Star Wars CLOSED Turning Point - The Betrayal of Darth Revan

OOC: Combo with the whole crew

IC Atin-Kot, Zeseem, Shysa, Yula
Jedi Temple, Hangar, Dantooine

Atin-Kot began to stir. He groaned, body straightening before he opened his eyes. He sat up slowly, holding his head. He didn’t even seem aware of the others at first. Eventually he looked up, gazed around and realized where he was. He slowly made his way to his feet, slightly unsteadily. ”Well they kept their word. I cannot feel any of you.” he muttered.

Gazing around once more, ”Hmmmm, let me guessss, they wissssh to keep me asss an ornament to sssshow othersss what happenssss if you do not follow their exxxxact beliefssss. Ssssso which of you isss my jailer?” he stated quietly but bitterly.

Having had the privilege of carrying him out, Zeseem tapped his staff a couple times on the hanger floor. "I was your witness and your jailer. Tasked to board the shuttle with you, return to Coruscant and let you know they wish you to work there. Employed as one of the non-sensitives, but to let them know if you ever show a sign of the Force returning to you." Zeseem saw no reason to lie nor sweeten the truth. It was what it was. Although his limpid black eyes could not help look at the man with pity, and so quickly looked away to where they were going instead.

Yula watched and listened to Master Vash and Knight Dunkel's words to Atin-Kot. She felt stunned by the fast whirl of recent events. "This ... Council hearing, is it just me, or I feel like they had their minds made up before we said a word in explanation what they were going to decide. And the deuce of it is, we cannot do a krething thing about it."

Shysa looked at Yula. "Of course they did. The only one who got away with it was Bastila." She pointed out. "It's not the Jedi way."

Master Vash’s tone was harsh. “None of this is the Jedi Way.” Her gaze took in them each. “We are having a Jedi Civil War; there shouldn’t be factions at all among us. Radical Jedi, fallen Jedi... It’s all us.”

“We can’t win by being the Jedi we need to be, we’ve realised that - but when this is over?” Vash looked frustrated. “We’ll have to become guardians of the peace again - not soldiers.”

“The Council believe that we must be strict now, or we’ll have another war. We let the Revanchists leave and fight the Mandalorians, and now we’re fighting them.” Vash’s expression was serene. “Thirty years ago, Exar Kun fell and started the Great Sith War. Now it’s Revan. The galaxy won’t allow it to happen a third time.”

“Do you understand why we’re being so careful?”

"Yes I understand." Shysa replied, looking at Master Vash. "I understand that we were thrown under the speeder after you tasked us with helping Bastila capture Revan. Which we did." She frowned, and added, "The council here might believe they are doing things right, but I still don't believe that I did anything wrong by asking you why I was chosen. Any sensible Padawan would." Shysa shrugged, but it was obvious she wasn't happy.

Yula frowned. Trusting those you followed as leaders was essential in life and death situations; once that was gone or fragmented, then what were you left with? How would even the simplest missions be carried out with success when the individual members were second guessing their actions and what the higher ups would do about them after the fact.

"We came back as a team with all having survived and all acting with bravery on the spot." She said. "Censure without commendation and wholesale denegradation erodes trust."

Atin-Kot’s eyes swiveled from one to another as they spoke. A low grade fury began to build inside him as the conversation developed, not at those who had been on this mission with him but at the Council and those that supported them.

”Thank you. But whether I retain my powersss or not, I am Taung and a warrior born. And the Councccil would not lisssten to my messssage. Thisss, in war or not, isss not the Jedi way. I am beyond disssheartened by the Counccccil’sss choicccesss asss well as you supporting thossse choicccesss, Massster Vasssh.” his voice almost growled out.

He sighed, the Council believed that he would stay and toe the line when the shuttle arrived at their destination but that was not the case. He would not state such to Vash and as he was still uncertain of the others he did not know, yet, if they would support him when he departed.

His eyes traveled around the little group, landing last on Zeseem, ”Warrior born I sssaid, Zzzessseem, ssso find your ironsss if you plan to keep me asss a ssslave of the Jedi.”

