Private When Paths Converge

[Lysander von Ascania]

Taeli Raaf​

Perched high within one of Coruscant's upper spires, the chamber was quiet. A towering window framed the panorama. The city stretched in every direction beyond sight. Below, one could even see the traffic lanes. Time flowed, untouched by the recent siege.

Lysander stood by the window, hands folded behind him. The glass mirrored a solitary figure.. a silhouette draped in a wool peacoat that rested on his shoulders, cascading over trousers of matching ebony. The ensemble spoke less of a knight, and more as the Point Emissary of the Covenant. That was not to say he moved any less when summoned as a field operative; there was.. a different appreciation for this role, representing Sith in the Core, one embraced whenever the Triumvirate allowed him.

Eventually, his attention shifted toward the center of the room, where a table rested beneath a suspended lattice of holomaps that rotated. They displayed projections of the star systems and hyperlanes. Celestial mechanics, and he’d come to view it. Of course, they’d been arranged by someone who viewed this as less of a battlefield between their kind, and more of a shared network.

Amid the streams of luminous data, one displayed the pathway connecting the Byss and Hoth hypergates. An agreement with Darth Carnifex recently promised to transform this into a new realm of travel.. and possibility.

Then, his eyes drifted downward to the surface of the table, where two holocrons lay side by side. Only weeks before, they had been recovered amid a final weep to cleanse Coruscant of all Imperial influence. The faithless. Many artifacts were catalogued and sent away to archives.. but these two were here by choice. Such things had a way of revealing themselves to the right mind.

Fingers traced the edge of the table as he paused. Memories followed. From notes of alchemical research to the industrial influence of Aurora Industries, one name echoed. Taei Raaf, or Darth Arcanix. Perhaps the association that rang clearest in his thoughts was how her work influenced one he considered akin to a sister, Madrona A’Mia .

True builders were rare in the galaxy, and those who recognized opportunity often needed few words to understand what really mattered. Their galaxy, after all, was also rampant with Sith who pursued power through conquest alone.. and lately, these paths didn’t hold his interest for long.

A nearby table boasted a decanter of midnight liquor. Beside it, a few pristine glasses. An invitation had been dispatched, and the room was prepared accordingly.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Lysander von Ascania
​

For many decades, whether it be under Sith domination or in the freedom offered by Alliances and Republics, she had long come and gone as she wished from Coruscant. She had long learned that the traffic around the planet ostensibly called the Center of the Galaxy was too heavy to monitor properly, and then given a cutting-edge stealth system, well, it became child's play after that. The invitation had come, and she had been most curious to see what exactly was occurring within Covenant space. They had earned a more chaotic reputation as a strain of Sith than the Empire centered around Jutrand, perhaps formed and fostered from those on top of their structure, but Kaine had mentioned his own endeavors within their territory. So... she had went.

One moment, he would be alone within the chamber. The ambiance of Coruscant beyond and the holocrons on the table were his only companions. The next, he would no longer be. The Lady of Secrets herself sat within the chair she assumed had been reserved for her, legs crossed and an expression of curiosity on her face. There was no stirring within the Force, nor had a sound been made, but there she was.

"I appreciate the invitation," she would say softly, amusement dancing on the edge of her words. She remembered the younger man from when Madrona A’Mia had first laid claim to Brosi, either an apprentice or an ally she had been unsure, but a confidant of the Neti at least. That alone would have prompted her to come and see what he might want, but apparently, if this meeting chamber was to go by and Kaine's meeting with him, he acquired some power within the Covenant.

"You wanted to see me?"

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Taeli Raaf​

Traffic would continue to flow through the dark in ribbons. For a time, nothing shifted. And then, the room was no longer empty. But there was nothing to really mark the moment. Then it hit him at last. Not a surprise per se, just a variable he admittingly hadn’t accounted for. Lysander’s breath caught for a second, then eased out slowly through his nose. Fingers traced an idle path along the table’s edge as his shoulders turned, leaving his gaze from out the window and finding the Sith Lord seated.

