Sith lord of Akkad

Escalation

It is now the early months of the year 4 BBY, a month or so before the Battle of Endor.
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       -imperial palace, Coruscant-

''Crimson Dawn is finished?'' Emperor Palpatine/ Darth Sidious asked his apprentice. ''Lord Ashur did it?''

''Yes, my master.'' Vader, his apprentice, confirmed. ''Grand Marshal Covraii and his shadow legions have destroyed Crimson Dawn. All of it's spies within the empire have been confirmed and exexuted. As for Qi'ra, she has gone into hiding.''

''And so that woman's plans have went up in flames. As if anything she planned could've possibly succeeded.'' Sidious said, mocking Qi'ra and the destruction of Crimson Dawn. ''But all this time, the criminal underworld was fighting amongst itself, and the hunt for the Fermata Cage all but allowed the rebel alliance to re-group. Speaking of, what happened to the Fermata Cage, lord Vader?''

''If Cobra's report is to be believed, my master, then the Fermata Cage was destroyed when Cobra attacked.'' Vader answered.

''I see.'' Sidious commented. He had hoped that the weapon would subdue Salazar Covraii in some form so as to take the non-Banite sith's power for himself. ''Tell me, lord Vader. How do you gauge the other sith of the Cobra?''

''There is a female chiss among their ranks, master. She is second in rank only to the Grand Marshal. I do not know much about her except that she has red force lightning and extremely skilled with lightsabers. I have never seen such skills since Ventress or Ahsoka Tano. She nearly bested me in a duel.''

''A female chiss?'' Sidious repeated. ''I caught a glimpse of her in Mustafar. When Snoke was still alive, he boasted of the strength of his sith. This one being one he was very proud of. You say she nearly bested you in combat? In that case, she is far deadlier than she appears.''

Vader then continued talking. ''There was another among them, master. One with wings. She did not fight with a lightsaber, at least, not in the traditional sense. No. She is a master at sith sorcery and the force. She used her sorcery to create portals from which she shot lightsabers as if they were cheap blasters, master. She managed to use sith alchemy to create dark tendrils and orbs;  the same ones I believe Darth Zannah used in her fight against Darth Bane.''

''A sorceress? Hmmm.'' Sidious mused. He knew there was more than just this. Sidious had reason to believe that this 'winged sith who could shoot lightsabers' knew more sith sorcery than he. Secrets that he can learn for his benefit. Sidious already saw first hand what another sith- a tall, blue haired female- could do when she defeated all the inquisitors years back. The odds did not seem good for him and Vader.

''I believe that this winged female sith is more powerful than the chiss, my master. Even if the chiss may outrank her, she holds greater proficiency and mastery in the dark side.'' Vader added.

''Even if both of us were to fight together, we may lose against all of them, lord Vader.'' Sidious admitted. ''Not to mention the army of sith that serves Darth Ashur. Do you know what separates the Sith Eternal from previous orders, lord Vader?'' Sidious asked his apprentice. Vader did not know and so, Sidious told him. ''They are loyal, fanatically devoted to their dark lord. That is what makes them different. Snoke, I do not know how he did it, but he made a different sith order, one that is loyal to the end. The Eternal is loyal to Darth Ashur, they do not hope or even dream of betraying him;  they are bound to him.''

''My master, if this is the case, then, should we destroy the Grand Marshal, will the Eternal willingly obey our command?'' Vader asked.

''No, lord Vader. If they knew we are behind it, the Eternal and all of Cobra will declare war on us. And this is one war we may not win.'' Sidious admitted.