Cipher Seven
Both chiss stared at each other, neither relenting in the slightest. Cipher Nine had his rifle trained on Cipher Seven, who in turn, seemed unperturbed by the sight of it. The chiss who faced him was older than himself. He estimated around mid-thirties, perhaps forty. He had short black hair with his skin a dark blue. His features would likely be considered regal by human standards but it told Cipher Nine that his parents had likely been highly placed in the chiss aristocracy, regardless if he himself was actually part of the Ascendancy.
Cipher Seven finally spoke, "You must have questions."
Cipher Nine opened his mouth to reply but Cipher Seven raised his hand to cut him off, "Actually, I should probably let you confirm my identity. Keeper wouldn't have sent you without some way to authenticate that it's actually me."
"Su cuy'gar, Cipher. Vaii ganar gar dar." Cipher Nine told him, remembering the phrase.
"That's actually supposed to be question." Cipher Seven corrected, "But close enough: Cui ogir'olar, gotal haar ba'slan shev'la." It matched the phrase Watcher Two had told him. He nodded in acknowledgement.
"One more." He told Cipher Seven, "Where is the black room?"
"Ah." He smiled, "Watcher Two. Imperial Intelligence, storage room 2112A-1245P. How is she doing, by the way?" Cipher Nine ignored the question. Cipher Seven had passed the questions, now he had to bring him back to Intelligence for questioning.
"Up." He ordered, "I'm taking you back to Imperial Intelligence."
"Excellent." Cipher Seven replied, though he remained seated, "That's exactly where I want to go."
"There are easier ways to go there." Cipher Nine told him.
"Certainly." Cipher Seven acknowledged, "But not if you have a plan. Besides, coming back from the dead is something that should be done gradually. People tend to react…rashly to dead Ciphers. Especially me."
"Perhaps you can explain how you survived exactly." Cipher Nine told him, "I read the autopsy report. Your identity was confirmed by two different Imperial divisions."
"As shocking as it must sound to you, the Empire can make mistakes." Cipher Seven answered with a slight smile, "In this case they didn't, that body they found was, for all intents and purposes, Cipher Seven. It just wasn't mine."
"It was your DNA and fingerprints." Cipher Nine insisted.
"I don't suppose you've heard of cloning?" Cipher Seven asked rhetorically.
"Of course I have." Cipher Nine answered indignantly, "And I know that cloned bodies decay after a certain amount of time and under stressful conditions. That body was tested for both."
"That only happens if the cloning job is rushed or poorly done." Cipher Seven explained, "I waited a two years for that body to grow. Those who made it assured me that it would hold up under any tests the Imperials put it through."
"Was it…alive?" Cipher Nine asked hesitantly.
"Sentient?" Cipher Seven answered sounding and looking mildly offended, "Of course not! It was a body. Nothing more, nothing less."
Cipher Nine had no way to verify that. He would have to take his word for it. The governor seemed to be recovered, so he turned his questions towards him. Better to resolve that situation before further questioning Cipher Seven. He had a feeling that very few people should be around when that happened.
"Governor Toran Erid, my name is Cipher Nine. You are under investigation for treason against the Sith Empire." Cipher Nine informed him.
"What?!" The man sputtered, fear filling his eyes, "I'm not a traitor!"
Cipher Nine raised an eyebrow, "We have records of your correspondence with Grand Master Satele Shan, asking for asylum from the Empire in exchange for Imperial secrets."
"I…I never sent any message like that!" Toran pleaded, "You have to believe me! I defected from the Republic! Why would I go back?" Cipher Nine noted that he seemed to be telling the truth. Still, he had one more thing to clarify.
"Really." Cipher Nine answered dryly, "The message originated from this planet. The planet also appears to be deprived of all Imperial forces. Almost as if to prepare the planet for an attack. Or," his eyes bored into Toran's, "an extraction."
