Private To Sculpt Divinity

[Madrona A’Mia]

Any curiosity about or thought that her behavior was odd completely eluded A'Mia's awareness. Child like in posture, yet fell and eldritch in disposition, the woman kept tap tap tapping away as the others spoke. The moment Kadra mentioned the available manifest she accessed it with a decisive swipe, large pool-like eyes flicking rapidly through the new data as she effortlessly began to transpose key details into her own notes in cryptic shorthand.

"However, I feel as though it isn't beyond my station to urge...consideration and caution in doing so." Kadra was tense, clearly expecting some immediate backlash even as he continued. "The last time that Darth Strosius swelled Himself with strength, absorbing the reservoir cultivated beneath Formos's Cathedral, He thought Himself not just equal to the greatest powers of the Sith Order but far beyond them. He did not enter the Kaggath with Lord Malum for an equal battle, He went to strike down Empyrean himself and use the Kaggath as the excuse to draw him out."

The neti slowed in her work, eyes still fixed to the hand as she listened. Only when Revna provided a firm but gentle rebuttal did the woman show any outward sign of emotional response. One fine lined brow rose and A'Mia turned her head to cast an investigatory glance the way of their host. Her expression still remained mostly neutral, but Kadra might recognize the implication that perhaps he and A'Mia should have another candid and more private discussion about the topic at hand. Her expression was a serene mask once more as she turned fully around, owl like— her body still squarely pointed toward the display case.

"What is your opinion, Lady A'Mia? What insights or thoughts do you have on all of this? Do you think this is a foolish idea, to empower Darth Strosius - knowing what He is like and what He is capable of doing?"

The air was thick with emotion, causing squiggles in her vision of the Weave, like heat waves rising off hot duracrete. Lord Seer of Korriban, recently appointed governor of Brosi, and above all, a steadfast woman of science, she found herself in a very delicate situation indeed. So delicate in fact, she could feel the weight that her answer would have on the trajectory of not only Alisteri’s future but the fate of Wonosa as a whole. The topic they discussed and how it was handled, the path they forged together here and how the rest of the story would unfold thereafter… the very fabric of probability and reality seemed to thrum for a moment.

“Your position in this is of course difficult Kadra, and you have my respect for handling the matter with such care. Though I recognize you might never fully feel the appreciation of Darth Strosius on this matter, you have my thanks.”

The polite response was earnest enough, but it was also a cover for psychic communication that A’Mia slyly passed on to Revna Marr in the same breath that she spoke aloud.

Love is one of the most potent emotions in the galaxy, or so I’ve read and been told. Be cautious, dear Revna, that the love you bear for him does not blind you to his shortcomings. I promise you, I will help him… but he might rankle at
that which is ultimately best for him, as well as those he holds dear.
​

Still sat in a rather uncanny position, head turned at that unnatural angle, A’Mia continued in a thoughtful tone.

”I’ve sworn to the man himself that I will help to provide him a new vessel, and I do not make such promises lightly. The project will continue, now more successful than ever given this new pivotal information.”

Finally she relented from the uncanny way she regarded them, turning back to gaze at the hand once more and slowly starting to type up more notes.

“Alisteri does not stand alone though. No one truly does, but the Prophet is more enmeshed than most. Many rely on him, much resource is tied up and contingent upon his continued existence. Safeguards therefor must be put into place…”

Her gaze slid sidelong to regard Kadra and her voice lowered so that his companions might have to lean in to hear, in the effort to deny any other from overhearing them.

”…contingencies even, if need be. Someone or something must be able to hold Alisteri accountable for his actions, that we might deny our enemies the sole ability to dole out his consequence.”

 

[Darth Strosius]

The Councilor was content to let silence reign as his grim words set in their minds, the more they thought of it the better as far as he was concerned. Undoubtedly their immediate reactions would be reprehension even if it went unspoken. Half of the reason behind this entire project was to do exactly as he had just warned them against, not only restoring the Prophet but granting Him a new level of strength that He'd have never been able to wield or exercise before.

