The Dark Council

[Puppetmaster]

As Lord Embra rode up the elevator in what had formerly been the central spire of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, he composed himself for the trials that would be thrown his way in the next half an hour. Having just escaped capture from that infernal prison warden, he was in no mood to be dealing with the myriad of psychoses that made up the members of the Dark Council. That weasel, Lord Traevert, probably already knew something about his capture. The Nautolan had always coveted Embra's spot as one of the most powerful figures on the Council, and the squid would take any chance he could to belittle Embra. The elevator stopped and he sighed. The doors opened and the Dark Council's chamber was revealed. A large, circular room adorned in black and red, the Council's chamber was encompassed by 12 large, black thrones. Currently, five of them were occupied by Sith Lords able to attend in person, and in five others sat holograms of Sith Lords out on campaigns. Kyren's seat was empty, and between it and Embra's seat stood his most loyal apprentice: the Wookie, Lothus. As usual, without Embra to temper their anger, the members of the Dark Council were bickering and yelling at each other like children. Violent, crazy children with the power to bring a city to its knees.

The only member of the Council not spewing forth opinions was the one sitting to the right of Embra's chair. Darth Sill was a frightening Muun who preferred to be silent and reserved instead of loud; keeping his rage, jealousy, and lust hidden inside instead of exposing it like the other Sith Lords. He was looking to his right with his default unimpressed look at the arguing Darths Morgaena and Traevert. The female Togruta was practically out of her chair screaming at Traevert, lightning flowing up her arms, which was nothing new for the Witch in love with Mallus. For his part, Traevert had a sadistic smile on his face, enjoying pushing Morgaena's buttons. To his right were three hologrammed figures, being broadcast from their seperate flagships within Mallus' fleet. Darth Nequam, a twi'lek, was in the middle of the group, being the one with the most influence of the three Council members. Flanking him were Darth Vapida, a female human, and Darth Nocen, a male Zabrak. Relatively new members of the Council, those two were still full of the naive hope that what the individual Council members wanted was for the benefit of the Empire, not the benefit of the individual Council members. Continuing to scan across the circle, Embra's eyes move past them to Darth Nilos. A large Besalisk, Nilos' size hid a massive intellect and aptitude for strategy, which had caused the deaths of many aspiring Sith. The two holograms to his right belonged to Darths Sobrek and Ramusa, a male human and a female Zabrak, respectively. They were locked in a yelling match with the physically present Darth Lilin, a wirey human known for her martial prowess.

Traevert noticed Embra's entrance and sneered. "So, Darth Embra, back from calling your entire fleet to Nar Shaddaa, hmm? I could've sworn we didnt have a campaign there. What was that all about? Care to explain to the class?"

Embra forced his lips into a smile as the Council stopped their bickering to watch this new show. "Oh Darth Traevert, so kind of you to ask." Embra cooed, walking to his seat, "I simply had to visit the red light district. There was a local fish girl I simply had to humiliate in front of my entire armada. Maybe you two are related?"

Morgaena let out a hideous screech of a laugh as Embra sat down, Traevert glaring at Embra across the circle. Before the Lords could start arguing again, Embra spoke, "With Darth Kyren failing to appear, I will start the proceedings. Darth Nequam, you--"

Before he could finish speaking, a wave of rage washed over him. Stunned at its magnitude, Embra looked around. The other Council members could obviously feel it as well, Darth Sill voicing their thoughts as he said in a deep rumble, "I believe you may have started prematurely, Darth Embra. It would seem that our Emperor's apprentice has arrived."

As one, the Council members' gazes shifted to the elevator doors as they opened and the impotent rage coalesced into Darth Kyren, storming into the room.

"EMBRA!" She roared, "Our Lord Emperor requires the use of your pet. Give him to me!" Lothus rose with a roar of his own, activating his lightsaber. Embra put a hand on his shoulder, supressing the angry Wookie's emotions with the Force. "Now, now, Lothus, I'm sure if our Emperor requested you he has an excellent reason for it. We shouldn't let the rude behavior of his apprentice spoil the honor of this summoning."

