Legends Have Many Sides

[Sigundr]

"Very well. But inform no one of this, do you understand?" The Lord said.

 

"Yes, sir," the officer replied. With a brisk salute, he walked off, the large doors shutting behind him.

 

"Time to invest in old friends," the Dark Lord said. He pushed a button on his armrest and a screen unfolded from the side of his throne and came in front of him. The screen was filled with static, then an image appeared. "Ah, Lord Tepe. It's been a long time."

[Shana]

Arlyn looked at the men around her as they argued amongst themselves who should be Dark Lord once the current one was overthrown. Arlyn thought seriously about coming forward to suggest her own name but doubted they would even consider her. She thought they still felt like they could not trust her. But this had an advantage, she could pledge loyalty to the one selected and then kill him at the right time. Only disadvantage was that she would have thrown over herself many enemies and without someone to pledge loyalty to her, she would be in a predicament. The best course of action was to just offer herself as candidate and hope for the best.

 

- "I will take the place, if you have no objection" - Arlyn finally spoke out in an emotionless tone. The men and women looked around the table to each other and then finally the one sitting in the middle stood up.

 

- "I know we have been compromised, the Dark Lord knows of our existence but does not know our names. Unless you give us reason to believe otherwise, I think you'll do good Lady Ivy...for now" - the man spoke and motioned with his hands to all present to stand up - "We will meet again soon for an update".

 

The members of the Inner Circle dispersed quickly and stealthy. Arlyn soon found herself back in the streets walking through the main halls of the entertainment district. All who passed by her frowned or lowered their heads as to not anger the woman. This amused Arlyn but she was getting sick of petty assassin jobs and bounty hunting. This Inner Circle opportunity may well be the chance she's been looking for.

[Flamehart]

"It's not white, it's platinum. Hush!" Strider said with a complaining tone, smiling jokingly. "It's a sign of wisdom, not age, Riebe. You would do best to remember your symbols," he said with a smirk of confidence.

 

"As for Katherine, I dunno what's up with her. I surely did not influence that," Strider commented.

 

Katherine shrugged, "I just liked the colors, so I decided to rip off. You're still wearing them even in those noble clothes you're wearing, and believe me it's funny to see you dressed up," she said with a laugh.

 

"I think it's funny to see me dressed up," Strider muttered, stretching a little. "And clothes like these itch, so imagine how I've been distressed over the past century," he added.

[Black Knight of Keno]

"I told you shouldn't trust a tailor hailing from Tatooine" Tepe noted before he was called to the next room. It seemed the Dark Lord was contacting him. Taking the holopad where the Dark Lord's picture was projected after rerouting from Thule, the Lord groaned.

"You again? What is it this time?" he asked and sat down, looking at the holoprojection. During the years of co-existance the Dark Lord insisted to call a friendship Tepe had had quite enough of the Sith Lord who bore too much resemblance in ideology to Kaoin according to Lord Tepe.

[Grace]

"Eh... white, platinum, whatever..." Reibe said, waving a hand dismissively. "At any rate, you do look remarkably odd so... stiff and high-society type..." She frowned, cocking her head to one side as she looked him from head to foot. With a grin and a shrug, she said, "No matter," and gave him a hug.

 

"You're still you up here," she said standing on her toes to tap his forehead. "That's what counts."

 

At that moment, Tepe entered the room and Aislin followed. She stood off to the side for a moment before taking notice of Reibe and the Sith Hunters. Reibe waved her over.

 

"Good to see you again, Kid," she told the young woman. "And glad to see you've reconnected with family."

 

"It's weird," Aislin said slowly. "I didn't think I wanted to reconnect with family on any level."

 

"And now you've agreed to let your great-grandfather train you," Reibe concluded. Aislin looked a little uncomfortable with a possible touch of guilt.

 

"Yeah," she answered. "Do you mind?"

 

Reibe laughed. "Aislin, I stopped wanting to complete your training when you stopped wanting me to. Your departure from me was no surprise, I assure you. And now that you want training again, I think it's going to be good for you to get it from Tepe. Now you ought to go get some rest."

 

Aislin nodded and left to find a room and Reibe turned to the other Hunters to find them staring at her.

 

"You trained her?" Jahara asked, more than a little surprised.

 

"I did," Reibe answered. "And of those who never went through the torture of the machine that made us what we are, she is the most Force sensitive being I've seen in my family since..." She frowned thoughtfully and jabbed a finger at Strider's chest. "Strider, did I ever introduce you to Jana? Would have been a while ago... 'round the time Palpatine's Empire was beginning to suffer at the hands of the Rebellion."

 

As an afterthought, she added, "And I know you met Tay..."

[Flamehart]

"Of course I'm still up here. You guys would miss me too much if I changed," he said, pausing. "Right?" as if he had to reassure that his "family" really did enjoy his company, smiling at them.

 

Strider nodded to both. "I believe so. Both were rather powerful. But before you get bragging, remember I'm the only Sith Hunter that was immune to the effects of the machine. The machine only tortured me but never applied its changes to me. So don't go writing history and forget me now," he said jokingly.

[Grace]

Reibe laughed. "But you still went through it. Neither Jana nor Tay ever even saw or knew of it."

 

She sighed. "It's odd, you know," she said softly. "To live past the ends of the lives of your children, of their children, of so many generations and to have your own life untouched by age..."

 

"Now, don't get all broody on us," Jahara chuckled, smacking Reibe's shoulder. "We're back together now... that's got to count for something!"

 

"Of course it does," Reibe answered, smiling cheerily.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Charna watched the Sith Hunters with quiet amusement. Her small smile faded when Tepe was called away, but she did not move from where she sat.

[Sigundr]

"Still a bitter old man. I have a favor to ask. I would ask your shelter, and in exchange, I bring half of the Old Dominion with me. You've obviously got better things to do than sit here and talk with me, so I'll let you think it over." And with that, the screen went blank. The Dark Lord sat back on the throne. He had known Tepe for quite sometime, and the old hag still was a jackass.

 

Ah, well, the Lord said to himself, at least he hasn't turned on me yet. Hopefully, it would stay that way.

[Flamehart]

"I went through because it tickled. I thought it was fun," he said with a grin. He nodded though, "But yes, I know what you mean," his tone being a bit more serious.

 

"I know what you mean. You start to miss some people, especially old friends. It's a shame, I knew some great Jedi that would have been great Hunters in fighting skill, and even bent the rules of the Code like most Jedi do before ending up with us, but followed other paths and were lost to the pace of time. It's a shame, but at the same time, satisfying to know we've influenced many eras," he said with a proud tone. He looked over at Charna. "At least one achievement of the older eras hasn't yet left us though," he said with a smile, trying to engage her into the conversation.

[Grace]

"Not soon departing, either," Charna said, laughing softly. "My life is changed forever because of you... all of you."

 

"You're welcome," Jahara offered cheerfully. "We love to be of service."

 

Charna laughed again. "I daresay you do," she agreed. "Which is why you are here now."

 

"Strider, update me," Reibe instructed. "I only came because I sensed the rest of us gathering... well, Aislin was a major factor in my coming as well..." She waved a hand dismissively. "Why are we here?"

[Flamehart]

Strider shrugged, then smiled.

 

"Well, you know Tepe. He would be majorly displeased if I was to reveal his plans before he got the chance to elaborate himself, so I'll let him do the lecturing, sound good?" he said with a grin.