Yet he hoped that they would see as he did, what with A'Mia's external perspective and Revna's capture still fresh in her mind. Darth Strosius was reaching far beyond His station and capabilities. He had always done so, but as had become ever more apparent His struggling against the tide of the wider Sith Order had finally been noticed and stifled. Even if not completely, His crusade had still cost the Order of Wonosa far more than it had gained. Years of progress undone and talented individuals spent to try and stop the bleeding that He had invited.

Empowering Him would hardly solve the issue, Kadra knew that for a fact now. If anything, the Prophet was lucky that only Malum had engaged Him in the Kaggath after all that He had done then. Of course He would never see it that way, He couldn't. As Revna pointed out when she finally responded, He was hardly concerned about the gaps in strength between Himself and others. It hadn't exactly stopped Him before. The Councilor found himself tensing somewhat as she spoke of offering a different perspective.

One that was uncomfortably close to what he imagined Darth Strosius would say regarding His prior failures, if only He had enough power to make a difference. She spoke of Him finally being able to match and conquer His foes but the Councilor was almost too aghast to listen properly. Did she not know better? She had endured captivity of the Kainate for long enough, surely knew of the fate of Formos at the hands of Councilor Raaf, and he knew that she knew well enough what He had attempted to pull during the Kaggath.

Sheer power wouldn't get the Prophet much farther than He was already, but it could certainly inflate His pride and determination enough to see them all damned at the hands of His enemies. Kadra looked to the Neti with what must have been some look of desperation hidden beneath his mask, hoping for some sense and wisdom where the Disciple of Faith was clearly lacking. He shifted at her initial polite response and crossed his arms with a sigh. "His appreciation is not shown so clearly. My position here is enough of a display of my value in His eyes."

The Councilor wasn't blind, he knew how the Sith worked. Usefulness was the only real trait that mattered in the end, all else was secondary. Darth Strosius wasn't as different from those He so reviled in that regard as He might have thought. He tensed as she continued and seemed to initially be content to pursue the project out of some sense of honor alone, her unusual position doing little to soothe his concerns. Quite the opposite actually. He wasn't certain how the Prophet could tolerate such casual unnatural displays around A'Mia.

The mention of safeguards and contingencies did catch his attention however. Perhaps she could still be stirred towards the side of reason after all? That still left Revna to be convinced though. He picked his next words deliberately, carefully and precisely in as neutral a tone as he could muster. "And what if I said I had a method of ensuring that His decisions after His rebirth will be more...cautious? More pragmatic and less aggressive?" He raised a finger as though concerned that he'd be interrupted.

"They would still be His decisions of course. In fact, He'd be more aligned with what He was meant to be mentally as well as physically." It was definitely risky to play his hand so openly but he couldn't afford to lose their trust now. One word spilt to the Prophet by either of them and he could very well lose his head. This wasn't ideal but it had to be done. "I don't know how much either of you know of His resurrection, but in the process of it His soul was...conglomerated with a handful of others. Those of His worshippers. Granting Him their perspectives and memories, and since then He has been somewhat more...tact in His actions. Somewhat."

With a cautious wave of his hand, the Councilor gestured towards the walls. Beyond them lay the pods growing the Prophet's clones of course. "More than a few of these clones will be needed for His rebirth, that is no question. Their blood, given that it will largely be His own, will be an essential component. Their lives will unfortunately need to be claimed in the process, a byproduct of the ritual. Darth Strosius accidentally claimed the lives of His followers before during His demise, dragging their souls in to merge with His unwittingly. That accident could be replicated."

Darth Strosius would balk at the idea of course, which was precisely why the Prophet wasn't part of this conversation. "He would gain the power they possess, strengthening Him and swelling His soul just as He did unintentionally with His followers at the Kaggath. However, if we can fine tune the upbringing of the clones that He will eventually drain then we can craft perfect agents of Wonosa. Leaders and visionaries wholly loyal and dedicated to the Order. And if Darth Strosius were to meld their souls with His, then it stands to reason that such sentiments would seep into Him as well. There be no need for safeguards or limitations to His new form, His own mind and inclinations would prevent Him from going too far. From endangering the Order of Wonosa."

