Chapter 10
I knew this would never work, thought Darth Syriu'us, Dark Lord of the Sith. During times like this, he allowed his mind to wander back to the days when he was a Jedi Knight. Through the Force, he could re-live those days in his mind, as if to daydream for what felt like several minutes, but in reality was only ever a few moments. The cycle was the same each time, and his resolve strengthened after each daydream.
He would recall the years when he was a young togruta, montrals noticeably uneven since he could remember, which drew attention to him from the other younglings in the Jedi temple, usually negative attention from a select few. His knowledge of the Force grew more naturally for him, though, than it did for other younglings due to his heritage as a togruta, but his aggressive feelings in reaction to the negative attention, became very apparent in his demeanor. As a result, he lived through a great deal of resentment for his peers, especially when those who mocked him were selected ahead of him to fight as Jedi Knights in the campaigns against the Sith Empire. The Jedi Masters working with the younglings managed to persuade him to persevere when he felt ready to give up. As he grew in the knowledge of the light side of the Force, he occasionally found his resentments distracting for even himself, until he suddenly realized that his aggressive feelings could be used to enhance his movements. He recognized the influence of the dark side of the Force, and decided to suppress it, which seemed to aid in his eventual selection as a Jedi Knight.
Syriu'us fought alongside many other Jedi Knights, proving a valuable asset to the enormous galactic campaign to defend the Republic against the Sith armies. However, he eventually found himself in disputes with military leaders over their inefficient use of resources, which he noted was costing them several victories. They kept telling him that he needed to consider the bigger picture, and his Jedi counterparts commented frequently to him of his darker side beginning to emerge in his personality. While he always maintained that he was following his instincts with the Force, he admitted only to himself to venting his frustrations by using the dark side to aid him in battles.
One battle finally changed everything for him. Syriu'us felt through the Force that the Republic needed to maintain their foothold in a system in the expansion region. Though certain members of his fellow Jedi Knights felt similar currents through the Force, they still followed their Republic army in a retreat ordered directly from the capitol world of Coruscant. The battle that would have been fought, that might have allowed the Republic to have a stronger hand against the Sith Empire, even today, he reflected, never happened.
Syriu'us defiantly stayed behind and watched the others retreat, never again to face them as friends, and joined those he no longer regarded as foes. Any faction that will consistently usurp defeat from the embrace of victory has no purpose or vitality, he thought often. He sought to exploit the Republic armies and the Jedi at every turn, proving mostly successful. Concurrently, he grew stronger in the dark side of the Force, finding a new sense of self as he learned new abilities mastered only among the Sith, and that were feared among the survivors of the victims of those abilities.
Over time, he was able to position himself in authority to meld the Sith armies into formidable forces by which the Republic would be forced to submit, or else be annihilated. An avid player of dejarik and chess, he considered himself a master of strategy, and he often applied strategies to intonations he felt through the Force, often successfully, especially before battle. Lately, though, he found himself feeling a small sense of nostalgia trying to organize the Sith, as with this rare conference he managed to host of some of the most powerful Sith Lords in this part of the galaxy. All of them had arrived in their own star destroyers in the dead of space, and flew an impressive variety of shuttles to the meeting on Syriu'us' own imperial dreadnaught, except for Darth Gloom, who, refusing to participate except by holo-transmission, arrived with two star destroyers.
The conference had mostly consisted of disputes over projected losses, disruption to war campaigns already in progress, whether they should be suspicious of the growing number of Jedi defecting to their ranks, whether the time available to coordinate such a complex operation as this was realistic, whether the intelligence provided was reliable or comprehensive enough for the complexity of the plans, and what assurances were to be had of success.
"I still say," reiterated Darth Ado, "I have powerful artifacts that will help us conquer on all of our fronts!"
A female, dark-brown skinned Zabrak wearing a loosely fit Sith robe over a black bodysuit stirred, stepping forward slowly, cocking her head, as if showing off her slender form and her blonde, curly hair, Darth Oblivia, Dark Lady of the Sith. "Sith artifacts are powerful, but they are usually ineffective for the type of combat Syriu'us is proposing," she said.
