Myriad Reckonings

Spoiler

Oh without a doubt. I mean there's Gideon, but he's steering clear

A sudden flare of alarm from nearby stirred Vader out of his musings, and he looked up. He'd surprised someone. He reached out with the Force, and the Nightbrother became clear to him shortly before he came into view. Vader tucked Atoa far away, blocking it out, and advanced toward the Zabrak with more purpose. How fortuitous that the bodyguard was alone; he'd wanted to speak to him anyway.

"Greetings, Nightbrother," he said as he approached, not an ounce of amiability in his voice. "Why have you left Governor Tarkin unattended? Is he not your charge?"

Sirejj froze. A thousand thoughts raced though his head at once, but only for a moment. He had one option now. He either had to appease Vader's suspicion or face a terrible fate. In that revelation he gained clarity. Certainly there were still the pricklings of anxiety running up his spine, but his mind narrowed into a sharp focus. No longer did he hear the whispers around him, he only saw the Sith before him.

He reached out with his magick to the force surrounding Eriadu. The planet's core, the living things on its surface. They formed a blanket of energy around the world itself. He carefully tucked his signature behind that curtain, calling on those things for his strength. He knew Vader could still sense his thoughts and feelings, but hopefully less so now. His shoulders relaxed and he took a short breath.

"He has dismissed me for now My Lord." Sirejj made a small bow when Vader approached him. His first words to Vader were clear but quiet, as if trying to ease his anger. Sirejj was not looking for a fight. "He told me he has business to attend to." He looked up, forcing himself to make eye contact with the mask. Avoiding questions and shrinking away would only make him appear more suspicious. He stood straight, his hands relaxed by his side. The cats tooth was nowhere to be seen.

The feelings of the Zabrak became muffled, strangely enough, as Vader drew closer. He recognized this; he was hiding behind a larger Force signature. Very well, then. The calming tone had no effect on him, either.

"What is your purpose in serving him?" he asked, straight to the point as always. Subtlety was Tarkin's game, not his. "What do you wish to gain?" There must be some ulterior motive; Dathomirians were a proud people. They weren't the sort to bend to another's will so easily. Perhaps if the Nightbrother were serving a woman, but never another man.

Spoiler

Honestly I want to see Tarkin give Sirejj an order and have Sirejj argue with him and then Thalassa give him the same order and he does it without a fuss. I can't imagine Tarkin being amused at that.

Sirejj knew he must answer carefully. He felt the sharpness in Vader's tone.

"I am being compensated for my services," he said cautiously. He forced his expression to remain neutral. He had done hired work before. It wasn't uncommon to see the remaining Dathomirians doing such work to survive. "That, and for now I am under his protection." He seemed a little humiliated to say that, he allowed Vader to see that intentionally. It wasn't a hidden fact that he'd been well on his way to dying when Tarkin had taken him from the inquisitors and that if he didn't cooperate with Tarkin, he wouldn't get far.

Spoiler

That would actually be hilarious.
I was thinking of having Thalassa arrive unannounced anyway because of course she wants to interrogate Quall, regardless of what Tarkin suggested to her. Would that be agreeable to you?

"What compensation are you receiving? Why should he protect you from the Inquisitors? We are on the same side." His voice carried a hint of anger now. This situation was not desirable for the Zabrak, he could see. He'd rather have freedom to move as he pleased. Tarkin was restricting him.

Spoiler

that would be cool! I feel like Sirejj and her would actually get along pretty well. Sirejj would even be more respectful to her just to spite Tarkin

"I am being paid a fair wage." He felt the chills in his spine again, but kept a calm appearance. He diverted the subject. "I did not know why he took me from the Inquisitors at first; I thought for certain I was doomed. I soon found he had some interest in that crystal moon and was intent on hunting its remaining occupants." He did not say Atoa's name. He was telling the truth, aside from the payment part. They had not discussed that, he would have to let Tarkin know of this lie in case Vader tried to dig any deeper. He would like to begin saving for a ship anyway rather than stealing one again. The rest of his story was identical to Tarkin's.

He would have to come up with a red herring reason for his fear. He let his mind wander to his homeworld again and his old fear of the Sith coming to take him away. That fear of being locked in a cage. Perhaps Vader would take that bait. He was afraid of Vader because of the Atoa investigation more than anything else, but if Vader knew that, his head would end up rolling down the hallway.

Spoiler

Wonderful! I'll get that ready then

Vader picked up on the memories through the curtain, just a glimpse. "Ahh," he said softly, and took a few more steps forward. He allowed his presence to speak for itself, intending to frighten him into submission. "This is why you resisted the Inquisitors so violently. Surely you are not so ignorant that you thought Governor Tarkin could keep you from that fate. Your function is the same. You do his bidding, and he will no doubt use you the same way the Inquisitors and I would: as a hunter."

