Darth Nox didn't like disturbances when she was working. Her servants knew this, she had made it painfully clear what would happen if she was disturbed without proper cause. Since she had been put in charge of the sith academy she had had a precious few hours to do her own research and as much time had to be dedicated to maintaining her position. The dark council had doubtless given her control of the academy to try and keep her distracted and preoccupied. A new council member disconnected from the war and holding no real power. Easy to dispatch when necessary.

A poisoned fruit, but so much of my life has been poisoned fruits. What's one more? She sighed angrily when there was a short sharp beep at her door. Putting down the tablet she glared at Khem. He moved without a word to the door and it slid open to reveal a cowering sith acolyte.

"Why do you disturb my master?" Khem's voice was harsh and threatening and the acolyte jumped as soon as he spoke and began to quiver under the dashard's intense gaze. Nox could feel the acolytes' fear and power. They would be a powerful sith if they survived. But so many would be. Power in the force is the worst measure of a sith as Ravage can attest. What good is a string bite if everyone holds your leash?

"Overseer Tremor wants your opinion on the artifacts that are open for student use." Nox let an angry breath escape past her purple lips. She had had this conversation at least 5 times with five different overseers. Their continued disobedience was probably linked to her more radical changes to the academy. Particularly her stance on aliens and nobles. She smiled when she thought of all the spoiled brats without an ounce of real strength dying alone in the caves. Not so high and mighty when you're crawling like the rest of us.

"Tell Tremor that if he cannot speak to an alien that I will find a new overseer that will actually do what I command." Her voice was measured, showing no hint of the fury she felt. "He wishes to convey his argument again…" The student gulped. Nox looked up and met the acolyte's eyes, actually taking note of him for the first time. A large muscular male twi'lek with bright green skin. He nervously avoided her gaze. "Go on." Nox said, letting a drop of dangerous venom enter her voice. "He says that the aliens aren't worthy of studying the ancient texts, my lord." Nox waited until the twi'lek looked up and hastily looked away.

"What is your name?" She slowly set her runes down as the acolyte entered. "Garen." She raised an eyebrow. "No second name? A slave?" Now that she looked at his green skin she spotted several discolorations from beatings. Old beatings. Her hand almost reached for her own scars but she stopped the impulse and controlled the rage that filled her. She closed her eyes and found the darkness. The black flame that burned at her core. She let her anger fill it and the dark side of the force howled in joy.

"Yes my lord." He said. His voice quivered not with fear with…"I can sense your anger." She whispered. She reached out with the force and caressed the power in the Twe'lik. It was nothing to her and it would never be but it was above average. As she did Garen quivered. "Why are you angry?"

"My lord?" His voice was weak. He was seeing some of the infinite darkness that was her power in the dark side. "Why are you angry?" Nox demanded. "Because he is wrong!" The words spilled from Garen as if she had forced them out. "He is stupid and short-sighted and does not recognise my power." Nox smiled. There, the first lesson that all sith need to learn. There will be nothing fair here and you should not expect it. Compliance and following orders will get you killed.

"I was a slave once. An overseer tried to take what was rightfully mine. Did you ever have the pleasure of meeting overseer Harkon?" First, he insulted me, then he groveled before me then he begged me as he died. A rather poetic end if I do say so myself. He had barely served her six months. The realisation in the twi'lek's eyes made her smile. Everyone at the academy knew what happened to Harkon. Perhaps throwing his corpse from the balcony into the main hall was a little dramatic. "Take this lesson to heart, Garen. A true sith lets no weak fool stand over them for long. Your anger is your strength. Use it."

She smirked when the acolyte left. A brutal warrior at heart. He would serve one of Marr's apprentices well. She sent the order to Overseer Yvera to recommend the acolyte to one of his apprentices if and only if the acolyte distinguished himself. Hopefully, that meant killing that stupid overseer and saving Nox the trouble. There was a buzz on her holocommunicator and she let out another annoyed sigh. No peace for me before the council it seems.

"What is it?" She said as a figure of Andronikos appeared.

"Darth Arkous wants to talk. He says it's urgent." Nox frowned. Arkous has not said more than a handful of sentences to her since her assent. He struck her as just as dismissive of her as the other members of the council. More interested in her alliance with Marr than anything else.

"There's a council meeting in 15 mins." Andronikas shrugged. "He says it's critical that he speaks to you before the council meeting." Arkous was heavily involved in imperial intelligence. If he wanted to speak then it could be about almost anything. Well, almost anything bad. Nothing good ever came from spymasters in her experience. "Patch him through." The familiar sith pureblood appeared on the holocommunicator beside a beautiful blond female sith that Nox didn't recognise. But I really want to get to know you better. She snapped her attention back to the dark councilor.