"I understand Master Vash." Zeseem answered to the true voice of authority first. Stepping back he waited and made a gesture like a sigh at the Taung.

"I am not your warden, but I am your keeper to the point of Coruscant. Where you go or decide from there is free will, something the Council did not indicate they were taking from you. They have merely made where you must decide a condition. If you do not mind traveling with me I would greatly enjoy the conversation as we traverse." He kept his voice low and simple, not a true hiding of what he was saying, but softness that if one was not listening for it they would miss what his words were. He hoped the man would come, would discuss things with him, especially about the relationship the man had had to the one that had given him ostensibly a gift.

Master Vash felt a tug upon her; the Council needed her. With a slight pause, she nodded. "Thank you, Zeseem."

She bypassed Atin-Kot as his... liaison seemed to have it in hand, but did look apologetically to Yula. "We're all under suspicion, I am afraid. Any Jedi can fall to the dark side. Revan was the best of us, but his Master, well, she was too morally relative to create true Jedi. We are not about utilitarianism, we are about peace and the light... but Master Arren Kae's apprentices all fell, in the end."

The woman sighed. "The Council is about to render Revan an amnesiac and attempt to use him to trace his steps back to the source of all these new Sith warships and resources. We can only hope this succeeds, or Darth Malak will crush the Republic in a matter of months. Thousands of our Order have already fallen. to death or to the dark." Vash was solemn. "Hopefully you will not be among those numbers."

"May the Force be with you."

Vash managed to repress a wince at how the Taung would respond, but the shuttle had to head to Coruscant to make its appointment. Could they be trusted alone? Vash resolved that they could.

Yula took in Vash's words and believed her sincerity. She could sense the Master's frustration with the quandary they were all in. Atin-Kot was an enigma wrapped in a mystery. His true allegiance had been called into question, but his actions during the retrieval of Revan had in no small measure led to their success.

There was much to ponder…

"And with you Master." Zeseem intoned back with a bow before waving for the others to board the shuttle first. He would take the rear of their little procession. In a way this felt like it would be his last duty, but it was what it was. Was best to avoid the tangled webs of deception and move forward with what he had.

Shysa nodded at Master Vash, her expression confused. But she bowed anyway and spoke, "And also with you Master Vash." Shysa said quietly. I won't be a dark jedi. I promise.

Atin-Kot snorted as Vash all but ignored him. It seemed that was the path the Jedi had set for themselves. If he could touch his Patron he would discuss it with him but that was not something he would even consider trying until or unless he was well away from those that had used their arrogance and fear to cause him harm.

He ignored her in turn and then turned, nodded at Zeseem, ”Yes, I will travel with you as far as I desire and will converse with you.” he replied just as quietly. The worrying point in any discussion that he would have with Zeseem seemed to be the now Padawan, Shysa. She’d experienced all they had but the fervent devotion it felt he felt in her words to Vash spoke of the potential that any discussion would be duly reported to the Jedi on Coruscant.

He could almost, just almost, sense the trouble to the thoughts of Yula. It was right there, but he couldn’t touch the sensation, it burned when he thought of it, surely another way the Council had tried to completely cut him off. Pain was something he was well aware of but again he wouldn’t try until they couldn’t interfere. He nodded at her as well, wondering if she would be interested in the conversation that he and Zeseem would have on the way.

Turning, he made his way into the shuttle, seeking a seat to wait for the flight to depart and future the Jedi Council here had forced upon him.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: Master Vash
Transitioning, hyperspace

The shuttle began the long and winding journey back to the Core. Dantooine was technically in the middle of the Unknown Regions, a snaking hyperlane marked by several Ord planets that had been established some seven thousand years ago, which was an indication of how difficult it was to traverse these systems. The route was hidden from most, and though many Jedi knew of Dantooine, it, like other Jedi holy worlds such as Jedha or Ilum, was not a way most knew; only the Jedi Council did.

The shuttle had been guided by Master Vash, and the coordinates encrypted, but there was a point that had to be taken at sunlight speeds, and it was there she contacted her old Padawan. She needed to speak to Shysa about her family.

