Turn Your Back On Mother Nature

[Ras'kala'han]

Bastion | Harper's Respite​

​

Something was ever-so-slightly wrong with Antherion's favorite power broker. Once going by "The Slave," this newfangled "Darth Maliphant" character seemed different. Less random, more political. No evidence of memory of who he was, what he was, a new sort of being entirely. Fortunately, judging by his little 'boons,' he still had that quality he so loved: throwing around new artifacts like they were candy, as though he had too many and was actively striving to get rid of the surplus, and that body of his - beautiful in its own way, a quality reflected in his own. They weren't identical, Antherion's flesh had been sculpted with influence from his own genetic code while his spirit was gripped by the Darkstaff, but his accomplice in a few pleasant crimes had left an obvious mark on his body.

Part of him, that part he tried to keep buried, felt a gnawing, empty sensation at the thought that someone he could at least tolerate being purged from existence. He narrowed his eyes briefly, hoping to turn it to more acceptable emotions. If anyone can help me with this problem, he thought, it's him. And I am certain his 'condition' will make it easier to make him... pliant.

As he walked up the dock, he tilted his head. Richer than I thought, he thought admiringly. Richer than me. The admiration stopped. "I," he said, "Will have to stop living out of my ship and embrace some real luxury for once."

He waited at the platform for his contact - the new Slave. His greatcoat fluttered in the breeze, and he regarded the sound of the cascading falls and the jungle below. For all the Sith's fondness for the grim, it was good to know that some people still appreciated genuine beauty.

[member="Darth Maliphant"]​

 

[Darth Empyrean]

________________________________

Harper’s Respite, as it had come to be known, towered over the singular automated docking area; though its soft mechanic whirs quickly took the ship Antherion had landed in towards the depths of some garage out of site. A female robotic tone quickly chimed in for the Sith, a content reassurement that the lord of the home would be there soon. All the while, shade was cast over the exposed platform he stood on, nothing but the distant oasis beneath the facility.

That was, until Maliphant himself stepped out of the massive home, looking far different than he had once as ‘The Slave’. Unlike his old persona, the man before him looked healthier, well sculpted and muscular, with no bags under his eyes and his hair kept in a high ended ponytail that dangled behind him as he walked. His clothes were different as well, the once purple, fur lined tail coats replaced now with a well adjusted synthetic fibre that fit well with athletic wear of the Core; various shades of black accenting each other in geometric lines and patterns.

Though, his voice hadn’t changed, only his tone; abandoning the almost iconic predatory speech of ‘The Slave’, always challenging, always mocking, with that of a reasonable man. Yet, despite the more welcoming persona, every word he spoke carried the same danger it always had, somehow.

“A pleasure, Darth Vesper, I’m Darth Maliphant…”, he said with a faint confused nature in his voice.

The man before him was almost identical to himself, from the way his jaw set to how his brow was relaxed; the only difference seemed to be in the length of their hair. Maliphant scratched his cheek for a moment as he studied Vesper, a noticeable confusion in his expression before he spoke again;

“What exactly brings you to my home?”

[member="Antherion"]

 

[Ras'kala'han]

It sunk in completely when he heard the voice, the absence of that purring, predatory edge he had grown so accustomed to. The Slave was dead, long live [member="Darth Maliphant"]. He felt that brief, alien gnawing lance through his chest for a moment before he willfully quieted it. He sized the man up in a few seconds, relying on the twofold powers of the Force and stereotyping - this one certainly had the bearing of one of the 'reasonable' Sith in the mold of those frustrating Saaraishash, if not to the extreme that some of those disciplinarians took it. No less of a threat, of course, frequently a 'reasonable' Sith would conclude that the means by which rationality would triumph over their bestial comrades was to simply take power themselves, but less erratic, less immediately dangerous to deal with. Even so, what he sensed was still sinister, coiling - dark in that way that was so satisfying to feel.

He immediately donned an expression of brief, pained concern; Maliphant's confusion - likely at their very similar appearance - did not escape his notice. "So, you've forgotten altogether, haven't you? I'm just Inheritor to you?" Darth Vesper pursed his lips, then smiled slightly. "As painful as it is, I'm almost excited at the chance for you to get to know me all over again."