The governor withered under his gaze, unsurprising for a human. "He ordered me too!" he frantically pointed at Cipher Seven who was watching with obvious amusement, "He told me that he was a Cipher Agent! That had orders from Imperial Intelligence!"
"You didn't think to check his identity?" Cipher Nine asked.
"Of course I did." Toran insisted, "His credentials checked out, he even brought the orders bearing the signature of Keeper." He pointed to datapad on the table, "It's all there. Check it. I honestly had no idea that he was lying."
"Technically," Cipher Seven broke in, "I wasn't lying about being a Cipher Agent. I am one. I'm just supposed to be dead." Addressing Cipher Nine he continued, "But he is telling the truth about everything else. I did fake that message to get you here, as well as trick him into ordering Imperial forces off the planet. He's innocent, so you can forget about him."
It did make sense, and matched up with the research he had conducted on the governor. He didn't exactly trust Cipher Seven, but he didn't see a reason for him to lie about this. "Very well." He finally told the governor, "I'll make sure the charges are suspended for now."
"Excellent!" Cipher Seven said cheerfully, "We can now move onto more important matters." Without looking, he whipped out a small pistol and shot a stun bolt into the governor's chest. He was fast enough that Cipher Nine barely had time to react.
"Put it down." Cipher Nine growled at him, resisting the urge to shoot.
Cipher Seven ignored the order and slowly holstered the weapon. "Satisfied?" he asked, tilting his head.
"I should shoot you."
"But you won't." Cipher Seven stated, "As of this moment, I'm too valuable to kill. If your profile is any indication, you won't kill me until you're satisfied that all your questions are answered. Not to mention you have orders to bring me in alive."
He was right. Cipher Nine had no intention of killing him quite yet. However, it was looking like it might be the best option. Regardless of orders, anyone who had his profile likely had access to other sensitive information. "How do you have my profile?" he asked.
Cipher Seven shook his head, "That particular secret is not one I'm willing to share quite yet. Perhaps later if we work together."
Cipher Nine snorted, "Why would I ever work with you?"
Cipher Seven gave a slight smile, "We're both on the same side, regardless of whether you see it or not. Tell me, do you have any reason to mistrust me?"
"Watcher Two warned me about you, what you're like." Cipher Nine told him, not fooled by the question. "So far she hasn't been wrong."
"What did she say exactly?" Cipher Seven questioned, "That I'm manipulative? Cruel? Dangerous?"
"Something like that." Cipher Nine acknowledged. "Is she wrong?"
He shrugged, "Not entirely, though I prefer to see myself as a reasonable person. But the truth is that no one becomes a Cipher Agent for their virtues. I was willing to do whatever was best for the Empire, regardless of personal cost. If that meant innocent people got hurt, then so be it." he looked Cipher Nine in the eye, "This job changes us, slowly but surely. You may go in as an idealistic agent, but after a few missions you either die or drop all the meaningless ideals and preserve the ones that truly matter. You know this better than most."
Cipher Nine was silent. Cipher Seven continued.
"If ordinary people knew what you'd done, you'd likely be portrayed as a monster or face trial for war crimes. But if you hadn't made that call, how many more would have died? You chose the good of the Empire over everything. That's why I wanted you, I want someone who places the good of the Empire above all else."
Cipher Nine shook his head slightly, trying to get that voice out of it. It was eerie how Cipher Seven had managed to pinpoint him so accurately. That little speech was something similar to what he had told himself. Did he say this just to manipulate him into helping him? Or did he genuinely understand him and share the same outlook? "What do you want from me?" he asked quietly.
Cipher Seven nodded somberly, "You may be wondering why I choose now to reemerge from hiding or why I faked my death to begin with." Cipher Nine nodded for him to continue, "I'll start from the beginning.