Revna Marr / Madrona A’Mia

 

[Revna Marr]

Even as she spoke her mind about the topic at hand, Revna could tell her words did not sit well at all with Kadra. He was disturbed, and internally it made Revna’s insides freeze and turn icy cold. Warning signs blared in her mind, and it almost sucked the wind from her proverbial sails. She finished what she had to say, but suddenly felt unmoored. Something, perhaps everything, she had said - had not been received well, by either of them. Less so by A’Mia - but still, Revna could sense the unease, and with it came tension that coiled her insides further.

She suddenly didn’t want to be there anymore, talking about any of this. What had she said that was wrong? Was her desire so…offending? Perhaps her emotional ties with her Father had clouded her vision and they were both able to see something that she was perhaps unclear on?​

Love is one of the most potent emotions in the galaxy, or so I’ve read and been told. Be cautious, dear Revna, that the love you bear for him does not blind you to his shortcomings. I promise you, I will help him… but he might rankle at
that which is ultimately best for him, as well as those he holds dear.​

It was A’Mia’s words drifting through her mind that brought clarity to the disturbance she felt, and it confirmed her silent suspicion that perhaps she was more…emotionally invested in this, and in the wrong ways, than she ought to be.

-I am not blind to my Father’s shortcomings. I watched Him choose violence with Taeli instead of working with her to find a better resolution to their conflict, and instead of being smart He decided to kidnap her grandchildren and use them against her. And I watched Him get Himself killed because He couldn’t keep His damn mouth shut at the Kaggath- came Revna’s mental reply, the tone a touch bitter and sorrowful. There was mental silence for a moment, before she continued

-Perhaps me being involved in this is a mistake…I clearly have an emotional tie in with Darth Stroisus and I am not unaware of my surroundings. What I just said disturbed the Councilor and clearly it didn’t sit well with you either-

Revna remained verbally silent, her posture and expression like a statue as she listened to A’Mia respond to the Councilor’s comments, to her own, and she remained silent as Kadra responded in kind.

He raised a finger, a gesture she took as him asking for both her and A’Mia to hold their comments for the moment, but she had no real intention of interrupting him. She wanted to hear what he had to say, but she was far more guarded now with anything she might say further than when she first stepped foot into the chamber. She took a few deep but quiet breaths to steady her shredded thoughts and disturbed emotions, trying to separate them and shut them down so she could be present for the discussion and not be so…invested emotionally, at least not in a manner that others could pick up on. The whole situation lasted only moments; and it would appear as if she was only briefly disturbed before seeming to shrug it off and carry onward as if nothing had happened.

Kadra discussed options on what could be done to improve the future Darth Strosius, using the clones. Revna listened without interruption, without her expression changing. The idea was presented that, perhaps the accident that had led to her Father carrying the souls of His followers who died with Him, could be replicated - merging other souls with His own to help further tame the Sith Lord’s volatile nature and make Him less aggressive and so quick to hostile actions. In the process, Alisteri would gain the power the clones possessed - since all of them would be Force Sensitive and powerfully imbued at that. The idea, however, was that the clones would be fine tuned in just the right manner, so that when they were sacrificed and their souls melded with that of Darth Strosius, then their calmer nature would be imbued into His own.

That was the idea, anyway - or as much as Revna could understand.

The suggestion, the idea, that Kadra presented - seemed solid. If it could be done, then perhaps all of them could rest a bit easier at night, knowing that Darth Strosius wasn’t about to launch some foolhardy attack against the Malsheem or the Kainate at random, or against some other enemy of His. She mulled everything Kadra had to offer and say in her mind, making sure to keep her emotions out of it. She was nervous to speak, but she pushed aside her own hesitations to do so anyway. He had brought both her and A’Mia here to discuss this, and she wasn’t going to shut down now.

There would be time for that later, when she was alone with her own mind again.

