Chapter Two
Dantius had his forces of eighty thousand ready, fully knowing his soldiers might be outnumbered two or three to one for the sake of the confidentiality of the Sentience. That was when his brother delivered to him a coded transmission that helped him realize the answer to his problem that he should've seen before. Paramilitaries, of course! And I know a few whose commanders owe me favors from when we fought against the Eternal Alliance! Dantius thought to himself silently. And even better than knowing a few paramilitaries that owed him favors, their numbers would swell the ranks of his expedition without attracting scrutiny from the Senate, especially if he payrolled the mercenaries out of his own wealth.
His forces would still be outnumbered but he wouldn't have to disperse them as thinly as he feared he'd have to. So he wrung up the leaders of those paramilitaries, briefing them on the strategy at Korriban before taking them to Dathomir first. Among the ones who answered Dantius' calls, the largest were the Silver Hands and the Space Hawks. The former was deadliest on land battles, usually impeccable in not only wiping the floor with their enemies but also doing so with the most minimal of casualties. In contrast, the latter worked best in the depths of space, generally looting pirate ships and giving the larger share to the less fortunate, keeping only enough to keep their operations afloat.
By promising that the survivors could take whatever they could legally sell in addition to a down payment for their troubles, in addition to calling their favors paid, Dantius knew he had them. The lieutenant of the Silver Hands, known as Rama to the Republic, shook Dantius by the hand and agreed to join Ashlynn in the frontal assault on the Sith Temple on Dathomir. Meanwhile, Inoy would lead the aquatic force across the lake and onto the flank of the temple in order to ensure that none who were inside would escape. Meanwhile, the Space Hawks would lead the space assault on Balmorra whilst Dantius took land forces with him to end the Sith presence there.
It was both brilliant and classic Republic tactics, not to mention it would be brutal once the paramilitaries were turned loose on the promise of keeping what bounty they found. In addition, their lieutenants were going to be set up for long enough that they'd be too old and tired to care about working as paramilitary personnel when their funds ran out. That was only assuming they didn't do as Dantius suspected they'd do and get themselves in some kind of brawl that they might die warriors' deaths. There was also the distinct possibility that they'd invest their funds into the right stocks and become millionaires, ensuring their money never ran out for as long as they lived.
Even with those possibilities noted, Dantius found a part of himself hoping he wouldn't have to pay a single soldier, not with a favor being called in and all that. With Ashlynn, Inoy, and Jace by his side, there was now only one thing left to do and that was launch the attack on Dathomir. Force willing, Dathomir would be conquered before the Sith even knew what had hit them and so it was that Dantius first ordered his standard fleets into battle, preferring to reserve the Space Hawks for the Balmorra run. Thus, the final battle of Dathomir and the Second Galactic War began with him at the lead.
"Bide your time and pounce when you know you cannot fail." These were the words that Morgana had passed onto her niece Morgause, after her failure to bring in Hyperion with the aid of Seth al Ugolio and the rogue Jedi. But now with her aunt dead, her mercenaries dispersed, and her resources (few as they were now) passed onto Morgause, she began to wonder. Had she had an opportunity that was then squandered by letting her aunt take over operations? If so, would she have to make her own opportunity if she wanted revenge against Hyperion for the insult paid her by Patricia's rape and Morgana's death.
She somehow felt she shouldn't have listened to her aunt when Morgana told her to retreat and wait while Morgana attempted to take revenge for herself. Now that her aunt was dead and she had been integrated into the Sith as one of Morgana's earliest privileges as a member of the Dark Council, she knew her own opportunity had to come soon. With the Sith on the move, Morgause knew she wouldn't have a chance to take on Hyperion once the plans of the new Emperor were fulfilled. She debated killing him in his sleep but immediately thought better of it, Hyperion deserved death but didn't deserve the cowardice of not facing his killer.
