Someone asked me about who is on the Dark Council now so I decided to write this chapter sort of as answer to that. This chapter is really just a way to introduce the Dark Council and give a quick bio of each member, along with some short introductions to the beginning of the re-ignited war. Enjoy!
The Dark Council was the most unified it had been in hundreds of years.
Sahesri stared out at the faces, Darth Nox sat at his left as head of the Council. Nox was the second most powerful Sith in the Empire and had truly proven herself as Sahesri's right hand.
Darth Oazz'on was beside her, Oazz'on and Sahesri had been acquaintances since they had been at the Sith Academy together. Oazz'on had been the apprentice to former Dark Council member Darth Ravage, and in exchange for his fealty, Sahesri had groomed him to take over his former Master's position.
Darth Nexus was Nox's former apprentice, who after years of uncertainy of her position amongst the Sith had finally risen to the power she wielded now. Sahesri had found her chosen name to be apt considering her beginnings as a Jedi Padawan and her current position as Head Overseer of the Sith Academy and Dark Council member.
Darth Malaric was a male human. He had served the Empire for over forty years. Sahesri and Nox had known him originally as Lord Samus, a trainer at the Sith Academy who had helped train both of them. A man with wisdom beyond his years, he had been a perfect choice for his position.
Darth Atrom had always had the odds stacked against him. A twi'lek originally born into slavery, he had been found by a Sith Overseer working for a group of Hutts as their enforcer. The Overseer had brought Atrom to the Sith Academy where he had gone through his training as an Inquisitor and risen quickly through the ranks of the Sith, becoming both a Lord and a Darth within a period of five years. When Sahesri had become Emperor, Atrom had sworn an oath of loyalty to his new leader. Sahesri always repaid loyalty and respect.
Darth Consace, a female Pureblood, reminded Sahesri of the woman who had raised him on Dathomir. A kind and wise-beyond-her-years young woman, but a fierce warrior on the battlefield. Nox had been the one to discover her talent, Battle Meditation. She had been secretly trained in the art by the Sith's elite and her talents had been tested several times in skirmishes with the Republic. But she was ready for more.
Darth Rottil was another unconventional choice. He was from Sahesri's homeworld of Dathomir, actually he was from Sahesri's village. A decade older than the Emperor, he had left Dathomir at age two and lived among the Empire ever since. Sahesri had met few finer swordsmen than Rottil who wielded a single lightsaber in battle, but traveled constantly with a huge vibroblade strapped to his armor.
Darth Corrain, was joining the meeting via holo from the Chiss Ascendancy. He was a Chiss male, who had been one of the first to accept Sahesri's teaching of accepting the Force as a whole. He was beloved by his people and led them to wholeheartedly join the Empire. Although the still remained autonomy over their own territories and affairs, Sahesri had welcomed their support with open arms, leading to a close alliance between the Ascendancy and The Empire.
Darth Necon and Darth Necray were from the planet Eshan. The Echani twins were unbelievably gifted in the Force. They had aligned themselves with Darth Nox when she had visited the planet Balmorra and the three apprentices had completed many missions for the Empire together. In honor of their service, the twins had become Darths and joined the Dark Council last year.
Darth Banaton was the only Kiffar Sahesri had ever met and his special talent of psychometry fascinated the Emperor. He had once been a Jedi Youngling, but at the age of ten, he and a group of Jedi Younglings had been found by Lord Xalek. Lord Xalek had been so intrigued by the Kiffar that he had taken him as his apprentice. Banaton was full of vibrancy and sensitivity to the Force. He was an avid reader versed in twenty five different languages which had helped him to brooch alliances between the Empire and many alien kingdoms.
Darth Nyax was the final member of the Council. She had joined the Council several months ago under the recomendation of her former Master, Jaesa Wilsaam. She was beautiful, a striking woman who had just celebrated her twenty-eighth birthday. Her long black hair flowed down her back and hidden under her raven mane were striking emerald green eyes. She was a Mandalorian by heritage and a Sith by training. Jaesa had traveled to the Mandalorian homeworld to learn their combat techniques with a Rancor Squad member named Ka'hirr who was an adopted Mandalorian. While on Mandalore, Jaesa had met a fourteen year old Nyax and sensed her power in the Force. Jaesa later explained to Sahesri that the night after she met Nyax, she had experienced a dream of the girl leading Mandalorian and Imperial troops into battle, wearing Mandalorian armor and wielding a saberstaff. Shortly thereafter, Nyax had accompanied Jaesa and Ka'hirr back to Dromund Kaas and became the Emperor's Hand's apprentice.
Sahesri looked upon these faces, each one had a purpose on this Council. Each had been hand chosen for their position. It was the perfect leadership to bring glory back to the Empire.
"My friends, the time has come. It is time to finish the war we started so many years ago."
"Finally some action!" Nyax said eagerly.
"My lord, not that I do not lust to bring the Republic to their knees. But what if we tried to bring them into the fold?" Rottil asked. "A hypothetical question of course."
"As long as the Republic have the Jedi whispering in their ear they will never give in to negotiations. No matter how much we have reformed."
"My, my Nexus you really have grown up from the stern Jedi Padawan I once knew." Nox said with a smirk.
"Well Master, I think we've all grown older and wiser."
"You bring up a very good point Nexus" Sahesri agreed. "The Jedi are so entrenched in their fear of the 'dark side' that they will not stop until they feel they have eradicated the threat."
"So we bring the fight to them." Necon replied.
"A marvelous war unlike any other my lord." Necray added at the end of his twin's sentence.
"Listen to me, my dear friends. As long as we are united in this cause, we cannot lose. The Empire is the strongest it's been in centuries and we've kept the Republic at bay for twenty years, now we finish the job. Who is behind me?"
"You know I am." Nox said.
"You will always have my support my lord." Oazz'on agreed.
"We are behind you my lord. Always."
"You have returned this Empire to a strength that we have not seen since the time of the great Sith Lords, my lord. If there is any Emperor worth following it is you."
"Good" Sahesri said, thinking it all over. "Then in exchange for your support I promise you that the history holos will remember your names always."
And so it begins.