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Post by Kayura on Jun 1, 2007 0:16:14 GMT -5
It was good to have things taking shape. Mentally, Kayura sighed in mild relief as she had her position as both Sith Lord and Dark Ladylord solidified in all the ways hat mattered. However, there was no full trust of her apprentice. That was a right claimed by her companion and ever-watchful guard dog.
Just as she was about to give her apprentice orders, there was a shift in the Force that spoke of a sleeping giant being awakened. There was a chill sent through her as the dead began to speak. The palor of her face was made even more intense as the blood drained from her face. The dead were already laughing in her ear, "Your former Master awakens at last my Ladylord."
"Yes, Kaa'li, you do have that bit of unfinished business."
Her eyes, unseeing, stared deeply through the floor as she listened. She stood almost frozen, a weakness potentially exposed to the clever observer. She shook her head as she willed herself back to the here-and-now. With a heavy sigh, she almost whispered it... Sidro She looked over to see an inquisitive look on Icethorne's face. Nodding at the half-sensed thought she answered, "Apprentice, we are going to face some potential difficulties as the situation is about to change. I sense a disturbance in the Force and that can only mean one thing: we're about to have some setbacks due to the opposition. We will have to move quickly if we are to catch them while they are off-balance: the Jedi have a way of moving quickly."
The Sith were of course a faster lot for the simplicity of the autocratic regime. She was the one that made all the important decisions while the Sith Council served to merely manage and debate the order's priorities. They were as necessary as they were a host of her real competition. Those would be the ones to try her life.
She had to come up with the next move and quickly. She had the koffers growing for the worm she set loose on the Holonet, she had made a dry-run on the Navy's defenses, and she had given the order to terminate her opposite number in the opposition. For a Dark Ladylord, she was already quite active. Just then, she sensed the arrival of another.
With another Sith Lord approaching, he grudgingly sank to a knee. "My Lady, we have recieved confirmation that the target has been liquidated." She nodded and bowed her head crisply to return the gesture. "Excellent, thank you. Now we move on to the next phase." Her mind raced faster than any known navcomputer. Thinking at rates fast, even for Hyperspace, she came up with the next maneuver. "We'll need to build up a weapons cache. Let's make a move on the Roche Asteroids. I suggest we do it under the guise of contractors and not as the Red Hand. Our presence has already been made clear enough to the opposition. Expect them to become more active in short order."
The Lord again bowed and answered simply, "Yes Misstr--."
"Ah, ah, ah! No! You'll call me Master just the same as the rest. This is your one and only warning."
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icethorne
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The shadow that will save us all
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Post by icethorne on Jun 1, 2007 11:01:08 GMT -5
Watching the exchange between the lord and Kayura amused him for an odd reason. But, Icethorne was paying attention, "We'll need to build up a weapons cache. Let's make a move on the Roche Asteroids. I suggest we do it under the guise of contractors and not as the Red Hand. Our presence has already been made clear enough to the opposition. Expect them to become more active in short order."
As quickly as it was spoken, the chain reaction set in motion. One move here a move there. The question was: What did she need him for on that particular mission. It sounded simple enough; Infiltrate disguised as a contractor and secretly set up a weapon storage. It was far to easy to import weaponry now days. Some ship have secret compartments underneath the cabin that are encased in lead making it hard to scan. All they need is a proper infiltration. And, perhaps a death to take the eyes off of a mere contractor.
Icethorne stood silently awaiting his commands as Kayura and the other lord exchanged words. The target has been liquidated? Obviously it meant someone was taken out. But, he would have to wait until later for the real news.
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Post by Kayura on Jun 10, 2007 14:08:41 GMT -5
She smiled at the recognition of her eager apprentice. Even if that smile may have perhaps appeared as a cold politician's smile for the way it failed to reach into her eyes. So many trains of thought were racing through her mind at once. The war computer between her ears had booted in full and ran at full speed once more. Cold battle logic was taking over and now it demanded that her apprentice be briefed in full.
Her appearance was calm, the lilt in her voice was soft and graceful as she began, "Ice, as you are the apprentice to the current leader of the faction, this will put you in a rather unique position. As of now, I see it fit that you should be briefed no differently than I would brief the Red Hand. It is for the sake of efficiency that I do this. Now, with this said, let us make way to my office where we will have relative privacy." She paused and gave Nas'ra a quick glance.
