Ossus' Open Terrain

A bead of black formed along the edge her scalpel had sliced. There was some relief to be found in the pain, shallow though the cut may have been. Frankly he would have appreciated a coufee blade through the ribs in that moment, but he was thankful for it all the same. He smacked his lips, the thirst in him still strong, but he pushed that feeling aside and nodded his head.

As usual, she was right. He knew she would be, it was why he had sought her out. There were times where he thought he was beyond such weakness, but he knew that was only a self-deception. After all, what point was there in having the capacity to feel and refusing to do so like the metal machines they so despised? Their emotions made them strong.

After a much needed comforting moment, Nem broke from the friendly embrace and took a few steps back. He reached into the fleshy folds of his robeskin long coat and retrieved his qahsa tablet. The green veined rectangular brick flickered on as the blaze bugs within were jostled awake. The Intendant then held a closed fist over his mouth and cleared his throat.

"Well..." Thank you. "...would you care to hear my observations? The meeting with the Jedi was most informative. I have a strong feeling they will be useful to our agenda, if they can be properly motivated to act. Our interests are not entirely unaligned, even if the reasoning is not the same. They didn't even require convincing, actually. They see the Sith as a threat as well."

"Not revenge." He hissed through gritted teeth. "Justice."

His anger was palpable, rising to the top as he thought about what had been taken from them. Though hardly cursed by the same dark bitterness that possessed the other members of the domain, Nem had felt that loss keenly. Not only had he lost a brother, but it had been by his order that the mission to Korriban had been carried out. If he had known how quickly things would turn south, he never would have sent Uzas on that damned mission. When he had been murdered in the streets of Dreshdae, gunned down by a coward with a blaster, a part of Nem had died that day as well. In his eyes, Uzas had been the future. He had pictured him one day taking over as the head of Domain Yin. Now that would never happen. Worst of all, those responsible had never received the swift hand of vengeance they deserved. Blood demanded blood.

"I was on the run and casteless when Shizor took me in, made me a part of his domain. He gave me a family, something I never expected to have, not after everything I had lost. When he passed and I took over, I made him a promise, a solemn oath that I would do right by Domain Yin whatever the cost to myself. Uzas' death is on my hands. I had such hopes for him, all of which were turned to ash in my hands on that fateful day. But this is more than about simply meting out retribution on the wicked, more than justice for one Yuuzhan Vong."

He raised his hands up high and turned a full 360 degrees, motioning towards the Well in its entirety.

"Look at where we are." He said, fixing his eyes of Mira. "We're playing catchup. Our people already tried to rebuild Osssus before, only to be sabotaged and made pariahs by the Sith. If it happened before, it can surely happen again. Steps need to be taken to eliminate them as a threat. Not for revenge, but to ensure our future. As long as they are out there, there will always be a risk."

The Intendant's emerald green mqaaq'it flared as though possessed by with-fire.

"That they'll suffer is just an added benefit."

He nodded. "You are right of course. They are similar, but also different then the ones I've had past dealings with. I met with the leader of their Order, a human by the name of Aerandir Calmcacil who holds the title Grandmaster. I didn't get a good read on the man, if I'm honest, so I'm not sure what we can expect from him. Apparently he's from their Felucian branch, which was a surprise as I was under the impression the Corellians were the more noteworthy. A lesson hard learned given that despite my warnings to the Corellians, nothing seems to have been done about our shared enemy. That was my mistake, I suppose. I backed the wrong bissop."

Nem had spent years gathering information on the Sith Empire, making contacts with groups and individuals all over the galaxy, learning everything he could. When the time came to share that information, he had maneuvered events so that the Corellian Jedi Order and the Praetorite had crossed paths, which was when he had alerted them of the true threat. Yet upon probing the holonet after his ten year voyage beyond the edge of the known galaxy, it was clear his words had fallen on deaf ears.

"Maybe these Felucians are better. My only interaction with them outside of meeting their leader was capturing one when I was serving aboard the Cutlass under Captain Arkhan of the Bloodrage Pirates. If she was typical of their Order, then they can at least fight."

It hadn't really been a fair fight, and even then it was close. Had he not been wearing vonduun skerr kyrric that day, he might not still be around to brag about it.

"Where we really need to hedge our bets is with the Jedi Lords. I admit, their leader Duke Malvern, was a bit...optimistic, for my tastes. But he and his fellow lords all seem to have suffered in the past under the yoke of the Sith. That in it of itself gives me reason to think they will take the threat most seriously. It is for them that we are here. If we can restore their planet, we can build their trust, maybe even form a friendship of sorts. According to their Duke, they are modeled after a more militant variety of Jedi. He even used the word 'crusade' when talking about opposing darkness. It may not even be necessary to manipulate them into taking action. It was one of their members, a Princess Sorsha Sunrunner, who even suggested the revival of their intelligence branch. The idea was shot down by the Grandmaster, but only because it sounded like they were lacking for manpower or resources. With the assistance of my domain, for we excel at working in the shadows, he might be persuaded otherwise. A trip to Felucia may be in order."

