Private Wild Terentatek Could Not Stop Us

[Astra Sadow]

Korriban. Astra's smile had tightened when Lysander had offered. Of course it held some historical value, but that was all in Astra's opinion. It was a dry-as-a-bleached-bone world with heat and light that made it inhospitable to a Sangnir; worse, there were treasure hunters and self-professed 'archaeologists' prowling about claiming they'd found Exar Kun's lightsaber or Naga Sadow's robe in one of those decrepit tombs.

His familial connection, however, she'd known about; and as much as it pain Astra to visit such a place, establishing relations with someone in the Order would be useful. Being a businesswoman she knew you didn't always get to pick the ideal client. Though in this case, Astra wasn't worried about Revna as she was the dust ball Revna ruled.

So, after an entirely too long trip, they'd arrived at Korriban. As a way of apologizing for a sudden disappearance here or there, she'd accepted Lysander's request to a game of dejarik. The things a woman did to maintain her air of mystery. That and to avoid ravaging Lysander's neck during the long flight. Even a Sangnir like herself had limits.

Unlike their swordplay, however, there would be no doubt whether Astra had gone easy on Lysander in dejarik.

"It was a legal move," his opponent replied after the game ended.

"I think it's about time we head toward the throne room. That rematch will have to wait until business has been concluded." Modern dejarik had a few pieces and rules that had once been unfamiliar, but in the end the fundamentals -- as Lysander put it -- were the same. And a Sangnir certainly understood the need to think ahead when it came to moving pieces on a board -- it's how they kept their blood supply from noticing and launching some fool campaign.

After they'd gotten under way, her attention turned back to the man at her side. Colorful history and familial connections Lysander had. No wonder he had aspirations for corporate influence in The Core. Astra intended for their efforts to extend into the Sith Order as well in time. His connection to the Empress might prove useful... in resolving 'miscommunications' that might result in a turf war. They intention wasn't to destabilize the government, after all. Though not everyone came out ahead when it came to shaping the Game.

Today, Astra wore a long, white jacket over a scarlet-red vest, shirt, and tie. The overbearing sun made black a bit uncomfortable. Yes, as a Sith one should embrace-- Astra was powerful enough to decide she wasn't going to bother suffering like some Acolyte.

"Do you think they'd mind if I set up a Sanguine field office here?"

Lysander von Ascania | Revna Marr​

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Revna Marr | Astra Sadow
​

From Jutrand to the Throneworld and beyond, the pieces of the galaxy seemed to be settling back into their proper alignment. For Lysander, that signified a return to a life in perpetual motion. After nearly a month away, he discovered the return to transit felt far less burdensome than expected. The endless movement now carried an almost comforting familiarity. Less a frantic dash from one crisis to the next, and more like a tour, an opportunity to rekindle old ties one planet at a time.

Almost a year passed since he last set foot on Korriban. His previous visit was alongside Naniti, the pair exploring the planet's Dark Side nexus with that particular kind of confidence capable of making a dubious plan seem entirely sensible right up until the moment you realized you were in over your head. Much had changed in the time since.

Today marked a visit long overdue.

The game was entertaining and therein lay the problem itself. Asked yesterday to rate his devotion to dejarik, he probably would have placed it somewhere between indifference and outright apathy. But.. none of that detachment survived first contact with competition. A familiar flaw, to be sure. The subject itself could leave him entirely cold, and once a contest began, the need to win blazed fierce.

Worse, she'd won.

Just before disembarking the transport shuttle, eyes lifted to meet hers. "Legal? That's an interesting defense to choose, no? At no point did accusations of illegality leave my mouth. Cheating was the charge." Indifference colored the shrug offered at the suggestion of a rematch. But anyone truly acquainted with Lysander would understand a second contest was inevitable.

They were well on their way toward the palace, advancing at a casual pace, Korriban's heat settling over him as fine grains of red sand already clung to his dark boots. Attire for the occasion stayed simple, a black tunic dipping into a modest V at the collar over fitted black leggings. Sleeves were rolled to the forearms. Some things simply never faded with time. Fashion tastes had broadened considerably through the years, of course, though certain staples stubbornly stayed in rotation.