The dog at once, in spite of her size, managed to appear submissive to a woman that under any other circumstances would have been a small meal. The ears dropped low and the tail dropped slightly as the massive creature scurried to take her place on her right side. Smiling placidly again, Kaa'li reached up and scratched her pet under the chin. Assured, the dog walked on with solid, graceful strides and maintained that constant watch for danger.
Thier path took them through the corridors where several eyes saw the three of them and were either surprised or dissappointed. There was still a placid half-smile on her face in spite of the warning from beyond the grave. Other ripples in the Force also told her of a second presence, though distant. The many trains of thought continued until she reached her office.
The doors opened and Nas'ra quickly took her place beside the desk, Kayura, hers behind it. There was a chair set up in front of the desk. In a voice that belied the turmoil beneath the surface, Kayura lilted, "Have a seat, this could be a minute." The doors closed and that was when the briefing truly began.
"I am having the Red Hand manage the campaign on the Roche Asteriods for now. The Verpine have been making weapons of extremely high quality for a very long time and as such it would become a major asset to us. We are gathering strength because the Republic is allied with the Jedi to the point of being inextricably linked. As you can well imagine, this presents a very serious problem to our ability to reclaim our empire that they have so efficiently sliced to pieces."
She paused to take a breath. "I know from your reaction that you were interested in the report of the liquidated target. You should know then that target was the late Jedi Grandmaster. The Red Hand sniper unit brilliantly disposed of him. This buys us time while they have the Chancellor's election to manage as well as electing one of thier own leader. They will be well-distracted to the point of being able to see that we are building a needed military weapons cache."
At the mentioning of the Jedi Grandmaster's assination, she could see his eyes widen as he continued to listen. As she spoke, the drives slowly whirred to life. It would be some minutes before she'd check the day's messages. She continued on. "You are aware that I am currently rebuilding that empire we lost so long ago. These things must be done systematically and one step at a time. So far we have managed to demostrate to the Republic Navy that they are not as invicible as they think. We are growing the funds to secretly buy weapons and build our infrastructure. We are also in staging positions with two of our fleets out in old outposts. On my word they will launch to the next phase. We have done away with my number in the opposition as I have told you. The next step is to either buy or take a shipyard to ensure that the fleets are properly updated and supplied. We will begin to position ourselves to possibly engage in a number of skirmishes with the Republic and simultaneously court the separatists."
She paused to check on her computer and also the see the slightly bored look on his face. Changing the subject, she said, "As for your training, we will work on your stealth and silence a bit. You were good enough to sneak up on the Stronghold, meaning your last master had trained you well enough, but the fact you were discovered tells me that you still have a bit of training left to do in that regard. So now I shall train you in the art of distractions and illusion."
The computer at her desk had booted up in full. A holographic image flashed before them both on her desk. Seconds later it appeared with lines of Sith runes reading "Incomming message." Immediately, her face went from placid to curious. Her Yellow eyes peered deeply into the image and then with a few keystrokes the holographic image shifted to a figure in a black cloak and a mask. Immediately it said, "Lord Kayura, I request your presence on planet Almania at once. Lord Kenobi out."
Though mentally she was laughing at his obvious lack of decorum, she killed the message and quietly chuckled to herself. With a sigh, she retorted, "That's another weakness...hubris." Looking up from the void left by the terminated hologram, she smiled in nearly idol-like serenity, "Go, I will meet you in the courtyard. I will need only a moment."
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icethorne
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The shadow that will save us all
Posts: 45
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Post by icethorne on Jun 10, 2007 14:59:39 GMT -5
When Kayura had said she would brief Icethorne plainly... Was a bit suprising. But, interesting on the second hand. And, from what he had heard it sounded like most everything was covered. But, something tells him that something is a little wrong with the assasination of the Jedi Grandmaster; Mainly because of the fact that a mere Red Hand sniper took the shot. Forces still unseen work in the story. "I wasn't discovered, I just let them see me," he said with a sadistic smile on his face.
