Kuat's Open Orbit

Tezzret had made his way towards the hangar shortly after sending the message to planetary control. Having any incoming messages forwarded to the comlink in his ear. Tezzret had actually been waiting in the cockpit of one of the katarn-class boarding shuttles when the message had finally come through. Beginning to fire up the shuttle, Tezzret was about to request the coordinates when they popped up on his nav console.

"Glad I invested in good droids. Very efficient."

The shuttle took off from the hangars as the Phenax moved into the high orbit path that had been prescribed. As Tezzret brought the shuttle down himself.

When the doors had parted to reveal the titanic figure of the Lord Savage, Logan was not surprised that the man had truly lived up to his name. Like the data that the artificial construct had transmitted, the implied impression of the Lord Viox; was that of a youthful Iridonian Zabrak that had endured much before his seemingly random arrival upon Kuat’s intergalactic shores. As the man was half naked and weeping sterile goo from the carved recesses in his tattooed flesh, the Captain was only reaffirmed in his belief that the construct had no ill will towards a potential ally – and one that had the power to save his master’s life and those of his vessel’s crew. Turning upon the balls of his leather bound heels, the Captain offered up a polite smile as the Zabrak had finally deigned to enter the room. His momentary pause within the doors threshold was noted, but no flickers of concern flew through the Captain’s nervous system as he doubted that the Lord Savage was here to collect his head after Logan had done the man and his crew a service. Due to the sound dampening walls, the barely audible whisper spoken by the man dressed in rags had been heard by the Captain with little issue, though a part of the lauded man wished he had missed the thinly veiled threat lacing Savage’s every word.

“You are correct in your assumption, my Lord Savage. I am Logan Aximand, Captain of the Emperor’s Flagship – the Black Caisson.” His tone, though flecked with the traditional Imperialistic accent, had taken a turn for the worse as his vocal chords resonated with controlled aggression. “And I do not take kindly to subtle threats. You are a guest aboard my vessel, and will be honoured accordingly. I, however, will not be treated as if I was your personal pet that obeys your every command.” Logan’s eyes narrowed, as he dragged the tips of his fingers across the polished surface of the conference room’s table whilst he made his way towards the two steaming pots of various refreshments. “Now, as in keeping with my role of the Host, I offer you a choice between a cup of roasted caffeine and a Mandalorian herbal blend – known to soothe the soul of any rage stricken warrior.”

Logan poured himself a cup of each mixture, placing both porcelain chalices upon their respective saucers and carrying them over to the seat arrayed before the Lord Savage. Placing the both of them down on either side of this towering obelisk of a seat, then when the piping hot liquid settled, Captain Aximand slowly withdrew to grab the embellishments usually coupled with either beverage. “Your second assumption about us not being Enemies is up for discussion. I would hope, through civil conversation as equals we would determine the measure of one another as One can learn much from a talkative foe. With the revelations of the lives we lived before this moment, I believe it would quickly pass the time before both of our vessels arrived in Kuat’s High Orbit.”

Fixing himself a cup of the herbal blended tea with a single cube of spun sugar, Logan took his seat at the opposite end of the conference table. His lusterless topaz eyes sparkled with interest as he parted his lips once more.

“So, what is it you wish to know?”

It was the subtle shift in his demeanor and tone, that had reminded the Captain to the figurative nature of an apex predator meeting someone it could respect. Such a concept was rare in this day and age, as the Alpha hunter was the man or woman with the biggest stick. Thus, establishing his base of power underneath a man whom held both the ability to manipulate the force and crush his windpipe without even blinking, was a risky venture that the Captain was thankful it paid off. He could just imagine the chaos that would ensue, had the Sith followed through with his emotive code - rather than consider the rational possibilities a pleasant chat between equals could bring. Such creative thoughts however, would find themselves leaving their lasting impressions upon the Imperial, as he would be sure to be wary of where he stepped from now on. Though Logan had seemingly garnered the respect of the man that sat opposite of him, the sensation of tranquility flowing through the Sith would change long before he knew what went wrong.