As he spoke, Vesper's protocol droid stepped out from his ship - he plucked from its hands a bottle of Emerald Wine. "Well, Maliphant, since you would have no memory of my fondness for the finer things in life let this gift come as a surprise - " He extended his hand. "I'm well aware of Sith protocol about sharing drinks with, well, 'strangers' - " He gave the word a wry twist, as though the notion of the two being strangers was the archest comedy, "-so we can uncork this together. Do you have anywhere you'd like to sit down in this utterly beautiful estate of yours?"

 

[Darth Empyrean]

________________________________

Maliphant only gave Vesper a crooked smile, for once mildly unsure of himself as the stranger before him held everything in his palm. The Sith was at a loss, as to not only why the man before him looked identical to him, but as to why he had shown up now of all times. There was a certain care he’d take, as they talked, to never reveal too much; no matter what this stranger hoped to accomplish.

It took a moment for him to register what Vesper had said before cocking his head to the side, his voice taking on a certain curiousness that almost challenged the Sith in tone alone;

“Oh! You work for me. Impressive you found where I live.”, he said before letting Vesper continue.

“No need for flattery, Darth Vesper, but if you’d be so kind we could go inside; and not to insult, but I don’t drink.”, he said with a short nod.

With that, he’d motion him to follow, taking him along the exposed walkway towards the main facility; the smell of nature rising upwards from the semi-massive oasis below them. Maliphant, in his calm manner, seemed to hum in tune with a distant bird, though very quietly; only to be interrupted and overcome by the sound of the automated door to announce their arrival. Quickly, a droid moved to meet Vesper, that of a Human Replica Droid that’s only betrayal of the organic creation was the soft mechanical nature of her blue eyes, rotating as they memorized his facial structure.

“Could I take that from you, Sir?”, she said as she reached a hand out for the bottle.

“Janus, save this person under ‘Darth Vesper’, memorize the slight differences in facial makeup and expression.”

The Replicant paused for a moment, making an odd perplexed expression before her waif like features straightened back out into a smile and he she nodded with mild enthusiasm. Her voice quickly followed in the same jubilent tone;

“Understood Master.”, she said before moving off to the kitchen.

Maliphant idled for the moment as his presence ushered in a distant synthetic fireplace to spark to life, not real in fire, but convincing enough that waves of heat rolled off and they were both greeted with the soft scent of burning cyprus. The Sith who owned the home took this chance to sit, ensuring a spot was open for his guest in a second version fo the same chair he sat in himself; a floating, rounded chair that seemed to hold one in place with high quality memorized foam and a repulsor lift to offer immediate suspension.

Golden eyes moved to meet Vesper once more as he sat, offering a vaguely kindred smile before he spoke once more;

“Apologizes for being so blunt, but I must ask-”

“How exactly do you know me?”

[member="Darth Vesper"]

 

[Ras'kala'han]

Тhe Sith's lips quirked at the mention of not drinking - not out of any particular sentiment, but if he betrayed too much ignorance of this fellow's habits, the deception he was planning on perpetrating would be utterly ruined. And he rankled at the idea that he worked 'for' anyone, regardless of the fact that it was something that had the audacity to be true. He preferred to consider this arrangement a partnership. Well, a partnership where he doesn't have quite as many cards as the other, but that would change. Quickly. He handed over the wine to the droid without protest, assuming he'd get it back.

"Flatter? Have a bit of faith in me. And please," he said, making plans to drink the whole bottle himself later, "Something as petty as that couldn't insult me. That being said, it's strange to see the hard drinker I remember turned sober."

He chuckled wryly. "Or, I suppose, considering the two of us as being in just a working relationship - after all, when we burnt Ession together twice, when we laid siege the Floating Market, when you even saved me from the sickness that was ripping my body to pieces with that wondrous staff of yours... even considering the other thing."


As they proceeded to an eminently comfortable living space, Vesper seated himself in the plush hoverchair, one leg slung over the other. He rested a single elbow on the armrest. They proceeded to the question of interest - the make or break question. Mess this up, and he could find himself bereft a marvelous ally, and in the firm grasp of a terrifying enemy. "Since you're already seated, I may as well tell it to you straight. [member="Darth Maliphant"], I had hoped when you saw me you would know right away. I had hoped..." His face darkened slightly before it cleared. "Whatever I had hoped, it hardly matters. You just need to know."