“You don’t come across as the type to accept just any invitation without purpose. The fact that you have elected to accept this one tells me it held some significance in our political sphere. I don't take that lightly, Darth Arcanix."

His attention traveled to the other nearby table where a decanter gleamed. Approaching slowly, raising a glass, he poured a drink. Casting a glance toward the second glass, then back to her, he offered warmly, “If you’re inclined.”

Leaning casually against the table’s edge, the Sith continued, “I’ll admit, I wasn’t certain what would draw you here. Curiosity tends to win out more often than not.” Twin emeralds narrowed thoughtfully. "There's been a surge of activity lately. Some of it is loud, impossible to ignore. But most of it travels in whispers, you could say."

He let that sit between them for a second. “Lately, I’ve been spending more time looking at how those shifts line up. Different groups, different priorities." A finger tapped lightly against the glass. “After a while, it all starts to look less like coincidence."

Another glance, toward the pair of holocrons resting on the table this time. “They turned up during the cleanup here. Most of what we found got boxed up and sent off somewhere.. forgettable.” The rim touched his lips, and a small draw was taken. “I do think there’s value in knowing when two things are already moving in a similar direction.. even if no one’s said it out loud yet.”

Then, almost casually. “So, when you saw the invitation, what did it look like from your side?”

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Lysander von Ascania
​

She saw the slight stiffening of the shoulders, heard the catch of a breath as her host realized she was in a room he had previously been alone in. It was a very subtle gesture on her part, meant to convey a few messages to him without words being needed.

"Not every invitation, no, but I thought it polite to accept this one," she responded, smiling softly. She would add, with the offer of the decanter and glass, a slight raising of her hand and a shake of her head, saying, "I don't partake of anything alcoholic, a habit of mine entrenched in decades of never wanting my mind clouded by substances."

Amethyst eyes would travel to the two holocrons resting on the table as he explained how he, and by extension the Sith Covenant, had come across them. She was curious on who had created them and what information they might contain, but it was a passing interest mainly. She had studied and owned several holocrons herself, some of them recorded by the ancient great Sith, but there was always room in the collection for more if the subject came up. As it were, Lysander adopted a more deliberate pace for their conversation, asking his questions and musing aloud upon how two objects, or as she could see in the metaphor, two beings.

Interesting.

"I saw a gesture of outreach and, perhaps, an expression of hopeful mutual opportunity," she answered, crossing her legs. "As for curiosity, I have found in my rather long career it can be a proper motivator all upon its own. It always has been for me. I've always been one to ask why something is or why a process is this way... and then see if that can be improved upon, pushed to a new frontier, or changed in some way. So, if the invitation had merely been rooted to see if I would come out of curiosity, then yes, I would have accepted regardless."

She would lean back into her chair, fingers lightly resting on the edge of the armrests.

"You've done well for yourself within the Covenant since our brief meeting on Brosi, it would appear. A'mia spoke highly of you, so I'm glad to see her effusive praise appears to be deserved at present. I do hope that continues to be the case as we talk."

She could sense more questions to come, and a proposal, but she would let him lead the discussion that way.

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Taeli Raaf​

The angle of his chin shifted. Alcohol had never been his refuge, not really. The amber liquid felt like a crystal talisman in most rooms. Most relaxed at the sight of it; he tried to remain coiled, preferring the clarity of sobriety. But, here he stood anyway in ritual. For all his academic understanding of political theory, he was still young in the arena where those theories met practice.

"I appreciate that perspective. I’ve come to realize in diplomatic circles, we often find ourselves navigating the space between stated intentions and underlying motivations." He leaned forward, posture a little more relaxed. "The most productive relationships I've brokered began with nothing more than mutual intrigue, two parties wondering what the other might bring to the table."

He believed in truth, his vision was quite simple, but not all Sith were easy to deal with. Not that it should’ve been a surprise, really.

