Twenty-Nine
Dark Council Chambers, Korriban
17 ATC
The meeting was already well underway by the time Darth Ravage walked into the Dark Council chamber. Ignoring the mix of curious and displeased looks he received from those present, he made his way across the room and took his seat.
The Wrath was present in her spot to his right, an unusual sight these days. She'd spent much of the past few years either on the front lines or off the radar entirely. Ravage nodded to her politely. Their relationship had always been quite cordial. She wouldn't hesitate to kill him if the Emperor ordered it, and he'd have no qualms about killing her in self-defense, but under normal circumstances they tolerated one another, and that was how he liked it.
On the opposite side of the room, Darth Nox was absent yet again; the Council chamber had seen even less of her than of the Wrath lately. No doubt she was plotting something. The Sphere of Biotic Science was currently leaderless, and Ravage would be damned if he let her make a move for a third Council seat. Bad enough that the Wrath had bullied everyone into giving her Military Strategy after Darth Decimus was killed on Corellia. Consolidation was all very well and good, but taken too far, the Council would implode inward on itself.
That was the last thing the Empire needed.
Beside Nox's empty chair, Darth Marr was there in person. Their feud had been a constant in Ravage's life from the moment he first took his seat on the Council, and he was tired of it. For the time being, however, the status quo had to remain. As much as he hated to admit it, the Empire desperately needed Marr, and while Marr would surely die before even alluding to it, the Empire also needed Ravage. And so they had an understanding: one day, they would settle their dispute with blood. Just not yet.
Ravage was not a patient man.
There were a few other Darths present, but they were inconsequential in the greater scheme of things. The key players were the Wrath, Marr, Nox, and Ravage himself, and all of them but Nox were there. That was fine with him; he could all too easily imagine that insufferable woman's musical laughter at what he had to say.
"You're not usually late, Ravage," the Wrath said, turning in her chair to look at him. Her normally low voice had gone silken and teasing. "Did the elevator break down?"
That voice, combined with her elegantly beautiful face, improved his mood considerably. He'd always made an effort to stay on good terms with her for more than just political convenience. This was not the time to be distracted by such things, however.
"Nothing so trivial, unfortunately," Ravage said. "We have…a situation."
He had no way of knowing if Marr intended for his irritated sigh to filter through his mask, but it was clearly audible.
"What situation?" Marr demanded.
"The Chiss Ascendancy is breaking off its alliance with the Empire," Ravage said bluntly. No sense in dancing around the truth.
The Wrath sat up very straight. "What did you do?"
Ravage glared, his previously high opinion of her dropping slightly. Apparently she was filling in for Nox with the baseless accusations. "I didn't do anything."
"Of course you didn't," Marr said with unveiled contempt. "The Diplomatic Service falls under your jurisdiction. If you had kept it on a tighter leash, doubtless this would have been avoided."
It rankled to admit it, even to himself, but Marr was right. Ravage had always let the Diplomatic Service operate largely independently, preferring to focus on the military and Sith portions of his power base. He hated dealing with diplomats, with their intricate lies and politics. No real spirit, no backbone. Despicable.
Well, he didn't care for their game, but he could play it if he had to. Especially now that he'd rearranged the board in his favor.
"I've taken measures," Ravage said. "The Minister of Diplomacy has been replaced, as have the others responsible for this incident."
That was why he'd been late to the meeting. Killing them all had taken longer than he'd anticipated.
"I should hope so," the Wrath muttered. "This is an unacceptable turn of events. Without the Chiss, we'll lose our foothold in the Unknown Regions."
"To say nothing of the blow to the Empire's image should its only legitimate allies be allowed to turn on us," Marr added.
"Yes, I'm well aware of all that," Ravage retorted. He would not let this ruin him. He kept his eyes on Marr, watching for any hint that the masked Sith Lord had decided this was suitable grounds to end him then and there. "The new Minister of Diplomacy had assured me that she will resolve the situation. She oversaw the original negotiations with the Chiss, and I am confident that she can succeed a second time."
The Wrath shook her head. "She had better. This is your domain, not mine; I will not interfere. Should our soldiers in the Unknown Regions suddenly find themselves stranded without sufficient support, however, I expect you to make up the difference from your own forces."
"You act as if I have any to spare," Ravage countered. "This war is not going well for us. We all know it."
There was a long silence at that.
"Perhaps," Marr conceded.
"I'm still optimistic," the Wrath said stubbornly. "We're not entirely losing. Not yet. We still have a chance."
"For now. But if we do not rally soon…" Marr's mask turned towards the empty throne at the far end of the room.
The Emperor's throne.
"If matters do not change," Marr murmured, "This war will no longer be about victory, but survival."
"Which is why we must keep the Chiss on our side," the Wrath insisted. "If they return to neutrality—or worse, if they join the Republic—"
"It's being taken care of," Ravage interjected. "As I said."
She regarded him intently for a long moment. "I would be careful, were I you. Failure in this may be grounds for me to find you guilty of treason."
A threat, and not a subtle one, either. What a woman. What a remarkable woman.
"I'll have to be careful, then," he said, managing to keep a smile off his face but not out of his voice. "I'd hate to find myself the recipient of your full displeasure."
The Wrath grinned, showing pointed canines. "I'm sure you would."
"Don't waste my time with this," Marr grumbled from across the room.
"By all means," the Wrath said, her expression becoming serious again. "Let us return to discussing the war. If Ravage has the situation with the Chiss under control?"
"I've said that I do, haven't I?"
"Of course. Now, about the Seswenna sector…"