Master Atris reached out to Zeseem by comlink, knowing the way, and wanting to speak to the former Knight about his decision to kill Revan; his comlink chimed.

Another call came through for Yula, but this one was from their former team leader; the woman who had given the report which had condemned the four of them; Bastila Shan.

And last but not least, the comlink of Atin-Kot chimed; it was Darth Malak. The Dark Lord of the Sith wished to capitalise on his greatest agent.

TAG: @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @darthbernael

Four separate combos, if the call is accepted. If not, single replies here.

 

OOC: Short combo with @Sinrebirth

IC Atin-Kot
Transitioning, hyperspace

Atin-Kot sat at the viewscreen, absently watching the blur of hyper as the stars went by. With each passing minute he was being brought closer to a place where the Jedi would use him as an example of ‘what not to be’ when all that he had done was to further their goals. And his reward was the Council at Dathomir stripping him of the Force. He knew it was there as he knew that his guide of all these years was there, just beyond whatever they had done. Which meant there had to be a way to undo what they had done, he just had to find it.

As the flight dragged on his commlink chimed. He broke his gaze from the screen finally, to look down. The caller, the fact that that caller was not being blocked made him extremely suspicious. So, before he responded, he stood, made his way to a section of wall that would be visible from the holo pickup, and with a talon made a small scrape, leaving a spot that was shinier. He knew that Lord Malek would pick up on it as it appeared similar to devices he’d used against their foes in the past to spy on them.

Seating himself once more, he clicked the acceptance icon and when Lord Malek appeared he nodded his head in respect. If the nod included a slight tilt and a backward shake in the direction of the shiny spot no one would notice. ”Lord Malek, I am quite sssurprisssed that the Jedi have allowed your call through. I did not expect to be contacted thisss sssoon after the Councccil decccided how to be rid of me but I sssussspect you knew the moment I left their chambersss.”

Lord Malak paused, but he glowered at Atin-Kot. Such concerns meant nothing to him.

"I am the Dark Lord of the Sith now; you shall report to the marshalling point at the earliest."

His tone was firm. "I have given you a great deal of latitude, and you have pleased me, but now, you shall follow a more traditional role within my new Sith Empire." He held up a fist to emphasize his point.

Atin-Kot nodded his head, ”You are the Lord of the Sssith, Lord Malek. I do have, if they can be recovered, more resssourcccesss than the other Sssith. Which you are aware of. But I mussst be careful with my current companionsss, they are alssso not entirely pleasssed with current eventsss.”

His eyes tracked back toward the shiny spot, ”But, when I get free I can ssspeak of thessse eventsss more freely.” He knew he was pushing things with the one remaining Dark Lord but he had not served as he had without skating the edge most of his time of service.

Malak snorted at him. "You have a demand. Make it."

Atin-Kot sighed, the Dark Lord was asking for something that he knew that whoever may be listening in, as he was sure that anything he said was being listened to, would use as a way to keep him contained when they arrived. A thought came and then he responded, ”Nu told tu kam tave komunal did, atulas anas ir nu gal isar vel kia sakyti tu tave plejada than jok other anas serves tu.* That is what I mean, Dark Lord.”

Malak snorted. "Of course."

Revenge.

The word curdled in the gap between them, through the Force.

"You shall have what you desire; report to Darth Bandon when you reach the rendezvous. He is my new Shadow Hand."

At that, he cut the line.

Atin-Kot sighed, hoping that neither he nor Malek had said something that would cause his disappearance to become that much harder as the call ended. He placed the pad back on the table, gazing back out at the blurred starscape, but now with a new resolve. There was a plan to be followed and, even with the setback, he would ensure it was followed to it’s conclusion.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto

*I told you what the Council did, reverse that and I can do more to deliver you the galaxy than any other that serves you.

 

IC: Darth Igrol
Aboard the Harrower, near Ord Biniir

The prototype Harrower was on it's maiden voyage.

