Vice and Revelry

[Darth Kentarch]

The place smelt funny. Perhaps it was the Pheromones, for a force user as powerful as Kentarch they were an assault on his senses. The Sith Lord knew the importance of using emotions to gain strength in the force, but this was over top. This casino, bar, pleasure place, whatever you wanted to call it was not lacking in extravagance either. The place was occupied by rich businessmen and galactic socialites. Kentarch himself came using his persona of wealthy investor from the Corporate Sector, here on vacation to gamble. Moving to the back corner to the bar, cloaked and face concealed, Darth Kentarch took a seat and waited for one of the Zeltron servants to approach him.

"Evening Hun. What can I get for you?" A good looking Twi'lek said moving over to his booth. Kentarch remained silent for several moments before answering. "I want to speak to the owner, now." The Sith Lord Replied. The Twi'lek hesitated but smiled. "I'm afraid he is a bit-" She was cut short, her eys rolling into the back of her head and her body trembled slightly. "You will go to the owner of this establishment and alert him of my presence." Not only did Kentarch say it, he pushed the words through the force into her mind, an advance mind control technique. The Twi'lek quickly regained composure. "I'll inform him right away." She said, her voice monotone and her movements showing the obvious signs of mind control.

@[member="Christian Slade"]

 

[Christian Slade]

From a back room located behind one of the bars in the establishment a cool, well dressed man emerged. As he did, he stopped and glanced at the very same waitress who'd relayed the message of an eager customer. He nodded his head, those golden eyes of his running through the girl with ease and releasing a certain dark hold on her mind that had tainted her. He then reached out and grabbed her by her arm to steady her as he said, "Take a break, Keela. You look like you could use one."

The girl thanked the young man and made her way out from behind the bar, followed by the slow moving young man, who's golden eyes had found @[member="Darth Kentarch"] the moment they left the Twi'Lek girl. He watched him, a smirk perching in the corner of his mouth as he waded through the people in the bar, weaving in and out of tables before he reached him. He then slid into the booth that was connected to the table the man had chosen and laid up against the wall behind him.

For a time, he said nothing. He simply sat there and watched the man with those piercing golden eyes he had. He took in every aspect of what he could see, physically, making a mental note of the what the man looked like and what his facial characteristics were. He always did that, a true gambler at heart. "Well that was abrasive.", the man finally said, the smirk still hanging in the corner of his mouth as he watched the man.

@[member="Darth Kentarch"]

 

[Darth Kentarch]

Wealth had its advantages. The Lord of Guile knew this more than anyone. But Kentarch was shocked to see @[member="Christian Slade"] walking among the average men and women as if he were one of them. His master had once said to him that the lives of those who are blind and mute to the force are but pretense. It seemed that not all shared this belief or its value. Darth Kentarch had spent his years on Ession and Etti IV, rarely leaving the sector or getting himself involved in the greater affairs of the galaxy. Not only that But Kentarch took great lengths to conceal his true power and what he was.

When Slade sat across from him, Kentarch knew that the man was studying his every detail. A trait that was common among force users, Kentarch did the same, measuring Slade's every detail. "For the first time in years I have traveled across an ocean of stars, to a planet deep within Republic space. I did so at the request of a centuries old Dark Lord. And all you can think to say to one of your own kind for the first time is 'that was abrasive'?" There was no hiding it, not any more. His tone hit the word 'kind' specifically so that Slade understood exactly what Kentarch was, if he did not already. "I was hoping we could go somewhere more... discreet." He was still unwilling to give out anything more in a place so public. Kentarch was a man of privacy, and he like to keep it that way.

 

[Christian Slade]

Christian's face, although initially mild in expression, fell into a less than pleased one after he'd heard what the man had said. His golden eyes narrowed as Kentarch spoke to him, and his expression only grew darker. After the man had stoped speaking, in fact, Christian reached out, pressing his elbows firmly into the table matching the man's tone as he said, "I don't owe my own kind anything, and I suggest that you show a little respect. You're a long way from home."

He then leaned back in his seat and sighed for a moment, deciding to adjust his mood before they continued. "Alright.", he said, brandishing a small smile as to cast out any remaining tension. "Let's step into my office.", he said, sliding out of his seat and standing next to the table, his hands lowering to the edge of his jacket and pulling either side together in order to button them.