"Maliphant, I am your brother."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

________________________________

Tapping his chin, he watched Vesper go on about exploits regarding The Slave, from the Darkstaff to the burning of Ession during his stint as one of the Galaxy’s most wanted terrorists. Maliphant simply watched, though showed no distinct emotion as Vesper ran through the long told tales of a younger man; who achieved much for such a short time, but inevitably burned out before his time. The man Vesper spoke of was gone, or at least imprisoned, and in its place stood the cold facade of a man who shared everything The Slave was, but cut from it the cancer of hedonism for the sake of power.

All of this culminated in the final breakdown, a climactic break of drama wretched from a family tree Maliphant never knew, nor did The Slave; but one that drew on him a small smile.

“First, I haven’t done any of that.”, he said with a shake of his head.

“I can not deny we look alike, but I’ve never been a drinker, but parents were killed before I had a chance to know them, I’ve spent most of my life on Bastion in the Academy, and I’ve never once owned a staff of any sort.”

Maliphant never raised his tone, nor spoke ill; only as though he was informing a child that Santa wasn’t real, that their make believe stories were far from the realm of truth and they should stay there. A cruel message, but not indecent in the way it came across; as Maliphant seemed to speak in a sugary tone that lulled one into comfortability; something he never lost as The Slave.

The droid from before slowly came over, step by step before offering Maliphant a glass of water, which he took with a smile and a nod, a silent ‘Thank you’ uttered from his pale lips before the droid turned to Vesper and gave him a glass of the drink he had brought; though his glass was obviously carved from crystal, with a faint opaque nature to it that drew the eye to its varied designs. It spoke of wealth, if nothing else.

Only after did The Sith speak again, his throat wetted by the drink he had been served;

“As far as I’m concerned, Darth Vesper, I’ve no family alive, and any that are hardly care enough to come see what I’ve become.”

[member="Darth Vesper"]

 

[Ras'kala'han]

"Look alike? I see you've picked up the habit of understating as well. There's a reason you and 'The Slave'. Brother - yes, brother - it hurts me to hear your denial, but I suppose I ought to have expected it. Again, while I talk about hopes, I had hoped that, well -" That you would be more gullible. This would have been a lot easier a ploy if I had tried it back when you were spiced up to your eyeballs every other day. "That this resemblance, which is no mere coincidence, would have been enough."

He sighed, leaning back in the chair slightly, casting a glance towards the rippling, artificial fireplace, the shimmering of his eyes' predatory gleam in the shifting light a mirror of the ersatz flame. He could drop this now - admit a mistake, cover his tracks... but that would be too easy. As Maliphant worked in alchemy, his art was deception - he would continue. He accepted the drink, not acknowledging the droid - an object, as far as he was concerned - and taking a sip. The green liquid left a faint, colored stain on his lips, and burned pleasantly in the back of his throat. "I am afraid, you are the victim of a ruthless and opportunistic deception, one that pierces to the very core of your identity. The work that sort of project would take is... extensive. It was foolish to think that I could wave it away with a similar face and a pleasant conversation."

"That being said, even if you don't accept me as family, at least accept that I don't just want to see what you've become, I marvel at it. I thought I would be the one to find this sort of success first, but look at you - while I have an overgrown wreckage, you have this lovely estate, while my business plods along your endeavors grow at quite the clip."

"And before you cry 'flattery,' brother - well, I suppose I should be calling you [member="Darth Maliphant"] until you're feeling less... dissociated, it's the unvarnished truth. Whatever this unknown group has turned you into, you're no less efficient." Vesper raised his glass briefly as he turned to face his mirror image, a sort of boozy salute.

"That being said, your mind is strong - strong because of your heritage, and because of your will. Surely you've had feelings - sensations. A creeping feeling that something is not right? Splinters of memory that come from seemingly nowhere? Lines of thought that for whatever reason, you feel the compulsion not to follow... even if it's in your best interest to?"

 

[Darth Empyrean]

________________________________

What Vesper said was true, the rambling dreams and memoirs of a man long gone occasionally filling Maliphant’s mind with a time he knew nothing about; and up until this point he had generally disregarded it as the echo’s of the force somewhere far off, not the past or the future. It meant little to him, with how focused on the present he was, but it didn’t stop him from being certainly curious that Vesper had decided to speak out on the subject;

“Dreams mean little,and I have an active memory of my life.”

Maliphant paused for a moment as he took another drink of his water, setting it down on the coffee table before them, before he leaned back in his chair and watched the sith before him. No matter how little he’d like to believe Vesper, the longer the looked at him the more he realized that their bodies were identical, from the structure of the brow to how high the cheekbones stood; all convincing enough to at least hear the Sith out.

