Private Turning the Wheel

[Kadann]

Kadann did not mind the waiting. He had spent years in hiding, regretting the solitude and boredom. Then had come the brutal, bloody trail of vengeance.

He could appreciate them now, the quiet moments. When he could just let his thoughts drift away.

The old man had bi's eyes closed, his hands in his lap. Years at war had taught him how to stay in the edge of rest without leaving himself vulnerable.

In the house of the man who had taken Darth Ophidia's mantle, Kadann did not think it would be wise to let his guard down.

He was just a sword for hire now. He didn't even need the credits. Despite appreciating the quiet times, Kadann wasn't ready to lie down and wait to die.

If the House Marr had need of a blade or guidance from an old head, he would offer it.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum did not know the man, he had heard of him, but he had heard of a great many figures in his short life, some rather mundane that he would forget of their existence by day's end, others whom he had been taught of since his youth, to put the fear of life's demise before him, to ward him and keep him careful of the very dangerous Order, and extremely dangerous galaxy which he was part of.

This man, well, his reputation was decidedly mixed.

A Jedi older than him, indeed a Jedi likely older than his parents. That word, Jedi, at other times, would have likely had Malum flinch at the thought of him being in his home. It would have reminded him of his childhood, of that everpresent fear, that the Jutrand Enclave of Jedi would one day knock at his family's Manse, see them as Sith they were, and... and... destroy everything and everyone he loved.

It was the very fact that the old man was not a typical Jedi which had allowed this meeting at all. A Jedi of olden days, one who had fought against the One Sith, but in his loss in that war, had given into darkness. Who in his quest for revenge would become lost from his teachings, and embrace the new, each time he took his vengeance against those who carried the Dark Mark, that had symbolised that older polity of Sith Lords.

As was the way of the Sith, strength would win you more accolades than allegiance, though many among the Sith Empire had served with the One Sith, as this old man fell to darkness, he seemed to be welcomed hat in hand by the Sith that remained.

After all, that was why Malum had seen him in several Sith gatherings, usually on his lonesome, always standoffish, but still seemingly always willing to speak and impart the wisdom which had been gathered over decades.

It had been partly thus, why Malum had sent this invitation, it had been a long and varied quest of his to learn about the Jedi, which had long ago broken that so simple and easy understanding which had developed in his childhood. It had been long since he looked at the Jedi and felt... not unease at fighting them, for they were his foe and would be battled as such, but a burgeoning respect, a... sadness that they seemed to be forced to fight by powers greater than them puppeteering them both.

Who knew it would be the presence of a Jedi princess who refused to fight him, which would give him so much doubt?

He would need to learn more, and who matters than from a Jedi who fell from their hallowed ranks to the darkness that welcomed all?

Such were Malum's thoughts as his cloak billowed, as they entered into the sitting room that held one Kadann , "Greetings Lord Kadann, I am thankful you accepted my invitation, do you require anything? Some refreshment perhaps?" Malum said, standing by the door, as eyes idly confirmed the place of everything in the room, to the side was an alcohol cabinet of various vintage, a few comfortable chairs littered the grounds, while a billowing fire was placed at the centre, warming the entire room.

 

[Kadann]

"No m'Lord, I don't require anything. And Kadann will do just fine. I don't hold any titles."

Nor would he want any again, he had decided.

He took a few steps closer to Malum, pretending not to glance at the cabinet.

"That said, if that bottle of Whyren's Reserve is open, I would not say no to a glass."

A breach in the Netherworld had almost entirely destroyed the whisky industry of Corellia - along with most of the habitable surface - and the older expressions were rare.

He didn't appear to be studying the younger sith. He only offered a pleasant glance and respectful not of his head. Yet Kadann managed to give the impression of weighing up the heir of House Marr. He had aspirations, or so Kadann was led to believe.

Kadann remembered having those.

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Kadann , "Kadann," He hmmed in acceptance, somehow calling him so soon by his first name felt odd to him still, even after having done so mere seconds again, who knew the honourific of lord added such distance between them, that simply removing it, added so much familiarity which he was not sure what to do with.