Of course, that meant wandering into the void outside the Empire to see it's worth.

Did it need to head this close to a Republic world?

No, of course not.

But Darth Igrol wanted to know how the eight-hundred meter dreadnaught matched with an isolated world.



The True Sith had to know.

Their Jedi shuttle was seized by a tractor beam, and reeled in.

They'd been tipped off as to their location.

But how?

The Ord Biniir defenders would simply have the rather odd appearance of a warship that was in Sith-Imperial greys, that did not match any of their records, and as much as they scrambled A-wings to intercept, the team of Jedi were on their way through the system, and far too distant.

How paranoid would the team be?

They had merely finished their conversations, not recently left Dantooine for the winding path back to Republic space proper, and they were caught!

Jammed, too!

TAG: @darthbernael, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC Atin-Kot
Near Ord Biniir

Atin-Kot’s contemplation of the beauty of hyperspace was suddenly, rudely, interrupted. Not by one of the team or another onboard entering his spaces as he thought may have happened after that call but at the abrupt lurch of the shuttle and the streaks of hyper turning into a starscape. He queried his datapad to use it's database to find what location matched the placement of the stars in his current field of view. What the pad relayed as to what the location was made him pause.

’Ord Biniir, that isss not good for thisss sssship. Lassst record of it’sss affiliation wassss less than favorable to the Republic.’ he mused.

He knew the others would be able to sense how those that attacked the shuttle felt about the Republic or the Jedi but he still couldn’t. The edges were there and he felt as though he could almost touch them but they eluded him as of yet. Not knowing how the others would react if he chose to take part in any reaction to their captors, he stood, moving to the hatch to his door and locked it.

Moving to the locker he took out the armor he’d still been wearing when the Council had stripped his power. Stripping from the cloak he’d worn he took his time, even as sounds of whatever ship it was that had pulled them from hyper grew louder, closer. He attached each piece of his armor carefully, connecting each to it’s neighbor, forming the almost seamless whole that made Taung warriors so formidable and caused the Mandalorians that followed them to adopt their armor.

He pulled the long handles of his sabers out of their sheaths. He wasn’t sure how operating them would work while he was bereft of the Force but they were a part of him. And, he clicked the ends together, they made a handy short staff to use in combat, if needed, otherwise.

As the sounds grew louder, he pulled the chair from the desk to face the door to his quarters, unlocked the door once more and sat, one end of the staff on the deck, the other in his clawed hand, waiting to see who came through the door, one of the team or whoever was now in control. A small smile crossed his face at what that may portend.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: Darth Igrol
Near Ord Biniir, aboard the Harrower, hangar

There were Sith Troopers in the hangar, of a design entirely dissimilar those that were commanded by Malak; his were in sparkling chrome... these were black-and-red.



"Come out with your hands up!"

There were dozens of them, notably.

The ship had a definitive presence in the dark side... it was unmistakably Sith...

But... it felt...

Darker, more personified.

In comparison to the dark side wielded by, say, Darth Voren, it felt as if the man they had killed had been simply borrowing the Sith ways.

Whoever was aboard this ship was more Sith than anything they had ever encountered.

TAG: @darthbernael, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC Atin-Kot
New Acquaintances, Of Sorts

At the knock to his door and comment that Zeseem had made Atin-Kot sighed. His armored gauntlet slapped his knee as he stood. Exiting his quarters he came up behind the others by the ramp of the shuttle. Stopping behind them he listened to what Zeseem said, a smile quirking the corner of his lips. He took his helmet and settled it on his head as he moved between them, until he could see down the ramp.

A low laugh came from his lips as he saw what was greeting them. He recognised these Troopers, from many years back. Turning back, he faced the rest of the team. ”Did the Councccil ever warn any of you that there are more than just the faction Revan lead, of the Ssssith?” he asked, close to certain that he would receive a negative response.

He chuckled, ”It ssseemsss that we have fallen afoul of the other Sssith. And thessse are not onesss to take lightly or oppossse that easssily.” he continued. Turning back, he slung his saberstaff over his back. Calling over his shoulder, ”Until or unlessss there is another plan, I have my own idea here, esssspecially asss the Councccil ignorantly ssstripped me of my tie to the Forccce. You all may do what you wisssh, but I have been in thisss posssition before.”