There was a fantastic difference. Sith apprenticeship meant pain and suffering at the hands of a Master in order to draw power from that volatile emotional fury. It was a fate that doomed one to eternal agony. He would take being a hired gun over that any day.

"One must do what they have to in order to survive." He hissed softly, unconsciously shifting his weight backwards ever so slightly. He still forced himself to look up at the terrifying helm before him, but his eyes were wide like a cornered wildcat's. He felt as if his hearts were trying to crawl from his chest and escape. He exerted every ounce of his strength to hide as much of that as possible.

"Indeed they must. So tell me what your other purpose is. I sense that Tarkin's protection of you and whatever payment you agreed on is not the only reason you're here." He could probably find the answer if he did a Force mind probe, but that was a messy business. It was uncomfortable for both the seeker and the giver, and the giver often ended up shattered like the Phindian. He did not trust himself to leave the Zabrak intact if he started, especially if there was resistance. No, best to keep intimidating him.

Sirejj could already feel thin strands of Vader's darkness trying to reach into his mind. It was violating. The memory of the broken phindian flickered across his mind and for one terrifying moment he wondered if that would happen to him. The thought of that churned his stomach. He tucked himself further behind the veil of the planet beneath him in an effort to hide his feelings.

"As I am sure you know...my people are no more." His mouth felt dry as he spoke. He debated how much of the truth he should let Vader know. But he didn't have much of a choice at this point. "I have been forced to study the magicks of my kind offworld. That is what brought me to wander the galaxy to begin with." This was true. All of this had started with his search for knowledge concerning the magick of the Sisters. "I am merely trying to find my way." Gods, there was no way Vader would believe a sob story. His intense focus began to crack a little while as he struggled to find the right words. "Serving the governor means I do not have to be on the run."

"He cares not for your magicks." Vader pointed a gloved finger at him. "He will be of no help to you. No, there is something else. There is something you do not wish me to know." His temper was flaring up. The more this insolent Nightbrother talked in circles, the less patience he had. "Do not lie to me. What is it you are keeping from me?" What if this was another assassin? What if the Zabrak knew Dooku's master and sought revenge for the loss of Dathomir?

Spoiler

bro is like im so f'n scared right now

Sirejj had the legitimate urge to leap out of the nearest window and make a break for the forest. Instead of this he merely took a step backwards, giving to Vader's pressure. His hearts were pounding in his ears. He could feel Vader's anger seething beneath the surface and feared at any moment it would boil over.

"If there is something else it's not of my invention." His voice was smaller than it had been before. "I owe the governor my life. I have nowhere else to go. He's provided me with an opportunity to survive and that is all I can ask for." That was truthfully all he cared about at this point. He lowered his eyes for a moment, but it was more of submission than trying to hide anything. Appeasing Vader was more important than any shred of pride he had.

He understood now what drove the Sith apprentices to perform so well. If this is what they faced when they failed, success was their only option.

The fear was clouding any sense of truth, now. There was only the stench of deference and trauma. Behind the mask, Vader bared his yellowed teeth. "You lie." He stretched out his hand--

"Lord Vader." Vader faltered, turned around. A stately older woman with a tapered nose and graying brown hair arranged fashionably atop her head stood in the hallway, her broad chin tilted up with an air of self-assurance. Her dark eyes held no fear. "Kindly leave my husband's bodyguard alone; he can tell you nothing you'd want to know."

"Lady Tarkin." How had he missed her presence? Her Force signature was low, granted, but she exuded composure and authority every bit as potent as that of her husband. He hadn't been paying attention. Still seething, he forced his hackles down. "You were not expected." His tone was grudging.

"I should think not; I didn't tell anyone I was coming." Her eyes settled on Sirejj, and her thin lips tightened into a deep red line. "You should be attending my husband, Sirejj. Where is he?"

"He is in his office." At least he thought he was. Sirejj could barely hear his own words. "Forgive me. He sent me to my quarters while he tended to personal business." He was all but cowering from Vader at this point. Leaving Tarkin was a mistake. He should have insisted on staying with him.

Sirejj had never felt so powerless. Later he would be angry about it, but not now. Now he just needed to get away.

"You can look after me, then." She looked Vader up and down. "I presume you've already seen to the assassin?"

"I have."

"Then she can tell me nothing." She turned away. "Come, Sirejj; perhaps you can tell me what she knows. Or knew, rather. I'll see you at dinner, Lord Vader?"

"You will." Vader gave Sirejj a long look; this wasn't over. He'd get to the bottom of it once Lady Tarkin was no longer an issue. He knew he could scare her, but the Empire's tolerance of the Treacle and her husband's station beside the Emperor gave her a certain amount of impunity. It was mildly infuriating to be ordered around by a common criminal, but it couldn't be helped. Not now. "Until then." He bowed his head and stalked past her out of sight.