“Even if these dreams meant something, what purpose do you have for being here now?”

[member="Darth Vesper"]

 

[Ras'kala'han]

The Sith Lord paused, regarding Maliphant for a moment. He had pressed hard enough - now was the time to step back. Albeit, step back while leaving a hook in the man before him, a barb to draw him in. He could see in the man's expression the planted seed of curiosity - let it grow for a while, let him bring it to a boil on his own terms. He would leave the perfect trail of breadcrumbs, and in time - in time, [member="Darth Maliphant"] would come to him entirely.

"Aside from what I just said? I have, well, other reasons. I'm aware of your expertise - and I also have suffered an attack on my mind. I've been plumbing the tome you gave me, but I was hoping that I could interest you in helping. You seem to be the sort of Sith who would appreciate having someone of my standing indebted to him, no?"

"Certain... unsavory feelings have been forced on me. Doubt. Empathy. Mercy. Weakness. I must purge myself of them, or it will gnaw me to pieces from the inside out. If I cannot silence them, there must be some means by which to endure them - and you're just the individual I would expect to know some item from some corner of the Galaxy that can provide."

"Think of it as my coming in for a consultation, that's all."

He drummed his fingers on a stiff, flat object hidden under his coat. His trump card, his parting gift - and he smiled, coldly. "I'm certain that if we put our heads together, we can think of something."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

________________________________

“The Tome I gave you, huh?”, he said with a faint smirk.

Whoever this man was, this ‘Darth Vesper’, it certainly had sunk hooks into his proverbial flesh in terms of raw curiosity. He had strolled into his home, demanded his attention, and left him with nothing but question; something no Sith had done to him to date. Maliphant couldn’t help but respect the efforts of the Sith, even if he couldn’t yet figure out what exactly he was looking to get out of him.

That was, until Vesper moved on to talk about the weakness in his soul;

“Perhaps you’d like a fine lesson in ‘Moderation’, hm?”, he said as he leaned back in his chair.

“I teach my pupils not to fear such feelings, so long as they understand where to ground themselves at all times. If you’d like…”, Maliphant said, as if talking to an apprentice, “I could certainly teach you.”

He paused for a moment, waiting to see if Vesper would speak, but he wasn’t going to listen, quickly following with a second option;

“Or, we could replace your heart with something else; though there would certainly be a price to pay for it, Darth Vesper.”

Maliphant idled for a moment, tapping his finger rhythmically, droids reacting to distance unheard commands as they sat.


[member="Darth Vesper"]

 

[Ras'kala'han]

The laugh that rang out from Darth Vesper's mouth was high, cold, humorless, and full of pain. "A lesson in moderation - oh, [member="Darth Maliphant"]. You amuse me. I'm going to assume that was a joke, because I'd love to think that you at least kept your sense of humor after whatever they did to you, and well..." The man's expression briefly darkened. He raised the ornate glass he had been provided, and elegant fractals of frost crept along the surface outwards from his fingers -

"...because I know you're far too smart a man to patronize your older broth - well, for your sake I'll just say your senior. While I'm humoring you." He made the word a curse. But, as quick as the air had filled with tension, it cleared, and the ice melted away as though it had never been there. And he chuckled again, with a touch of warmth. "Sibling quarrels. How petty of me. Anyways, by now you should know I am not a reasonable man. Between living with love and ripping my heart out, I choose ripping my heart out. Simple."

"However, I am not entirely without reservation. As much as I'd love for a heart of your make - well, our make, I would never let something so important be done alone - I'm curious about what sort of price you're thinking of. Surely you don't want for credits - and you know I'd never agree to extended servitude, so it can't be that either. Then... a favor? That's always a currency I'm trading in."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

________________________________

“Oh nothing like that,” Maliphant said with a coy tone, almost testing Vesper.

While he couldn’t help but respect Vesper, there was a certain arrogance he couldn’t appreciate about him. To treat Maliphant with his own medicine was disrespectful, and to be in his home with such a righteous demand irritated him; if only slightly. Maliphant kept this hidden behind a convincing smile, and an otherwise apathetic expression however, speaking in a soft tone;

“Political Leverage.”, The Sith said after a moment.

“Despite what you see, what you think-”, he said the word with some venom, “I lack the recognition or political presence of a Sith Lord; it means I need support when I strive for such things.”