Strangely his natural insight kicked in. A dead grandmaster only makes room for a new one. Let's hope that the act alone will cause disorder among the Jedi ranks. If perhaps someone like Sidro Haanc got into that seat. Someone with the knowledge of the sith ways. It could turn very deadly for the whole deal.
Icethorne let his mind wonder as the holonet flickered on. Thoughts and echoes roamed his mind. But, all the time he had fantasies about the fun coming after the next step.
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Post by Kayura on Jun 10, 2007 19:19:26 GMT -5
Having dealt with the irritations of negotiating with what had become clear was a rogue Darth, she had an apprentice to train. Perhaps that would, at least for the moment, provide some sort of distraction to allow her tactical mind to chew on the change in events. She certainly had plenty to think about for the moment. Before rising from her desk, she changed many of the network passowrds and security settings...just to make sure that her network didn't suffer the same or worse fate than the Republic Navy.
Gracefully, she rose to her feet and Nas'ra got up to be in toe as always. Smiling, Kayura scratched the dog on the head. "Let's go," she whispered in the ancient language that accented her Basic. Ears perked and tail wagging, the massive dog was a massive four-legged shadow.
Drifting through the halls, she was again the subject of many stares. This time, there were looks of surprise before the mandatory bows on sight. Instead of the march she used to cut through the halls with, she drifted gracefully, in ghastly silence. She was moon-white and strangely beautiful to mask the dangerous truth about her. However surprised the others may have been, she was a prisoner of her many trains of thought.
She would eventually deal with her former master...the one she had indeed failed to kill. Not that it really stopped her up to this point. It simply meant she'd have to do what she needed to to make sure that his best-laid plans were doomed to fail...that meant the way in which the Sith operated would have to change. She sighed. Yes, life was going to be more than overwhelming and it was going to demand that she take full control, lest she be the controlled. Sidro Haanc would know as well as she would how they operated and would know all the critical weaknesses. Contractors, yes...to appear as something else and to operate under the laws of stealth and silence dictated that it was necessary to operate quietly and behind the scenes. That meant...
She'd have to court the separatists as a suitable alternative to the Republic. Yes, the Sith would have to partially become political and partially going into business...this would mean a real departure from merely a shadowy society. The only thing standing in her way was the Sith Council...and if anyone raised a major fuss about it...there was a Dark-Side-issue attitude adjustment waiting in store. The dead were laughing and one voice whispered, "Yes, now that's thinking like a Dark Lord, perhaps you are meant to take charge after all."
Finally, there was the matter of a potential splinter faction of Sith that could form up and undermine the entire operation. That thought forced her golden eyes to become frigid, brutal slits. There were two ways to handle that kind of threat and one way would lead to an internal war. That would undermine the entire operation...but if she could use the seperatist worlds as a shield...the trains of thought would have to keep going on that one.
Light broke her concentration. Blinking, she had come to the coridoor leading to the courtyard. It was time to start the day's training. ____________________________________________________ From all appearances, she looked to gracefully drift out into the corridor. Every detail was exact, right down to the brilliantly-collored flowers in her neatly folded and arranged hair. The black robes and the cloak drifted silently behind her as she walked to the center of the courtyard. Her golden eyes searched and swept the courtyard for a sign of her apprentice.
The golden eyes closed as if to let the Force show her. The effect of it was serene in a way that was rare among her kind. The eyes opened and the serenity lasted. Her voice, still a lilting velvet whisper called out with an unnatural power, "Icethorne."
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icethorne
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The shadow that will save us all
Posts: 45
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Post by icethorne on Jun 11, 2007 16:59:15 GMT -5
The voice pulled to him,"Icethorne." Icethorne was meditating beyond this world when the voice called. It carried too gentle a tone for the power that was emerging from the sound waves.
Existence ripped in two as he emerged from the darkness. The light left burn tracers in his retina. As it all cleared away time seemed to slow down. His robings flowed with his momentum as he come to a stop a good fifteen paces away from his master tilted his head and responded, "You called," his words were spoken through his primary and secondary vocal box making the words come out in a multitone effect. Making it sound almost like two people spoke the same words. His stance was a cool 'L' shape as his body rested on the ready.