Morgaena laugh-screeched again, but sank back into her seat with a small whine coming from the back of her throat when Kyren turned her stare onto the Witch. Lothus growled and deactivated his lightsaber. "On that subject," Nilos said, directing Kyren's attention his way, "What does Emperor Mallus need Embra's Wookie for?"

Kyren's eyes narrowed, and the radiating waves of her contempt seemed to push Nilos back in his seat a few inches. "That is on a need-to-know basis, Council Member." She spat, "Now if there are no more stupid questions?" She turned her gaze to Embra and Lothus.

Lothus took one more look at Embra, who nodded, and the Wookie walked toward Kyren, whose rage by now was so palpable it wouldn't have surprised Embra if it had solidifed into a giant Krayt Dragon and starting beating the Council to death. She stared around the room, everyone but Embra and Sill shrinking back in their seats and hologram pads when her eyes roved over them. Satisfied, she and Lothus entered the elevator and left the chamber.

"Wow." Nilos commented when oppressive aura of rage had finally gone, "I don't know what the Emperor did to her, but I wish I had been there to see it." Traevert chimed in, "Let's not forget, ladies and gentlemen, that she is his favorite."

Before they could be derailed further, Embra directed them. "Darth Nequam, how are the preparations for the Yavin assault coming?"
"We are ready to launch on the Emperor's order." the flickering Twi'lek replied, "They will be easily crushed."
"You'd better hope so," Darth Lilin replied, "Or the Emperor will have your heads. He's still upset about Ithor."
Nequam bristed, leaning forward and jabbing his finger toward her, when he paused. He stepped backwards and smoothed his clothing. "The Emperor requires our presence for... special orders. Vapida, Nocen, with me."

The three holograms flickered out and Sill rumbled, "We should begin making preparations for three new Council members."
Darth Ramusa nodded. "Agreed. Those three won't last the assault. I'm surprised Nocen could get his face out of his spice pile long enough to actually show up." she said.
"Or keep himself out of Vapida, for that matter." Sobrek added, arms crossed.
Nilos laughed, "Dont look so jealous, Sobrek. She was probably planning on killing him within a few months. Its a shame she's going to die because the Emperor is angry at Nocen."
Traevert nodded, his brows furrowed. "Truly. She would have made a worthy Sith."

Embra's head was starting to pound. He needed to get some sleep, it had been a really long week. "Unless anyone has anything substantial to add to this meeting, I'm declaring it over." He looked around, and when no one spoke he stood up. The two remaining hologrammed Sith disappeared as all the other lords, besides Traevert, stood up and began to head toward the exit.

"Wait!" Darth Traevert boomed, the five other lords clumped together in the center of the circle of thrones, "Now they are gone, I have something to add."

Embra groaned and rotated to face the Nautolan, pasting a smile on his face. "What would that be, Darth Traevert?"

The fish-man grinned and said, "I want to kill Mallus."

[Puppetmaster]

The incredulity of the other five Sith lords in the room was almost a physical presence. Morgaena screamed and lightning surged up her arms. She bent down and was about to launch herself at Traevert when Sill put his hand on her shoulder and used his significant command of the Force to root her to the spot. "You have until she breaks my hold to convince us, Traevert." he said.

"Thank you, Lord Sill." Traevert bowed, "I respect you all as equals, no matter any other feelings I may have toward you." At this he glanced at Embra. "But Mallus sees the whole Council as a plaything, something to amuse him while he's not trying to conquer the galaxy. We irk him slightly and he kills us off by throwing us against odds impossible for even us." The Nautolan gestured toward the stasised Morgaena, "Look at her! Desperately in love with Mallus, but he has almost as much contempt for her as he does our informant on the Jedi Council. We need to work together and take him down. Together we can do it!"

Nilos snorted. "And then what? Serve under you as Emperor? I don't think so, fish-boy."
"No, no, no!" Traevert pleaded, "The Dark Council will rule, as equals!"
"You will never be my equal, Traevert," Lilin sneered, "and it offends me that you would even consider yourself such."

