@Tjf @moonblack @Regin34 Planet Vutae, capital of Resurgence Sith Empire, Sith Temple, chambers of Dark Council. The door opened and three figures entered the room. The leader was a rather familiar figure... Padme Amidala... or rather her clone, trained in force as a dark side acolyte by Darth Lash. She was followed by two female dark-side acolytes, her retinue. After the death of Darth Lash, she and her retinue were among the few who swore their allegiance to the new leadership of the Sith, thus avoiding the purge of Darth Lash's followers. "My Lords and Ladies." The clone started as she fell to one knee before the Dark Council, the two of her followers following her lead. "As you commanded, I have composed a list of... points of interest to the Resurgence Sith Empire." At the signal of the council member, the clone got up to her feet and walked to the projector... after a few moments, the holoprojector came to life, showing neighbouring systems. "As you can see, the Empire control is still... limited. It controls the planet Vutae – the imperial capital and planet Hyvex... except that, the Empire can muster but a meagre force..." the evil clone of Padme Amidala said as she pointed to two planets."But as it stands, many things can be done to boost the strength of the empire." She said as she started pointing at various points on the map. "The points of interest are as follows: There is a pirate base on the 6th moon of planet Skun. They don't even hide. The strength of the pirate is estimated somewhere around 5 escort ships, several starfighters and between dozens and hundreds of pirates. The cloud city on Va-rum is one of the main providers of fuel in the sector. Despite this, the city houses around thirty thousand inhabitants and light militia as a garrison. They also have a couple of fighters. Apprentice Vlita, or now self-styled Dath Vlita, Darth Lash's loyalist and a survivor of the purge of Dath Lash's followers have gathered some loyalists and hidden them somewhere on planet Crim. She is suspected to have escaped along with a couple of transports, around ten acolytes and two light infantry. The Queendom on planet Rendre is having a succession crisis, that recently changed into civil war, as two sisters and a brother fight for the crown. With Three sides fighting for power. The Queendom is not large, but it's up to galactic standards in development. Before the civil war, they could muster around two legions of troopers and a small defence fleet. There are rumours that somewhere in Gillia's system, a derelict ship was seen. An ancient Sith ship. While the usability of such a ship is doubtful after centuries, it can still possess maybe something useful... if it can be found. Various colonies and settlements in the area were raided recently. There are rumours of Hutt slave raiders are to blame. Yis three is where the ships were sighted the most. There are settlements on planets Jussul, Zelza, Anca, Ortem and moons Yigalo Two, Yigalo Five and Ekis. Those settlements are not large, but each can provide some resources... if convinced to join the empire. Trade Federation's trade fleet was sighted around Zos. It's a small fleet consisting of but a couple of ships, but have enough defences to fend off the small pirate fleet. It's unknown what they are doing in the area. The space around the asteroid field next to planet Lauthea was once a planet of a great battle. Now the planet is one of few places in the sector with actual shipyards... and engineers who know how to build ships. Planet Erilia has a bad reputation. Many people disappeared in the area of its mountains – there was once a settlement there, but the population one-day diapered. The cause of the disappearance is unknown, but the place is considered cursed. Finally, there are rumours of two Jedi being sighted somewhere in the forests of Yavin four. It's unknown what they are doing there." The clone of the Naboonian Queen looked at the council. "Of course, I shall keep gathering the data and updating the list of points of interest of the Empire."
Darth Kegrog cross his hands as he seeing disgusting clone enter to the council. Fact, that they have to use such pathetic tool of their former master, it was like slap in the face. He would gladly to cut off her wicked tounge and put her among slaves, but at least for now, she could be usefull to them. "I assume that you double check your informations clone. Better for you if all data are correct, or... You know what awaits for you in cause of failure." He said with disdain in voice, puttin his hand on lightsaber. Darth Kegrog turn weapon and use it to point at ancient Sith ship. "What could you tell us more about Gillia system? Any potential wittness or some forces of enemies fraction? I don't like when somebody interupt my job." He said with cold voice.
@Regin34 @moonblack "Vlita..." Darth Isis sighs, seated in her chair. "Before we go against the galaxy, we should get our own house in order. Vlita is a coward and a fool too weak to move past Lash, but she's currently the only person who really knows about us, and our power. I say we start by bringing her to heel."
The clone stiffened at the accusation of the Dark Lord. "I assure you, my Lord." She started slowly and little nervously. "The information that I give you, is the best I could gather in such a short amount of time." She said as she swallowed. "There are but rumours about the ship, and after such a long time, the ship might have been already looted." She admitted. "The information comes from Kramu - a smuggler. He was hosting about it during the time many pilots exchanged ghost stories or were boosting... he did include several details of the ship, that were unmistakable of Sith dreadnought... and he gave it's name - Deep's Terror - according to official records, the ship went missing and was never found." She pointed at the holo. "The Gillia system has five planets and several asteroid belts. It's said that one of the planets was destroyed during the war... On Gilla one, there is a small settlement - this is also the place were the smuggler Kramu was last seen."
"Darth..." The clone paused and turned to Darth Isis with a bow. "Forgive me - apprentice Vlita, has never reached a level that could be compared to yours, my Lords and Ladies. That's why, she was not included in the latest ceremony with Darth Lash." She pointed a few buttons and a hologram changed showing the loyalist.
"So no accident wittness, only spies and ghost... That is better." He turn off his lightsaber and sigh on words of Darth Isis. As much as he hate her slutish outfit and keeping around herself cult of naive and foolish plebs, he can't deny her Force skills and cleverness. "Yes, you have point Darth Isis. That traitor maybe is a coward, but she is a coward with accolites, ships and soldiers. Our accolites, Our ships and Our soldiers. We must made egzample of her, to teach lessons to anyone dare treason against us." Kegrog talk as he put his hands behinfd himself and walk around hollogram. "We must lure her into the trap. I don't care if we killed some soldiers or accolites, but it would be more profitable us we managed to take it back under our control. So we must set decoy for Vlita, to seperate her from her followers."
