[19 BBY]
[Private Antechamber, Office of the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, Senate Buildings, Galactic City, Coruscant, Core Regions]
"My friend, it is good to see you recovered from your injuries" Darth Sidious greeted the still somewhat injured Chagrian male as he entered the room. It had been touch and go with ensuring Mas Amedda survived the assassination attempt, an especially difficult task of subtle healing under the very noses of the Jedi. Nodded as the door slide shut behind his friend and loyal servant, leaving only his most trusted within the room as himself gazed at the ancient mural.
"We are free to discuss matters for a moment or two my friends..." he continued hands behind his back, thinking on the bloodshed represented, on the fall of the Sith worlds, the slaughter and bloodshed, that would be avenged through him "...so let us cut through the pleasantries. Crueya, if you please"
The scion of House Vandron, one of the Ancient Houses of the Senex Secyor, bowed, standing just behind and to the right of Darth Sidious as the small cluster of 'guests' assembled "Yes my Lord, I fear I bring unfortunate news, especially in the wake of recent events. News has reached me that House Tarkin has begun gathering its supporters and allies for unknown purposes, discreetly of course, but not beyond the eyes of those loyal to ourselves"
Darth Sidious, and Sheev Palpatine within, nodded "Yes, as I had suspected...unfortunate, very unfortunate. I had such high hopes for young Wilhuff. Our young wayward General has rallied to him of course has he not?"
"Yes Lord, it is believed the entirety of the Boards of various groups have rallied to his banner, the Republic Aegis Guard, Ailon Nova Guard, House Elgin's Chevaliers and the Ordo Plutonia Republic Corps to name a few"
Rage, Elation, Fear, and Calculation filled his veins at the confirmation, and recent events. It nerve-racking as his fine control of events slipped away as he reached for greater heights of power, raging inducing that other threats were arising now...but also joyous. For what was life without a challenge? One sorely missed till now due to blindness of the Jedi...
Why two attractive female Masters, for the good public image of the Jedi of course, stood guard outside his chambers even as he plotted within to purge their order. Shadday Potkin was unlikely to be corrupted, though Sian Jeisel had failed to notice his subtle touches on her mind as she complained of the war, releasing her frustrations to the one she guarded. Personally killing them all was the preferred solution, but recent complications had shown the need to fall back on his dear, dead, Master's plans for retaining a number of Dark Jedi.
'Ah, I have grown too used to easy manipulation and forgotten the purpose of this conflict was to draw out any threats to our...my...rule now that you are gone my Master' he mused mulling over matters in his mind a few seconds. His old Apprentice's return, with new Apprentice of his own, and allied with his Mother, was a surprise, but something of a welcome one as it distracted the Jedi most excellently with the deaths of Grievous and Dooku. Not only that but it revealed the threat of the Stormcrow and the coalition growing in 'secret' around that needed to be dealt with within Sheev Palpatine's New Republic.
The survival of another Sith lineage in secret had always been considered, though unlike his Muun Master Sidious had taken it less seriously...till now. One that did not follow the Rule of Two perhaps; or it appeared so, while Maul had seemingly abandoned it too, the weakling, as Maul and the Stormcrow were clearly cooperating through Mother Talzin. Attempting to purge Dathomir so early had been a mistake he could admit to himself now;- not only had it cost him his 'Apprentice' but had caused the embittered, and likely fearful, Nightsister to take arms against him truly.
"And Ventress remains with him, and a number of Dathomiri Nightsisters?"
Crueya Vandron nodded "Yes my Lord, along with the three Jedi recovered from the Hutts, though are...guests by all accounts till the Council pay up as it was put to me"
"Yes, a useful tactic. Copying our methods it appears. A shame those four failed to deal with the Ghost. Has there been any word on Master Shaak Ti and the Ghost?"
Janus Greetjatus shook his head "No Master, we believe they have departed Nal Hutta to the parts unknown, and the bounty hunters dispatched...their bodies were discovered electrocuted...and arranged to say 'Better Luck Next Time' when they were found"
"Again, unfortunate, but not unexpected considering the nature of the Ghost. We must continue our efforts to track him, and ensure the Jedi pursue, and eliminate, the threat" Darth Sidious replied rubbing at his chin, turning to stand facing the circle of his, surviving, advisors. Darth Imperious come again. Glorious as a challenge...terrifying as a challenge he found having accessed the surviving records of Sith Order's past. One that would normally be the immediate priority to deal with it;- if not for the clear alliance between Maul, Talzin, and the Stormcrow that was moving, indirectly for now via assassination and terrorism, against him and his inner circle.