He made his way down the ramp, empty hands out to his sides, then slowly raising them above his head. When he stepped off of the ramp, he faced the troopers squarely. Raising his voice, ”Whoever isss in charge, you may want to contact whatever Sssith isss onboard. One of Revan’sss Sssith hasss returned. Otherwissse contact the Imperial Guard and tell them the ssssame, dessscribe me to them. I will wait asss you do ssso.” he finished.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: Darth Igrol
Hyperspace

The Dark Lord of the Sith snorted, watching the feed.

The Jedi had fallen apart. One dropped her lightsaber, two seemed to be caught in a debate, and one, the Taung, spoke up of things.

”Whoever isss in charge, you may want to contact whatever Sssith isss onboard. One of Revan’sss Sssith hasss returned. Otherwissse contact the Imperial Guard and tell them the ssssame, dessscribe me to them. I will wait asss you do ssso.”

Darth Igrol tasted him with the Force, and could see he had none of it. Just a faint echo.

He pressed a button, and his voice projected into the hangar. The Sith Troopers stood taller, but kept their weapons aimed.

"I am Darth Igrol, Dark Lord of the Sith and member of the Dark Council. You are my prisoners."

A sneer.

"You speak of things beyond your remit, Taung. Silence your tongue, before I silence you. Troopers, bring him to me." Four stepped forward, gesturing at Atin-Kot to come.

"Padawan?" He addressed Shysa. "Get in an escape pod; you are beyond my interest. Leave your blade."

A Sith trooper stepped aside, revealing the pods near the hangar, down a side corridor.

"The two conversing aboard the ship... choose whether to yield or die."

TAG: @TheSilentInfluence, @darthbernael @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC Atin-Kot
Hyperspace

Atin-Kot listened as the Sith Lord spoke. He was aware of the power and belief of the Sith Lords of this group, that they brooked no insolence. But his actions had caused that Sith to reach out which was what he had anticipated. He remained silent, no need to speak to the troopers that were approaching. There was even less to say to his companions behind him. They too had choices to make but none had truly shown that they had care for him since the farce of an immediate judgement the Council had made with him.

The thought of that brought an upturning of the corners of his upside down lips. He walked forward, leaning on his staff slightly so that it aided his movement, as he walked between the four troopers. He did not even look back. There was no point and he suspected if he did the troops would attempt to punish him.

The walk through the ship was made in silence, he was left to his thoughts. The troopers had no orders to speak to him, simply to bring him to the Sith. The smile stayed in place, he was absolutely certain that the Sith had sensed his missing Force power. And he was even more sure that when he arrived that one would sense, taste the touch of the Council upon him. Which worked to his advantage even more, for that he could thank the Council.

He did try to reach out again and again but could only vaguely feel the Force around him as he moved, mostly a feeling of the darkness but that was only barely touched, felt. It frustrated him but until the situation changed he would have to deal with it as needed. So he focused on what he could say, could give as more of a reason for the Sith not to immolate him than just what had occurred with the Council.

Nodding absently as one thought came to mind, he had that, the information about their mission, and the evidence on his pad of the recent call; all would be reasons to continue his existence. He kept track of the route to the chamber the troopers were bringing him, the crew that gave looks at a creature the species of which they probably had not seen in years, the ambiance, the fear that seemed to overlay everything. These Sith had power in abundance and no need to keep it reduced.

Eventually, the group reached a hatch. He realized it was the door beyond which the Sith Lord awaited him. One of the four knocked at the hatch. There was no audible response but the hatch opened to a dimly lit room. The four gestured with their weapons, obviously he was to go inside on his own. It could be a death sentence but much of what he had done over the recent weeks was the same.

He stepped through, silent as the Lord had demanded; the hatch closed, he bowed, hands sliding down the staff, balancing himself in the bow.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: Darth Igrol
Harrower, personal chambers

The Dark Lord of the Sith was safely ensconced in his realm, enjoying the sensation of power generated by the Harrower.