Well, it was always best to respond in kind, "Then I insist, call me Malum," Lord Marr, Darth Malum, and Emperor, all had been titles that he had been bandied with, and even if all from a certain perspective, were technically true, all of them still felt entirely undeserving, for the first, his father yet lived, for the middle, even after his knighting, even after his defeat of his mistress-

"Defeat is being charitable, isn't it?"

He snapped his teeth shut, he had defeated her, despite what it said of betrayal, victory had been his... even after the defeat, the honour of Darth still felt hollow, it had only been four years since he had been an acolyte at the Palace of Silver Rain, to think since, he had come so far... was entirely unbelievable.

And then imperium, Bogan, it had been such a whirlwind of events he would not even know where to begin, to come to a planet that had somehow... called out to you through the galaxy, to then be seen as the prophecised heir of a legacy of another branch of those who had descended from the great Darth Marr, that had ruled an empire that had fallen to betrayal, deceit, and civil war, to be crowned Emperor, when he served another willingly or not.

It was more dangerous than useful, even if he felt no end of pride at it. No end to his duty, to rule, and make good, even if he was entirely out of his depth.

As he stepped forward and asked his question, Malum's musings left him, as a ghost of a smile appeared over his lips, "Feel free, there are so many vintages thereof such expensive and rare flavour that I doubt my father's great-grandchildren will ever finish it all," His father had taken a different course to power than Malum had, old Alexander Marr, the true Lord Marr, had not sought power in the real sense, he had instead ventured in the layers of economics and prestige, to make the Marr name synonymous with wealth and high standing, Malum could not blame him for either, where his ancestors may have turned their nose up at his burgher methods, they had restored the Marr wealth to a degree not seen... well he could not quite say when they were more wealthy. That wealth had been used to venture into the realms of the higher class, the Marr name alone could grant one entry, but there were many still who saw the Marrs as nothing but paupers and forgers, claiming descent from a dead man from an era long past. It was much harder to ignore them when they looked the very part of a blueblood Sith noble family, with all the etiquette and pieces to look the part. Their father had done much for them, and Malum had not respected it nearly enough.

Malum stepped forward, banishing his thoughts, as he took a seat, leaning over to scoop out two glasses from a tray with a decanter at its centre. Sliding a glass to the opposite end of him, as he kept the other, his lips moved, "Consider it a... perk, one of the many for working for me. For as you may have already assumed, that is the purpose of my invitation."

If the man did not want to play noble games, he would indulge him as such. It certainly made things easier to get to the point quickly.

 

[Kadann]

Kadann actually smiled as he poured from the decanter. He let the amber liquid settle in the glass, it left little ripples that stuck to the walls.

He was just here. Too tired to choose a path, too tired to even just stop. There were no sides in the wars across the galaxy. There was just the wheel. Everyone with hands on the wheel turned it, it didn't matter on which side they stood. It just continued the cycle.

"I suppose I assumed that. But I don't know why you'd want me to work for you."

He picked up the glass and drew on the scent from a distance.

"Mmm that is good. I only started drinking after I went into hiding, rare that I got the good stuff."

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He tilted his head, a face framed with a tinge of confusion, "Should I not want a renowned former Jedi Battlemaster at my side if he was open to joining my service?" Malum asked, taking up the decanter after the man poured, pouring himself a cup and taking a crisp sip, woody and expensive, clearly, it was a drink to the taste of any rich soul.

"You fought during the age of the Republic," A later Republic, it seemed none of the Jedi's puppet states existed for long in the days after the fall of the Republic, the Galactic Alliance was merely the newest iteration of the concept, and so would it like all the others, inevitably fall, "And then you hunted down and killed all the Sith until vengeance was yours, I have many enemies in this galaxy, those who hate me for being Sith," Jedi, those of the Alliance, Mandalorians, Imperials, and everyone in between, "And those who hate me for what I have done," Traitor, betrayer, turncoat, all were words that he had echoing in his head at any given moment, and they were the words that would be what he was accused of before the time of execution, most Sith distrusted him, as they should, but when distrust turned into envy and fear, that was the time to watch his back.

"I need allies who will stand with me, if and when, the time comes." He concluded, crimson eyes glimmering in expectation at the old former Jedi before him.