“I think we all can agree that a less aggressive Darth Strosius is a better alternative to what we have now.” She started, before she turned her burning eyes to Kadra. “I won’t lie - I do care strongly for the man. More so than a Sith should, but I’ve never claimed to be a normal Sith and I don’t hold myself to everyone else’s standards. That being said…I agree with you and Lady A’Mia. Something needs to be done, otherwise Darth Strosius is only going to get Himself killed again, permanently. And He is going to drag the Order of Wonosa down with Him. There is only so much that we can do to try and stop Him from doing something frankly…stupid. But the man is stubborn and I think it is fair to say that He doesn’t really listen to anyone except for His own council. It makes Him…unpredictable and dangerous. Not just for Himself but for all of us.”

Revna turned her gaze away from Kadra to stare at a point beyond him, and for a moment her mask slipped and a glimmer of her inner turmoil was revealed, before it was hidden away again. Despite not being Alisteri’s flesh and blood - the young woman was eerily similar to Him in her own ways.

“If creating clones only to sacrifice them to imbue Him with their better traits is what is necessary then so be it. I - this is not my area of expertise. Clearly. So I defer to those that do know what they are doing, or think they know what they are doing. I just really hope this works because if it doesn’t…” Revna’s voice trailed off as her mind flashed back to a point in the past, where her Master had told her bluntly that should He ever stray from the path, stray from what He had set out to do in the very beginning…then she may very well be the one who would have to cut Him down. Just like how He had cut down Darth Ophidia when He felt she had fallen away from her path, her purpose.

Revna didn’t carry the desire to kill her Master. But she would, if she had to. It would break her, but she was growing used to making sacrifices she didn’t want to make.​

Darth Strosius // Madrona A’Mia ​

 

[Madrona A’Mia]

Reassurance wasn't really in her nature, nor was comforting someone for the sake of it. When Revna's emotional state swelled and shifted however, it sent a ripple through the Weave and gave A'Mia pause. The neti also took in the measured but somewhat strained tone of Kadra. A'Mia continued slowly taking notes but the fervor of before had diminished and slowed. She couldn't just blaze ahead— not like when she worked alone or held command of her own laboratory. No, the Lord Seer would need to proceed with some sense of caution and decorum surrounding her treatment of the Prophet.

When she first took on the project and asked of him a hand to further her research, she'd dealt directly with him and found Alisteri surprisingly straightforward to work with. In a strikingly similar situation, wherein the man's truer hand was revealed to be available, the path ahead was anything but clear. To those surrounding her, Alisteri was more than a man. He was a leader, their Prophet, and to Revna? He was family. It mattered not they didn't share blood. A'Mia knew the blood of the covenant was thicker than the water of the womb for most sentient creatures.

However, if we can fine tune the upbringing of the clones that He will eventually drain then we can craft perfect agents of Wonosa. Leaders and visionaries wholly loyal and dedicated to the Order. And if Darth Strosius were to meld their souls with His, then it stands to reason that such sentiments would seep into Him as well. There be no need for safeguards or limitations to His new form, His own mind and inclinations would prevent Him from going too far. From endangering the Order of Wonosa.

A task that the Professor was uniquely qualified for. Gene selection and expression were not only among her repertoire but a specialty. As to the raising of these clones… Her eyes, still faced toward the sample, suddenly gleamed with eager covetousness.

Perhaps me being involved in this is a mistake…I clearly have an emotional tie in with Darth Stroisus and I am not unaware of my surroundings. What I just said disturbed the Councilor and clearly it didn’t sit well with you either

Within her, something stirred unbidden. A feeling, not altogether foreign these days but still quite rare, A’Mia noted concern for the raven haired woman growing in herself. Though still a long way from complete, it seemed that the neti’s own workings upon herself, all the efforts undertaken to expand her emotional horizons, were indeed leading to incremental change.

Though she wishes to press forward, to continue work immediately now that such a crucial variable had been accounted for, the more pressing issue was to provide reassurance where it was needed. Perhaps another conversation was warranted with Kadra one on one too. For now though, she knew she must show tact.

”You are as much a crucial expert in this matter as the rest of us, Revna,” A’Mia rose to a stand in one fluid motion and rejoined their little semi-circle, her tone brooking no argument.