"What he proposes," said Darth Gloom, "requires vast resources, which may leave the security of our own territories vulnerable."
"This campaign would require the cooperation of many more Sith Lords," added Darth Minax, from Adumar, dressed in pilot attire.
"This will take time, as well, to mainstream weapons production for as many strike teams as you propose," said Darth Python, a blue-skinned Pantoran donning silver and white leather battle armor.
"No! You're all missing it!" countered Syriu'us. "The time to strike is now! All the pieces for this push are nearly in place already! Darth Durus is finishing the final preparations to ensure the success of this effort. This initial strike will serve as a catalyst for the other Sith Lords! The Republic won't stand a chance against the onslaught that ensues; I have foreseen it!"
"Too many Sith Lords are already headlong into their own campaigns," retorted Oblivia, "Some of them are even simply insane! As I said before, gaining their support will be shaky if not unreliable," she said, looking around at the others.
The final member of the conference remained silent. Darth Durus, the Umbaran Sith Inquisitor stood motionless, his face hidden beneath his cloak. Syriu'us new of Durus' vast networks, crime rings, espionage, and his subtle galactic influence. They had seen similar visions of Sith conquest against the Jedi and the Republic, and they knew that a degree of timing was of the essence.
"They all want power," Ado spoke again, "And artifacts will give it to them."
Such Sith nonsense, thought Syriu'us, "They aren't looking for power as much these days; they share a supreme lust for conquest, and this plan promises that to them. If we miss this opportunity, this war will flourish for many more years as a rotten stalemate. Your artifacts are simply not useful at this time!" He's such an idiot!
Darth Ado scowled and drew his weapon slowly. "Your thoughts betray you, Darth Syriu'us," he snarled. He pulled a silver ornamented amulet from a hidden pocket of his cloak, "Maybe you would be interested in a demonstration. Perhaps your Jedi roots sway your vision of this arcane power called Sith magic, along with your vision of the future," he said cryptically.
"Are you threatening me with that relic?" Syriu'us asked casually, stretching his feelings out to feel the Force, feeding his power with his contempt for Ado. An alarm sense rang in his mind as he felt the other Sith Lords inconspicuously clear away.
Ado shot his arm holding the amulet toward Syriu'us with a loud shout that shook every loose item in the compartment, unleashing a blinding bolt of lightning. With equal speed, Syriu'us flicked out his lightsaber, the bolt crashing into his red blade in a brighter, brilliant display of sparks. Syriu'us winced momentarily, building the dark side within him, and then jerked his blade forward deflecting the lightning back toward Ado. He quickly freed one hand and followed up with a Force push that sent a surprised Ado back against the bulkhead. Ado landed gracefully, rolling onto his feet, igniting his double blade in time to redirect Syriu'us to the deck as he flew through the air to pounce. Ado spun into rapid feints and blows, driving Syriu'us back. Syriu'us met every strike, dancing along to the uneven but steady rhythm.
As much as he hated Ado, he didn't want to kill him, as he knew Ado had proven leadership skills on the battlefield. His personality and temperament would serve as a reliable template and barometer for Syriu'us to gage the other Sith Lords who they would surely need to rally to this cause he was driving. Syriu'us knew his own limitations well, and integrating with some of the stereotypical Sith personality traits seemed to him an acceptable weakness for himself.
He finally found an opening in Ado's onslaught sufficient to knock him to the deck. He lifted Ado with the Force, hurled him toward a bulkhead, stopping him just centimeters from it, yanking him back to an abrupt stop just in front of him, then slammed him back into the deck from where he had lifted him originally. He held his hand over him, pinning Ado to the deck with the Force, and then nimbly put away his lightsaber.
"I'd kill you, but unfortunately I have need of you for the time being!" he said in a hard tone. He released his hold and stepped aside, allowing Ado to stand. Ado glared at Syriu'us with a menacing expression backed by pent up anger radiating through the Force.