I was attempting some new techniques in the Empire." Cipher Seven began, "Testing limits, seeing how far I could effectively go against Sith Lords without them noticing. Unfortunately, that made me some rather powerful enemies. More and more, my operations were overseen by Sith, limiting my options immensely. The Sith had no idea they were being played of course, but they were more than happy to use me for their own ends. I naturally refused their orders to assassinate or sabotage rivals just to increase their own influence. This made them furious of course, but they didn't, or couldn't, do anything because I was such an effective agent and, simply put, too valuable to kill.
That changed when the Dark Council learned of me after I orchestrated Operation Blackout. They naturally managed to ruin that plan as well, thanks to our great Emperor. Anyway, I treated the Dark Councilors the same way I treated any Sith who ordered me to sabotage the Empire. However, they weren't so lenient with me. Several times I almost died, not from an actual enemy of the Empire though, from the hand of a Sith who was supposedly my ally.
Finally, I realized that someday I would push one too far and die for something utterly pointless. Not to mention at this point, the other enemies I'd made were learning of my missions and actively trying to sabotage them. So I deduced that the only way to effectively protect the Empire was to die. I had my clone grown a few years back as a contingency plan for just such an incident. I then placed my clone on a speeder bike and leaked my location to my enemies who took the bait. They shoot down my speeder and thus, Cipher Seven was officially dead. Leaving me to work unhindered by my enemies or the Sith."
"If my terrorist hunt was any indication," Cipher Nine chastised, "You didn't exactly do a good job protecting the Empire."
"True." Cipher Seven agreed, "But if someone wants to actually stay dead, interfering in Imperial Intelligence affairs isn't the best idea. I helped in other ways that no one ever knew. With no oversight, I was free to remove enemies to the Empire who were previously diplomatically immune. My first target was a diplomat who was convincing outlying planets to leave the Empire by using lies and false information. Imperial Intelligence was always leery of removing him for fear of reigniting the war with the Republic. I had no such hesitation.
After he had been removed, I began to start recruiting. I specifically looked for those who had been dismissed by Sith or officers for trivial or ludicrous reasons."
"The Seventh Legion." Cipher Nine remembered.
"A rather egotistical name." Cipher Seven commented, "But they likely meant well by it. All of them were grateful for another chance. It took surprisingly little time to gather enough men and woman to begin making a small difference in the Empire."
"Imperial Intelligence would have noticed if you had done anything major." Cipher Nine told him.
"Unless you know how Imperial Intelligence operates." Cipher Seven told him with a smug tone, "Which I do and I exploited that knowledge to its fullest potential. My operations were as well planned as those in Intelligence, often taking months to fully complete. If it even looked like we were attracting unwanted attention, the mission was aborted, no matter the circumstances or cost. Make no mistake, the Seventh Legion is one of the best private armies in the galaxy and no one knows about them."
"So do you want me for your private army?" Cipher Nine asked skeptically.
"No." Cipher Seven answered quickly, "The Seventh Legion is excellent for small scale work. But my plans are much larger. More ambitious than what any private army can accomplish."
"Go on."
"The galaxy is headed for war, Cipher Nine, do you disagree?"
"No," Cipher Nine answered slowly, "But I don't think it will happen for some time. If the peace treaty holds for a few more months, we won't have to worry about a war for a while. But too many people on both sides want the other destroyed for peace to last forever."
"Well put." Cipher Seven agreed. "But this war will end the same way as it always has."
"Which way is that?"
"Defeat. The Empire will lose the war."
"Is that right?" Cipher Nine replied skeptically, "Do you have some proof of this or is it just your opinion?"
"History." Cipher Seven told him as if that was an answer. "Do you study it?"
"I know enough." Was his curt reply.
"I'll fill you in." Cipher Seven told him in a helpful and slightly condescending manner, "This is not the first time the Sith have led an empire against the Republic. In the past thousand years, there have been three galactic level wars waged by the Sith. The Great Hyperspace War was the first, The Great Sith War was the second and third was The Second Sith War or Jedi Civil War depending on who you talk to. Do you know what they all have in common?"
