Welp, THAT got fun fast (Zaiden, Seth Shorn)

[Ashin Varanin]

@[member="Seth Shorn"]

And were you not, once, an ambitious loner, Empress? The Empire cannot survive with so many reaching hands at its head. Especially when they are Sith. You would dangle absolute power and expect them to ignore their nature? I will do as you ask, Empress. But when they begin to crumble do not expect me to continue blindly. I too seek the stability of the Empire.

And this is why I intend to rule a thousand years, Praetor. If I can. Call it ambition if you will. I have no desire for glory. I never wanted power for its own sake; I had it thrust upon me...

"Thank you, @[member="Zaiden"]. We'll make resources available to you; we'll be watching."

...and Praetor, the hunger for power is a dichotomy. The Sith are taught to focus on how to accrue power. What they do with it...well, that is frequently overlooked. And that is why people like you and me, non-Sith, and people like Rytek'irk'intrano and Kisep and Talith, are so crucial to the Empire's stability and success.

Praetor, stay with me as we wait for @[member="John Harrison"].

 

[John Harrison]

John briskly stepped forwards, slightly worried that he was late. His coat bloomed as he walked with as much speed as he could without running. Skidding to a halt before @[member="Ashin Varanin"] and the obsidian throne, he took a second to view that @[member="Seth Shorn"] was in the room. He'd passed someone on the way in. Couldn't remember who though. There were a lot of Sith about the place, and not a lot of memorable names. "Empress." Doing a double take to look back at Shorn, his eyes widened in excitement. "Well look who it is! You're the guard who I wiped the floor with back on Dromund Kaas! Good work there." His smile still wide on his face, he turned to face the Empress again. "Why have you summoned me?"

 

[Ashin Varanin]

"We need to have words about @[member="Zaiden"], Mister Harrison. I've already had this discussion with other interested parties, so I'll cut to the chase. Certain things he has done have seemed treasonous. What you, and several others, need to understand is that the Hands of the Empress have carte blanche to infiltrate and collaborate with my enemies. They're closely tracked and completely loyal. Zaiden is putting his life on the line for the Empire, undercover in the Lost Tribe. His associations with Onyx have given me a great deal of useful material.

"So here's my question for you. Will you be interfering with my Hands in the future?"

 

[John Harrison]

@[member="Ashin Varanin"]

"In my honest defense, your highness, your Hand over there did break into my home and make an attempt on my life. It's not my fault that I'm stronger, or that I wiped the floor with him." John reasoned. "I think you should keep him on a tighter leash, in honesty. Make some efforts to avoid having your Hands make assassination attempts." John was aware he'd probably regret the words he was saying. He was being honest, at least. It was an issue. The Empress was unlikely to take what could be perceived as a jab to her reasoning lightly, in his mind.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Ashin's head turned slowly towards @[member="Zaiden"], who was just departing.

"Zaiden, please account for your actions to @[member="John Harrison"]. Explain your reasoning."

 

[Matreya]

Zaiden grinned, glad he could retort now, "Harrison let me lead with you mopped no floor, I am ready for another chance to kill you anytime. But yes my main intent was @[member="John Harrison"] death. I was hired, as you know of my career in the shadows empress, to kill Harrison. Thanks to him, I lost out on 200k. Is that what you wish to know empress?"

@[member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

@[member="Zaiden"]
@[member="John Harrison"]

Ashin blinked slowly. "You took...a contract...for two hundred thousand credits...on a member of my faction. Tell me, when precisely was this? Was it before or after I named you a Hand, Zaiden?"

 

[Matreya]

"Well before Empress. The very day you surprised me with my knighthood. He turned out to be a worthy opponent beyond what I had heard, and has since been...a rival of sorts." He said looking to his Empress, he had not expected the knighting when he had accepted the contract. Before he could have made his move he had been knighted. Against his better knowledge he had made the move, and now he knew he may begin to regret it.

@[member="Ashin Varanin"] @[member="John Harrison"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

"I see. And since you were made a Hand, have you assaulted any member of the Sith Empire, @[member="Zaiden"]?"

 

[Matreya]

Zaiden chuckled, "Regrettably. Some deserve it but alas, no Empress @[member="Ashin Varanin"] I have not."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

@[member="Zaiden"]
@[member="Seth Shorn"]
@[member="John Harrison"]

Ashin's eyes narrowed, and crimson lightning danced around her hands. She did not attack. "Take this seriously, Zaiden. I allow you to operate outside the normal chain of command, but you will not flaunt your special status. The only reason this lightning isn't frying you from the inside out is that you haven't assaulted another member of the Empire since you were made a Hand. I expect you to be the perfect example of a servant of the Empire. No more of this petty drama."

The lightning died. The lesson had been taught.

"You are all dismissed."