Cleansing both his mind and his tongue with the fruity and herbal blends of the tea, Logan let out a pleasurable sigh. He had brewed the tea just as Amit had suggested, and the flavours it had added to the water were tantalizing to his tongue. Relishing the fleeting moment before it had passed, the Captain turned his attention back to the Sith Lord and hung upon his every word. When the man was done and had begun to draw upon his own, the Imperial had taken his time to mull over the answers he would give in return. The fate of the damaged vessel and what occurred with it's crew, were the easiest to answer as he had been just thinking about those two factors just moments ago.

"Your ship will be repaired or scrapped, should you desire it, as the damage is far too critical for any right minded man to take out into the void. It's crew have been taken aboard my vessel and are currently receiving medical attention. Those that expired were collected during the search and recovery operation, and several of my officers are checking the data that your artificial construct had transmitted to ensure all hands are accounted for. After that task has been completed, whatever happens next is up to you. Rest assured that I have little interest in shedding blood today, so I will see to it that if you wish to go about your business, you will have a transport in which to do so."

Placing his porcelain enameled chalice upon its corresponding saucer, Logan paused for a moment to consider the first, and lastly addressed section of the man's inquiry. He had already picked up their location but had seemingly misunderstood where they were within the system. The Captain couldn't blame him, as Kuat Central Authority had been pulling out their hair in frustration due to the breaches in the Drive Yards security system. Ships that were supposed to arrive in one of the three ports at the edge of the system, were popping up in Imperial Airspace with little notification as to why and how. Thankful he wasn't demoted to endure such a menial task of directing the flow of traffic, Logan smiled slightly before deigning to answer the remaining half of his guest's question.

"Seeking an audience with her majesty will not be an easy thing, mind you, as my Emperor is a busy woman these days." Logan leaned forward, as he noted in his own words that he had lacked the explanation required to fulfill the Zabrak's need for answers. "Kuat is the beating heart of the Galactic Empire, a faction that comprises of millions of like minded individuals that seek to liberate the galaxy from corruption and tyranny. Some of our overzealous members consider this to be an Imperial Truth that we shall be spreading from the Rim worlds to the depths of the Core. At the head of our Empire, acting as Emperor since there was none that wished to challenge her claim, is the Lord Sinistra, the former and remaining master of the now defunct Dark Tide."

He waited to see what effect the name would have upon the man, as his reaction to the name of the Emperor would determine the direction their conversation would take.

When the words had spilled forth from the Zabrak’s mouth, subtly requesting that he sequester this Sith within the halls of his vessel, the Captain almost laughed. Stifling the urge with a casual glance at the amber liquid within his ivory cup, Logan began to mull over the request in muted silence. It was a presumptuous demand to ask for housing, when the host knew very little about the guest that would soon occupy his home. While it would be easier to simply give the man what he had wanted, that would diminish the respectable base of power that he had created by snapping at the man when he had entered. If such an act were to take place before a Lord within the Sith Order, the Captain would be little more than a lamb to the slaughter; as they despised weakness in any form. Yet, as they continued to converse, Logan figured that this man was more than he seemed. Could he be a different type of Sith, bound by a different code with another set of morals? The Captain couldn't be sure if that was the case, but he was certain that if he continued upon this diplomatic path of conversation, the answer would become clear.

Lowering the cup from his lips and placing it upon the polished surface of the saucer, the Imperial let his eyes wander back into the gaze of the man that sat opposite of him. The Emperor had a chauvinistic reputation, one that he had seen firsthand when she had taken him to the alien world of Shili to meet with another woman that held differing – but aligned ideals. Through intensive study of her past deeds and recorded conversations, the Captain had learned a great deal of how the Emperor operated and how she reacted too many of the situations placed before her. Though much of what he had gathered was second to third hand reports littered under piles of figurative red tape, it was enough to create a generalized archetype.

