Kirtos knew better than to disturb his father's meditation, knowing how the events that had occured here on Brentaal IV had affected him.
So the fifteen year old paced outside the meeting room, his mind opened with interest as he felt the massive influx of force power his father's meditation released. Meditation was always somewhat lost on him. He was alot like his Mother in the sense that he had alot of energy, so sitting still for long periods never was his strong suit.
But he couldn't deny the benefits of such practices. His Master who was a quiet man by nature was also quite powerful in the Force and had tried to impart the practicality of meditative practices on his student.
They are essential to true force mastery.
His Master and Father would remind him of this constantly, and now with all the turmoil that had been thrown into their lives he wished he could find some comfort in quiet reflection in the force.
He had grown up knowing of his brother Julius from his parents and older siblings, he knew the story about his brother's kidnapping as well. But seeing him for the first time was a shock. How can one feel so angry towards a sibling they've never met? And when Julius had raised his lightsaber towards their Mother in what could have been a killing blow, he had felt a rage unlike any he's ever experienced before. What man would try to harm his own mother?
His father must've been able to sense his struggle because he bade his son through the door with a gentle nudge through the force.
Kirtos watched in fascination as several items floated around the room. His eyes quickly catologued each one and focused on the pieces of metal spinning around his father's head. They were the components of his lightsaber. His father had several, but this was the one that he had built himself. The metal pieces were orbiting a red crystal that glowed as though it had it's own heartbeat. The crystal was level with his father's eyes while the hilt, focusing emitter, enery cell and crystal lens spun around him.
Kirtos felt his father redirect the force that was flowing through him and slowly, each individual piece that made up his lightsaber began to fall into place. At the heart of it was the fiery red crystal and as Sahesri used the Force to prod each component into place, his lightsaber was reformed. Reaching out with the force, Sahesri called the weapon to his hand and activated it with the ever familiar snap-hiss. Swinging his blade around in a few practice strikes, he was satisfied and returned the weapon to his belt, opposite it's offhand mate.
"Come sit down son." he offered, gesturing to the boy to sit at a desk across from him.
Kirtos followed his father to the desk, staring at the room around him, an amphitheater of sorts.
"Is this the big important Meeting House?" he couldn't help but notice the scorch marks from blaster fire and lightsaber blades, the force told him that people died here. Both Brentaalan and Imperial.
"Yes" Sahesri confirmed to his son, sighing as he sat down on what remained of Chief Noble Kallea's desk.
"Father...why doesn't he love us?"
Sahesri looked at his son, his youngest boy and almost wanted to die inside. His son, like so many children in the Galaxy was old before his time. Which made it hard to believe that Kirtos was only fifteen years old. He had seen so much but was still barely a boy. Vette and Sahesri had always tried to keep Julius in the minds of their children but now after Kirtos and Miri had actually seen the lost brother they had never known, they were bound to be confused.
So he did what any father would no matter what their position, he hugged his boy. At first Kirtos was a little shocked by the sudden contact but in his heart he knew that he needed this, so he uncurled his lekku and wrapped them around his father's shoulders as he returned the gesture.
"It will be okay son. I promise."
On Dantooine, Khulmako and Alvanna had decided to take a shuttle to the surface of the planet so they could explore. Both young Sith apprentices had been in space for so long that they were growing restless. And the battle that had led to Dantooine's fall to Imperial hands had only begun to assuage their pent up energy.
"So your mother is alright?"
Alvanna nodded. "I spoke to her and to Kabien. He's been made a lord."
Khulmako barked a laugh. "Really! You hear that Spix? Kabien is a lord!"
The akk dog at the Pureblood's feet looked up at mention of her name and beat her tail against the deck of the shuttle. Alvanna and Khulmako both grinned at the sight. Sith under the new Emperor were encouraged into forming bonds with creatures that could provide use for themselves and for the Empire. Akks were a suitable choice and there were many new programs to breed the animals for use by both Imperials and Sith alike.
Khulmako and Alvanna's akks, Spix and Nova were littermates who accompanied the two apprentices everywhere. And today, they would need all the help they could get.
The young Sith had once read the story of how a powerful Sith Lord named Darth Traya had come to the the ruins of a Jedi Enclave. Finding three powerful Jedi Masters there, Darth Traya had destroyed them by cutting off their connection to the Force. Effectively, creating a wound that could still be felt on Dantooine.