"The Sith lost each war." Cipher Nine answered, "I know this. It doesn't mean that we will lose this time."
"True." Cipher Seven acknowledged, "But that is not the point I want to make. The Sith should have won each of those wars. If you read the records, the Sith won devastating battles against the Republic. Naga Sadow, Exar Kun and Darth Revan all seemed unstoppable and victory for them seemed inevitable. So why did they lose the war?"
"Revan was turned against the Sith." Cipher Nine pointed out, "The Jedi wiped his mind after capturing him when…" he paused as the answer dawned on him,"…Malak betrayed him."
"Exactly." Cipher Seven stated, "The Sith always betray one another. That is the way it has always been. When victory seems inevitable, the apprentice decides to betray the master. I have no reason to believe that this war will be any different."
"No one will challenge the Emperor." Cipher Nine shook his head, "He has lived for a thousand years. If someone had the power to challenge him, they would have done it."
"Our great Emperor who has been absent for decades?" Cipher Seven replied sarcastically, "The immortal Emperor who signed a peace treaty with his enemies? The Emperor who leaves the fate of the Empire to the Dark Council and their petty infighting? No Cipher Nine, I can assure you that the Emperor cares nothing for the Empire, it is nothing but a means to an end."
"Do you have insight into his mind?" Cipher Nine asked, "Because I don't think you do."
"I don't need insight when I have proof." Cipher Seven hissed, his eye narrowing, "You mistakenly think that the Sith and Empire and synonymous with each other. They are not. The Sith only care about one thing: power. To acquire power they use tools given to them. The Empire is nothing but a tool for them! Nothing more, nothing less. Why do you think the Dark Council cares nothing about the cost its infighting inflicts? It's because they don't care about the Empire, they care about themselves."
"That's….that's not true." Cipher Nine stalled, trying to give a reasonable answer to this madness that Cipher Seven was telling him.
But he couldn't.
"Isn't it?" Cipher Seven insisted, "Proof is all around you! On Korriban, hundreds of acolytes die from Sith training not to mention the mentors being killed by their own pupils. Hundreds of Imperial soldiers dead on Dromund Kaas because Lord Grathan wanted to have his own private Empire. Imperial Intelligence crippled by the poaching of agents by Sith for their own spy networks. I won't even acknowledge the madwoman who now controls the Sphere of Intelligence!
And now…" he paused for effect, "We have Darth Jadus, the man who, like myself, faked his death. But instead of helping the Empire, he weakened it by directing terror cells against the Empire. Hundreds of civilians died on Balmorra from the Chemish Or's bombs and sympathizers were assassinated without mercy. How many people do you think died by the hand of a cyclone enhanced suicide warrior? How many Imperials were killed and replaced by the Ghost cell? All made possible by the funding from the traitorous House Cortess.
Then Eradication Day. I know how many were killed. This was all made possible by one Sith Lord. Do you honestly believe it will end there? How long until the next Dark Council member decides to take over? Enough attacks on this scale will ensure that the Empire will lose before the war even begins and this time the Republic will ensure that the Sith, along with the Empire, are wiped out once and for all.
So I ask you, do you believe that the Sith have the Empire's best interests in mind?"
Cipher Nine's mind was whirling, trying to grasp onto some semblance of reality. What he had been hearing was high treason, heresy at the highest level. It was insane. It made no sense.
Except when Cipher Seven said it.
Then it made too much sense.
Watcher Two had warned him about Cipher Seven's unusual skill with words. He had honestly thought it was somewhat exaggerated. Now that he was here and witnessing it he wasn't so disturbed by the fact the Cipher Seven actually was as gifted as Watcher Two had told him.
He was disturbed because it was working.
"What is your point?" he finally asked, "Why are you telling me this?"
Cipher Seven paused for a moment, "You asked what my plan was, why I drew you out here, why I've reemerged now. I realized that the Empire would not survive if the Sith continued to rule it. So to be perfectly clear with you my plan is this: To destroy the Sith and preserve the Empire."