"Set the lift for my private floor, please." Christian said to the turbo lift operator as he turned and headed off in his direction.

@[member="Darth Kentarch"]

 

[Darth Kentarch]

“I never said you did owe me anything.” Darth Kentarch said back to @[member="Christian Slade"]. He watched the man move carefully. “I just want some privacy.” It was a dangerous Kentarch was playing. Even if they were equals, this Slade held the home court advantage. Then he deflated the tension and agreed to the secret meeting. Kentarch exhaled slightly then nodded in satisfaction. Then he rose from the both after Slade.

Following Slade to the turbolift elevator, as soon as the two stepped inside he reached out with the force searching for any threats. Then the Sith Lord spoke. “My name is Kentarch. Darth Kentarch. I come from the Corporate Sector, Ession and Etti IV. Never did I spend a day of my life with the Sith Empire.” He glanced at Slade then back to the doors, deciding that he should give a little information return for hospitality. “Recently I was approached by a mysterious and ancient individual who made to me an interesting proposal. After some deliberation I agreed to join him in his endeavor.” He felt the turbolift come to a stop. “I was skeptical at first too.”

 

[Christian Slade]

"I know you didn't. You implied it.", Christian said as he lead Kentarch into the turbo lift. "Or was that bit about you dropping whatever it was you were doing and traveling across the galaxy at another's request all for pointless?"

As they waited in the elevator, Christian glanced over at Kentarch and smiled, not saying a word as he began to fill him in about why he was there and for what. As they reached his private office, however, Christian stepped out and made his way across the room, though he was still listening to the man. Reaching out, Christian grabbed the back of a chair sitting in the room and rolled it in front of his desk, holding out his hand as if to offer it to the man as he stepped around the desk and sat down in his own, large seat.

After taking his seat, Christian reached over and pressed a button, activating a comm. "Kescelle, come to my office please and make me a glass of honey whiskey. When you arrive, you can take my guests drink order as well.", he said into the come, to which a young Zeltroni woman said, "Yes, Sir."

"So...", Christian finally said after hearing Kentarch talk for a time, "...who was it that sent you on this errand and what, may I ask, was his proposal?"

@[member="Darth Kentarch"]

 

[Darth Kentarch]

“I understand you may be skeptical, and to be honest I was too at first when given the same proposition.” Darth Kentarch said to @[member="Christian Slade"] as they passed into his office. “And make no mistake; I did not come here to make unjustified demands, or beg at your feet for something I have no claim too.” He took the seat the man offered and looked at Slade from beneath his hood. He waited to speak while his fellow Sith called his secretary. “I can go with ice water.” He said plainly, Kentarch did not partake in the drinking and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Finally Slade asked of his employer. Kentarch did not answer at first, unsure how to state this properly to the Sith Lord. “My employer is the Dark Lord of the Sith. Darth Iscariot.” Finally the words came after several moments of silence. “He came to me and asked me for his help. His plan is to reunite the fractured Sith and unite them under one banner. The Sith Council. Somehow he managed to find out about you, just as he did me. He sent me here to ask you to join this Sith Council.” Kentarch stated. “We believe that you and your resources would be an excellent addition to our faction.”

 

[Christian Slade]

It didn't take long for the young and attractive servant girl to make it to his office. As she made her way inside she overheard @[member="Darth Kentarch"] say that he would just have ice water. When she did, she wasted no time in hurrying to the edge of the room to prepare a pair of drinks, one of the glasses holding a golden brown liquid and the other a clear, colorless liquid. After she'd made them, she made her way over to the men sitting on opposite ends of a table and set their drinks down in front of them. "Will that be all, Sir?", she asked.

"Yes, it will. Thank you.", Christian said, looking over to the young woman and nodding his head as she bowed to them and turned to make her way out of the room. As she was leaving, Christian looked back over to his guest and said, "Your employer is the "Dark Lord of the Sith" you say?"

Christian watched him for a time, taking a sip of his whiskey and sighing as he swallowed it down. He then set the glass back in it's place and leaned back in his seat as he said, "How do you know he's the Dark Lord of the Sith? There seems to be so many of those around. At least, there are quite a few pretenders. How do you know that this guy's the real deal?"