“Your recognition honors me. A'mia's guidance has been invaluable, and shaped me in ways I'm still discovering. The patterns that bring us together in this unlikely place.." He gestured to the space between them, fingers splayed. "I've been planning a pilgrimage to the Holy Worlds soon to witness the Malsheem. And visit Brosi, of course. It’s been far too long.”

“Allow me to be candid with you, Darth Arcanix. The Covenant and the Order are moving along parallel trajectories in some areas. Different methods, different philosophies.. but I believe the outcomes often converge. Operating separately only squanders what we could achieve together. I won’t pretend we need to believe the same things, for that would be naive. What matters is finding the places where our ambitions intersect enough to warrant joining forces.”

Silence drifted so the words could settle. “This is why I summoned you.”

There was a shift of light across his visage as the holomaps rotated.

“I’ve been considering,” Lysander continued, one hand open, resting on the table between them, “what you may desire to achieve here. What we both might gain from this arrangement. What I can offer that others cannot.”

A half‑smile unfurled, emerald irises steady, setting the glass down with a soft clink. “Tell me what success looks like to you. Perhaps there’s a way forward neither of us has yet imagined. I’d like to understand what would make this conversation meaningful for you. Perhaps there’s something specific I could address immediately?”

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Lysander von Ascania
​

She had always enjoyed what she called the Great Game; that quiet struggle to control the politics of individuals, planets, star systems, and entire interstellar governments. The Sith, for those who knew how to play, had raised that game into an art form on a galactic scale. In these recent years, sitting upon the Dark Councils of two empires, she had found herself becoming something akin to a referee, watching the younger ones play the game and intervening if they tried to play outside of the rules. Lysander seemed to understand the basic principles in a way only a true student of the Great Game could, and that showed promise.

"You propose the foundations of alliance between the Covenant and the Order by beginning here on what you and I might agree upon," she replied after he made his intentions clear. Considering the amount of crossover between their factions on individual scales, between the Empress and the Triumvir Mercy, nothing had been formally established. It was more akin to an understanding, a gentlebeing's agreement, that individuals could drift back and forth and act within either, as the situation dictated. The current situation between the Covenant and the Order had its advantages, but it also carried some disadvantages. She and Carnifex had discussed the situation at length.

Ambitious indeed.

"Your question, for me, can be answered on several different levels," she continued. "I could answer as the executive of Aurora and say I desire to see my corporation re-entrench itself within Covenant space and the Core, to become invaluable to the economy and military forces within the Covenant. I could answer as the Lady of Secrets and say I desire a planet or influence within the affairs of the Covenant, all to spin my webs further across the galaxy. I could answer as the Dark Councilor Arcanix and say I desire deeper relations between our factions, all in pursuit of the ultimate goal of Sith domination of the entire galaxy. I could even answer as just myself and say I desire information about the Covenant, its structures, philosophies, and all that would entail...

A small smile would form.

"...success may very well be a combination of all those, wouldn't you say, but that all begins with two simple questions for yourself. What is the opening offer, and what is it you want from me?"

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Taeli Raaf​

Twin emeralds flared on the rotating lattice of the holomap, tracing the Byss-Hoth corridor as it swept across the projection. He followed the hyperlanes before returning his gaze to Darth Arcanix. From experience, there was always something compelling about standing before a Sith Lord. The Covenant and the Order shared many surface resemblances, but he was not foolish enough to mistake that for sameness.. for they were, in many ways, vastly different. The Order he understood as Imperialistic in its nature; the Covenant struck many as something more anarchistic by. And well, given their sudden rise, history, tactics.. it was not difficult to understand. His concern, however, was the long time. And his role as Emissary was not a destination. Ascending the the Triumvirate was clearly within reach, considering one seat was now open.

Amber liquor landed with heat tracing at the back of the Sith's throat once more. The offer revolving in the depths of his mind was generous, or at least.. they wore generosity well, and he found he believed the logic underneath it more than the surface of it.. which was, in his experience, the most reliable thing to believe.

"Aurora Industries would be more than welcome in the Core. I've studied the markets extensively, and beginning to position myself where real power resides."