Lysander's gaze drifted from the white of her jacket to the scarlet showing beneath before lifting again to Astra's face. A lone brow arched. He slipped two fingers under the edge of his own collar and gave it a light tug.

"You're going to give the wrong impression," unfurled lightly from his tongue. No official rule forbade it, of course, but after catching sight of a Sith in white beside him, the observation was too tempting for the blonde to not voice.

Both hands found their way into his pockets for a while as they walked; after a moment he finally answered her, "Astra, I've learned anything's possible." And it was true. She'd shown support through more than a few of his pursuits, and even through legal troubles as well, so of course he was doing his best to return the same in kind.

He was still turning the idea over somewhere. "I think you should bring it up. If there's a path forward, we may as well explore it." Not an unreasonable ask, not by any faction's standards, really. Words settled before he nudged an elbow at Astra's ribs. "No need to trouble yourself over Brosi; I will personally see to it, you have my word."

At last, the Palace of Vardin revealed itself against the horizon, growing larger with each step as they drew near to the gates. Figures in armor peeled from their posts, advancing to meet them before they could cross the threshold.

"State your purpose," the taller guard rumbled.

"We seek an audience with Her Majesty."

The guard did not move at once.

"Inform her Lysander and Astra Sadow have arrived."

To him, the formality was hardly necessary. Word had been sent well before their arrival, and Revna would already be awaiting them, so there was little chance of the encounter growing needlessly tangled.​

 

[Revna Marr]

Wearing:
Ring || Lightsaber || Necklace || Ceremonial Armor​

Revna had only returned to Korriban a fortnight prior, perhaps a few days less. She’d been away on war campaigns, both of which resulted in Sith victories, and while she certainly wished she could maintain her break from the knife’s edge of politicking, she knew she needed to return and resume her duties.

Thankfully, nothing too drastic had occurred in her relatively short absence. The First Lord of Korriban, Elmindra Xitaar, had managed court affairs and other tasks that entailed rulership well enough and nothing dire required Revna’s immediate attention upon her return to Korriban. Well, other than the report that there had been the beginnings of an uprising amongst Vardin’s denizens.

The Sith King’s absence was being more noticeably felt and noticed, and some had allowed the desire to try and take the throne for themselves to begin festering within their hearts.

Those responsible had been arrested and had been held until their fate would be decided, and Revna was in no mood to play nice with rebels after being on the frontline of two bloody and violent battles. She read the report, the charges and the evidence - and without second thought, ordered them to be executed for treason against the throne, against her beloved Caedes. He was counting on her to maintain control over his, their, territory - and she wanted to do her very best for him. To show him that she had what it took to be his Queen.

But other than that, Revna’s return to Korriban went relatively smoothly. Court resumed, as did the meetings with delegates and citizens and Sith and non-Sith alike. Revna reviewed contracts for more apartments to be built for the city’s steadily growing population, contracts to build another market street to hold vendors and their wares to allow for more commerce and trade between Korriban and other nations and worlds, as well as a myriad of requests and petitions that came across her desk. All of it requiring her attention and decisions.

A good number of those decisions she made while in the Royal Council chambers with the other Lords of Korriban, a handful were made on her sole authority, and still a few were made after consulting with the First Lord or even the King himself while he was still away. It wasn’t easy, but this was what she had agreed to when she accepted Darth Caedes’ offer of Queenship to her.

The day that Revna received word that she was to receive visitors, family even, was a day where she was to sit the throne and attend to matters personally as they came before her, instead of behind closed doors or through a holo device. It was a relatively quiet day, with Vardin’s citizens hard at work, and court staff moving about like a well oiled machine. Kor’ethyr Academy was in full swing too - the last batch of Sith having graduated, and the newest batches having been admitted into its classrooms.

It was also unseasonably warm for Korriban and its inhabitants. The planet, normally chilly and with a near constant biting wind, had warmed up noticeably over a relatively short period of time. An inquiry into this revealed that Horuset, Korriban’s red sun, was undergoing some changes in energy output - not all that uncommon with a star that was burning through the last of its nuclear fuel reserves. Eventually, the red giant would explode into a supernova, and Korriban and any other planet within the system would be obliterated along with it. But there was still some time to go before that happened - at least, that was what Revna was told by the scientists who monitored the star’s solar and radiation fluctuations. Korriban would return to its frigid state again, but when was not entirely known.