"Are there gonna be some crazy ghosts here my lord?" one of the soldiers who had elected to accompany Khulmako and Alvanna asked.
"You never know lieutenant." Mak said with a wink.
The soldiers all grinned, because they all loved the two apprentices the way they loved their Master, Lord Dryzell. When asked by the pair of Sith to accompany them into the ruins, many soldiers had eagerly volunteered.
"Do you feel that?" Alvanna whispered to which the young man beside her nodded in confirmation.
They were getting closer to the ruins of the Jedi Enclave, destroyed during the Jedi Civil War, and they could feel the absence in the Force which was an unusual sensation. Everything had a presence in the force so to feel nothing as they got closer to the old enclave was strange, but it made sense considering what had happened there.
The shuttle lighted down in a meadow letting out it's passengers before setting back off towards Khoonda. After the battle where they had destroyed Khoonda's leaders, the transition into Imperial control had been rather smooth. But Khulmako and Alvanna and the four soldiers with them had decided to change into civilian clothes for their adventure into the enclave. No need to announce that Lord Dryzell's apprentices were snooping around.
"I thought this place was totalled when Darth Malak attacked?" Alvanna asked, staring at the building in front of her.
"Yeah. I thought so too."
The building, despite having been abandoned for over 300 years, looked brand new. It looked like one day the Jedi had just decided to leave the place. But Khulmako and Alvanna both knew that many Jedi had been killed here when the Sith Lord, Darth Malak had bombed Dantooine.
As he gingerly tested the wrought iron door, Mak noticed how Spix and Nova began to whine and pace incessantly. He could feel why, the wound in the force that emanated from this place was very strong, it echoed with the memories of all the Jedi who had died here.
"I feel it." Alvanna confirmed as she came up next to Mak and squeezed his hand.
After some more prodding at the door, Mak was able to force the heavy thing open. He reached out his senses in an attempt to perceive his surroundings for possible danger, but being in such close proximity to a wound in the Force like this hurt his efforts.
"Everyone stay on guard." he warned. "We don't know what will be waiting for us in here."
Alvanna nodded in agreement and took his hand again.
"Another great adventure to add to our list."
"Do I have to hold it?" Aliya whined, the leather bag held gingerly between two fingers as if it contained toxic waste.
"You cut it off, you hold it."
"One of those reap what you sow sort of things?"
Kaliyo smirked as she banked the speeder into the lower levels. "That's it sweetheart."
Aliya sighed and leaned back against her seat, watching the lights of the buildings fly by.
"I don't like this planet."
"I don't see why. It's way better than Kaas City." Kaliyo remarked.
"I wasn't saying that. And Kaas City isn't so bad, you just have to know the best places to have fun."
"Oh really?"
Aliya grinned and closed her eyes in fond rememberance "I never told you how Prince Qai'zon and I celebrated our graduation from the Academy, have I?"
"No." Kaliyo looked interested at the prospect of the story.
"Well I don't really remember it all that well, but I hear that I had a blast."
Qai'zon was very impressed with the Beast Rider village. You had to admire people with the ingenuity to create such a civilized and functional settlement in jungles like those on Onderon.
Juri led them through the camp, past all sorts of people going about their daily business. Some of them stopped to look, mesmerized by the sight of Nyax in her silver and red beskar'gam armor, double bladed lightsaber on her hip. Qai'zon had pulled up the hood of his jacket to hides his face and Kraw'el was still wearing his helmet so they were unnoticed.
Juri stopped at a rather large cabin on the outskirts and turned to his companions.
"Umm I'm afraid that I'm going to need to take your weapons."
Qai'zon looked at Nyax and decided to follow her lead.
The Sith Lord just nodded "We understand Juri."
Qai'zon didn't like to be disarmed but he was quite confident in his abilities to overpower anybody who would try to take him captive. So reluctantly, he handed over his blaster rifle, vibroblade and the folded-up sniper rifle he carried with him. He placed his weapons on a table next to Juri beside Nyax's lightsaber.
Kraw'el's disarming was a bit more...time consuming. As a bounty hunter he carried many many weapons. The young man sighed at the request to remove them, pulling his blaster rifle off of his shoulders, a side pistol off of his hip and his gauntlets which contained hidden vibroknives.