There was somewhat of an audience. But, no mind did Icethorne pay any of them. To him those other sith are on a level far behind him. Weakness potruding from their very pores. The stench was a wretch upon his nose.
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Post by Kayura on Jun 12, 2007 22:50:09 GMT -5
There was eerie serenity on her face for one so powerful in the arts of the Dark Side. Those not paying attention might have mistaken it for the serenity of her opposite number in the Jedi ranks...at least before he died. Perhaps there was a hint of a smile as she sttod there clad in the traditional black robes and wore a moon-white painted face, accented with red lips. There was a smile almost reaching in to her red-lined golden eyes. "Yes, I did. We're already at work on your training. Some would be more formal, but I feel that to really learn, one must go in head-first."
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Somewhere in that corridor, she was watching through the Force. This was the amusing part. She was effectively in two places at once and even enjoying the well-formed illusion. It was now a matter of seeing how long this could go on before he'd figure out the truth.
That one spare thought she could allow herself was spent thinking of how wonderful a distraction from the plans such training proved to be.
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icethorne
Lurker
The shadow that will save us all
Posts: 45
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Post by icethorne on Jun 13, 2007 10:30:11 GMT -5
((KK I am back )) "Yes, I did. We're already at work on your training. Some would be more formal, but I feel that to really learn, one must go in head-first." Icethorne was ready now more than ever. His eyes shone lightly against the light. His focus gripped the world in a slow motion haze as the slight breeze died down allowing the robing to fall to place. Something gripped his mind making multiple people think the same thought. At first it frightened him. However, it felt to good to deny. He was ready to take on an army. Kayura seems to have that effect on him. Watching her wait for his move seemed to take ages. But, he wasn't completely sure she means to spar. He had known she was not weak in the ways of the blade and bushido. Icethorne thought to himself quickly; Also, she might have something up her sleeve. Something doesn't feel on key.
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Post by Kayura on Jun 13, 2007 22:47:11 GMT -5
Tapped deeply into the Force, she smiled as she could sense the thoughts of her apprentice as he stood there taking a fighting stance. Through the tides of the Force she could see that bolt of realization on his face as he was begining to realize what she really meant. She did tell him that she was going to start him on illusion and disguise...and she already had him dealing with it head-on. She almost wanted to chuckle, but stopped for fear of betraying that illusion herself. A smile played on her face as she remembered the very way in which she was trained and the very words used on her when she was in his place... ____________________________________________________
She stood tall and proud in the courtyard, looking on as her apprentice took a stance for a fight. There was a slight chuckle as her frame worked with laughter. "Now, now, I said we'd be working on illusions and disguise, I trust that for now your sparring is satisfactory. I really doubt that you'd have a Sith blade otherwise." Her smile remained, turning from placid to sly as her velvet voice asked with that slight lilt, "Now, let me start at the begining: do you always trust your eyes so?"
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icethorne
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The shadow that will save us all
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Post by icethorne on Jun 14, 2007 16:07:38 GMT -5
"Now, let me start at the begining: do you always trust your eyes so?"
Icethorne nearly smiled with an understanding, "I don't trust my eyes, no doubt I stand fast..." he paused for a slight second, "But, that's just my nature. But, now what kind of idiot would I be to believe that you aren't an illusion now?" Icethorne was scanning for Kayura's signature. But, for some reason his sense was clouded. And, he couldn't seem to pinpoint where she was. As if she wasn't really there. He stalked right up next to Kayura looking down as he poked through her body like air. It really wasn't a suprise. But, he could slap himself mentally for not catching the signs earlier. He run the scene back in his head in chopped order: 'We are already at work on your training.' 'To really learn, one must go in head-first.' He also remember that she had a slight smile on her face at that time as well.
She had him for a while. Mainly because Icethorne had no thought to check for a force signature. It was a slight error in observation. But, he wouldn't be so oblivious next time.
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Post by Kayura on Jun 14, 2007 22:07:00 GMT -5
Even if she appeared solid to the naked eye, the form vanished as soon as he poked through it. There was for a brief moment that form evaporated to a black mist and then finally to empty space.
