson to try and stop me from repeating the mistakes...the failures...You made.”

The young woman fell silent to allow her words to be absorbed, judged, and evaluated, and after a tense moment she sighed and finally looked away from the masked Sith Lord who was still looming above her. Her shoulders slumped somewhat in defeat, and a morose expression shadowed her pale face and darkened her normally bright, ember eyes.

“I…I just wanted us both to enjoy this outing together since it is our first since…You saved me. And I ruined it…didn’t I? I guess I better get comfortable for the ride back to the ship…” ​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Revna's initial response was careful, considerate of the temperament that He'd displayed thus far and understandably cautious as a result. It was smart, if a bit insulting. He leaned back a bit as she took a breath and began giving Him the answer that He sought, or so He assumed that she would at least. Regardless Darth Strosius would give her the, in this case literal, breathing room to gather her thoughts and speak her answer. But of course not enough room to fully diminish His presence before her.

Her first answer was entirely applicable and almost exactly what He'd been hoping her takeaway from the recounting to be. Although He didn't shift externally, a proud smile adorned His hidden features even as she looked to Him in hopes of a confirmation that He had no intention of giving. He was far too curious to see what all she'd gleaned to stop her now. Besides, there was one more detail that He was waiting for her to mention. He knew she'd be clever enough to spot it, it was simply a matter of if she'd say it aloud or not.

The second answer sounded dangerously close to a critique for His liking however it was accurate enough that He allowed her to speak without interruption. This was meant to be a learning exercise after all and for that He needed to be relatively transparent, outright correction had never borne much fruit when it came to instructing Revna. This method was far more effective, as long as she had the right incentive she'd manage to find the correct answer all on her own.

And she proved Him right with her next observation, one that He'd of course silently spurred on by simply continuing to stare at her expectantly without offering any closure or indication of what He was hoping she'd say. Yet for the keen eye there would still be the ever so subtle slouch in His shoulders as she fell silent, His head inclining slightly as though pondering on her response. As though He didn't already have a grin plastered across His face that she simply couldn't be privy to.

It wasn't until her next remark drew His gaze back down to her that He noticed how defeated she looked, each word spoken in that moment just further proof of her crushed spirit. Darth Strosius couldn't help the pang of guilt that spread through His core at the sight, and with that He allowed the facade to drop. "That you had." He cocked His head to the side. "Although, you shouldn't get too comfortable at the moment you know. We are about to land and disembark after all, and last I recall visiting Korriban there's quite a good bit of walking to be done to get anywhere."

The masked man stepped away from His daughter, sliding His hand along the railing as the ship began to slow and descend. "You really must tell these...associates of yours here that they need to invest more in infrastructure and transportation. Ease of movement means freedom of movement after all." He let the dim lighting glint in His visor for a moment before glancing back at Revna. He supposed that it was His turn to apologize, she'd been allow to stew long enough.

"I enjoy every moment that we spend together, my dear. Even less...pleasant ones like this." He idly pressed Himself against the side of the shuttle as it banked in for landing. "My master left me to find my way in the galaxy all on my own, only to oppose what I was forced to become in her absence. I spent four years in a war beyond my understanding and control, then several more being the sole lifeline of people that looked up to me as though I had all the answers to their qualms and tribulations."

He sighed, one might almost call it wistful if it wasn't so somber in tone. "I've had to claw my way from nothing time and time again without aid or direction. That's not a fate that I've ever wanted anyone else to have to endure, least of all you. You've already been through so much when I was incapable of being at your side, I simply don't want to see you go astray or damn yourself when I have the ability to prevent it. To stop you from making the same mistakes as I did, from being hurt as I have. And I've let that desire consume me to the point of blinding me to the progress you've made in spite of my absence."

Revna Marr / Varin Mortifer / Lysander von Ascania

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Darth Strosius // Varin Mortifer // Lysander von Ascania ​

Revna was prepared for Strosius to tell her she had failed in her assessment, and that they were returning back to the Harbinger.

To her delight and surprise however, what He told her next was the exact opposite of what she feared. "Although, you shouldn't get too comfortable at the moment you know. “We are about to land and disembark after all, and last I recall visiting Korriban there's quite a good bit of walking to be done to get anywhere."

Her crestfallen expression brightened up a bit as hope flared in her eyes. He didn’t have to expressly tell her that she had picked up what He had been trying to put down, so to speak, for her to understand that she had passed the test and learned the lesson He had been trying to impart.

She just had to figure out how to actually apply it to her life…without giving up everything she’d been doing in the year and a half that she’d been a captive and He’d been gone.

He stepped away from her and gripped a hold of a rail as the ship rocked, lowering its way towards the ground, and hopefully in the spaceport that she was familiar with.

"You really must tell these...associates of yours here that they need to invest more in infrastructure and transportation. Ease of movement means freedom of movement after all."

Revna regarded the masked man in silence for a few moments, a frown on her brow. There was a lot layered into those words of His and she wasn’t entirely sure what to make of them. Was He…saying that He was going to permit her to stay or at least return so she could tell her “associates” about this?