The Sith would definitely have to get to mass-producing these.

For now, the Sith pureblood sipped his blood-wine and regarded the Taung as he was escorted to the doors to the chamber.

Before he entered, the guards held out their hands. They wanted his weapons.

Igrol simply took another sip, and was sure to check his surroundings. Dimly lit room; black design; durasteel trappings; his lightsaber evident but magnetised to his throne and pointing away from him; a bottle and an unfilled glass.

He wanted to see what Atin Kot would do.

TAG: @darthbernael
---
Harrower, prisoner bay

The troopers shot them as they yielded.

The only concession to their surrender was that they had been stunned instead of blasted.

When they came too, their personal effects were gone, down to their undergarments, and they were separated in a forcefield-bar prison block.

They could see each other across the hallway, but not much else.

The crystals in their lightsabers whispered; they weren't too far away, at very least.

A tightly dressed Imperial officer stepped down the corridor. "Jedi scum. I am Officer Hartwell, and I will be your interrogator." Behind him clanked a pair of Sith Troopers. He raised a finger. "Now who should I pick."

"You're both nonhuman scum," he eyed the Nautolan Zeseem, and the Twi'lek Yula. "So neither has an disadvantage over the other in terms of how much I loath the other." He smiled slightly. "How about I let you decide who I shall first torture for information about your Republic?"

With a wave of his hand, he encouraged them to suggest who he should start with.

At least one of the team was safe.

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

Safe, though, was relative. The Harrower had decanted from hyperspace on its way back to the True Sith Empire before turning, and released the escape pod.

Shysa would suddenly realise that she was in the middle of nowhere, not near a single hyperlane, and she had no comms.

She may as well have been pushed out an airlock.

She was stuck.

How long did she have?

How would she cope?

Would she?

Could she?

TAG: @TheSilentInfluence

 

OOC: Combo with @Sinrebirth

IC Atin-Kot
Harrower,Darth Igrol’s personal chambers

Atin-Kot glanced up at the Sith Lord, even without the ability to touch the Force right now he could feel Darth Igrol’s power. At the gesture from the guards his head tilted to the side. When it came up he smiled, an unpleasant expression. With one hand he gestured at the dark room and the Sith upon his seat, ”Do you honessstly think a warrior even asss my kind are would sssurvive more than a couple momentsss when faccced with the power he wieldsss, with my weaponsss or not? If your massster wantsss to ssstrip me of them if I annoy him in hisss presssenccce he sssurely hasss the power.”

Straightening to his full height, hand still upon his staff, he loomed over the guards, ”I anssswer to your massster, sssoldier boysss, not you. Even ssstripped of the Forccce asss the idiot Jedi’sss did, I can take every one of you without breaking a sssweat. Ssso, are you going to be good little sssoldiersss and let me passssss or do I have to annoy him by making him wait while I teach you all a lessssson?” he asked, calmly and flatly.

Igrol sipped again and indicated with his glass at the two Guards. They weren’t Force users; he had his personal apprentice handling the other two Jedi. The Guards took it as a sign to go for it.

They swung their pikes -

Atin-Kot laughed as his staff leaped up, between the two pikes. He may be without the Force at the moment but the Taung were, after all, who and what the Mandalorians had come from and modeled themselves after. Twisting the staff in his hands in a rapid movement, the bottom end swung up toward the pike of the left-hand Guard and the top end swung down toward the pike of the right-hand one.

In the same moment he spun, toward the left-hand Guard, the slam of his muscles behind the staff would drive the pike upward as he spun around, his free arm a bar, aimed to take the Guard directly in his chest, the strength behind it aiming to knock the man off his feet. ”Pain it isss then...Sssso be it.” he laughingly growled.

Igrol watched as his guards went down, and didn’t have much else to add. He silently indicated with his glass for the Taung to sit down, and flexed his hand negligently as the Dark Lord nudged the guards out the way of the doors so they could close behind him.

