The Tower of the Imperial Knights

Panno couldnt help but agree with the man. There had been to much tearing down, to many weeds had been pruned. It was a necessary evil but an evil none the less.

Im glad it was you. We wouldnt want some snot nosed brat bringing him in.

Despite his words Panno could sense the mans feelings. His pain. His grief.

I know I am not the right one to say this but it is no different than growing a garden. You have to remove all the weeds and dead plants else wise you crowd the flowers. I think we are getting close to the day when we wont be needed to ferret out internal issues very soon.

With that he placed his hand on the mans right shoulder

Then it will be time for peace. Or fighting the Empires enemies and expanding her boarders.

Of course it would be seldom that Panno would have to leave the new capital. His knowledge of creating and working the armour was very valuable. Despite having a few apprentices in the forge under him there was yet to have one be his equal. Yet. Despite this Panno wished he could leave more. His job was needed and important but it wasn't glamorous.

If Panno had, had eyebrows they would have shot up in surprise. It was no secret the animosity the two groups shared but to speak it aloud was akin to taboo. Panno harboured many of the same doubts and issues with the Sith and Knights of Ren as most of the other Imperial Knights did. Right down to their central tenants and reason for being in the Empire were different.

It has always happened yes. We have the Sith-Imperial War to prove it and many other anecdotal proofs. That is why we are here though, to defend the peace of the Empire. I know you were once a Jedi but from the outside looking in can you see the flaws of the Jedi around the rise of the original Empire. They were a council run by close minded zealots who believed their every rule was infallible. They grew complacent. They never questioned the rules that they themselves put into place, so when they saw Palpatine amassing more and more power they did nothing. They never spoke up, they just let it happen. Don't even get me started on their training and teaching. Where are you going with this Panno?

I guess what I am saying is that these constant battles, and removing of traitors keeps us fresh. Stops us from growing complacent like we had, and lets us see the forest for the trees. When the time comes, you, me, Fiana or anyone else who may notice it will need to speak up. Inform the Supreme Commander of the threat before it gets to him.

We all heard about how you burst in on the Emperor, your love for the Knights of Ren and any Sith in our ranks is well known.

There was no doubt that a break was coming, try as he might Delvaradus would not be able to keep the two ideologies apart forever. The Knights of Ren themselves were based out of the Deep Core far, far away from the duo speaking now. Someone would eventually break and cause a fight.

All we can do is prepare for when it happens. There are more of us that are experienced than there are them, and we have more learning every day. Its not like it was before the Mandalorian Crusade when all the Imperial Knights were inexperienced. These constant battles have trained them in a way that regular training would never give them. If nothing else they can defend the Emperor better now than ever in our history.

Turning around to look back into his plants Panno spoke quietly.

If we ever get some down time maybe we should try to find some evidence to back up our beliefs.

Who to start with though?

In truth Delvaradus employed a lot of Sith and darksiders within the First Order. This sort of group always seemed to be attracted to the more Imperial way of doing things. The Knights of Ren, Sith, Fallen Jedi. Sure some may very well have the Empires best interests in heart, but many more only did what they did until it no longer suited their best interests. You only had to look to their past to prove it. The decline of the Fel Empire; their Empire was in thanks to the manipulations of a few Sith.

It's also probably best we don't mention this to anyone else. Not even the Grandmaster.

He felt wrong saying that but sometimes following orders would lead to worse issues. Sometimes its easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Charratha felt herself being pulled towards Kortos. Rather than fight it, she allowed herself to be drawn in, using it to her advantage in this little game they were playing. Like a war game, it was a game of dominance, but there was really no contest. When the time came, Charratha would allow and even expect Kortos to dominate her. She slowly sat down on his lap, facing him, arms wrapped around him, legs at her side. Slowly allowing the tension that was exponentially increasing with each passing moment come to a head, to see how long Kortos could restrain the primal desires he was currently feeling, and testing her own patience in just how long she could wait until she wanted the tension that had been built up to be released. The soft light eminating from the moon briefly stopped in this moment, forcing Kortos to use his hands to explore what he longed to see. It was then that Kortos slipped his hand under her outfit, gently caressing one of her breasts. She allowed a soft moan to escape her mouth as he kneaded the soft flesh. He continued caressing her breasts, eliciting more quiet moans and groans from the lips of Charratha. She was trying to keep her expressions of pleasure as quiet as possible, to try not to rouse anyone, but knew in her heart that she would find it difficult if the current chain of events continued to it’s inevitable conclusion.
“Mmm... perhaps I need to unwind... perhaps I -mmm- want to blow off some steam. Or...
Her softly spoken words were disrupted by more moans as Kortos continued to play like this. He stopped briefly, and during this interval, she gazed longingly at Kortos, wanting so desperately for him to take her. The atmosphere in the room was very heavily charged, similarly to a lightning storm. She used one finger to trace along his well defined jawline as she spoke,
...perhaps I’m here for something more basic, something more raw, Kortos...•

