Part Two: Heretic
Chapter 4
3637 BBY
"My soldiers. You have served me faithfully and well for many years. You have been witness to my rise and know the power that I command. The power that you helped to build."
Lord Rend, along with the rest of Darth Siphon's elite, stood at attention as the Darth addressed the rest of her military forces from an elevated platform that watched over the entire courtyard of Twinspire Keep. Most of Siphon's supporters had managed to assemble here at the stronghold - Siphon's primary base of operations - even despite the short notice. Before him, a small army of Imperial guards, sith apprentices, and Walker armaments stood ready to defend Siphon and her allies against Orthas' impending attack. Rend did not linger on these defenses, however. What actually caught his interest were the Sith Lords and Imperial Moffs that now stood beside him.
"But now, a rival power seeks to take all that we have made away from us. Darth Orthas and his allies march upon this stronghold to burn it to the ground."
To his right, Rend found Lord Hysteria and Lord Lethe. Hysteria was Siphon's oldest apprentice, and an indubitably powerful lightsaber duelist. She had shaved her head completely; not a single hair remained on her scalp. Instead, she was covered from head to toe with cybernetics and implants. Rumor had it she voluntarily severed one of her arms and had it replaced with an advanced cyborg prosthesis: all the better to keep a grip on her lightsaber. She was aptly named; Rend sometimes wondered who was more reckless, her or Andora. He had noticed that even their master had difficulty controlling her once she entered the heat of battle.
Lord Lethe, on the other hand, was the polar opposite. Where Hysteria's complexion was rough and pallid, Lethe's skin was dark but youthful. Their differences didn't end there; perpetually calm and collected, Lethe favored manipulating the Force rather than close combat with lightsabers. Her specialty was interrogation, and the domination of minds. Rend had once witnessed her compel two jedi padawans - in the heat of battle no less - to strike each other down during the Sacking of Coruscant. Even then, she never lost her composure, the only hint that she even experienced emotion was the small and wicked curve of her painted lips as the padawans gasped their last breaths.
"He thinks that it will be easy to destroy us. He thinks that he can snuff us out as easily as blowing out a candle. Well … I say he has sorely underestimated us! I say it is he who will find his demise here!"
A cheer ripped through the assembled crowd.
To his left, Rend noted General Rhimus Ravain, a decorated Imperial military commander who had served with honor; wounds sustained in battle had left him confined to a hoverchair, but his tactical expertise and superior command ability had earned him a place in Darth Siphon's retinue. Further down, Rend recognized Darth Cerber. He knew little about this Darth, other than he was one of Siphon's oldest allies.
Andora took the end, barely recovered from his injuries. The twi'lek shot a glare at Rend as their gazes crossed path; clearly, he had not appreciated Rend's efforts to save him from Vandal Pike. Rend shrugged; there would be more time to feud after they determined whether they would survive the day.
"Let us show this arrogant Sith the meaning of true power! Let us tear him down, and crush everything that stands in our way!"
The soldiers roared their approval once more. Rend wondered if they knew how little Siphon actually valued their lives. There was only one use for them in a Kaggath: cannon fodder.
"General Ravain, I leave things here to your capable hands," Siphon said as she stepped down from her podium. The general immediately moved to begin issuing commands to the assembled congregation.
Siphon turned to the rest of them. "The rest of you will be guarding key vulnerabilities in this stronghold."
"Why not allow us to take the offensive, Master?" asked Hysteria.
Andora nodded vehemently, even despite his injuries. "Hysteria is right. We should take the battle to them, catch them off guard. The element of surprise and the momentum of a forward assault will surely -"
"Control your apprentices, Siphon," said Darth Cerber.
Darth Siphon only had to unleash a small jolt of force lightning to render Andora silent, cringing in pain.
"Do not question me again, Andora, or Orthas and his forces will be the least of your worries."
"Y-yes, M-master," wheezed the twi'lek. Hysteria cackled with maniacal glee.
"Darth Cerber," continued Rend's master. "If you would be so gracious as to take watch at the south entrance with my fool apprentice Andora. If he defies you, you have my permission to enact whatever punishment you see fit."
Andora sent a horrified look to Siphon, but none among the group offered any objection.