“So, you too are from the New Order of the Eye, or were at least affiliated with them in this bygone era.” He stopped himself before continuing onwards, mentioning how interesting it was to see the varying Empires of both Jedi and Sith crumble to dust within a single lifetime, as such words may spark and an unwanted reaction. For who knew, this man could still have the loyal ties that bound him into the NoE’s service. “Well, Lord Savage, once we are in high anchor above the Drive Yards I can see about garnering you an audience. However requisitioning you quarters on the other hand will be another matter entirely. I have yet to learn more about you, and before I let a stranger make himself comfortable in my home, I would like to more about him. What are his goals in life, what does he seek to gain from signing on with the Empire, what ‘baggage’ would he be bringing with him, once the crossing has been made?”

Betrayal was the most bitter of sensations any man could ever experience.

Though he had little idea of what this Lord Savage had undergone before his ill-fated journey through the stars had brought him onto the Empire’s shores, the Captain could at least sympathize in some respects. It was during the tumultuous Battle of Kuat, from all sides of the conflict, that Logan had been betrayed. It all began with the sudden appearance of the Jedi and their Republic Allies. When the Lord Sinistra had relayed the information she had garnered from the Jedi Council, the Captain was told that the Jedi would come to their aid; though not in the way he had originally hoped. They would translate into the system, and assist with the remaining relief efforts aboard the orbital stations. Yet, without even a word to explain their actions, they tucked tail and bolted for the Mandeville translation points at the edge of the system. Had it not been for the sudden withdrawal of several Mandalorian vessels, Logan and his taskforce would have little chance of survival. However, that was not the only time that he had been betrayed. When the last remaining innocents had been shuffled aboard their unarmed transport ships, the Mandalorian menace had unleashed his most powerful weapon to swat them from the skies. His duty, even though he was praised for his deeds, had been nothing more than hollow revenge after that character defining moment. With the innocents of Kuat slain in cold blood, he and the Sovereign class Dreadnaught had exacted their vengeance upon the Sons of Mandalore and their ragtag armada. Scores of vessels were riddled, before the word of their surrender had spread through the two opposing fleets. The Warlord Taung, the man that had destroyed two planets before attacking a third, was proclaimed dead by the soon to be Emperor’s hands. By his own Lord and master, Logan had his retribution ripped from his grasp. To him, though not as grievous as the assumed treachery experienced by the Sith Lord before him, was accosted akin to a betrayal of the worst degree.

The Captain remained seated, as the Sith Lord roused himself from his seat to gaze out from the viewport. He had no need to stand beside the Zabrak as he regaled the Captain of his dream and alluded to the betrayal he had fled from. There would be no comforting embrace shared by long standing comrades of members of a similar bloodline, as there was little that connected these two titanic figures together. Yet, strangely enough, Aximand felt the slight flicker of sympathetic compassion flow throughout his mind. While the logical answer to this situation would to be remained seated and retain his foundation of tranquility, he could not help the shear humility this Sith Lord had displayed in being so open about the possibility of what his future would hold. This was an interesting angle of the Order he had never seen before, as such compassion and regret was usually associated with the Warrior Monks of the Jedi Order. Could it be that the two Orders, while based upon differing views and styles of discipline, were essentially the same when it came down to the individual cogs that drove the Order ever onward? This would be an interesting topic of discussion at a later date, as he would first have to find an enlightened individual that wouldn’t slaughter him on the spot for his more moderate stance upon the spectrum of Good and Evil. In the meantime however, Logan would have to entertain himself with discovering more about the Sith Lord that occupied his vessel’s conference room.

“Betrayal is the bitterest pill to swallow.” He said, between sips of his herbal blend. “However, I can tell by the fervor in which you have spoken, whatever happened to you from whatever world your vessel had come from, it was the blackest of treacheries we Sentient’s have ever known. I have a feeling it was perpetrated by someone close to you.” Logan had stopped himself there, as he knew his assumptions upon the subject would be met with anger rather than explanation. The blade from behind, always strikes deepest into the heart. “While you have my condolences, I must broach the subtle subject veiled behind your purpose for seeing the Emperor. It is your wish to enlist within the Empire, to garner support and lead an expeditionary fleet back to whence you came to extract vengeance?”