There was one particular node pulsing that caught his attention above all others. "If you're seeking re‑entrenchment.. I will see that the Covenant can make room. Especially in places where the right partner could shift the balance. Take Brentaal, for instance."

He set the glass down with a soft click, fingers folding on the table.

"It's remarkable how Brentaal so often gets overlooked, considering it sits on the most valuable trade intersection in the entire galaxy. The Hydian Way, The Perlemian Trade Route.. and the Commenor Run for.. let us say, good measure." A hint of a smile was conjured. "A new governance structure will soon be in place. Slowly, but surely, in ways that won't upset the existing economic blocs. No doubt this would be the kind of environment Aurora would flourish, just as Spore Industries shall. High value, high traffic, politically sensitive.."

Those thoughts were given a moment to settle before shifting his weight and leaning forward. "Perhaps then, I should be speaking directly to Dark Councilor Arcanix. My time in the Order, my true home, gave me a front row seat to doctrinal infighting. Maybe that's the price of having too many visions under one roof. But I've never believed it has to stay that way. I've already made that case to the Empress herself."

A slow exhale escaped his lips. "My vision is a unified Sith under a single banner. One understanding that we're stronger working together than tearing at each other's throats."

His free hand rose, palm up, brows narrowing. "We're surrounded by foes who would love nothing more than to see us fractured. It seems.. shortsighted to give them such satisfaction. Be it the boardroom, or defending our borders, the logic is the same. At some point, we should consider becoming one. In a way that preserves our identities and ensuring everyone finds a seat at the same table."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Lysander von Ascania
​

Her smile would widen slightly as he stated that Aurora Industries would be welcome in the Core. The younger man in front of her seemed to understand that soft power, such as economics, social flexibility, or outreach, could be just as effective in controlling someone or somewhere as hard power. Possibly even more so than the application of military might, as soft power could sink its roots deep and quietly, remaining there even if a world changed hands in the Great Game of galactic factions.

"Brentaal," she repeated quietly, more to herself as he highlighted it on the holomap. He explained there would be a new structure in place there soon, alluding no doubt to efforts he was personally investing in to control the crossroad of the Hydian, Perlemian, and the Commenor Run. She understood that one of her allies had long had operations there, but ATC and Danger would always just be that ubiquitous presence on the trade routes, much like the Federation. Still, establishing a position in the Bormea sector would have its own benefits for her own operations. A fact that Lysander clearly understood, as he dangled the opportunity before her as part of what was slowly taking shape into his offer.

His philosophy, his goal, was revealed as he stated he wanted to see the Sith unified under one banner, and she was sure he thought he was uniquely positioned to achieve this. A foot within the Covenant as their Emissary, a foot within the Empire as his original home. Idealistic, but it would not be the first time she had seen disparate Sith factions form together into a greater whole. The Ascendancy and the Resurgents from Athiss had formed the Tenth Sith Empire through just such a merger. Such a goal could always be closer than even he knew, considering the closeness of each faction's Empress, but she didn't see the harm in helping him accelerate such efforts.

"An admirable vision," she replied softly, contemplatively, fingers tracing a pattern on the table absentmindedly. "To unite would take time, continued establishment of slowly tightening bonds, but not impossible to achieve. You are, of course, correct that the power of the Sith united into one would give enemies pause. It has been this way several times in recent history, and each time has resulted in a power that could only be stopped when the internal ambitions became unmanageable. This has long been the issue with the Sith, but that is the dark side by nature itself... but it can be controlled constructively as long as ambition is directed."

Her fingers would continue tracing as she thought.

"You'll find an ally within myself for such a vision," her gaze would once again shift to the holomap, "and for whatever you design for Brentall and the Bormea sector, Aurora Industries would be happy to assist. Perhaps not on Brentaal itself as the main focus of our efforts in the sector, but perhaps some ancillary presence there to reinforce the local industry. Corulag would be more to our... vision, as it were, for what we might have in mind."