Darth Sill looked at Embra, an eyebrow raised, and Embra paused his automatic denouncement of Traevert. As much as he hated the little shit, the squid had a point. And if Sill was considering the proposal... Embra and and the Muun had long had a gentleman's agreement of sorts. As the two most powerful members of the Council behind Kyren, they could do just about anything they wanted, and so didn't interfere in each others affairs. But if they killed Mallus, Kyren would become Emperor, which was unacceptable; they would both have to die. If, IF, they managed to accomplish that, then it would be Embra or Sill who would become Emperor, which would immediately shatter any kind of agreement they had. And Embra did not envy the being that was in Sill's way to power. He locked eyes with the cunning Muun, and shook his head 'no' ever so slightly.

"You have already accumulated far too much power and clout for someone of your... caliber, Darth Traevert." Sill rumbled, "We won't be helping you get any further with this sham of a proposal."
"You have just signed your death warrant, Traevert," Embra declared, "and I am going to take great pleasure in executing you myself."
"Not so fast, Embra." Traevert said, "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. Apprentices!"

The sound of lightsabers activating behind them caused the mobile members of the Council to turn around. Embra growled. While Traevert had been distracting them, two dozen apprentices had been sneaking into the back half of the room. How had he not sensed them?

As if hearing his thoughts, Traevert spoke, "You're not the only one with academies, Embra. My apprentices have been specially trained in keeping themselves hidden from Force-users. By now my people have taken the whole of the temple. N--"

Sill interrupted him by speaking to Embra. "Kill him, please. We'll take care of these rabble." Without another word, he turned Morgaena around and released her. She launched into the croud of apprentices, lightning flowing around her, instantly frying the two she landed on. Darth Sill vanished, no doubt heading to the back of the group to kill them off from there. Nilos let out a bellowing laugh and threw two of the six lightsabers on his belt into the air. They activated and went flying into the unsuspecting chests of two apprentices. Lilin activated both ends of her double-bladed lightsaber and jumped in front of the group of apprentices, decapitating two of them with her whirling saber before they could react.

Embra activated his weapon with a smile and turned towards Traevert, who activated his single saber as well. "I've been waiting to do this for a really long time, Traevert." The Nautolan roared and jumped toward Embra, who stepped to the side and made a vertical slash as he landed. Traevert pushed it aside with his lightsaber and took a step back. "Tsk tsk, Traevert," Embra scolded, "you should have stabbed there. Your form is incredibly sloppy." Traevert growled and opened with an overhead slash. Embra knocked it aside and stabbed at Traevert, forcing him to take a step backwards. "See?" Embra said, stepping forward and swinging from the left. Traevert brought his saber up, deflecting Embra's blow, and taking another step backwards, now standing between two of the thrones. "Are you kidding me?" Embra asked. "How the hell did you even get on this Council?" Traevert smiled, stretched his left hand out and jerked it forward, sending one of the thrones flying at Embra. Embra leapt to the side and remembered, "Oh yeah! A building 'fell' on your master and when we told you we were experimenting with direct inheritance of Council seats. I'm glad we didn't continue with that." Traevert threw the other throne at him and Embra put his hand out, stopping it, and then throwing it back at the Nautolan. Embra jumped so he was right behind the throne, hiding himself from Traevert's view. When the Nautolan threw it upward with the Force, Embra kept going, landing on Traevert's chest and impaling him. "We really ought to bolt these down." He commented. And his headache was gone! Today was turning out much better than expected.

He turned around and with little surprise saw that all but one of the apprentices had fallen. The last one was backing toward the elevator, reeking of fear. A look of triumph crossed his face as he neared the door, replaced quickly by one of confusion. A red beam had appeared through his chest and Darth Sill materialized behind him, deactivating his stealth field. The apprentice crumpled, and Nilos spoke, not wasting any time.