After additionally giving up several different grenades, his wrist mounted rocket launcher, a vibroblade, two hold out pistols and a multitude of hypodermic needles that contained various poisons, Kraw'el Carsen was for all intents and purposes, disarmed.
"What?" he replied to everyone's wide eyed stares. "You know how I love my toys."
Qai'zon and Nyax exchanged indulgent smiles at the Chiss' antics. Even though Nyax hadn't known him very long, she had taken to Kraw'el rather quickly. She now understood Prince Qai'zon's fondness for the boy.
"If you'll follow me." Juri instructed with a sudden formality, leading them inside the cabin.
It was sparsely furnished, everything very practical in both form and function. A bedroll, a wooden desk, a dresser and a kitchen area made up the entire space. But occupying a large piece of fabric on the floor was a boma. The beast was stretched out laguidly on the carpet taking a nap and snorting rather loudly as it rested.
Qai'zon's father owned several bomas and he had never seen the creatures act so...tame. He would have to report back to his father about this.
"So Juri, these are your Imp friends eh?"
They turned to see a tall and imposing older man before them. His leathery skin betrayed his upbringing in the forest and by his long white hair and beard, Qai'zon knew the man was much older than his father.
"Welcome. I am Dominic, and this is my village. What brings you so far from home Imperials?"
Nyax smiled, she was charming and beautiful and men loved her. She was a master negotiator.
"Dominic. We are here to offer you a chance to strike back at the people of Iziz. And get revenge for everything they've done to wrong you."
The man perked up. "Please sit down. We have alot to talk about."
He offered them some chairs and Qai'zon took the one closest to wear the Boma was sleeping. He could tell by the size of the creature that it was still an adolescent, he held out his gloved hand to the animal and allowed it to sniff. The Boma perked up and sniffed Qai'zon's hand cautiously.
"You know how to handle him well." Dominic remarked.
"My father owns several bomas. They are interesting creatures. I've seen them fight savagely in battle. A trained boma can take out entire squads of troops."
Dominic scrutinized the younger man closely. "Yes I thought you looked familiar...was your father a Sith? I sold a maalraas to an orange skinned Sith with all of those freaky tattoos just like yours."
Qai'zon's face lit up. "A maalraas? You must mean Fang! My father did say he bought Fang on Onderon. Oh, my brother Auggie and I loved that old beast so much. We used to take him hunting with us on Dromund Kaas all the time."
Dominic smiled. "I'm glad the creature found a good place and strong owners."
"Qai'zon's father is our leader, the Sith Emperor Darth Gujoja. He has an offer for you."
Dominic sat back in his chair. "I'm listening."
"We have disabled the turrets that guard Iziz's walls. If you help us to attack the city then we can offer you full autonomy over your territories. Iziz will never interfere in your affairs again."
"It is a charming offer. But there is something more I wish for."
"Name it." Nyax countered.
Dominic looked back and forth between Qai'zon and Kraw'el. "You boys aren't force users are you?"
"No sir." Qai'zon said. "But we both come from force sensitive bloodlines. Kraw'el's mother is also a Sith Lord. One of my father's apprentices."
"I see." He folded his hands together and leaned back in thought.
"Let me be blunt with you boys, I'm an old man and I don't have much time left. And both my girls aren't married. And I'm sure your parents have told you how important it is for us old folks to have some grandkids."
"Are you proposing what I think you are sir?" Kraw'el asked.
"You wouldn't have to marry my daughters. No, no, no! But you both are handsome lads so let's just say I wouldn't be upset if...something happened."
Qai'zon looked out of the corner of his eye at Darth Nyax who was alternating between her shock at the offer and trying really hard not to laugh. Qai'zon looked to his other side at Kraw'el who just shrugged and nodded encouragingly to him.
"It's a deal Dominic."
Darth Corrain had seen a lot in his fifty galactic standard years.
Born in the Chiss Ascendancy to a wealthy aristocratic family, Corrain had been led to believe that he would follow a life of bureaucratic committees and political nonsense.
He did enjoy the political nonsense though.
But when he was a small boy, he had been found to be strong in the force by a member of his species who was a Sith Lord. Eager to have a son who would potentially become a high ranking Sith, Corrain's parents left him in the care of the Chiss Sith Lord who took Corrain as his ward and eventually his apprentice.