EST. Early Morning, Harnadian Time
Charratha slowly awoke from her slumber, unable to shake the haze that had overtaken her since last night’s escapades. She saw Kortos next to her. The man had showed her all sorts of wonders that night. She slowly replayed the events that had occurred, feeling a degree of excitement even now, regaining some of the lust that she had felt the night before. She almost felt like continuing what they had left off during the night. True, they had finished, but she still craved him nontheless. The rest of her, however, felt like lying there, basking in the afterglow. Her eyes were too glazed over, and she hadn’t the energy, to look and see if Kortos was awake. She could feel his presence however. It was a presence that made her feel safe, yet afraid. The amount of control he could wield over her somewhat frightened her, as she had never allowed anyone this level of control before. And yet, it made her feel safe, having someone to control her. His control, though harsh, would never bring any harm to her. And she felt safe giving herself to him, allowing him to do with her as he pleased, obeying his commands, reaping the rewards. It was all extremely... exhilarating for her. These thoughts, however, were generally overwhelmed by a feeling of great satisfaction, and a general soreness, as she stared lazily at the morning sky...

Charr turned towards Kortos with whatever little energy she could muster, giving a weak smile as he brushed some loose strands of her hair aside and began to gently caress her cheek after trailing his finger across it. His presence fulfilled her in so many ways, allowing herself to feel more... complete with him, both physically and spiritually.
“Mmm... must I really get up...”
Though she usually would be up by now training, she was honestly in no position to, with her body completely sore, every muscle aching from the hours of shared passion, to her complete lack of energy and conviction in doing anything but lying here, staring into the rugged features of her lover.

Charratha enjoyed just lying here. For the first time in quite a while, she wasn’t doing something. As an Imperial Knight, she led a busy life, but here she was, just lying here, allowing her lover to gently caress her sore body. It was enough for her to be content. Happy, even. Happiness was not something she had felt in a long time. Between her extended assignments, tireless training, and just general physical activity, she was never able to be placated. And yet here, now, she was happy. Not on the battlefield, having slain her mortal enemy. But in the bedroom, following a passionate night spent with someone she could say she loved. There was something to be said for that.
“Oh, not at all. I found last night to be most... fulfilling.”
She placed her arm atop Kortos, feeling the humps and ridges that defined his muscles on his chest. Now that she had regained some energy, her feisty spirit was returning. And she could feel a small hunger growing in her again. The same hunger from the previous night. She had been satisfied, true, but she truly wanted Kortos to control her. To make her beg. He could probably feel these thoughts through the force, but honestly, she didn’t care. For she could sense that Kortos wanted the same.

Returning to the Tower of Imperial Knights after meeting with the Emperor to discuss the disastrous outcome of her recent mission to Drall, Faina unconsciously clenches and unclenches her left prosthetic hand in a subconscious outward display of her frustration that is not evident otherwise in her customarily controlled, stoic expression or comportment.

Preoccupied enough with what was said during the discussion with Nicademus that she does not even protest as she often does when Voshkie Sarkissian, a female Atoan, and Nechama Matos, a female Sarkhai, appear as though summoned when she enters the tower and fall into step behind her as they take up their self-appointed duties as a personal guard that she herself neither requested nor feels is necessary, Faina says nothing as she ascends the stairs leading to upper level of the tower where her personal quarters are located.

Removing her cloak and tossing it over the back of the chair behind the desk in the office situated immediately inside her quarters, with Voshkie and Nechama taking up guard positions to either side of the door outside of her quarters, Faina rubs her temples and finds herself wishing for a drink even though she does not often engage in drinking. The desire for a drink is quickly replaced by a desire to hit something, and so Faina slams her fists on her desk. Feeling childish after the display, Faina sighs and walks to a window overlooking the city, telling herself that accepting the criticism she was given in lieu of a more severe punishment for what happened on Drall would be far wiser than pouting. Taking a deep breath, Faina examines the source of her frustration in an effort to dispel the lingering disquiet it has left within her, and is left initially to wonder if it arises more from the fact that she has disappointed Nicademus than with Brock's rash action and its potential consequences. Nicademus' words stung her, certainly, her tenure as Grandmaster of the Imperial Knights has not yet been a long one, and she knows that she has yet to settle into it entirely; and his assertion that she needs to learn to better control the Imperial Knights she leads was, in light of what transpired on Drall, irrefutable, leaving her to conclude that the sting is less from the criticism and more from the fact it came from Nicademus when one of her strongest desires has become to serve him as capably as she is able given her absolute loyalty, nearly fanatical in nature, to him.

Dropping heavily into the chair behind the desk, Faina rests her head in her hands and feels some small degree of relief in having come to an understanding of the source of her discontent; an understanding that also allows her to admit to herself that, as much as she believes all that she told Brock, she absolutely understands what he did. Were she not in her position, with the need to consider all that she must because of it, Faina knows that she would go so far as to, like Nicademus had also said, say that were she in Brock's place, and not the Grandmaster of the Imperial Knights, she would have done precisely as he had done, with as little regret as she knows Brock ultimately feels for what he did. The universe is a better place for Maric having been removed from it, and Faina sighs as she tells herself that the wisest thing she can do is to stop dwelling on what cannot be changed and focus on learning from the experience so that she can better fulfill her duties and regain the respect she is certain she has lost in Nicademus' eyes, and so that is what she resolves to do.