"If the traitor spoke true, then we have much work ahead taking this temple back. Lord Sill, would you do the honor of scouting the compromised section of the temple?"
Sill nodded and, without a word, disappeared again. The elevator door closed and it headed down the central spire. As they waited for its return, Nilos resumed his strategizing. "Wherever we go, Morgaena and Lilin and I will take point, with Embra and Sill guarding out backs."

Embra nodded; a smart plan. He and Sill had no designs on the less influential Council members, so could be trusted to not stab anyone in the back.

"They will pay for betraying my Emperor!" Morgaena screeched. The rest of the Council rolled their eyes. The Witch was undeniable powerful with the Force, but with that knowledge had come incredible mental instability. To her credit, she had been 'in love' with Mallus since before he had become Emperor.

The elevator returned and opened it's door, and the Council poured inside. There was silence on the way down, interrupted only by a small burp from Morgaena, ejecting what looked like a charred fingetip from her mouth. Embra pretended not to notice.
The door slid open to reveal two dead Sith apprentices just outside the doors, with a third one leaning over them. Without a second thought, Embra grabbed him with the Force and threw him inside the cramped elevator. Nilos grabbed him in two of his large arms and crushed the apprentice's skull. The Council exited the elevator and, a moment later, Sill appeared.

"It would appear that they have all gathered in the great hall, on both the main floor and the balcony. A few hundred of them. I think Traevert expected to be giving a victory speech to them, the misguided fool."

"All the better," Nilos smiled, "We can kill them in one fell swoop. Embra and Sill can take the balcony, while the three of us take the main floor. Any questions? No? Good. Lets go nip this rebellion in the bud."

The Council split into the agreed upon groups, and Sill and Embra headed for the great hall balcony.

"Do you remember the first opportunity we had to work together, Darth SIll?" Embra asked as they walked.
"Quite fondly, Darth Embra. I take it you wish for an encore today?" Sill replied, cracking a rare smile.
"I would consider it poetic justice, after Traevert rubbed his poor excuses for acadamies in my face."
"I'm going to enjoy this." Sill vanished, and Embra commented, "You know, I'm glad you don't know where I live, Sill. I don't think I'd be able to sleep."
As they reached the balcony entrance, Embra heard a faint, "Who is to say I don't?"

Embra chuckled and approached the apprentices at the balcony, overlooking their comrades on the first floor getting slaughtered by the other Council members, fear in their eyes.

"Attention, apprentices of the traitor, Traevert!" Embra boomed, "I have come to offer you a chance at redemption. Bow to me as your master and fight the traitors being brought to justice by my colleagues downstairs, and I will allow you to live and serve me!"
The apprentices look dubious, and without missing a beat one of them spoke out. "You are the man Emperor Traevert spoke of! His hated enemy, Embra!"

Embra rose an eyebrow. "You are sharp child, but you speak treason. You thought that worm Traevert was powerful? See but an inkling of the power of a member of the Dark Council."
Embra snapped his fingers and Sill, completely undetected, snapped the vocal apprentice's neck.

The other apprentices looked stunned. They hadn't known something like that was possible. A group of about ten of them clumped together and pushed one of their number forward, "So you can kill a single person. How are you supposed to stand up to all of us?"

Embra nodded, looking as if he was considering the question deeply. "A good question, child. And for it, another demonstration."

Embra made a flippant gesture with his hand, and Sill lifted them into the air. Embra pretended to brush dust off his shoulder, and Sill flung them off the balcony. After a few moments, Morgaena's screech of pleasure could be heard.

"And that concludes our demonstration. Any questions?" Embra asked, a smile on his face. Within moments, all of the apprentices on the balcony were kneeling, and the foremost said, "Our only question is how we may serve you, my lord."

Embra smiled and said, "Go kill the traitorous apprentices downstairs, my children. Then we will begin your true training."
All the apprentices but the one closest to Embra leapt of the balcony to kill their former allies. After a moment the lead apprentice turned to Embra and asked, "Arent you going to tell the other Council members that we are on your side now?"
Embra put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "No. You're all going to die down there." A horrified look crossed the apprentice's face and he backed up, right into the waiting blade of Darth Sill. As the body crumpled to the ground, both Council Members moved to the edge of the balcony and looked over the carnage below.