He wasn't much for the backstabbing and double dealings of the Dark Council, Corrain's Master. He prefered the subtle arts of political manuevering and subterfuge. Corrain's Master had even been on the Sith delegation to pass the The Treaty of Coruscant.
But Darth Corrain was a realist by nature. He understood that peace between the Empire and the Republic was not possible on a matter of principles. He was also a man who liked to be on the winning side.
When the second Emperor came into power, Darth Corrain recognized him as a man who could do what was neccesary to keep the Empire from losing this war. So he had pledged his loyalty to this new Emperor and it had paid off.
If you can't be the winner, choose the winning side.
Bran used to say that. Oh, his darling Bran, how he missed him so. The man may have been a giant Mandalorian brute, but he was his giant Mandalorian brute. And those Republic scum had taken his Bran from him. That was enough for any man to be motivated to fight a war.
He touched the betrothal token that he still kept on a leather cord around his neck. He would never love anyone the way he had loved that Mando'a son of a gun.
A knock came at the door of the office he had claimed for himself when the Empire had taken Mustafar.
"Come in."
His second in command Admiral Quinn walked through the door, bowing apologetically for disturbing the Sith Lord.
Admiral Stefanos Quinn was a good young man, Corrain liked him very much and thought him to be a good soldier. He wasn't incredibly fond of the man's father though, finding him to be rather high strung. Corrain had heard the story about how Stefanos' father had try to betray the Emperor on Correlia under orders from that idiot Darth Baras. If he was in the Emperor's position, Darth Corrain would have killed the pest.
But he wasn't the leader of the Sith Empire.
"Quinn how is our mining going?"
"We've gotten close to operating at peak efficiency my lord. The kinks we've been experiencing seem to be ironing themselves out."
"Excellent! The Emperor will be pleased to hear that. Have we heard anything regarding Brentaal IV?"
Mustafar was an important resource of a planet but it was rather removed from the grand scheme of galactic politics. Thankfully, Darth Corrain and the bulk of his fleet would be leaving for another assignment soon.
"Yes sir. It was a great victory for the Empire."
"How wonderful. Come, sit and have a drink with me Quinn. It's time to celebrate."
Corrain smiled as the young man relaxed out of his long practiced military stoicism. Who knew that members of the Quinn family actually could let loose?
If anyone had told Mako that she would become a special liaison to Imperial Intelligence, first she would have laughed and then maybe shot them once between the eyes.
But alas, here she was.
Politics weren't really her thing but the money was good and the slicing assignments that the Empire sent her way were interesting and always kept her challenged. Mako, like all members of the now legendary Rancor Squad, were all contracted, they never formally enlisted in the Imperial Armed Forces.
Intelligence had given her a spacious office and all the latest technology she could ever want to help her in her assignments. Dromund Kaas was not her favorite planet in the Galaxy, but this deal was pretty fantastic.
"You really need a social life."
She looked up to see the Chiss man in the doorway of her office holding a box under his arm.
"Those better not be Imperial grade rations."
"Absolutely not! You know me better than that. I always spring for the finer things."
Mako grinned and cleared a spot at her desk for Kex to sit down. Watcher Four had been her closest friend in Intelligence for many years now, he had personally recommended her to the position.
"So Mako, how goes your work on that data through that Republic astromech droid?"
She ran a hand through her short auburn hair and sighed. "The Emperor's boy did a good job on this so far. There were only a few more matrices for me to crack. But that's not the big problem."
Kex took a bite of sweet bread thoughtfully. "So what is the problem?"
"Look" Mako took a computer screen and called up a Galaxy map. "These are our latest Imperial galactic star charts. If we follow the coordinates that Kiron found in the droid, you end up right..."
She focused on a point on the map that was all an empty void of space.
"...here."
"But the coordinates say that there is something there."
"Yeah" Mako confirmed. "The weird thing is that I don't think they're wrong."
"You don't?"
"No. And that's what's bugging me. How did something the size of a planet suddenly show up?"
"It moves."
Mako playfully slapped the Watcher. "Not funny smart ass."
Kex grinned. "Well you're going to get the answer to your questions Mako. The Emperor is calling you to join his fleet as they investigate our mystery moving planet."