"This isn't over," said Ado in a low voice. "You don't know the full power of the dark side!" He began to circle around Syriu'us, their eyes locked. "I shall see to it personally that every Jedi dies," he pointed, "including ex-Jedi!"
Suddenly his arm fell from his socket, as a red blur sliced downward out of nowhere, then through his torso, horizontally, followed by diagonally from his neck to his hip. His body parts remained suspended close together, then rocketed toward a corridor conducted by Darth Oblivia. Controls operated telepathically opening a hatch that received Ado's parts, and then immediately shut again. Some more controls operated, as Oblivia gestured, causing loud clanging sounds.
Oblivia sighed as she stepped forward from her vantage corner during the duel. "Let us dispense with such pleasantries, shall we?" she asked poignantly. "This brawling only neutralizes the point of this conference. Nothing a well engineered air-lock can't fix. Please continue, Darth Syriu'us," she added cordially, as the other Sith Lords gathered back around.
Syriu'us acknowledged the group, felt his shorter montral where he nursed a bruise from his duel, and proceeded to identify the adverse internal affairs that existed out of basically anarchy within the Sith Empire, and how this campaign would polarize the Sith against the Republic. The overrepresented self-interest and overconfidence would temper under the focus of the campaign's existence.
Darth Python had resources stockpiled for weapons that would be needed for ground battles. He would be assisted by Darth Oblivia with military strategy. Darth Durus would coordinate the procurement of any raw materials needed. Syriu'us purposely left off Durus' ongoing effort with espionage and blackmail. Darth Minax would coordinate his armies of fighter pilots with Darth Gloom and his supply of starships and dreadnaughts. Syriu'us would coordinate and lead the first offensive against Corellia.
"Corellia?" asked Darth Gloom's holo-image, who seemed mildly shocked. "That's a senseless location to begin a campaign! Kuat makes more sense; we can utilize their shipyards once we have control, and we can expect less resistance! We would be swift!" he insisted.
Syriu'us sighed, "We've already been over this!"
"Yes, and you have yet to win me and my fleet over!" bellowed Gloom. "I have my own campaigns already in progress, and I won't commit my ships without acceptable assurances!" he added.
"How," began Darth Durus calmly, "could you be so short-sighted?"
Durus dropped back his hood, revealing his pale, bald face. He closed his eyes and spread his arms and began slowly waving his hands as everyone watched in awe trying to interpret the currents in the Force generated by Durus. A claxon alarm sounded from Gloom's holo-image along with voices shouting. Gloom looked worried, then sighed and folded his arms, seeming almost serene.
Syriu'us' comlink beeped, "Lord Syriu'us! Lord Gloom's star destroyers are swinging into each other!"
"Shields up!" shouted Syriu'us
"No need," replied Durus as Darth Gloom's image changed to static and then disappeared.
Syriu'us activated controls that dropped the viewport safety shield to reveal the visage of space with the cluster of star destroyers huddled loosely together. Gloom's second destroyer had been directed into the control tower of his first, completely destroying the bridge along with several levels below the bridge, leaving minor damage to the belly of the second.
Darth Durus sighed with exhaustion. Breathing heavily, he said to the group, "That concludes this conference. Darth Syriu'us will lead the initial attack as briefed. I must go to Ryloth to wrap up some loose ends and finalize a few of our unspoken 'assurances'." He paused, still breathing heavy, and then turned to Syriu'us, "Don't wait for me!"
He turned abruptly and left with a swift stride leaving behind a silent audience.
"Don't' be too long," Syriu'us answered softly, as if to himself, "Your influence is vital to our success!"
As he made his way to the hanger, Durus drew upon the currents of the dark side of the Force to revitalize his strength. He was pleased that only two Sith Lords were lost during the meeting; Syriu'us would take direct control of the resources newly available by their loss. Everything was going as planned, but something felt out of place. He knew it was something he should have been aware of, but was growing irritated that he could not quite pin point what it was yet. He fed upon the irritation as he entered the hanger and made his way to his Fury-class Interceptor. Such useful vessels, he thought, and glad to finally have mine modified with a hyperdrive!