Maliphant idled for a moment, finishing his water before offering to the human replica droid, who swiftly took it off, Maliphant watching her as she walked back before looking towards Vesper once more;

“The first is vying for control of Bastion. If you do this, I’ll see what I can do to help you, and discuss a future partnership…”

As soon as he stopped however, he quickly leaned forward, lifting a finger as if to emphasize a point;

“And -”, he began, “And I will listen to what you have to say about me.”

[member="Darth Vesper"]

 

[Ras'kala'han]

At the 'B' word, Vesper raised an eyebrow - skeptical. And the venom did not escape him. "Political influence, I can give you - I actually recently had the pleasure of meeting with our beloved Emperor, the Darth Carnifex. He's given me free reign in appointing Sith to the leadership of a new body for the regulation of Imperial finance. Before you ask, yes, you have a seat on it. Since you seem to have stopped drinking, consider it an alternative present." He was playing for common ground now - he could sense the waters getting choppy, and reached out with hope that someone jockeying for position would hold the current powers that be in a touch of envy. In their current state, he would not want this person having unrestricted access to his organs.

He sloshed his drink a bit, chunks of ice floating to the top. It seems that flash-freezing one's wine in a fit of pique was not a good decision at all - Emerald Wine tasted best cool, not cold. His inner sommelier screamed in silent agony.

"When your name came up on my short list, it was enough to draw comment from him. You may have more name recognition than you think... it may not be positive. Say what you will about me, I am your ally. After all, I owe you more than you know. Literally, since you seem to have forgotten all the times you've rendered me aid."

"That being said, for all I would do for you given the chance, I can't promise you the throne world. From there, our mutual, iron-fisted master rules directly to a degree with which he does nowhere else in the Galaxy. I can't promise you free reign..." He tapped his lip slightly. "But the law enforcement there, that I may just be able to provide an inroad with. And if you can control the oversight, you hold the fortress world in a silent grasp. Rulership without a crown or throne, but true power indeed."

"The only element I can't foresee myself compromising or bypassing for your sake is the Saaraishash. They're to a man insufferably incorruptible patriots. You'll need to work around them while on Bastion, or beneath their notice."

He smiled devilishly, making it quite clear he already knew the question's answer as he asked it to [member="Darth Maliphant"]. "Can you outwit them?"

 

[Darth Empyrean]

________________________________

Vesper’s voice was very similar to Maliphant’s own, likely a result of their genetic similarities, and it did wonders in terms of convincing him Vesper’s ideas and thoughts were his own. Not that he was simple to convince, but that what the Sith across from his said spoke true in more ways than most may care to admit, Maliphant offering him nothing more than the faintest of taps on his own chin before he spoke.

“Sith are notorious for rumors, and I doubt I’m far off from many’s whispers. A rising, attractive Sith such as I!”, he satirically galavanted for a moment before laughing it away; bringing his attention back to Vesper in full as his tone became more serious;

“I have no intention of becoming sovereign, Darth Vesper. You may assume me your ‘Brother’, but my loyalties are, and forever will be, to the Empire; what I do to strengthen her resolve is of my own volition.”, he said with a calm, striking manner.

“What I do will be open, and if the Saaraishash decide I have breached such a contract of servitude; then we shall see what comes of me.”

Maliphant paused for a moment, though short at best, as he sized Vesper up once more. As they spoke, it became more clear he had very personal motives for what he said, obvious enough from the beginning coming from any Sith, but a vague mention of traitorious behavior to the Empire, or his Emperor, had unknowingly triggered chemical responses from the very minor mind control device within Maliphant’s head.

“I do not need to outwit the Saaraishash, because I have no need to.”

In the distance, Maliphant’s ‘Bodyguard’ listened to the two’s conversation through the inbuilt bugs throughout the facility, monitoring and recording everything that was said and done. Her expression was more pale than usual as she realized a danger to her mission had begun to rise; someone attempting to pull back from the void the man lost to inferiority; The Slave. A quiet tap of her force dead fingers brought up a mysterious signal, while a distant message went out to a command unit far closer to Bastion’s Capital;

The Saaraishash Headquarters.


[member="Darth Vesper"]

 

[Ras'kala'han]

There was something distinctly troubling about this behavior - the way that [member="Darth Maliphant"] reacted, as though a nerve had been touched. Vesper drew his lips into a half-frown of confusion. "For someone stepping into the role of secretive power-broker, I suggest you then grapple with the implications of trying to seize nothing other than the Imperial capitol for your sphere of influence. There's no way it can be done through wholly legitimate, authority-approved channels. I mean, there are plenty of other lovely planets I can give you, but the kind of position you're contemplating for Bastion would ultimately be nothing more than a favored agent of some Imperial apparatus."