Morgaena was a blur of lightning, leaping from apprentice to apprentice, dodging lightsabers and frying the unfortunate men and women where they stood. Nilos had all four of his arms wielding lightsabers, cutting a wide swath through any of the apprentices stupid enough to get in his way. Lilin was in the center of the hall, a circle of bodies stretching out beyond normal lightsaber range. She had seperated her double-bladed hilt, revealing a chain that connected both sides, and wielding her newly mobile weapon to deadly effect, activating and deactivating each side of the chain weapon often to keep the enemy off guard and avoid hitting herself.

"Should we go down and help, do you think?" Embra asked, already knowing the answer.
"I don't see why." Sill responded, "We cleared the balcony, just as we said we would. Its not our fault that our plan was better than theirs. They should learn to think outside the box."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Embra said, chuckling, "then we might actually have some competition."

[Puppetmaster]

The five members of the Dark Council stood over the massacre in the temple, their appetites whetted. Lilin sighed a deep, satisfied sigh. "So, as fun as this was, I don't think even Traevert would be stupid enough to attempt a coup with just these apprentices. He has to have something else. A following somewhere."

Morgaena nodded, less frenzied after partially satisfying her ever-present bloodlust. "Onderon. Our Emperor made him lord of the system."

"Xenophobic though they are, it wouldn't surprise me if the squid found a way to turn one of the cities to his cause." Embra added.
"Then it is decided." SIll proclaimed. "We move to Onderon. We will go in a single ship, so we don't divert fleets where they are not needed. We will be able to set this example ourselves."

As one, the Council moved toward the temple hangar, leaving the bodies where they lay. They entered a light corvette used for high ranking personal transport, Embra and Lilin getting in the pilot seats. As they powered up the ship, a flurry of transmissions over the battle net intrigued Embra.

Scramble Delta Squadron to industrial sector for pursuit and elimination of hostile Republic ship, Mon Calamari make.

"Interesting," Lilin said, "Perhaps we should investigate."
"Coruscant is the domain of the Emperor and his apprentice. Not our circus, not our bantha."
Lilin shrugged and activated the ships thrusters, sending into orbit, and then to Onderon.

This is Onderon Air Traffic Control. State your name and intent.
"This is Darth Embra of the Dark Council. I require an audience with the leaders of state serving directly under Darth Traevert." Embra commanded. There was a short pause, in which Embra sensed deliberation on the other end of the line.
Of course, Darth Embra, we will gather them here in the Iziz palace immediately. An escort will be provided for you at the designated landing zone. Have a pleasant stay.
"Something is wrong," Embra stated as the line went dead, "there is no way that traitor could have brought Iziz over to his side. There is no way he was that good."
Lilin shrugged, "The child surprised us once, who is to say he won't again? We'll just have to be prepared to kill everything on that landing pad."

The ship landed, and Embra exited the ship alone to see a man of about 30 in black robes with a lightsaber hanging at his side standing on the pathway into the palace.

"And what is the meaning of this?" Embra asked, amused.
"I am Emperor Traevert's apprentice, and King of all Onderon in his absence." The man dictated, "When he saved our planet from Dxun's failing orbit while Mallus did nothing, we pledged our loyalty to his cause. We will help him take over this Empire and make it truly a wonder to behold!"