Extricating himself for her physical affections, he retrieved his arm and took a step back, shaking his head from side to side as he crossed his limbs over his chest. "Sorry, but I need you here. Bio-engineering on this scale isn't really my area of expertise anymore and at least here I know you'll be safe. Besides, this is where you can serve our people best." Extended his right hand, he raised her chin with his spindly index digit and gave it a playful scratch. "Make friends and break bread with them. Do what you do best and transform this lifeless rock into a garden of life and paradise. I know it's well within your talents to do so." As he removed his hand, his mood instantly darkened. "Leave the rest to me. I have a few other contingencies in place."

Nem's lips stretched at the corners, forming a mockery of an infidel grin. Eventually he nodded and brought up his personal device, stroking the screen with his index digit as he flipped through the data he had collected.

"They are. Ten years ago when I formed a working arrangement with the Imperial Remnant in the Deep Core, I never would have expected them to evolve into the main galactic superpower they are today. At the time I was looking for darkspace access through the region, bolt holes to hide ships, and assistance in dealing with our common enemy. I think part of the reason there doesn't appear to be a prominent Sith Empire today is because of the unexpected rise of the First Order. I can't say I'm not happy about it. They place their faith in institutions and people, not in dark powers and mysticism. The galaxy is a more secure place now because of their presence. That doesn't mean that the danger is gone though."

They could never afford to let their guard down, even in times of relative galactic peace such as now.

"Their Emperor is a shrewd man and when I met with him I sensed in him a keen intellect. He's not some foppish fool like was common in the New Republic or Galactic Alliance. That he had risen so far inspires me with great confidence in his abilities...but, it also places him in a similar position as the likes of Ronan Fel and others that preceded him, and we all know what happened with that. The Sith, wherever they are hiding, won't openly engage with a military might as strong as his." He bit his lip, drawing a bead of black blood. "They could try and supplant him though. Their kind craves dominancy and power like a sickness. Fortunately he appears well guarded so I think the risk of assassination is minimal. Corruption of those nearest to him is the most likely tactic. It's what I would have done."

"Heh. Aye." His eye sacs bulged. "I liked him too." And not necessarily for different reasons, though in truth theirs was more a friendship built upon usefulness to one another. Still, he was a charming infidel to share a drink with. "I haven't had an opportunity to reach out to him since I returned, so in truth I don't know if he is still around. I hope so since he had a level head on his shoulders and was an easy man to work with. I pray the intelligence I was able to provide him with in the past somehow assisted with the rise of this First Order, though I can't say for certain."

He picked up his empty cup that Mira had set on the ledge and held it towards her before offering her a pathetic pleading look that spoke 'I'm a thirsty Vong'.

"They are more beneficiary than bulwark. I pledged the Praetorite to their service." He held up his scarred palm. "Not without great consideration, I assure you. Because of it we have been granted permission to establish a base of operations on one of their worlds. I'll need to leave soon to lay the ground work for that. We'll be moving the bulk of our forces there, though I'll leave a token force near Sekot. After speaking with the Chiss I'm confident there aren't many threats to the seed world. At least not currently. Our colonies will also have to learn to be self sufficient if they are to have any chance at success. Right now the First Order offers us the best access to the resources I'll need to reestablish our intelligence network. Plus through their own intel apparatus I might be able to determine the location of any Sith enclaves we want to keep our mqaaq'it on."

Placing his qahsa device away, he stroked his chin.

"The Emperor made me First Prefect."

Delighted to have vital sustenance again... Booze. ...he brought the cup to his lips and chugged greedily. Warmth spread throughout his chest and his insides tingled as the pressure in his head was immediately alleviated. When Mira pressed her query, it was Nem's turn to shrug his shoulders.

"A glorified advisor, I think. Not unlike our own prefects, really." He revealed his yellowed teeth, sharpened to points, exhaling an odorous breath. "If it puts me close to the Emperor and grants access to his inner circle, it will be worth it. I have a disturbed feeling I can't quite shake. Something in my bones is telling me trouble is on the horizon. I need to be present to suss out the threats, and if necessary..."

In a blur of rapid movement, the Executor drew his coufee blade and twirled it around in his hand, before holding it in a reverse grip in the short space between them.

"...be there to take action when the time comes. We can't allow history to repeat itself, and I have a blood debt to repay. If that means carving Uzas' name in the chest of a Sith infiltrator, all the better."

Carefully removing his coufee blade from Mira's hand, he returned it to its sheath on his hip and offered the master shaper a knowing wink. She didn't need to worry. The cold fury burning in his breast was all he needed to keep himself focused on the task at hand. It kept his will strong and made him better, more direct and unrelenting. His eye sacs pulsed as he bowed his head and placed his empty cup on the ledge. "So you do." He ran the spindly digits of his hand over his scalp ridges and gave the back of his head a hard sobering slap. Nem then turned to leave, stopping just short of the exit to the Well of the World Brain. He looked over his shoulder, staring more at the floor than anything else, though his words were clearly for Mira. "Keep me apprised of events here whenever possible. I trust you to manage the project but I'd still like to be regularly updated on its progress."

Without another word, he exited through the hatch sphincter and made his way back outside the facility. Shapers and worker caste cleared out of his way, giving the Intendant a wide berth while they gossiped quietly in their corners. He didn't even acknowledge them, striding past without so much as a second glance before making his way back to the yorik-trema he had arrived on.

Preparations were made and before long the Blood Chalice was on a course for orbit.

[ Princess Sorsha Sunrunner | Western Hemisphere - Alpha Site | Ossus' Open Terrain | Ossus ] Attn: Mira Yim and/or anyone else