"Darth Nox." He greeted her with a smile.``I don't believe you've met my associate? Lana Beniko. '' Lana bowed.

"Darth Nox. It is an honor to meet someone so accomplished." Nox gave a respectful nod before turning back to Arkous. Khem moved to stand behind her. His presence was always a welcome one. It was a reminder of how powerful she was. "Darth Arkous. A pleasant surprise, but there is a dark council meeting in just under 15 mins." She said pleasantly.

"That is why I must speak to you. You are the only sith with enough ambition and influence to get this done." Arkous agreed breathlessly. Nox raised an eyebrow.

"Flattery is a very blunt instrument. Tell me what you want, why you want it, and what do you offer me?" Arkous' eyes furrowed in annoyance and if Nox wasn't mistaken Lana's lips twitched slightly. Nox almost smirked but remained passive, the council was petty and short-sighted at the best of times but they were still snakes and even though her and Marr had an alliance if enough of the other's banded together they could be killed like any other person. But it still says something that Marr and I held massive sway even being only 2 of the 12. That 2 other sith lords could barely stay allies from meeting to the meeting meant there was never any guaranteed fact that they occupied different fields of influence and both were good at their jobs made it easy for them to keep out of each other's way. She did not question his tactics when it came to war and he did not question her tactics when it came to the arcane and the academy.

Arkous gave an angry grunt. "Fine. I shall be brief. I want you to convince the council to commit to attacking sectors 4, 6 and 7." That surprised Nox. What's your game Arkous?

"My understanding is an attack of that nature would leave our fleets massively overstretched and would leave gaps in our defenses." It was not an opinion, it was a fact as far as she was concerned. Arkous nodded.

"And would also leave the Republic vulnerable if say a fleet of warships were to punch through and hit Tython." Nox's eyes widened in genuine shock. The plan was audacious but it could work. A purposeful strike on the jedi homeworld would definitely send a message. With the fleets in such low spirits, it could be a massive morale boost and if they were lucky they could kill a few masters. The last time a temple fell they were able to create peace on favorable terms. Who knows what could happen if they were attacked again.

"I purpose the motion. Marr provides the distraction and you provide the strike." Arkous continued.

Nox tapped her fingers together as an idea formed in her head.

"Then why do we need the council? I'll get them fighting over something stupid and then we three can act this plan. The council will only meddle?" Arkous' mouth twisted into a cruel smirk.

"I can't see any reason. I will see you in the meeting, Darth Nox." Both figures disappeared and Nox stood to study her reflection in a mirror. Her short straight red hair was brushed and shone brightly. Her upper lip was coloured deep purple with a thin triangle on her lower lip. Her eyelids were also painted purple making the bright yellow glow of her eyes much more pronounced. She touched her face a little with her gloved hands. Heart-shaped and most humanoids would consider her beautiful. If she hadn't been noticed when she was 17 she probably would have been the toy of some minor lord. She was beautiful enough for a Hutt or boss potentially. She let the anger at her potential faith wash over her and fuel her power.

A year of struggling in the academy before she was noticed by a lord and 3 years under lord Zash. Then a year fighting Thanaton and only a couple of months on the council. She was the youngest dark council member by almost a decade. She sighed and moved towards the chambers.

"Guard the office." She ordered. Khem bowed. "Yes my lord." As she walked through the academy students and overseers scrambled out of her way. The fact that she never walked with a guard was a testament to her confidence and power. It had happened once where a group of ambitious students had attempted to kill her to prove themselves. Ambition without patience and intelligence means nothing. She had left the corpses where they fell and let the rumours circulate. Now nobody approached her.

She stepped onto the elevator beside Darth Ravage. The highborn lord of the sith wrinkled his nose at her, whether it was her past as a slave or her comfort at being alone with another lord of comparable power she couldn't say. It was necessary though. They would only take her seriously if she was confident and proud. She strode off in front of him and walked into the council chamber. Several lords were already seated and others were attending via holo. Marr was one of the one's attending remotely and nodded at her as she entered. She returned it without speaking and marched straight to her chair to make herself comfortable before the meeting began. As she did she watched each lord as they entered and sat down. Judging them, thinking and feeling the well of power. The beating black heart of the dark side.

AN:

Welcome to SWTOR: Chains of the force.

Any feedback is appreciated as we dive into the final years of the galactic war. If anyone wants their PCs to appear I can accommodate certain ones. Hope you all enjoy.