Unfortunately for her, it was as if thinking about killing Hyperion had caused unwanted attention to turn her way. Because the Emperor called for her after she began planning to kill Hyperion, likely to assign her work in rebuilding the Empire. Arriving to his chamber, she found herself standing before an imposing figure that stood at odds with what she had seen with the natives of Utapau in the past. The one they called Darth Imperius was tall as was customary of Pau'ans but he was also filled out and built sturdily enough to punch through durasteel. Bowing before him, she faced her head to the floor and politely asked him what was his bidding in the formality befitting Sith.
"Lady Morgause, I understand that Darth Minshuto was your biological aunt. I also understand that you share her desire for vengeance against the Emperor's Wrath. Am I correct in what my information has told me?" asked the Emperor. He gazed on her with what felt like a sight capable of seeing through her and into her soul even if her eyes were not facing him as subservience demanded. Therefore, she didn't even bother trying to lie to him about her enmity against the one they called the Emperor's Wrath.
"I indeed share my aunt's grudge against Hyperion. It is my desire that his blood grace my blade before the end of my life," Morgause confessed.
"Then answer a question for me, if you would. Morgana is Patricia's sister, Patricia was raped by Hyperion and that reluctant union produced only one child before her death. Unless the two of them had another sibling, have you ever thought to who your father might be?" Imperius explained. Morgause realized the accusation he was making, realized the accuracy in what he said about what Hyperion had done to Patricia where Morgana had never told Morgause that Hyperion's union with Patricia had produced a child. Her breathing became heavy from the epiphany that her mind produced despite her trepidation at the implications of Imperius' remarks.
"Your change of emotion is answer enough, woman. Morgana never told you that Hyperion's rape produced anything yet you never thought to ask why you were attuned to the Force. An unquestioning Sith is a stupid Sith and with enough time, a stupid Sith is a dead Sith, Morgause. Fortunately for you, Morgause, there is a way you and your aunt can still fight together to destroy Hyperion," Imperius told her.
"With due respect my lord, how is that possible when she was killed by Hyperion in their last battle?" Morgause inquired.
"You learn quickly. Normally you would be correct to inquire in such a fashion but I am willing to let you in on a secret. The body you see before you is merely host to a century and a half old spirit usually known as Lord Crassus. Before I came to possess Lord Imperius, I was a disembodied that nurtured its power within the psyche of Hyperion himself after a botched attempt to perform essence transfer on his cousin. Shortly before I was given this host by Hyperion himself, we fought and destroyed Morgana together, allowing me the chance to absorb her spirit into Hyperion's being when he permitted me to use my power to kill her," Imperius explained.
Morgause didn't expect Imperius to come clean with the part he played in Morgana's death. But the fact that the spirit Imperius hosted had helped kill Morgana, only to absorb her spirit into Hyperion's body meant that there was indeed a way after all. "How can I call upon her to help me if I fought Hyperion?" Morgause inquired.
"Firstly, you will need a lightsaber for such a confrontation in addition to the skill to wield one," Imperius began.
"I know the seven forms of lightsaber combat and can effectively wield Soresu, Makashi, and Niman. With some expertise, I can also wield Ataru and Juyo, I simply would need to acquisition a blade. I hear Hyperion has a spare he could lend me if I got close enough to him," Morgause replied.
"Then you are already halfway there. Whilst Morgana and I existed within the innermost sanctum of Hyperion's mind, she and I worked on a way that a blood relative of hers could summon her to take possession of his body if called. The only way we could find was one that requires a chant you will need time to recite and a snap of the fingers upon the chant's completion. Would you like to learn the words you need to speak when you have opened yourself up to the Force in Hyperion's presence?" Imperius asked. Morgause looked up at her Emperor and grinned from end to end, more than enough answer for the man who utilized the name Imperius despite his birth name of Crassus.
"Then I will teach you how to open yourself to your aunt's presence within Hyperion's subconscious and when to recite the chant. You will need if you wish to exact your revenge against Hyperion as well as soldiers willing to help you," Imperius told her. And with that, young Morgause's personal path to revenge began with the aid of the Sith Emperor himself.