"As you wish, Darth," replied Cerber.
Siphon turned to the cyborg sith. "Hysteria. You will support General Ravain at the vanguard. Rip every last one of Orthas' forces to shreds."
Hysteria smiled wide, revealing jagged - and impeccably white - teeth. Immediately, she leaped into the air, landing with pointed toes upon one of the parapets in the forefront of the courtyard, twin sabers drawn and ready, eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of Orthas.
"Lord Lethe," continued Siphon. "You will be guarding our operations command center. Its defense is critical; do not disappoint me."
Lethe bowed her head low and departed without another word.
"And me, my lord?" asked Rend.
"You will be guarding me, my apprentice. I will need you by my side as I undergo battle meditation."
Battle meditation … Rend knew it was not a skill to be used frivolously; the effort would require the user's full attention and would drain Siphon of much of her strength. Still, it would likely be needed in this battle if they were going to stand any chance at success. Agent Quen had given them the probability assessments the night before; they weren't good. Orthas' forces easily outnumbered Siphon's two to one, and he had just as many - if not more - potent warriors at his side.
"Of course, my lord."
Battle meditation could prove the key to their survival. But it was not without its risks. Rend suspected his master wanted him on the lookout for would-be assassins, and for good reason. There was little chance even Darth Siphon could maintain the skill while fighting for his life. It would be up to Rend to ensure his master's safety.
"Come then," said Siphon grimly. "Let us make haste. Orthas' forces will arrive by dusk.
Hallian "Hallie" Quen watched a holo-projection of the battle begin to unfold across Twinspire Keep's courtyard. Safe within the heart of the Keep and protected by Lord Lethe, she felt relatively at ease … at least, for the moment. Through the projected images on the multitude of display screens before her, she could see General Ravain bark orders at the soldiers from his position atop the grand steps leading to the main entrance of the stronghold. Blaster fire pelted the soldiers on both sides; Siphon's forces were fighting for their very lives.
In the distance, Darth Orthas' made a slow approach at the rear of his own armed forces. Probes launched by her team before the battle afforded her a good view; the pureblood was dressed in tattered ceremonial robes and drew a hood over his head, leaving the crimson tendrils that hung from his chin as his most prominent facial feature. He stood atop a walker for the best vantage point, alternating between shouting commands and firing bolts of electricity at distant targets. Missiles, probably. At least, Hallie hoped it was only missiles being struck down.
At the vanguard of Orthas' army, she caught sight of Darth Ruinate unseating himself from a monocycle. The traitor's lightsaber had already been unsheathed and activated, purple blade shimmering. The Zabrak lord scanned his surroundings for a moment before howling a warcry and charging forward, followed immediately by wave upon wave of Orthas' men.
From over the communicator, Hallie heard General Ravain roar, "Ready the forward turrets! Blast the enemy to oblivion!"
It wasn't like she really cared who won the Kaggath … but since Orthas had made it clear his intention was to utterly obliterate anything that had even a remote connection to Siphon, Hallie really had no choice but to root for her lord and master. She had no desire to be eradicated, after all. As such, her hands flew across the computer console with rapid precision and even a sort of grace that comes from learned repetition, simultaneously repositioning the Keep's forward defenses to acquire new targets while still monitoring both Siphon's and Orthas' forces. Alongside her, a dozen more agents mimicked her movements on their own consoles, switching between glancing at the holo monitors, inputting commands into their systems, and relaying logistical and tactical information to the military commanders currently keeping them all safe.
Glancing backwards to the human sith behind her; Hallie almost thought she caught a glimpse of awe on the dark-skinned lord's face at witnessing her team's coordinated efforts. "We've all got our talents, my lord. Ours just happens to be most useful at a desk."
"As you say, Agent Quen," replied Lethe, a - if not generous, then at least not an unkind - smile forming on her face. Their relationship was interesting; Lethe was renowned among Siphon's apprentices as being the most cold, the most calculating, the most indifferent and apathetic. Something about Hallie seemed to bring out a little of Lethe's humor, however. She liked Lethe, most likely because the latter seemed to be the only sith lord that understood Hallie's humor, unlike Siphon's other apprentices; Lord Rend, in particular, seemed not to enjoy her company.