"Agreed. Any ideas on what the bait would be?" Isis asks, watching her fellow Sith with interest, feeling the hatred radiate from him.
@Regin34 @Tjf Darth Crystal listened to her fellow Council Members as she went over the list a couple of times before finally joining the conversation. “I agree about Vlita, she needs to be dealt with, and the sooner the better.” She gave Darth Isis a nod before continuing. “That said, we should not limit ourselves to just one issue. Tell us about the Queendom on planet Rendre. A civil war is an opportunity for us – we could support one of the sides and help them defeat the other two... or we could help them destroy each other and install our own puppet ruler instead.” She pointed out. “As for the derelict ship, if it has not been looted yet, there's likely a good reason for it... it has waited this long, it can wait a bit longer.”
Darth Kegrog keep walking around the room, as he find out perfect bait for traitor Isis. But... It would demand putting on risk his own asset or maybe not. "We must put bait, treasure for Vlita which she would like to have, but she won't risk sending for it her men, to awoid losing it to them. We could use your ancient Sith blade, Isis. It isn't common knowlege tha you own this blade, so putting it somewhere where Vlita going to find it shouldn't be difficult. Right now, she must wanted to gain more personal power after what happen to Darth Lash." He didn't mention the same role could be his own Sith Holocron, with knowlegee of ancient Sith, but for now he would prefer to awoid using his own. "I agree, civil war on the planet always lead to hate, violence and suffer, so getting our own puppet could be usefull."
"Hmph..." Isis glares at Kegrog. "I'm not really comfortable going without my weapon - we are Sith, even if we've decided we're stronger together." Facing the other two, she nods in agreement. "A civil war is a good opportunity for us. With influence on both sides, we can control the ebb and flow of the conflict to our desire."
"Of course, Darth Crystal." The clone of the queen bowed. "The three main factions that fight the war, are all lead by the children of old queen... who died when she was ambushed by bandits. The youngest daughter used this occasion to... open the late queen's will, in which she was declared an heir. It's almost obviously a forgery. But she did manage to secure capital with the majority of forces on her side. The royal guards also support her. The eldest daughter was not in the capital when it happened, so she was later in her action, but she did secure a sizeable following and loyalty of at least three companies of troopers. The eldest of children, a son, made this moment to make his play, declaring both sisters unworthy of late queen's legacy - he declared them kinslayers even. But he has little support - mostly mercenaries and bandits. There are also a couple of smaller factions - the anarchists, the republicans, and the independent noble factions - while they don't take direct part in combat, they did fraction out of the main queendom, shattering it's holdings. Even if one of the pretenders would win, it would take them some time to reconquer the lost lands."
“Simply putting it somewhere will be suspicious – valuable items don't just appear out of thin air, unguarded.” Crystal pointed out. “No, we need an excuse for the bait to be there. For example, a thief that got lucky and managed to steal the item from its owner and is looking to sell it... A thief who is clearly ready to flee at the first sign of trouble, forcing Vlita to meet with them on her own in order to not spook them.” Who would have though t that my old profession would come in handy... Crystal thought, amused.
“Ambushed by bandits?” Crystal raised an eyebrow. “Either the queen's guards were completely incompetent... or those bandits were subsidized by someone. Or they were not bandits at all, and the bandit attack is just a cover for the truth.” The former thief pointed out what to her seemed obvious. “The whole thing with the late queen's will is fishy and makes the younger daughter suspicious – her brother might be right about her being a kinslayer... or not, it's impossible to say just yet.” Crystal considered what she had been told. “What can you tell us about each of the late queen's children? What kind of people are they, and who are their closest advisors? We need to know what we are dealing with before we can make a decision.”
Darth Kegrag nod for Crystal words. "You are right, we need thief which play the role of the bait for us. Did you have anyone partical in mind? Or you clone, do have any information about men who would try to steal from us?" He asked Clone and decided to take risk, to gain bigger reward. "No matter how it attract Vlita to that treasure, it must be real and Force sensive to recognise it or Vlita would smell trap. I will give my personal Hollocron for that." He said, walking angry. Plan wasn't bad, but it pissed him off to let his own treasure to take risk in that action. Vlita is going to paid heavy for that.
Clone of Padme shook her head. "I'm sorry, but the information I could get was limited. There is much of chaos on the planet, and the situation seems to be fluid..." She bowed her head lightly.
“Very well. Keep us informed if you learn anything more about the situation on the planet, or about any of the leaders there.” Crystal ordered the barely-dressed clone. Though she was not pleased by the lack of further info she did not blame the fake Padme – she knew from personal experience that information gathering took time and effort.
The clone froze at the inquiry. "My Lord - I swear I am loyal to the council and the Empire!" She said with no small amount of fear... and rage. "If there was someone who I knew would have even a thought about betraying the council, I would have cut them down already!" She declared with a favour in her voice.
Sarth Kegrag didn't take this act of loyaty like something granded, but it wasn't too bad, even if it didn't answer his question. " I didn't mean stealing for real, but more like act like thief. Do you follow my idea?" He asked, meaning that thief would be act like thief. "Any suggestion where to lay down our trap? It could be better to awoid planets with bigger population, to awoid wittness."
The clone frowned. "I believe that the planet of Hyvex wold be the best for such a scheme... The capital would seem to be too... dangerous for such a trek, while planet of Lady Isis would make the scheme more believable...