'Lack of a useful tool such as Maul was is proving problematic' he thought as the others murmured agreement, voicing a number of options. Both Maul's and the Stormcrow's organisations knew they faced a Sith, and had Mandalorians and a number of others in their employ used to using Anti-Force user tactics. What was worse his guise of Palpatine had yet to find adequate reasoning to unleash the Republic upon them, and despite efforts to reveal the Dark Side nature of the 'loyal' General the Jedi Council remained utterly blind to it. It was amusing its way of course, that they did not notice...the General had THREE Dark Side using Witches in his service, one of which was Asajj Kriffing Ventress!
'What do the need? For me to draw them a kriffing map to him!' Darth Siduous grumbled mentally, then correcting himself 'Of course, they have failed to notice my own nature, nor that of dear Janus as one of prophetic Adepts, so perhaps one should expect such blindness from the Council. Certainly a blow to my believing in my own genius being at disguise instead of Jedi incompetence'
"How are the peace talks progressing Milord?" Mas, who had been silent till now, queried. Darth Sidious hummed, stoking his chin, before letting out a sigh.
"Well enough for our purposes, despite the failure of my efforts to eliminate the Stormcrow. I accept I misjudged the matter and you were correct my friend. It hurt in the public eyes, but Senators Organa and Amidala have achieved all we could hope for despite that, and despite clear efforts to disrupt the Conference by the Mandalorians, and perhaps the Stormcrow. Young Skywalker's efforts in defeating those assassins has proven most useful despite our inability to assign blame to parties useful to our cause"
"Investigations are too focused my Lord, the GAR, the non-Clone elements, have been most active of late into all matters, and it has been an uphill battle to ensure supporters of our cause cannot to lose are not neutralised by legal means"
He waved it off "I understand Janus, there is little more can be done till the Jedi, and other threats, are dealt with. The Mandalorians and whatever forces the Stormcrow and the Tarkins gather should hopefully prove sufficient as a threat to rally the Republic to our cause once the Jedi are dealt with. For now maintaining the Separatists at peace till we can redevelop connections is the only viable path ahead, we retain enough supporters, even if they do not know it, to make use of them. Indeed I have high hopes we can utilise them to deal with GAR-South and the Mandalorians as a...joint war effort. A unifying cause to pull the Galaxy together against ancient, monstrous, foes of the Republic;- facing two fellow Sith, however false, I can trust at least that it will be a brutal and bloody conflict before they fall"
"The Jedi my Lord?" Janus queried, Mas Amedda and Creuya, nodding in agreement with their fellow as young Ennix Devian merely remained silent as ever "I do believe matters are coming to a head, and they must be dealt with, but I would suggest that not all be eliminated as first intended. All we can of course, but some might be of use with the return of the spectre, and the..."
Darth Sidious held up his hand and silence fell "I have considered the matter, and I do agree, but the hammer is likely to fall at a moment not of our choosing. True I also have come to agree that turning a number for the intended Inquisitorious is now likely required due to two Masters and two Knights falling to a returned ghost of the Dark Council, a Sith Emperor at that, and the need to deal with Dathmiri witches leaving their world. I have identified a number of possibilities, but only in the aftermath of the purge would it be possible. Sadly it is clear our initial areas of control will be less than envisioned and very much likely to suffer restrictions as we have to make us of loyal, but less militaristic, worlds to maintain control"
It was very clear to him now that the militarist bloc was fracturing, even the more humano-centric parts, in the wake of his recent political needs. Even dear, idiotic, and corrupt, Orn Taa Free had been forced by circumstances to drift in the Eriadu-Gerrentum Bloc as it was becoming unofficially called. Problematic, but it had allowed him significantly greater control and influence over the pacifists, industrialists, and the great Core Mega-corporations outside the more traditional ones of Alsakan, Anaxes, Corelia, and Rendili. He hoped a war to crush the rebellious Outer Rim of Gar-South would help bring them back to his fold, but some degree of factionalisation was now, sadly inevitable before he took control.
Exterminating the Jedi was the most important part for now; they were relentless, emotionless, droids he had found. A Sith at least, a Darksider in general, outside of Revenge!-before-reason, could at least be counted upon to think of their ambitions, or simply self-preservation, when plan...Jedi, Jedi would simply keep coming after him however they could once Order 66 occurred. Killing as many as possible, turning a few useful ones, was vital then, while also making very, very, kriffing sure the public of the Republic and Confederacy wanted most of the survivors 'arrested' was then very much at the top of his do-to-list.
He had been friends with enough Jedi over the years to know they cared for nothing in that disturbingly selfless way, and would not hesitate to kill family if required. Sure he himself had wiped out his family, but that had been for his own ambitions and the fact they were horrible people to him...and even though he'd been glad they were dead he'd still felt some degree of guilt for a time afterwards. No, Droids and Jedi had no place in his new galaxy, nor did any potential rivals; there were meant to be Two Sith only, and Darth Sidious would stick that tradition at least...
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