"...And," He heaved a heavy breath, "I suppose there is something else," Red eyes dulled as they turned away from the figure before him, "It has long become aware to me that what I was taught to believe about the Jedi is not entirely true... if there was one who could teach me of their creed, who was one of them... who had become a master among their ranks... this hole in my knowledge could be filled." All the Jedi he had met flashed across his eyes, those which he had crossed lightsabres with, and those he had not.

People, just like him.

Troubling.

Eyes turned back towards Kadann , "If you fell, one of their best, it means all of them can, it means their annihilation need not be necessary, it means... the cycle can end... and we siblings, split by millennia by powers beyond us, can unite against the only foe that matters." There was an ill silence after the declaration, the realisation he had said far more than what was strictly necessary to hire a mercenary.

However, in the end, it revealed the truth of the matter, he was not here to hire simply a mercenary.

Still, there was an attempt to bring the conversation down from such serious heights, as Malum took another sip, "All vices are acceptable in moderation, after all."

 

[Kadann]

"There could have been many reasons you wanted to hire me, all of them valid. I still wanted to know why," Kadann said.

He settled back into his chair, taking a moment to consider everything that Malum had expressed.

"Bold of you to try and break the cycle. I admire it, even though that wheel had turned for tends of thousands of years. I suspect it would crush you before you stopped it. No offence intended."

"I will be your man," Kadann agreed. "I will consider what Jedi knowledge I hold, but in principle I cannot think of anything I would not divulge."

"One question, if you would indulge an old man's curiosity. Do not answer if you do not want. Ophidia. She served the Dark Lord for a long time. Lasted several turns of the wheel. What happened between you?"

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

The man was of surprisingly few words, he was measured, careful, and everything he said had weight to them, such was the metre of a man that would certainly be a boon to him, "Well, I am glad my reasons were adequate," He knew they would be to a degree, from the read of the man, he was one whom desired very little, having played his game on the galactic stage, and having been burned from it. What exactly was left for him then? He suspected it was a very key thing.

Curiosity.

After a lifetime of war, he wished to see how the next generation of life would operate.

Or so his theorising concluded, had only known the men for a scant few minutes after all, and initial impressions rarely were able to reveal all that should be known. Very likely it would be the upcoming days, weeks, months, perhaps even years that would let him learn all there was to know about the old Jedi.

"It likely will," He was upfront, despite the blood that flowed through his veins, the very blood that made him special, he was no great man, and though he hated that old historical theory of the ones who held the fate of galaxy upon their hands, only those special few with the weight, power and gravitas that good fortune brought to them, to a degree, he knew he would need to be one if he desired what he wanted, "Yet it is better to have fought and lived, rather than have submitted and been enslaved." Such was what he considered the Force, chains to be broken.

He smiled into his drink as he took a sip, as the old man accepted the contract, "Well I am glad to hear, I would say we should celebrate, but seems we already began some few minutes ago," A jape left his lips, as the crisp, woody, and expensive liquid flowed freely down his throat.''

His blood froze at his last question, sh- it had for some reason been dormant for this conversation so far. Yet as soon as its former name was mentioned, it seemed to come alive, as a slumbering giant awoke blind to its surroundings, a cutting pain snapped through his mind. He winced, as his breathing slowed, attempting to combat the effects as best as he could, yet as it had always gone, failing, as pain erupted through his brain.

"It might... be better, for you to not mention he- argh," His neck snapped down, as sweat trailed down his brow, as his hand rested, almost feeling his brain beat as if it had a heart. His breathing grew heavier, why now, had he somehow offended her? Why this?

"You wish to know of betrayal and treason?" He finally hissed out, hands leaving his head, as crimson eyes turned to face the old man opposite, they glimmered with a fire that spoke of madness and darkness, yet it was his voice that was changed most of all, his own, yet there was an undertone, an echo, of a ghostly spectre, alien and different.

Kadann

 

[Kadann]

"The Pale Assassin, Darth Ophidia," he said, risking Malum's ire.

He could not help but name that which appeared before him.

"Fascinating. I don't recall if you were a Hand or a Foot or an Eye," Kadann said, referencing the titles taken by the most senior Council figures who had served the Dark Lord of the Sith.