Rolling his shoulders, Atin-Kot resettled his armor after the swift movement. He nodded to the Sith, deep enough to let the respect be seen but not be a gesture of subservience, before he walked the remaining few steps to the seat that had been indicated. The darkness could have hidden others but his eyes and ears were good enough that he’d have that moment to react if that was to be the case.

A small smile curled the downward V of his mouth as the doors shut, the subtle touch of power from the Sith noted. He reached the seat, leaning the staff against one arm of it. He didn’t sitt fully back in the seat, just far enough to give an air of relaxation while his knees were bent, feet planted, ready to take his feet in an instant.

As he sat, he looked up at the Sith, holding his tongue, waiting for the Lord to speak, it was a chess game of sorts now. One that he had to prove his worth whether he lost the game or not.

He indicated the empty glass. "Go on. I'm sure consorting with Jedi is thirsty work."

Igrol was in perfect control of the situation, swirling his bloodwine to release more flavour. His rage simmered beneath the surface, present, but not clouding his vision. He saw straight through Atin-Kot, and that his bond with the Force had been torn into.

"So, tell me who severed you from the Force and why. This should prove interesting."

Atin-Kot nodded, taking the indicated glass. After filling it he lifted it in a salute to the Sith before taking a sip. ”The Jedi Counccccil chose to do ssso. Fear rulesss their actionsss, fear that there are thossse among their ranksss that would, if they knew the fear or sssecret actions the Councccil are taking in placcce of the avowed ‘peacccekeeper’ role they chossse, side with Revan’sss forcccesss.”

“Their fear of Revan isss what causssed the missssion to capture him asss it wasss. But that would not have even sssuccceeeded without what I did, assssisssting with Malek’sss assssault on Revan’sss ssship.” he admitted, wryly.

He sipped the bloodwine, ”I was a Revanchrissst, and one of Revan’sss Sssith, I will freely admit that. But when I sssuggesssted that they let me return to Malek after Revan wasss taken, their fear that I wouldn’t be their inssstrument again drove their decisssion. Firssst they demoted everyone that had taken part, including ssstripping a Padawan down to youngling ssstatusss, then decided to judge me, from the sssecurity of their Councccil chamber and not basssed on any real galactic awarenesssss.”

He eyed the Sith, ”They wasssted an asssset even before they ssstripped me of the Forccce. I wasss embedded in Revan’sss forcccesss. But, then again, I did ssssend asss much disssinformation assss real.” he admitted with a small smile.

His expression darkened, ”Even before they ssstripped me of the Forccce, they lossst whatever minimal ressspect I may have ssstill harbored for them. Now I’d rather they be removed from the galaxy than ssssee their hypocrisssy sssurvive.”

Igrol watched the Taung and managed not to wince though the lisp. Aliens, he thought drily, guarded.

"How unnatural of Jedi to make logical, nay, punitive, decisions." He smiled wanly. "Schism promotes radicalism, does it not?"

He did not so much hesitate as segue with a pause. "Revan and Malak, yes, the two that visited us some time ago. Snuck in, even." Igrol wondered aloud. "And yet Revan ended up a Dark Lord, a thirteenth one, or perhaps staking his own claim on Empire?"

Atin-Kot chuckled, ”When they came back to usss he wasss driven, angry at the Republic and the Jedi. Of courssse, ssso were we by then. They had already chosssen to dissstance themssselvesss from usss and now, when we came back, they attacked usss.”

He smiled again, darkly, ”Of courssse we didn’t come in peaccce. We returned to dessstroy their hipocrisssy. It wasssn’t until Revan wasssn’t ssstopping genocccide but fossstering it that I acted.”

He shook his head once more, anger radiating forth from him as he spoke, ”It wasss a missstake. I ssshould have ssstayed with him and never left. I wasss more sssatisssfied when I returned to the Revanchrissstsss.”

He nodded, ”Yesss, the Jedi abhor a sssschisssm. They avidly ssstamp out sssuch when they find it. Or...ssstrip you of the Forccce ssso you cannot work againssst them.” he said with a good deal of heat.