"Reports from the courtyard, Watcher," said one of her fellow agents. "General Ravain is keeping the bulk of Orthas' forces occupied at the gates. They've yet to breach the walls."
Watcher was Hallie's old title when she was still part of the now dismantled Imperial Intelligence. Most of her team here was comprised of former members; many had fallen into old habits since joining Siphon, especially with regards to honorifics.
"Status on Hysteria?" asked Hallie.
"She's engaged Darth Ruinate atop the walls. Everytime he tries to push farther in, Hysteria's blocked his path. Ruinate's not been able to shake her."
"Good. And Cerber's team?"
"Lord Andora reports no signs of enemy activity in the southern tunnels," came the reply.
Hallian frowned deeply. From her left, she heard Lord Lethe ask, "Something wrong, agent?"
"If Orthas really wanted to overrun the courtyard, with his numbers and equipment, I don't doubt that he could. Instead, he lets us fight him to a standstill at the gates…"
"A distraction?" asked Lethe.
"Poss-" began Hallie, but her voice was interrupted by an open broadcast communication issued from Orthas' walker.
"Lord Hysteria. I wondered if you would live up to your reputation. Did you know that some refer to you as 'the storm that cannot be stayed?' "
Hallie's gut told her Orthas was laying a trap; with Hysteria's temperament, it would be all too easy for Orthas to manipulate her into forgoing tactics and strategy. "Redirect the holocams to Lord Hysteria's position. I want eyes on her now!"
The room exploded with activity as all agents began a frantic search to locate the cyborg sith.
"Lord Hysteria, your orders are to support the general! Do not engage with Orthas! I repeat, do not engage!"
"I must say, though," continued Orthas, "I've seen nothing here that warrants such a lofty title. Truly, a pitiful performance. But … what should I have expected from an apprentice of Darth Siphon? What could you have learned from 'she who sullies the name of the Sith?'"
"General!" shouted Hallie into her holocom. "Don't let Hysteria take Orthas' bait!"
But it was too late. Hallie's agents located the sith lord just in time for them all to see Hysteria's eyes widen with absolute hatred; immediately, the sith lord abandoned her battle with Darth Ruinate and leaped into motion, jumping down the walls of Twinspire, dual sabers whirling with unadulterated aggression.
In a matter of moments, Hysteria cut a swath of death in a clean line straight through the forward ranks of the enemy soldiers, so fast that Hallie could barely follow even from her aerial vantagepoint. From another feed, Hallie could see Darth Orthas smiling, his unnaturally white pureblood teeth bared as his face expanded eagerly and wild; he held a hand up to order the nearby walkers not to attempt to dissuade Hysteria's attack.
Hysteria reached Orthas' walker in less than a minute. She let loose a deafening scream as she launched into the sky like a rocket, powered by both the force and her cyborg enhancements. Her movements brimmed with unnatural grace and speed; in the next moment she reached Orthas' position ten meters high, twin sabers slicing through the air to sever Orthas in thirds at the neck and the waist.
Just for a moment, Hallie thought Hysteria would succeed.
Then, she watched as the Darth raised a single hand, calmly and without even a hint of concern. Through manipulation of the Force, Orthas grabbed hold of the cyborg sith's body. Instantly, all of Hysteria's momentum dissipated; her lightsabers - the crimson blades only centimeters from reaching their target - fell impotently from her grasp as she clawed at her throat, choking, legs scrambling to find purchase that was not there, eyes bulging with simultaneous fury and fear.
"Pathetic. This is the best of what Siphon has to offer?" Orthas thrust his hand downward and Hallie could only watch as Hysteria's body slammed ten meters downward into cold concrete; where only seconds ago it had been a whirlwind of motion, now it moved no more.
Hallian screamed into the holocom. "Lord Hysteria! Respond!"
"It's no use, Watcher! We can't raise her com signal!"
"S-such … power …"
Hallie whirled around. Lord Lethe, the Sith Lord who did not fear, who did not care, who did not show emotion … looked afraid. Her hands trembled. Her voice shook. Her eyes stood wide open, and her mouth agape, unable to tear herself away from looking at Hysteria's gruesome fate.
If Hallie felt any sense of safety before, it was definitely gone now.