”But if you are saying that you worry about your ability to keep this plan a secret, now would be the time to step back. Can you lie to Alisteri by omission? I know that I can, particularly for his own sake— and I have seen already in the Councilor here that he’s a pragmatic sort.”

What she didn’t add, what she was not yet certain of but gathered more evidence of each time she worked with Wonosa, was that such subterfuge was really only possible thanks to the kind of people Alisteri welcomed into power around him. The Prophet seemed to suffer no fools and certainly not sycophants in the upper ranks of his organization. Though he would of course be enraged at deceit coming from those he trusted most… ironically he’d set them up to do so in a rather beneficial way.

“I foresee an agreeable path forward, but I can’t impart that particular vision upon you and I think we find ourselves now at a crossroads. Are you ready to aid Alisteri from within the cloak of deceit or would you rather divest yourself of such, leaving this work to myself and Kadra, whilst you maintain the man’s trust more honestly?”

 

[Darth Strosius]

Councilor Kadra didn't allow himself to grow too complacent or enthused by Revna's initial response to his proposed plan, but her agreement at all was promising. He had been very particular about who he could include on this project, both on the cloning of the Prophet in general and especially for this portion of it that not even the man Himself knew of. Salneva for example could never be clued in, she'd storm right up to Darth Strosius and have Kadra put down like some rabid beast, but the Disciple of Faith was different.

While she was understandably and clearly loyal to the masked man and His goals and vision she did still recognize His faults and didn't make excuses for them as so many others within the cult would have. Even with her reluctant to stoop to the measure that he had conceived she still agreed with the general assessment that some measure had to be taken and that was enough to prove A'Mia's question of her silence null and void. To him at least.

The unspoken threat was to be expected and Kadra only offered a nod of acknowledgement in response, allowing the Neti to speak her piece before he added his own voice to the proposal once more. "If it is any consolation, Lady Revna," Aware that he had disturbed her somewhat he adopted a slightly softer and more conciliary tone. ", your attachment and closeness to Darth Strosius is precisely why I asked you here and request your aid in this matter."

It had been quite the risk after all, one not taken without consideration and careful planning. "I have a theory regarding why the Prophet emerged from His revival without too much alteration to His mindset in spite of absorbing several differing viewpoints. I believe that their external perspectives is exactly what made their minds separate from His during their conjoining, He could still parse through and distinguish Himself from His followers in spite of their entanglement."

Darth Strosius may have been tempered in His approach somewhat but He certainly hadn't been in His methods or designs. He was still as ambitious and, as Revna herself had so eloquently put it, as stubborn as ever. "Your closeness with Him can provide insight that I myself lack when tailoring the upbringing of these sacrificial clones. Simply making them responsible won't be enough I fear, but if we can educate them in a way that would make sense and seem logical to Darth Strosius as He is now then perhaps He would take better to their inclusion and melding into His being."

Unfortunately it was still a mere theory of course but it was one that was founded on what little real fact could be gleamed and pried from the masked man regarding His own condition and soul. "Your own view will undoubtedly be helpful as well of course, Lord Seer Madrona. I'm sure I have some biases and rigid opinions on the Prophet that you won't regarding our Prophet." What he chose not to mention was that he knew for a fact that the Neti occupied a very unusual and specific place in the mind of Darth Strosius.

She was the only individual that he knew of which seemed to unnerve and confound the masked man. Not even the greatest powers amongst the Sith Order could instill genuine fear or nerves into Him apart from simple caution, yet A'Mia had managed it somehow. Darth Strosius was never quite clear on what exactly made her stand out so much to Him but Kadra hoped that whatever it was could seep into the clones in one form or another, providing some inherent caution that the Prophet currently lacked in any meaningful amount.

Revna Marr / Madrona A’Mia

 

[Revna Marr]

Revna turned her gaze to the Neti as the other woman’s words fell over her, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow slightly at A’Mia’s comments: "But if you are saying that you worry about your ability to keep this plan a secret, now would be the time to step back. Can you lie to Alisteri by omission? I know that I can, particularly for his own sake— and I have seen already in the Councilor here that he’s a pragmatic sort.”