Igrol listened, lowered his glass and steepled his fingers. "You oppose the Sith, in-fact, or not?"

He used the Force to read the Taung, paying more attention to how he felt rather than his words.

The ssss's were incessantly annoying after all.

Atin-Kot smiled, more pleasantly than he had at the guards. ”In fact, no. I ssserve, even without the Forccce, which makess it more difficult of courssse, the Force itself, the Balanccce. There can be no Light without Dark or Dark without Light. And the Dark isss what isss needed in thisss Age.” he admitted.

There was no purpose in lying to this Sith Lord. He could destroy him whether he believed him or not but honesty would, at least, prove that all he’d already spoken of was truth as well.

“Which means you’d rather serve the death of trillions to rebalance the scales...” Irgol snorted indelicately. “And when the Dark begins to triumph, you’ll simply betray us!”

He chortled. “Very Sith. Which then comes down to the question of how useful you are to me. Your comrades I can mould into Sith, but you?” He held up his hand, forefinger and thumb touching.

Atin-Kot chortled. ”Tell me, would you rather a being that appearsss all asss you desssire asss a Ssssith but then betraysss you later or one you know isss what they are and you can be prepared for when they take the action they will?” he asked, a touch of humor in his tone.

He sat back slightly, still as alert as possible but giving the appearance of relaxation. ”Besssidesss,” he rolled the cup of bloodwine between his fingers ”Thossse othersss may be lessss pleasssed to be molded knowing I wasss dessstroyed before that. Essspecially one of them, who the Balanccce hasss already given a glimpssse of the future to.” a small, devious smile on his face. ”Me, and the Balanccce being there to ssshow him the Ssssith way is right for him will advanccce his training fassster.”

He paused, appraising, keeping his hand still.

Igrol knew when he was being manipulated, but he also knew that the threat of death expedited conversations. “You would lead your comrades to the dark side in-exchange for your survival?”

Atin-Kot chuckled again. ”The mossst important ssskill isss sssurvival. It does help that they, at leassst sssome, are on that road already, even if they do not know that.” he said, the grin evident in his tone.

”Their path leadsss down that path, even the Balanccce agreesss. Asss well, the Jedi have proven they are not what isss needed, to that one, directly.” he said, knowing what the Balance had informed him of from the time he had been laying on the floor of the Council chambers.

“You can go to the prison cell, and get the Jedi on-side.” Darth Igrol frowned.

With a flick of the finger, Atin-Kot would tumble into the bulkhead; hard. Once, twice, three times. “You’ll look damaged this way.”

A flex of his finger, and Atin-Kot was picked up by his chin. “Off you go.” He flicked, and the doors opened in anticipation of the tumble -

Atin-Kot groaned, again and again, as he slapped against the bulkhead. As he was picked up he tried to curl himself smaller so when he was flung he could roll. Still, the moment came and he wasn’t fully prepared. His roll was more of a tumble and he hit the side of his head against the far bulkhead before he could stop himself.

Groaning again he used the bulkhead to help him stand, the guards ignoring him until he reached his feet except a curt, “On your feet, we don’t have all day.” He waved loosely, staggering over to them as they formed up around him, prodding him forward. They took him to the lift and they descended. As they did, one secured cuffs on his wrists, “Have to make this as authentic as possible.” they stated.

He nodded weakly, one eye puffing up. The lift stopped and the guards prodded him out, directing him down the hall until they came to a doorway. The door opened and they shoved him through it; he almost collapsed from the push. Staggering again, he followed their directions as they approached the cells. He looked up, vision blurry but he saw Dunkeel by an empty cell. He staggered against one of the guards, ”By that one…” he said in a near whisper.

The guard didn’t fully react but dragged him in that direction. One of the others deactivated the field of the cell as the first tossed him into it. He hit the back wall as the field went back up. Dropping to his knees he groaned again and spit some blood onto the floor as it filled his mouth.

His head turned weakly toward the Jedi, ”That didn’t go well, at all.” he ground out.

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