The little Darth was pondering this, and a dozen other thoughts that danced through her mind, when a guard opened the grand doorway that led into the even greater throne chamber of Korriban, and made his approach.

“Your Majesty, a Lysander and Astra Sadow are requesting an audience with you. What be your will?”

“Let them approach - I am expecting their arrival. No one is to disturb us while we speak.”

The guard, a Zabrak, bowed to the order. “As you wish, your Majesty.” He said before turning on his heel and returning to the door, opening it completely before Lysander and his female companion.

“Presenting her Majesty, Darth X’aviera, Queen of Korriban.” the guard announced with a loud thump of his traditional glaive to the two guests, and Revna had to resist the eyeroll at the announced titles. She understood it was necessary for situations or moments like this, and the fact that it was being done to help her get used to being called such things - but she preferred to be called by her name.

Lysander and Astra were then permitted within the throne room, the grand door sealing shut behind them.

The chamber laid out before them was grand, as was befitting any throne room in any kingdom or empire. The presence of the Dark Side saturated the chamber, moving almost like a living current against one’s skin. To the ordinary person, it was enough to bring quiet submission, and for a Force User, it was a reminder of the ancient power that pulsed within Korriban’s heart.

Pillars of black marble with weblike veins of gold towered from floor to ceiling, and Korribani banners and tapestries hung from the vaulted ceilings, and great murals depicting ancient Sith Kings and Sith Lords of old and new could be seen along the walls - though one stood out as more prominent than all the others: the long dead and ancient Sith King, Dathka Graush.

The floor was polished black marble, save for the long and luxurious carpet that led from the entryway to the bottom steps that led up to the throne dais. A flag pole that represented the Eleventh Sith Empire, stood near the throne. Another flag - a Kainite one, was supposed to be present as well - but it was nowhere to be seen as Revna often had it removed when she occupied her seat in the chamber.

Behind the throne was an opening, a balcony, that led out on a platform that gave dominating and impressive views of the restored Valley of the Dark Lords beyond, as well as a grand view of the sprawling royal city of Vardin itself. The reddish light being cast inward acted almost like a hellish halo around the throne itself. With the light at her back, Revna was given a clear view of all that was before her - while those that stood at the bottom had their vision slightly obscured by the light that came in from behind her. Those without enhanced vision would see a figure (or two of them when both King and Queen sat the throne together), enshrouded by darkness with a reddish halo of light arching around them.

The newcomers would see that there were actually two thrones - though the largest and most ornate was pointedly empty.

Revna sat on the right hand side of that larger seat, wearing Korriban’s colors: black and gold. Her outfit was martial in aesthetic - armor, but more ceremonial in nature - or at least, that was how it appeared to those seeing her. At her hip rested her lightsaber, within clear view and readily accessible should she have need of it. No physical crown adorned her head, though her silver streaked black hair had been done up in a crown braid that wrapped around each side of her head, before the loose parts fell down around her shoulders in silken waves.

Revna leaned slightly forward in her seat as she watched the two of them approach, and her kohl dabbed lips tipped upwards with a small smile the closer they came. She let her eyes drift over her tall, blonde haired cousin, taking in the sight of him with a measure of pride and familial warmth as she recalled rather fondly the first time she ever saw him - when he’d been a Padawan who had slipped away from some Jedi enclave to come see Korriban and Kor’ethyr for himself.

That felt like it had happened a lifetime ago.

Her gaze then shifted to his companion, a woman, who was dressed in white and crimson - colors that stood out in stark contrast to the black and gold of the throne chamber. She had never seen the woman before, and assumed that she was with the Sith Covenant.

“Welcome to Korriban.” She said in greeting to them both, her voice echoing throughout the chamber, before she returned her focus to Lysander for the moment.

