Sibling Rivalry
Zavron could feel the growing power of his passion, but he heeded his master’s words. He knew that a direct approach would not work against this opponent, so he began to study his new foe. With the help of a few mind tricks on a select group of people, Zavron had procured enough intelligence to develop a strategy against his target.
Lord Paros was only a few years older than Zavron, but already the most powerful Sith on Dromund Kaas. This was partly because growing number of Sith were being called to the battlefronts on the Core Worlds, and also because his master assigned him full control over the planet’s military forces. Though he has only been the Governor of Dromund Kaas for several weeks, Lord Paros has already proven himself to be an effective ruler. Rumors have also spread that his master might even promote him to Darthhood. Some say he has ruled with distinction, others say that he is a tyrant; regardless of which side is correct, all of his subjects fear him, except for one.
Lord Chrain has despised Paros ever since the promotion. He was insulted with being passed over, considering that he has trained with their master long before Paros ever left Verudan’s side. Despite caring deeply for his master, Chrain had a few vices that made him more corrupt than most Sith. Zavron used this strife to his advantage.
He entered a cantina that was known as Chrain’s favorite hangout and approached the Sith Lord at the end of the bar. Upon reaching Chrain’s table, Zavron saw a light skinned Zabrak with his arms around two Twi’leks holding cards in one hand and placed stack of credits on the table with other. Two Imperial troops rose from the corners of the table, each reaching for their firearms before Chrain quickly raised his palm in interjection. The Sith Lord spotted my saberstaff and shooed his minions away. He rolled his eyes in displeasure, shortly before speaking, “What do you want boy?-and make it quick- I don’t have all day!”
“I want Paros dead.”
Chrain chuckled, “And I want to be Emperor, along with half of the other Sith, but that’s not going to happen! He protected by my master, Darth Khalta. Face it kid, Lord Paros is untouchable on this world.”
“Not if we work together!” Zavron rebutted. “I only need your help to isolate him. I can take care of the rest.”
The Sith Lord smiled and was taken back by Zavron’s ambition. “Another young Sith who thinks he knows everything. Perhaps, Paros has finally met his match. But tell me boy, why should I help you?”
“Because it beats brooding in a cantina,” Zavron reasoned. “You hate being in Paros’ shadow because he is a lesser Sith. Darth Khalta won’t allow you to challenge him, but if he was gone she’d be forced to acknowledge you as her true successor. If I slay Paros I’ll only be winning a battle, you’ll win all of Dromund Kaas!”
Chrain sighed, “What will you need?”
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Elsewhere, in Dromund Kaas’ outer orbit:
Darth Verudan was dressed in full battle armor as he passed through the halls of his Harrower-class Dreadnought. Once he entered his private chamber, he noticed a light flashing on his private comslink, signaling that someone was trying to contact him. Verudan answered the link and a blue hologram of Darth Marr appeared before him.
“Darth Verudan”
“Marr,” the Phantom Lord responded. “What is it that you wish to discuss with me?”
“As you already know, the Emperor is either dead or dying. The Empire will need a suitable replacement.” The Dark Council leader inferred.
“And you think that you can replace our Emperor so easily?” Verudan inquired.
“Do you see any better alternatives?” Darth Marr asked back. “Further struggles will only ensure our demise. We must unite ourselves to crush any enemies inside or outside of the Empire. Your allegiance to me would put an end to such trivial squabbles.”
“And what shall you give me in return for my allegiance?”
“There is still an available seat on the Dark Council. I shall name you to it if you agree to serve me.”
“Interesting, but I would prefer to stay outside of the Council’s bureaucracy. However, I will agree to support your claim if I am allowed to choose someone to take the seat in my place.”
“Very well,” Marr agreed with reluctance.
“The seat will be given to…Darth Mathias.”
“You dare speak of that usurper’s name!” Marr roared.
“We have an agreement: If you honor this request I will obey you without question.” The Phantom Lord swore.
“Tread carefully Verudan. You do not want me as an enemy.” Marr concluded as he signed off.
“Foolish pawns,” Verudan smirked. “You’ve already lost; you just don’t know it yet.”
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On Dromund Kaas
After a few hours, Zavron was prepared to eliminate his target. The Governor of Dromund Kaas had just received a detailed report, stating that a military camp was being attacked by a mob of renegade slaves. He accompanied the arriving reinforcements to aid his forces, but the base was deserted.
“Search the perimeter!” Paros ordered. They scoured for any signs of life or death but there was none.
One unlucky trooper strayed too close to the bushes and was killed with a headshot between his eyes. Immediately insurgents arose from the treeline and a wave of blasters lit up the dark forest.
“Take cover!” Paros commanded. The soldiers fired back but they were clearly outnumbered. After a few moments the aspiring Sith commander noticed that these insurgents were unusually organized. He forced pulled one of them into his lightsaber and noticed that they were wearing Imperial fatigues underneath. “Chrain” he mumbled with rage.
Half of Paros’ forces were already lost before he had shed enough pride to retreat. The Governor smashed his land convoys into the insurgents and surged the vehicles with enough lightning to make them explode. He took this opportunity to lead his men back to the bridge they had entered upon. He detected another force user behind him, but only turned back after he knew his soldiers had successfully escaped. As the last of his infantry retreated he looked toward to his unknown assailant.
Zavron uncloaked himself with the force. Now, only two remained on the bridge, a young Chiss wearing radiant battle armor and an even younger Zabrak wearing a hooded Sith robe. They slowly circled one another before exchanging words.
“I must say I’m impressed,” Paros acclaimed, “using that lout to get to me was a nice touch. The force is indeed strong with you, too strong for you to be one of Chrain’s apprentices. So who sent you?”
“It’s time for you to pay for what you’ve done!” Zavron diverged.