There was only the daylight and the palm tree-studded courtyard. Some moments past before she did emerge and with Nas'ra in toe. "That was well done. Would you be able to reproduce one of that quality on command? I did give you the hint that I was having you go into it head-first."
This time it was a real smile in full. She was pleased to see he was indeed a fast learner. It seemd that she'd have an apt pupil afterall. The one thing that did surprise her was that he hadn't noticed that she had appeared without her pet and guard. Eventually, he'd have the lad trained to think like that. She knew she was learning where another had left off as much as she was starting at the begining.
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icethorne
Lurker
The shadow that will save us all
Posts: 45
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Post by icethorne on Jun 15, 2007 10:59:18 GMT -5
"That was well done. Would you be able to reproduce one of that quality on command? I did give you the hint that I was having you go into it head-first."
It was odd to see that full smile on her face. It was almost allergic. Kayura's pet brought on another hint that he had missed.
"I wouldn't even know where to start on making an illusion, let alone that clear," he couldn't overestimate himself. His previous master had not even introduced Ice to any type of illusion. He rarely even gotten any spar training as well. But, he never let someone else hold him back.
[more coming] ((met a brain freeze lol))
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Post by Kayura on Jun 18, 2007 22:19:15 GMT -5
There was something rarely heard in these halls, and it was heard in her apprentice's voice. There was no anger, no deception, only a matter-of-fact tone as he answered, "I wouldn't even know where to start on making an illusion, let alone that clear."
She nodded, forcing the flowers decorating her black hair to wiggle slightly. The moon white face was the image of placid knowing as she smiled softly again. "In that case," her voice gently lilted, "we have started at just the right place." It was time to start weaving in the basics, like the laws that kept the order going.
As she thought of it, the sesne of eyes falling on her came. She could sense right away it was not the eyes of her mount, guard and pet. In fact, the dog was acting rather strangely as she paced and began to growl uneasily. Without looking away from Icethorne, she whispered a command, "Nas'ra, la, khadim-sheh."
Uneasily, the dog took her place by Kaa'li and sat, leaning against her. Shaking her head and swallowing a laugh at the creature, she continued on as if the dead were nothing more than bystanders. They had come to watch, to judge and to critique her as she trained her first apprentice...turning him from youth to a possible lord. Finding her place in thought again, she continued. "The illusion is a critical artform necessary to how we operate as it is part of following those two laws that have sustained us all these millennia. I'm sure your previous master taught you the laws of stealth and silence. This art, the art of the illusion is necessary to elude capture by the Republic and the opposition. By that, of course, I mean the Jedi." Everything was by the book, if the Sith ever wrote any of this down. She was under the scrutiny of Dark Lords past now and knew it.
She took a breath and said, "We'll take it step by step. Today, apprentice, you will cast your first illusion." There was that soft, encouraging smile as she said, "Close your eyes and picture something, anything that comes to mind." With that said, she was steeled to face whatever he'dmanage to pull out of the depths of his imagination. She knew it was a matter of time before he'd master the ability to bend the Force to his will enough to give it life, even if it was a false life.
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icethorne
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The shadow that will save us all
Posts: 45
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Post by icethorne on Jun 19, 2007 11:48:36 GMT -5
"Close your eyes and picture something, anything that comes to mind."
Icethorne stood silent as he slowly closed his eyes. Letting the images come and go as he found the one that he would hold on to. It wasn't hard for Ice to hold that singular image. It potrayed a room he was so familiar with. Blood-stained walls sealed at all four corners. The grave silent as ever. But, still riddled with seals and locks. It was one of the easiest images for him to conjure.
Putting a strong focus on the image it felt more clear to him than it ever had. Almost as if it were sucking him in. Nevertheless Ice held the image in his head with his eyes closed fervently.
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Post by Kayura on Jun 19, 2007 18:43:28 GMT -5
She watched, using the Force to scan the image he was bringing to the fore of his mind. Nodding, she watched as he formed that image. Rather than distract him by speaking, her voice softly echoed in his mind. Yes, good. Now, I want you to imagine that the courtyard has now become this place. With your mind, focus on using the Force alone to build the walls, the ceiling and the joints. Work slowly and build from the image until you can make it look just as real with the Force. She continued to watch patiently and silently, but ready to push him forward when it was necessary.
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