“It has been a long time, hasn’t it - my dear cousin? How have you been, and who is your companion that you bring with you today?” ​

Lysander von Ascania || Astra Sadow ​

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Astra Sadow Revna Marr​

As the gates parted before them, Lysander's reply died on his lips; he paused at the threshold, enough to let Astra take precedence by a single step. Boots whispered over black marble veined with gold as the Sith's eyes drifted upward to the vaulted ceiling. His shoulders drew in; his hands slipped behind him, fingers winding around one wrist.

At the dais's foot he drew to a halt, then offered a courtly bow. Once he straightened, his left hand opened briefly at his side, palm turned outward. Among Sith, such transparency had become both habit and tool.

"Your Majesty." The emissary's armor would peel away so that the warmth in his smile was revealed.

"Look at you." The words carried a note of amusement. "It's been far longer than I intended," a soft exhale punctuating the admission. The list of reasons was long, and none of them were tidy enough to summarize.

He shifted to his left foot. "Duties in the Core kept multiplying, and somehow there was always a justification to delay a little longer. Another assignment, another war demanding attention. Every world seemed destined to collapse without my direct oversight shortly after the Covenant made its claim. Arrogant, in hindsight. Funny thing though.. most thrived anyway without my supervision. Which was, admittedly, a touch disappointing to discover."

When his voice returned, it was quieter. "Then there was being captured by the Republic, and trial which followed." That spectacle had apparently saturated the HoloNet, though since escaping, time spent scanning feeds had dwindled considerably. Was that avoidance? Perhaps. Or simply an unwillingness to confront another version of events. In a strange way, stepping back from his datapad usage was its own mercy.

His jaw worked once. "And everything surrounding it. I've realized, with family, there remains this.. naive logic that they will wait indefinitely, until someone decides to finally appear. So yes. Seeing you, cousin, became necessary."

With a small pivot, Lysander gracefully presented a hand toward the woman at his side. "This is Astra Sadow, Chairwoman of Sanguine Enterprises. Businesswoman, occasional partner to more questionable ideas of mine, and someone I thought you ought to meet." He offered a smile in Astra's direction before returning to Revna. "Together, we've been exploring ventures deeper within the Core. Investments oriented toward building legacies rather than conquering. Though perhaps that hope is still idealistic, given an understanding of what occurred on Abregado."

"Aside from catching up on life in general, just family reaching out to family, seeing if we might prove useful to one another." Because family, joined by the right allies, could venture where even empires might dare not tread.

 

[Astra Sadow]

The interior of the throne room only made Astra happier to have chosen the white jacket. Polished obsidian marble swallowed any that dared to approach the majesty of Korriban. It truly was a bastion of opulence and power. Just what you'd expect from a ruling Sith. And the crier announcing guests' audacious act of visiting that very enclave with a boisterous reminder of the one they would draw near.

Terrible shame though. Astra enjoyed the theatrics. The way the red sun cast a blood red glare upon all those that stood before the ruler(s) of Korriban leaving them faceless shadows. How very Sangnir of them; and there wouldn't be an opportunity to tell them just how enjoyable it was to be on the receiving end of such a display.

Astra's burnt golden eyes stayed focused on the figure on the throne the entirety of their walk down the center of the chamber. She stopped along side Lysander and gave a respectful bow to the ruler of a world as a humble guest of her domain. Revna was Lysander's cousin, and the woman had addressed him first. Court etiquette was far from unfamiliar, and so Astra remain silent awaiting his reply first.

While Lysander spoke, Astra stood still and silent. There wasn't so much as a tick at anything he'd said. Were they so close for him to so frankly speak of such matters? She'd have to trust he knew the character of the woman that reigned before them.

"Your Majesty," she intoned with a bow of the head at Lysander's recognition of her presence and introduction to Revna. "Idealistic or not, Sanguine Enterprises does not invest in foolhardy adventures. Recent events on Abregado-rae were not as planned, but we have made good use of the opportunities despite their unusual circumstances. Efforts that I hope to bring to more worlds outside of The Core." Namely, within The Order or rather the State of the Sith Order as it were.

No need for lengthy sales pitches that'd detract from the reunion of cousins, but enough to blunt the self-deprecating humor Lysander had put forward. Wouldn't want Revna to think he lacked confidence in the pursuit; nor would she refute what he said and seem to undermine his judgment.

Lysander von Ascania | Revna Marr​