“I’m a Sith Lord boy,” Paros informed him. “If I did something heinous you’re going to have to be more specific.”
“You butchered defenseless slaves because there masters refused to be extorted.”
“You’ve be misinformed young Sith. Chrain was the one who extorted the slavers, so much that they started working their slaves to death. I put that camp out of its misery to let the other slavers know that Chrain couldn’t protect them.”
Zavron could tell that Paros was sincere. For a moment he felt as if they had met some place before, but he couldn’t distract himself from his purpose. “Enough talking, it’s time to settle this like true Sith!”
“So be it,” Paros said, as he unsheathed his golden saberstaff.
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Paros used the force to accelerate his speed and dashed towards Zavron. Zavron force pushed with each arm, he missed Paros with the first hand but connected with the second. The large Chiss slid back and channeled lightning, just as Zavron mimicked him. Each Sith’s chain of lightning tugged back and for until it dissipated to a stalemate. Zavron leaped into the air whilst drawing his saberstaff and landed into melee combat. Both Inquisitors countered and parried each other’s attacks at unbelievable speeds. For few moments it appeared that Zavron had the upper hand until Paros stunned him with a mind trick. As Lord Paros waved his arms for the final strike, Zavron broke free of the mind trick with his will and blocked his opponent’s attack. Their arms locked with one another, then the Zabrak headbutted the Chiss, scraping his horns against the right side of Paros’ face. The Sith Lord howled in agony as he covered his mangled right eye. Zavron commenced his melee assault; the Governor’s clouded vision finally gave the young Sith an opening he could use to his advantage. So much blood had poured over the Chiss’ face that he was now blinded, fighting only with instinct and experience. With one slip up in Paros’ form, Zavron slashed his lighsaber across the Lord’s midsection, sent a force push that slammed him into the wall, and levitated a chunk of metal from the bridge that he had smashed into his foe’s chest.
Paros struggled for breath and tried to crawl to his saberstaff. Zavron blasted his adversary with lightning before saying, “It’s over Paros.”
The Chiss smiled and pulled himself up to his knees. “The way you move is the same way I was trained to move, but with even more passion. So Darth Verudan is behind this…it all makes sense now. Look, whatever decisions I made were made for the greater good of the Empire. Think about your actions! If you end my life Chrain takes over Dromund Kaas. Is killing me what’s truly best for the Empire?”
“What are you proposing?” Zavron inquired.
“Defy the Phantom and join us. Darth Khalta wishes to end slavery throughout the entire Empire. Can’t you see that your master is using you? Verudan is indifferent to any suffering that isn’t his own. He doesn’t care about the slaves like we do!”
As Paros spoke he removed a gauntlet showing the former slave a marking. Zavron recognized the family crest, it was a part of a settlement his slave camp built for a noble family of Chiss. Each day the Chiss would come to the camp to give the slaves food and clothing. They also prohibited the slavers from torturing the slaves in their presence. Zavron recognized the boy as one of the kind nobles.
Paros continued his plea, “Just let me escape and I’ll return to Darth Khalta. You can even take my lightsaber as evidence of my demise.”
“I’m sorry,” Zavron confessed, whilst tightening the grip of his saberstaff. Before the Phantom’s apprentice could say anything else bolt blasted between Lord Paros’ eyes. He was killed instantly with a perfect headshot. Zavron quickly entered a defensive stance and tried to detect the shooter. He spotted a hooded sniper vanish off into the distance where Paros’ soldiers had escaped. The apprentice picked up Paros’ saberstaff then left.
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Zavron headed to the space station but paused at his personal cruiser. He heard faint noises coming from his ship, followed by a cacophony of blaster fire. The Sith entered his id code on the hatch, stepped back and crackled sparks between his fingertips. Once the hatch opened up, four of Chrain’s men rolled out of the ship, each already dead. A female Sith Pureblood moved to the top of the ramp with two lighsabers drawn.
Zavron now surged lightning through each arm, “What is the meaning of this?”
“Settle down!” She gnarled. “I am Lord Mugen Shoust. I was sent our master to offer support. The other Zabrak sent these men to slay you.”
Zavron grinded his teeth, “Chrain!”-
“Will pay for his betrayal soon,” Shoust affirmed, “but for now, Darth Verudan has summoned us.”
Zavron nodded to his superior Lord before travelling back to his master’s starship.
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Both of Darth Verudan’s apprentices had entered his chamber. Zavron kneeled to his master and presented Paros’ lightsaber. “Keep it,” Verudan ordered, “let it commemorate your victory. Now leave us.”
“Yes my lord,” Zavron raised to his feet and exited the room.
As soon as the door closed Verudan asked, “How did he do?”
“He defeated Paros, but was offered an alliance to Khalta. An unknown agent terminated the target before he could answer.” Lord Shoust reported.
“Would he have finished it if there were no interruptions?”
“Yes, he would have.”
“Good, onto other matters then. Darth Marr approached me as we anticipated he even asked me to name an ally to the Dark Council. I chose Mathias.”
Mugen furrowed her brow. “I’m afraid I don’t follow master.”
“Then allow me to elucidate, once Darth Sifertion hears of Mathias’ promotion he will suspect that I am working with the usurper and try to eliminate him. He was going to have to retaliate for my attack on Khalta’s apprentice anyway. While Sifertion and Mathias bicker for power, I’ll have time to weaken Marr.”
“Where should we start?” Shoust asked.
“Darth Nox is Marr’s most powerful ally on the Council.” Verudan noted. “If I can persuade him to join me instead, it would eviscerate Marr’s claim. Go to Korriban on my behalf and speak with Nox. I have to aid Zavron with another mission. Oh and be sure to finish what we started on Dromund Kass.” The Phantom Lord concluded.
“Very well, master.”
To be continued…
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