Angry footsteps echoed across the metal walkway as a hooded Sith stormed through the Imperial Fleet, her apprentice and her husband following closely behind. Her furrowed gaze locked on the elevator up ahead, and she swept through a cluster of soldiers and patrons gathered nearby. One of them had the audacity to reach out and roughly grab her by the shoulder.
"Hey, what's the big deal?" a male Devaronian protested.
Without turning her head, the female lifted her hand and blasted him with the Force, sending him backwards over the railing. The others that had been surrounding him quickly backed away, creating an opening. Her apprentice cast the patrons a nasty look before following the Darth into the elevator. It only took another ten minutes for the trio to find the room they were searching for.
A Sith pureblood dressed in black and grey fitted robes stood near a console in the center of the room. His aura felt prideful, yet confused and perhaps a bit alarmed. Next to him stood a blonde female dressed in black and green robes with a cape attached at the shoulders. Her presence in the Force meant she was a Sith lord as well.
Seyje marched into the room, her voice spitting like venom. "Who is responsible for the attack on Korriban? I want their head."
The pair turned around, exchanging a confused glance before the pureblood spoke. "Wrath. I – we – were not expecting your presence." He sounded hesitant. Odd. This man stank of secrets; he was hiding something.
Seyje's brow furrowed. "Answer...the question," she snarled.
"Darth Arkous, at your service, my lord. I was the one who had the honor of leading the Empire's glorious attack on Tython," he claimed proudly with a bow. As he straightened up, it was clear the pureblood was muddled about something. "But if I am not mistaken, it was Darth Nox who was sent to complete the mission. How did the Emperor's Wrath get involved?"
"Your armies contacted my ship after the Republic retaliated. I am the one who liberated Korriban, because Darth Nox is dead," Seyje spat. Her hand trembled at her side, fingers slowly balling into a fist. "And my daughter was caught in the crossfire on Korriban. Now start giving me answers, or I swear, I will burn your operation to the ground," she snarled, her hand slashing through the air in front of her chest.
The Pureblood's expression showed he was caught off-guard by her response, but the fact that he didn't look surprised made Seyje suspicious. His counterpart, the woman called Lana Beniko, wore a more sympathetic expression, though it was hard to tell whether she was forcing it or not.
"That is...most unfortunate," Arkous stated, his tone insufferably obligatory. "I assure you such casualties were unintended, Wrath. We were – "
"Don't you dare treat my daughter as another number in your body count, Arkous," Seyje hissed. "The Republic would never have retaliated like this if you hadn't ordered the attack on Tython in the first place, and I will not ask again. Why was this attack authorized?"
Darth Arkous was silent, seemingly contemplating the best way to answer the Sith Lord standing before him. She was in a vengeful mood, and he could not afford to lose his life before the plans were set in motion.
"The Empire has been searching for the homeworld of the Jedi for many years after our success on Coruscant. Once it was discovered, I took it upon myself to meticulously plan an attack that would cripple the Republic in their war effort, and grant victory to our great Empire," the Pureblood explained, pacing slowly in front of the holoterminal. "It took time and great resources, but with patience, I was presented a prime opportunity when the planet's security was most vulnerable. Their counterattack was an unforeseen, and most unfortunate, setback to victory."
Seyje cast him a cold glare. That answer was so fabricated, it disgusted her. This is his response to Valisea's death? An "unforeseen setback"? She didn't believe a word of it. However, she knew very little of this particular Sith Lord, and with Ved'ma dead, she now no longer had the resources to investigate him.
"The next time you plan a direct assault on the Republic, you will call me."
It was not a question. It was an order.
"Of course, Wrath. I will be sure to keep you apprised of any further developments I make."
Turning heel, Seyje stormed out of the room. Malavai and Jaesa stood just outside, expectantly awaiting her. She hadn't even noticed that they were missing. "Well?" Quinn asked. "He's hiding something. We need to find out what," Seyje growled as they headed towards the elevator. The conversation had left a sour taste in her mouth.
As they were riding up to the main floor, the datapad hanging form Seyje's belt beeped with an incoming message. "Oh what now?" she grumbled, pulling it out. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed it was from an unrecognized sender. Opening it, the message read:
This is Lana Beniko. I need you to meet with me somewhere private. You may be the Empire's only hope.
Seyje's breath hitched. So she had been right all along. Something wasn't right about these attacks.
"Seyje? Everything alright?" Quinn asked. She handed him the datapad. "Have a look." Jaesa peered over Quinn's shoulders, their eyes scanning the message together. An angry snarl slipped from Quinn's lips. "I suspected something was off. These attacks felt too well coordinated to be accidents." Jaesa looked up at Seyje with apprehension. "What are you going to do, my lord?"
The elevator doors hissed open and the trio got off, pausing in entryway. Seyje's brow furrowed. "I have a Sith Lord to meet with."
YOU ARE READING
SWTOR: The Davire Legacy
Science-FictionA collection of short-stories about the Davire sisters, written at varying times from 2014 to 2021. I tried to post them in a somewhat chronological order, but they were not written in that way. I had always thought I would write a full fledged sto...