“I…can bring it up and discuss it in the next Council meeting that I am able to attend.” Another hint, given to Him to clue Him into the fact that she was important enough on Korriban now to sit in on Council meetings. It was part of the less than “glamorous” side of royalty and the duties that were associated with it. Being a King, or a Queen, wasn’t about power trips or wearing a crown or eating fine food or entertaining “important” guests…at least it wasn’t here on Korriban.

It was a lot of work. A lot of meetings discussing everything imaginable under the Korribani sun, a lot of haggling, a lot of late nights doing paperwork and Force knew what else, and a lot of listening to others blow hot air out of their butts and try to look important to gain favor with the throne. That work had kept her and Caedes away from each other a lot.

But it was rewarding, in its own ways.

Revna felt the pang of wanting to share that with her Father since she knew He was well aware of the work that it took to keep a place, be it a city or an entire planet, running smoothly. She didn’t like keeping this or any of it from Him. But she just couldn’t trust Him in the moment…not with His outbursts.

"I enjoy every moment that we spend together, my dear. Even less...pleasant ones like this." Alisteri confessed after a moment of silence. The admission did bring a small half smile to her face and she felt herself relaxing a little bit more for it. She was quiet as He explained further how His master had left him to basically fend for Himself in the galaxy alone during a war that was beyond His understanding and control. And on top of all of that, He had a group of people who were expecting Him to basically lead them to the proverbial promise land and give them the answers they sought after.

For a young Sith, an acolyte, without the guidance of a Master or any guidance really - it was the perfect breeding ground for resentment, anger, disillusionment, and a host of other things. Revna could hardly blame the man for adopting the outlook that He did over the years.

And what was worse…no one cared about it. They laughed at Him, or His efforts. The blood, sweat, and tears He had poured out.

No wonder why He hated them all, and the Order they represented.

Strosius sighed, somewhat somberly, and Revna tilted her head at Him. "I've had to claw my way from nothing time and time again without aid or direction. That's not a fate that I've ever wanted anyone else to have to endure, least of all you. You've already been through so much when I was incapable of being at your side, I simply don't want to see you go astray or damn yourself when I have the ability to prevent it. To stop you from making the same mistakes as I did, from being hurt as I have. And I've let that desire consume me to the point of blinding me to the progress you've made in spite of my absence."

Finally, the truth came out, the confession - from the heart, and the realization that He had allowed it to blind Him. But Revna didn’t feel victorious in that moment, if anything…she felt heartbroken for Alisteri. And she understood, at least a bit better, on why He had been so stubborn and headstrong in His opinions and beliefs when arguing with her. Revna was silent for several moments, even as she felt the ship touch down and the engines idle down. When she rose, it wasn’t to leave…but to approach the man and, after hesitating for only a moment, step in and wrap her arms around Him in an embrace.

They may have said sharp words to each other - but it didn’t change how she felt about Him or how she saw Him.

After a moment, Revna stepped back and looked at the masked face. “I very much appreciate all the hard work You have done, and continue to do even now, to make sure I don’t experience the same things You did. It does frustrate me because I want to be able to make mistakes and learn from them…but I don’t want You to feel like I disregard Your lessons or teachings or wisdom. I value them very much, I always have and I always will. And even if no one else recognizes all that You did…I do. Your people do, it is why we still have Your back and remain loyal to You.” She searched the mask, looking at her reflection, her haggard face staring back at her.

“Just…please…do me a favor, okay? Instead of assuming why I am saying or doing something that You wouldn’t do for one reason or another…maybe ask me why I am doing it. Give me the benefit of a doubt, and at least hear me out. Even if You don’t like it. I’d rather discuss it with You than argue and fight about it. Now…let’s go out and go on an adventure!”

She turned away to head towards the ramp, pressing the button to lower it so they could step out onto the familiar red, chilly sands.

As soon as the cold air circulated through, Revna’s entire demeanor seemed to change.

A genuine, happy smile crossed her face and her eyes lit up as if set afire from within. She didn’t even wait for the ramp to finish lowering before she practically skipped out of the transport vessel and onto solid ground - though she didn't do that for very long as pain radiated through her lower back.

“Oh am I so glad to be back here.” The statement was genuine. Clearly, she did not see Korriban as a place of containment or a prison for herself…unlike what Alisteri had assumed it had been for her. She stepped back up to Him and linked her arm with His own, a proud smile crossing her face.

“You know…one of my dreams was to walk on Korriban's surface with You. To visit the Valley of the Dark Lords with You…and now, we shall! It will be the first place we go to…uh, well almost.” Her gaze found the distant Valley, and the red expanse of the Golg Desert between them and the great canyon. Her eyes narrowed slightly in thought. “Hmm. It is quite the jaunt out there, or at least to the location where I want to take You. We can either take speeders, or, if You are open to it - I have access to the Royal Sithspawn Kennels. If You want, we can ride a couple of Hssiss out there! I wouldn’t mind getting back into the saddle anyway…quite liberating to ride across the dunes.” ​