"So I can only apologise if I have missed some honorifics. It feels like as good a place as any for a story of betrayal," Kadann said. He kept his glass in his hand. If he had to, he could shatter it and launch every shard to defend himself.

"You died, but have chosen to cling on?"

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"You are certainly a bold one, Kadann , invoking our name here. We never did crossblades during the age of the One Sith, did we?" It was rhetorical, the voice transitioned again, the ghostly spectre disappearing in favour of something entirely different, a fusion of two voices, one native, the other foreign, as the eyes burned further, shifting irises to ones of orange, familiar only to the ones that had faced the Queen of Shadows.

There was amusement that glimmered in those embers, "I forget how old you are, that you would speak of such things, we were the Reach, the Shadow, though, most remember us as the Sphere of Mysteries." They were titles that meant little and little else nowadays, titles that were known the more recently that they were bestowed.

"The honorifics mean little, after all, death has finally claimed us," Its breathing slowed, it offered but a smile, as both eyes shifted back to their red, natural state, as the breathing grew heavy again, and Malum returned fully, to the land of the conscious and living.

"...I will ask you to keep this incident to yourself, and you try not to mention my Mistresses' name." An eye was closed, as a hand gripped firmly on his raven locks, his mind growing heady, as he felt the parasite swimming freely within it, his voice still, echoed with the presence of another.

"As you might have guessed, Darth Ophidia is not dead, not entirely anyway." Malum hissed it out, the pain wrenching on his skull, as he attempted to stand, only to fall back onto himself, his gaze attempting to focus on anything but the man before him, as he attempted to quell this all too public display of weakness and disunity.

"Her purpose... is unknown to me, but this fragment has dug deeply in my mind and is not likely to release itself," He smirked, one-half his, one-half not, "Consider watching for such incidents as... another one of your duties if you are still so inclined to come into my service after such a thing."

Malum had to believe he was, after all, if curiosity was truly his purpose.

This entire incident was something that brought up far too many questions to let rest.

Even, if that display was far from what he intended.

Even, if that display made the former Jedi before him, an incredibly dangerous threat.

 

[Kadann]

"Be careful," was all Kadann had to say at first.

He placed his glass on the table and leaned back in his chair with his hands resting in his lap.

"You said yourself: you do not understand her purpose. Her influence is unlikely to be obvious when she tries to undermine you or choose whatever scheme she has in mind."

Whilst Kadann had the appearance of someone eminently wise, this was mostly conjecture on his part.

"She survived a long time by being so secretive. I will, of course, keep this to myself. I have no interest in games and using this. Unless you have any trusted partners and you want me to come up with a plan to be rid of her? I imagine she knows any ideas you might have already... "

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"You see through things quickly, Kadann ," Malum hissed, his voice was filled with emotions that were not his, when truly, he was extremely happy to have a figure at his side with the knowledge and wisdom to perhaps finally sort through the demon in his mind. It finally filled him with hope, after such a long period of despair, plotting and scheming while your own brain was actively betraying you, could hardly be called the most productive of ventures.

"There are some... that you will no doubt meet," Custos, Venerandus, Trayze Tesar , Elise Ahana-Gwyneira ... Elise... he let his mind wander for but a second before he pulled himself back, there was even Darth Strosius , it was a short list, but it was a capable one, filled with those he trusted for better or for worse. Those who had seen him suffer, had been powerless to stop it, the one who went through it himself, who had tended to the demon in his mind, far better than he had.

"But yes, as you can imagine, plotting against one's mind, is a difficult, and painful venture," He let out a gasp, as it felt as if a hot spearpoint stabbed down upon his skull, blinking out the liquid that was forming, such was his punishment, such was his suffering, for his original sin.

"I would appreciate your help, I have theories, ideas," He vaguely pointed to the amulet around his neck, "It makes things easier... but still... I feel it every day, digging in deep, one day I fear... that I will not be able to recognise myself." How many times had he referred to himself as Darth Ophidia? How many times had he looked upon Ali, and seen Darth Strosius? How many times had he looked into the mirror, and not recognised who stared back?

Their moments of alignment were growing rapidly, and their moments of disalignment were more painful.