I'll do the same as Jun-tsu for now then.
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"Polite Company"
3656 BBY, Month 6: Dromund Kaas
Sylvain reclined back in his office chair with his datapad in front of him as he read through the reports of the morning. His walls were adorned in a very utilitarian fashion; only one Imperial banner and one banner of House Torsin were visible on a background of dark gray. As he poured over each of the reports from the various systems across the galaxy he heard his communicator begin to beep incessantly on his waist.
Opening the channel Sylvain looked at the image of Ensign Nadeen. “Lord Torsin. I apologize for disturbing your time for briefing… I know your schedule for the morning included a request to not be disturbed.”
Sylvain’s mask looked on without moving at the soldier, “I assume your explanation for why you are bothering me will be more succinct than your apology.”
The Ensign nodded and replied, “You asked to be notified immediately if any reports were sent in after your deadline. There was an operative here in Kaas City who just turned in a report on one of Baras’ targets… and his results were inconclusive.”
Sylvain nodded, “Very well. Bring him to my office in the command center.”
The Ensign nodded and cut the communication.
Baras has surrounded himself with incompetent fools…. It’s a wonder how he’s gotten this far…
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The sound of a body hitting the floor caused the two guards standing outside Sylvain’s office to rush into the room with guns drawn.
“I thank you for your service Lieutenant, but I regret to inform you that we have no further use for your incompetence.” Sylvain looked up to the two guards that had rushed in.
“Notify his family that he was killed in action. Take him to the re-education center and have them program him for manual labor on the construction sites in the swamp. Make sure that he is unable to communicate anything ever again. His body will continue to serve the Empire even if his mind was not up to the task.” Sylvain watched as the two guards nodded and picked up the unconscious form of their former colleague.
Sitting down at his desk in his now empty room, Sylvain said, “Now where was I… Ah yes, Alderaan. Looks like we found you Lord Rist.”
Then after several moments pouring over the report he stopped on one page and tilted his head, “House Alde… How interesting…”
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3656 BBY, Month 7: Korriban
Daran Tromans approached the offices of Darth Baras in the Administration Building on Korriban. He had been surprised to hear that one of his more well-known apprentices had contacted him about a possible promotion. Daran always served in his role as instructor with all diligence, but it had never brought on the attention of an influential Lord before now. Knocking on the door he waited for a response….
The response came only a few moments later as the doors slid open to reveal Sylvain Torsin and a table set with the utmost formality and quality bottle of wine chilling in the center of the table. “Sith Tromans, thank you for coming. Please have a seat.”
Daran nodded respectfully and moved to the seat he had been directed to. “It is a pleasure to meet you Sith Torsin. I am surprised that I have caught your eye. Your deeds on Yavin, and the deeds of your father speak volumes of your potential in the days ahead.”
Sylvain smiled and shook his head, “Anyone with a good eye would be able to see why you would be a man of interest. To have obtained a position as an instructor on Korriban after coming from such a humble background; it is not common that an elevated slave is able to secure for themselves such a position.”
Sylvain smiled as a servant brought in an elegant dish from the core worlds that normally would have been served in a different slot of a proper meal. “I am always interested in a good story. How was it you came to Korriban in the first place?” Sylvain asked with interest.
Daran took up the proper utensil to eat the rare soup-like dish and shook his head, “Not much of a story I’m afraid. I knew I had some ability for quite some time, but kept it hidden… One day I was moving my master’s cart and pushed it along with my mind when I grew a bit tired. My master was so excited that he sold me to the first Sith he could get his hands on. Got a good price for me from what I remember.”
Sylvain smiled knowingly, it perhaps would have been unsettling to Daran if he were paying close attention, “It seems that was a fortunate happening for your former master then. What ever happened to him?”
Daran shrugged, “I don’t know. He’s probably out chasing every last credit he can, wherever he is.”
Sylvain smiled and nodded. He then pushed a button on the table that opened up a deep drawer near to Daran. Looking inside, Daran would find the head of his former master floating in a jar filled with green liquid.
“It was difficult to find him… One of my agents came across him all the way out on Alderaan. He’d found a patron in the House Alde. I wondered why he’d be able to find such an influential backer so quickly in Republic space.” He smiled warmly as Daran’s hand began moving towards his lightsaber.
“I say 'wondered' because I wasn’t able to confirm the connection until meeting you this evening. The old merchant held his tongue to the very end. And you seem to play your part of ex-slave well enough to convince almost anyone here on Korriban. But there are some things that are so deeply engraved into the subconscious of a noble that they aren’t even aware when they are doing them.” He smiled and gestured to the utensil that Daran held. “No slave would have known to use that for this dish.”
Daran’s hand slowly moved towards his lightsaber as he replied, “I’m not sure I know what you are implying Sith Torsin….”
Sylvain looked deeply into the eyes of the other man and smiled warmly, “Come now, Contigue of House Alde… deception is not becoming of polite company. I know better than most the emotional strain that one undergoes when one’s parents pass and there is a question of proper succession. Your absence on Alderaan did not go unnoticed by those who are interested in such things. It was easy enough to draw the connections when you didn’t show up at your parents’ funeral following your Jedi training. I should thank you for being so generous in providing us with your insight on your home world… My master has a growing interest in your system, and it would have been nearly impossible to kidnap someone with your comparable level of insight without considerable loss. You were kind enough to come to us, and for that I thank you.”
The Jedi moved his hand the last few inches to his lightsaber but felt his hand slow and stop as he looked up to see the intense eyes of the young Sith boring into him. “That is inappropriate dinner behavior now isn’t it Sir Alde? Not polite to assault your host when he has been so polite. You will slide me your lightsaber peacefully.”
The Jedi fought with all his strength of will to resist the Imperial’s mental onslaught, but gradually felt the loss of control of his limbs as his conscious self receded back into the deeper parts of his mind, “I will slide you my lightsaber peacefully.” He parroted as he turned the lightsaber in his hand and did as he had been directed.
Picking up the Jedi’s lightsaber Sylvain smiled, “You will bind yourself with these.” He said as he slid a pair of force-resistant binders across the table. Sylvain watched as the Jedi did as instructed and then smiled. “Excellent. That wasn’t so hard was it? Now it is time for you to go to sleep Sir Alde. The next face you see will be that of my master.” Sylvain sent a mental spike of the force into the Jedi’s psyche, rendering him unconscious.
Seeing him drop to the floor, Sylvain pulled out his communicator and contacted his master.
“Yes?” Baras asked impatiently as he came on the line.
“The Jedi’s identity has been confirmed and he has been restrained. Shall I have him taken to your quarters for questioning my master?” Sylvain asked formally.
Baras nodded his approval, “Well done my apprentice. I will be there shortly.”
Sylvain bowed and cut the communication. Calling for a servant, Sylvain ordered the body be carted down the hall to Baras’ quarters.
Sylvain looked down at the unconscious form of the Alderaanian noble with cold and calculating eyes. He continued to stare until the servant prepared a cart and hauled the body out of sight. Sylvain reached down to pick up his mask that sat next to his chair at the table. Replacing the mask, Sylvain heard the echo of his own breathing as it slid gently into place. Closing his eyes for a moment he let out a burst of air from his nostrils in a sort of minor release of emotion. Opening his eyes back up, he collected the bottle of wine and examined it briefly.
Kris’ favorite… I’d hate to have it go to waste.
Sylvain slid the bottle into his belongings and left the dinner table behind. He traveled with expediency towards the spaceport… and back to his duties for his father’s murderer on Dromund Kaas.
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