The young woman’s eyes glittered for a moment, revealing some sort of inner cunning to the Neti. “Oh I’m not worried about keeping secrets from my Master. Despite my closeness to Him…I am still a Sith, you know. There are things that I know that He doesn’t, and I intend to keep them that way.” Revna replied, hoping to ease those concerns that A’Mia had. She shifted her weight on her feet and crossed her arms over her chest as she glanced from the Neti to the Councilor.

“I’ve lied directly to my Master’s face before, and I can and will do so again. There are things He frankly doesn’t need to know, and this is one of those things. Despite how close I am to Him, neither of you need to worry on if I can handle the pressure of this. I just fear that my…attachment will prove to be more of a hindrance in this than anything.”

"If it is any consolation, Lady Revna, your attachment and closeness to Darth Strosius is precisely why I asked you here and request your aid in this matter." Kadra responded, and Revna stared at him for a moment in thought, before nodding.

“I can assist where I am able to, Councilor. I am not a total expert on the man Himself but I have made plenty of observations about Him during my time as His student.”

Upon hearing her assurances, the man continued, eager to share more information with both Revna and A’Mia. The Vahla woman pursed her lips in thought as she listened to Kadra share his thoughts and his rather cautious hopes on the project, during which time she was able to form other thoughts to share with the two of them - though again, she made sure to keep her emotional side as neutral as possible.

“Well…from my understanding, these clones will be starting from a clean slate. They won’t have the same life experiences as Alisteri did when he came into Sith possession. From what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen, my Master - the man that He is today - was shaped by the events that happened when He was an acolyte and even when He was a Knight. These clones would be raised without all that drama, or at least I am assuming that to be the case.

Therefore, even though they are versions of Darth Strosius, they are already inherently better off because they haven’t experienced the same things He has, the things that clouded or colored His view of the galaxy, of its people. They wouldn't have an opinion of say, Darth Empyrean or Darth Carnifex because they wouldn’t have had any interactions with said individuals to form an opinion. It makes them ideal to use in this proposed idea, because they can be tailored to bring specific traits or personality changes to Alisteri…or really whatever changes or adjustments that need to be made.”

She paused and exhaled, silently hoping that what she had said made sense or sparked some other ideas between the other two, or at least provided a little bit of insight on what could be done in raising these sacrificial clones.

"Though I do think that they should be given the opportunity to experience life events as well as a broader education - to help form and shape their cognitive and socialization abilities and skills, that in turn can be imparted to Darth Strosius. Critical thinking skills, the ability to see the bigger picture and decide on a course of action that would be wiser in the long run. I...hope what I've said here makes sense. I guess these are just ideas and I figured that presenting them wouldn't hurt."

Darth Strosius // Madrona A’Mia ​

 

[Madrona A’Mia]

A'Mia listened keenly as Kadra offered what soothing words he could to Revna. The man had not risen to the heights of Wonosa accidentally, and the neti was beginning to understand just how capable he was. She approve. He would make for an acceptable lab partner in the weeks, or more likely months to come.

Something else the man said, sparked an errant train of thought within her.

Simply making them responsible won't be enough I fear, but if we can educate them in a way that would make sense and seem logical to Darth Strosius as He is now then perhaps He would take better to their inclusion and melding into His being.

"Transplanting organs, before cloned tissue was readily available or in such cases when the technology is cost prohibitive— that's what you're talking about essentially. Only instead of the risk of organ rejection, we risk Alisteri too easily spotting the thought patterns and rationale which did not originally belong to him."

It was a bit of an aside, but her knowledge of medical history and its application in solving for potential pitfalls would certainly be necessary for the coming project. A'Mia merely inclined her head in acknowledgment that she would be providing an important and unique perspective on the Prophet, unaware that Kadra had designs on her unusual effect on the man.