"If you're truly loyal to the Empire, you need to recognize the benefit of being able to act fully and immediately on its behalf when you know best for it, my friend." If you're truly loyal to the Empire, something's already gone wrong, though.

The Sith Lord furrowed his brow. A picture, however fuzzy, was coming into focus. The Slave had been lashing out - acting up, if he recalled, acting on behalf of rebellions even. Suddenly overcome by amnesia and just so happening to slip into the role of utterly loyal Imperialist? Far from coincidence, as far as he was concerned. Once again, his least favorite tendril of the Emperor's all-consuming will came to mind.

"Regardless, so be it. I will do what I can for you on Bastion, and we will collaborate with the Saraaishash for the good of our glorious Empire." He clicked his tongue, setting down his glass on a nearby table. "We've been sparring a bit too much for my tastes, Maliphant. As though we're nothing more than strangers at odds. I would loathe to think it so. Let's move on to something I think we can be more agreeable on."

"Let's talk business. My company, LuxArc Biomedicals, has been working on increasing its activity. To that end, I have been seeking productive contracts with other local corporate interests. Out of all possible candidates for such arrangement, I would consider Blackwell the gold standard in terms of such a venture."

"Why bicker when we can talk about the killing machines I can help you realize?"

 

[Darth Empyrean]

At Vesper’s words, Maliphant seemed to calm, if only slightly; leaning back once more into his chair and tapping his finger to his jawline, watching the mirror image of himself work through the paces of a diplomat. It was true Vesper was testing the waters, but to overcome the work of the good doctor who had graced him with such memories would be hard, added into the mental fortitude that came with his epicanthic heritage. Such things made for a tough break for the otherwise rebellious sith turned loyal imperialist.

“Fine, if business is what you wish to discuss…”, he said with a mildly dismissive tone.

Maliphant crossed his legs before he spoke again, resting both of his hands in his lap;

“Blackwell Industries has a basic department in Genetics, with a facility created on Barbatos for the sake of genetic augmentation. I have a series of biological orientated alchemists beneath it in an otherwise secret Sith Laboratory that serves as my own personal testing grounds.”

He paused for a moment, watching the droid move through her cleaning detail before looking back;

“I’m unsure the current condition of your company, but if you’d like I could certainly bring your company into the plaza, and work in codependence for the sake of mutual gain. Barbatos second largest export is that of research, so it’ll certainly provide much for us, with my connections on the planet.”

[member="Darth Vesper"]

 

[Ras'kala'han]

Vesper had heard all that he had needed to from [member="Darth Maliphant"]. "Deal."

"My company has been growing further into Imperial space, but frankly some of its locations merit closing. They're based on outdated power bases that were backed by currently nonexistent governments. The rule of this sort of business is adapt or die, and I choose adapt. I will close the Malachor branch of LuxArc biomedicals and relocate it to Barbatos - and as for a specific arrangement, I'd say we can let our financiers work it out."

"That being said, I think complete transparency between the Barbatos branches in terms of corporate research - our own personal research, we can reserve the right to keep private, even if we're likely going to be sharing a large portion of it. If you'd like, I could put together a quick written contract, but I think for us, verbal promise is sufficient for now. Until the corporate lawyers get their hands on things."

"I'd offer you a toast to our mutual success, but in lieu of that I think all we need is a hearty congratulations. To what you've done, and what you will do."

To what you will become... brother.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“Deal.”

Maliphant responded with a smile, though how sincere it was couldn’t be known. He raised his glass at the command of his guest, drinking from it before setting it down once more, idling as he stood;

“Now, if that is all we had to discuss, I must get back to training. Your ship will be waiting for you outside, Darth Vesper.”, he said as he turned to his physical clone.

“If you need anything else however, please don’t be afraid to reach out to me. I’d hate to see a fellow Sith falter, especially alone.”

With that, Maliphant simply offered the man a wave of his hand before moving off to somewhere else within the grand estate; little known to Vesper and the others within that he would be hiding in a secret archival room where the greatest Dark Lords of The Sith waited for him, beckoning him back to continue his training.

They would meet again, Vesper and Maliphant, and the depths of their journey would know no ends.


[member="Darth Vesper"]