Lehon - Jedi Temple

[Krath Umbra]

Lehon. A filthy backwater that was only freshly occupied by Sith forces. He'd heard troubling reports that had led him here- Someone on the ground had reported that Quela Darksong had not only nearly suffered another loss, but had disappeared from the field of battle. It was the final straw of a concerning chain of events that led him to believe that she may have been an agent for forces that wanted the Empire dead. From her failure to stop the Rebels from escaping Kuat, to her failure to take Correlia, to Felucia and now here, Darksong's movements in the Sith had been disastrous for all the Sith forces involved. Even here, with this gross misallocation of resources, even her barely won victory had cost the Empire dearly. If these forces had remained at Alderaan, they could have responded when Korriban was struck.

 

And so here he was, tasked with investigating her disappearance. At best, one of her subordinates killed her and assumed command after witnessing her incompetence. At worst, she had fled as a traitor and taken the Empire's secrets with her. He would learn what he could, and then relay that to his superiors. Even if he found her, which was unlikely, he was too low right now on the totem pole to take action against the Sith Master. Regardless, he was needed. He would start with asking the loyal Sith who remained- Darth Tyra and Lord Blackmorne, who had both succeeded where their commander had failed in breaching the temple grounds. It was at the ruined temple that his shuttle touched down, and he took a moment to breathe in the death and despair around him. What was left of the defenders were dying or being captured, and the dead's souls drifted in the Force. He stepped carefully over a dead defender, making sure not to catch his coat on the bloody remains. He could sense death clouding the battlefield, but it was considerably thicker in anguish and agony at one of the further breaches. He would start there.

[Krath Umbra]

Umbra chuckled at the warrior-s statement. He had just come from a battle on Korriban, and while he had no qualms about killing off these rebels and their sympathizers, he also valued the need to recuperate after fight. War exhaustion was real, and many Sith, whether they be of the order or not, had fallen to it before, and many more would fall to it still.

 

"I'm fresh from battle. The Rebels struck at Coruscant. I would still be assessing the damage there if it weren't for my superiors tasking me on an investigation into this campaign."

The warrior gave his report, and Umbra frowned. He reported failure, but the planet was theirs, and he could sense death on his fellow Sith's blade. He did not stand before Umbra in pristine armor, polished to a shine, wielding an untested weapon. His armor was damaged, muddied. His blood seeped into the ground, and his weapon had been drawn.

 

"The failure is not yours, comrade. I came on suspicion of treason, committed by the Lady Darksong. But if she is no more, then the situation will have resolved itself. In truth, it saves much work- Investigations take time, and they can quickly turn bloody if handled... Improperly. While I do enjoy such things, it is very messy business, a thing that drives a wedge in our ranks and powerbases at a time where we must present a united front in the face of an organized rebellion."

 

His gaze surveyed the scene- the Sith had taken the temple, but the cost had been a large portion of the Sith Fleet deployed to a fringe of the galaxy, and likely the support of the Nightsisters. It was something that would need a note, at least. His eyes lingered on the Vermandois, taking in the man's appearance. It seemed he was not the only Sith in the Intelligence community interested in the events here. He gave a respectful nod to the senior Krath before returning his attention to the Sith before him.

 

"I am Krath Umbra, of Sith Internal Affairs. I don't believe we've met. The pleasure is mine, surely. Do you perhaps have time to inform me of the events that took place here? I only have fringe reports and generalities from the briefing I got from my officers."

[Krath Umbra]

Umbra nodded at the man's introduction. Curt and quick. Warriors were refreshing- they almost always say what they mean. So much politicking was just... unnecessary when speaking with a warrior.

 

"Your name and station are enough. The rest should be saved for banquets, not the battlefield."

 

He payed close attention to the briefing. The entire skirmishing force broke upon one Jedi? Either the Jedi was strong, or the skirmish was weak. The Nightsisters had always remained a conundrum to him. The strongest of them had claimed to be Sith, and the rest followed the Sith like lost pets, looking for their owners. And yet, in battle, their knowledge of the wildlife and the darkside made them, valuable assets. Luckily, it seemed the brunt of the attack went well and the walls were taken with relatively few casualties. The recording of the battlefield caught his eye, and he laughed heartily as Vorin finished his report. 

 

"It's no surprise the garrison broke after your kill. The Jedi you faced is known as Armenia Draygo, the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. An impressive kill, to be sure. As for the refugees, it matters not. We weren't here to kill every last person. That you have chased off their forces into full retreat is enough."

 

He rubbed his chin, watching the recording again. It was rare for Sith to show such promise so early. He could only hope that the man would emerge from the Court of Madness with a better grasp on his sanity than Sheog the Mad. His focus was pulled away by a new voice, one that he didn't recognize. But he certainly recognized the armor of who it belonged to. He gave a deep bow, his arm across his chest.

 

"My lady, it is an honor. I've just been briefed myself, but it seems Lord Blackmorne has distinguished himself. He has slain the Grandmaster in single combat. I know not of others yet, however."

Edited November 2, 2021 by Mavanger

[Krath Umbra]

Umbra listened intently to the newest Dark Lord's words. It was an interesting approach, to be sure. Sharing intel with the Sith was a double edged blade. It allowed them to act on more informed decisions, to further their powerbases, and stay informed of threats to the Sith Empire. All of these were admirable benefits. But it was not without risks. There would be more places to look if their secrets landed in enemy hands, whether it be through weakness or treachery. It would also remove a valuable asset the Spider had over his peers, one that had allowed him to maintain his grip on the Sith. A secret known to the Lords was a secret that the Dark Lord could not leverage in a power struggle. It was brave, and potentially foolhardy, but it would earn her loyalty and respect, two things that she would need in the coming months given how the attained the rank.

 

He stepped back with a bow, watching her and the others around him.

 

"You shan't find any such challenges from myself, my Lady. My place is with Sith Intelligence, not as the Dark Lord."

 

Of course, as any Sith would, if he grew strong enough one day he may make a play for the title, but that play was not now, nor any time soon. The Sith needed a stable leadership role, not a rapidly changing Dark Lord.

 

"I have a number of investigations pending, and will brief you on them when you are ready. More concerning, I come from Korriban. The Rebels have struck our home, destroying a vital warship in the attack and fleeing before our reinforcements could arrive. While their casualties were considerable, I fear the attack will only rally more people to their cause. I would like to examine the defenses of allied worlds under your authority, and hopefully sidestep the red tape in doing so before another incident like this occurs."