"Though I do think that they should be given the opportunity to experience life events as well as a broader education - to help form and shape their cognitive and socialization abilities and skills, that in turn can be imparted to Darth Strosius. Critical thinking skills, the ability to see the bigger picture and decide on a course of action that would be wiser in the long run. I...hope what I've said here makes sense. I guess these are just ideas and I figured that presenting them wouldn't hurt."

A’Mia merely listened as Revna expressed her thoughts in detail. However, as she reached the topic of ensuring these clones would have access to individualit, the woman immediately expressed vehement agreement.

”It is the only way to test for some of the qualities we seek to impart. Raw power, Force compatibility, and so on, might all be accounted for in the blank canvass of raw biomass. There is no replacement for lived experience though, and in our quest to empower the Prophet in a way that also imbues the wisdom required to wield it? Well, I have to insist we account for at least a sizable grouping of them having closely guarded and safe kept, but truly lived experiences.“

This opportunity was far too promising to pass up, so she added in as polite a tone as she could manage for something she vehemently wanted to secure for herself in this project.

”Brosi is a veritable paradise, and there is much development under way. I ask that you consider allowing me to open a program, clandestine of course, but one meant to provide some of these clones with a home where they can stretch their wings a bit in a secure but somewhat free range environment.”

 

[Darth Strosius]

The Councilor wasn't quite as concerned regarding Revna potentially being unable to keep this little project a secret from her master, if he was then she wouldn't have been here in the first place. The assurance was still appreciated nevertheless, it eased him away from the potential of her choosing to let something slip to the Prophet if he didn't gain her cooperation fully. Kadra had safeguards in place of course but he knew well enough that there would always be just enough of a trace of his deeds to be tracked. Until it was all said and done at least.

A'Mia's rather apt response earned a nod from Kadra, with him turning to regard her properly. "Precisely. This whole project will mean nothing unless we can successfully impart the thought processes of these clones onto Darth Strosius during their melding, any steps we can take to limit Him rejecting these notions will have to be taken. We will only have one chance at this, at least I should hope so, and we can't afford to let Him simply take the power and run wild with it."

He could only imagine how Darth Strosius would react if He emerged in His new form fully empowered without any inhibitions from His clones but with full knowledge of what they were meant for. Kadra suspected that he wouldn't be able to flee fast enough to avoid whatever retribution might be enacted in that instance. He glanced back at the Disciple of Faith as she agreed with his own assessment of the usefulness of the clones. Her mention of specific individuals which the clones wouldn't have the same vehement hatred of which the Prophet did was of course another reason for their use.

While he hadn't made any mention of it himself as he wasn't entirely sure how Revna or A'Mia might have felt, any attempt to diminish the sheer hatred that Darth Strosius held for those such as Darth Carnifex and Emperor Empyrean was a necessity even if He did have a clearer and less biased outlook. So many of His mistakes and overreaches over the years had been committed purely due to that vitriol and venom, blinding Him to the path of success. And there wasn't any need to voice that He certainly needed to cease His little crusade of revenge against Darth Arcanix as well.

What the Councilor didn't seem to expect however was the assertions from the pair that the clones should have a more real and genuine lived experience. Even going so far as to offer Brosi as a potential place for such education and experiences to occur. "That's-" His exasperated tone quickly shifted into a more neutral one as he caught himself. "That's entirely unnecessary. We're already working on preparing various simulations and programs to effectively flash-pump the clones with the appropriate memories and circumstances."

Letting the clones loose, even in a controlled and contained environment, was simply foolish. While Darth Strosius was admittedly rather extreme in His views due to extreme circumstances, His consistent choices and outlook in and beyond such circumstances belied an inherent attitude that Kadra doubted would be entirely absent from His clones. The last thing they wanted was for the clones to reinforce His thought processes and judgements, that was entirely against their intent!

"We can't be certain that the clones would still turn out the way we want them to in order to properly change the Prophet if they were allowed their own perspectives and experiences. Recreating moments from His life with tweaked outcomes and responses from Him in them is guaranteed to provide the results we need. Even if they don't become too similar to Him in their perspectives when given some independence, He might more easily spot memories and experiences that aren't His own and reject them outright. It's too much of a risk."

Revna Marr / Madrona A’Mia