Cipher Nine laughed. He couldn't think of another response to that statement. Cipher Seven smiled, looking perfectly at ease. He composed himself and finally spoke. "You're insane."
Cipher Seven folded his hands, "Oh, I can assure you I'm perfectly sane. But I do notice you simply called my plan insane rather than calling me traitor."
"You would certainly be considered one." Cipher Nine answered in wonder.
"Depends on your point of view." Cipher Seven shrugged, "Would letting the Empire be destroyed by the Sith be any more or less traitorous than letting it be destroyed by the Republic?"
"That's not the point." Cipher Nine shook his head, "The Sith have always ruled the Empire, without the Sith there is no Empire."
"But there can be." Cipher seven insisted, "Imagine for a minute an Empire without infighting. An Empire where an Imperial doesn't have to fear death from a Sith Lord. An Empire where non-humans are treated as equals and where people are judged by their merits, not at the whim of Sith Lords. That Empire can exist, Cipher Nine. The strengths of the Empire without the weaknesses of the Sith."
"You want me to help you." Cipher Nine stated, it was not a question.
"Yes." Cipher Seven told him, "But I'm no fool. To fully destroy the Sith, the major powers of the galaxy will have to come together."
It dawned on him exactly what Cipher Seven was implying, "You want Imperial Intelligence to help you." He exclaimed in disbelief. "You are insane."
"That should be for the Minister to decide," Cipher Seven told him, "Not you." He was silent for a few moments, "You don't have to decide now. All I ask is that you take me to Imperial Intelligence as per your orders. But you will see soon that the Sith care nothing for you or the Empire."
Cipher Nine shook his head in wonder, "How will you convince Keeper, let alone the Minister?"
"You'll see." Cipher Seven promised, "I expect it to go well."
"Get up." Cipher Nine told him, gesturing with his rifle, "We're going to my ship."
He raised a finger, "In a moment, Cipher Nine. You're not the only person I'm to meet with today." At that moment the door behind him opened. Cipher Nine tensed, then berated himself. He'd been a fool. He knew exactly who was behind him. The sound of lightsabers igniting was all the confirmation he needed.
"Jedi Knight Romendo, padawan Kira Carsen, welcome." Cipher Seven addressed the Jedi behind him, "We have much to discuss."
Supplementary Material
Transcript of Darth Marr's log:
Begin log:
I am unsure of what to make of this 'Cipher Seven'.
When he began openly criticizing the minds behind the Sacking of Coruscant regardless of status I initially wanted to execute him. This wasn't even tactful, he blatantly questioned the not only the Dark Council, but the Emperor as well. I had never seen this level of candor from any Imperial that is not one of the Sith. Initially I had no response to him and neither did anyone else. I questioned the Minister of Intelligence and he told me that he speaks his mind to everyone. That this is being allowed is unacceptable.
Darth Malgus contacted me and attempted to stop me from executing him. In the post-mission briefing, Malgus supported him and was likely the only reason that he wasn't killed right then and there. This makes him biased but I decided to look into this Cipher Agent myself. After some investigation, I find myself somewhat impressed with his accomplishments. Whether this merits his outspoken behavior is uncertain but he does have accomplishments to back up his words.
After talking with Cipher Seven I find myself somewhat impressed with the man. He did not speak to me as a member of the Dark Council or even as a Sith, but as an equal. That was…unexpected, I had forgotten what it is like to have a conversation with someone without an agenda against me. After talking with him I have decided not to take action against him. Yet.
That does not mean that I will simply forget him. I have told the Minister that I may have my people oversee his operations. It will serve as a decent reminder that regardless of his accomplishment, he still serves the Sith. He must not forget that. Darth Jadus should have dealt with this. I am growing tired of solving his problems. It is time for Jadus to take some responsibility and oversee Imperial Intelligence so this behavior does not happen again.
End log.