Embra stood there for a moment, legitimately stunned. Traevert had managed to convert the whole planet. There was really only one thing to do for that. "In light of this news, and the recent confession of the late Darth Traevert, I sentence to city of Iziz to death for treasonous thoughts, to act as an example for the rest of the planet."
The man flew into a rage. "My master is dead?! Tell me who killed him so I may bring about his demise!"
Embra stepped forward, a grave look on his face, the Force flowing out of him, poking and prodding at the man's emotions. "I was the one who killed your Master. I am also going to kill you, and every other living thing in this city." Fear seeped into the edges of the man's feelings and Embra kept stepping toward him, manipulating him through the Force while he preached. "I'm not even going to bother telling the Emperor about this little attempted coup of yours. Because you are such an insignificant little wretch compared to the true power of the dark side and this Empire. Because you are a dust mote on the vast tapestry of my power. Because I am this city's judge, jury, and executioner... and you have the honor to be the first to die."

The King of Onderon was paralyzed with fear as Embra stood before him, completely controlling the weak willed fool through the Force. Embra looked at him meaningfully, and nudged him with the Force in a few key places. The King grabbed his lightsaber and held it out in front of him, lethal end pointed inward. Embra nudged him once more and the King activated the lightsaber, sending it right through his chest. In the King's final moments, Embra released his hold and watched the man realize what he had done as his eyes glassed over forever.

The rest of the Dark Council exited the ship, nodding appreciatively at the performance. Before they had a chance to deliver him his well deserved praise, he spoke; there was a job to be done. "We clear the palace first. Then we move one seperately and annihilate the rest of the city. Morgaena, I don't want to see a single building standing when we leave here."

Morgaena shrieked with pleasure and burst through the doors leading out of the hangar and into the Palace, lightning flying everywhere.

"My talents are more singularly minded," Sill spoke up, "I will fly the ship and take out any resistance I see from there."

Embra, Nilos, and Lilin exited the hangar through the now twisted open doors while Sill took the ship and began to fly over the city, blasting anti-air turrets before they knew he was an enemy.
The three Dark Council members walked down the Palace hallways, charred bodies littered eveywhere. As they reached the large hallway leading out of the royal building, they felt a surge of dark energy and the building trembled. Determined not to be rushed, they continued walking toward the main doors, the surges growing more and more frequent. The building groaned around them, and a pillar shattered at the back of the hall.
Embra wanted to speed up to make sure he got out of here unharmed, but with the other Council members walking as slowly as he was, he couldn't afford to show weakness by speeding up. He looked left at Lilin, and the cunning woman returned his gaze with just a raised eyebrow. A chunk of the ceiling landed behind them. He looked to the right at Nilos' towering bulk, and the Besalisk bellowed, "I cannot wait! I wish to bring carnage to this city NOW!" Nilos drew and activated four of his sabers and charged the remaining distance toward the door. Lilin shrugged and jogged after him and Embra kept pace with her, pillars crumbling or shattering at random as they passed. The wall to their right caved in, sending the section of roof above it crashing to the floor just as they exited the main doors of the Palace.
Morgaena was kneeling, head down in concentration and both hands pressed against the ground, dark energy surging from them and toward the Palace. She sent one last huge surge and then stood up, the Palace groaning for a moment and then collapsing in on itself entirely. Morgaena was breathing heavily, but a burning passion had been enkindled in her eyes. After this she would be lucid for a few days before needing to unleash her power again.

An explosion tore the air above them, and Embra's head swiveled to find the cause. A group of fighters had been torn apart by Sill, and the one remaining was heading straight for the Council, attempting to do in death what it couldn't do in life. Without thinking, Embra grabbed the fighter with the Force and threw it to his left. The fighter tore apart with a screech, half of it rocketing to the left, the other three parts it had split into flying in different directions. The Council, hands all raised toward where the fighter used to be, looked at each other as they realized they had all attempted to do the same thing on pure instinct.

They collectively chuckled at the fighter's fate. "Alright ladies and Besalisks," Embra said, "Time to begin this purge in earnest. We destroy the city sector by sector, moving on only when the area is entirely rubble. Explosives are encouraged. As we've made standard in all group excercises, kill counts will be tallied and the winner gets a slave from each of the losers. We meet back here when we're done."

By sundown, the city's fires could be seen from orbit. Those few who survived the carnage by escaping the city swear they will never be able to get the screams out of their heads. When asked what they remember about the event, they all say the same thing: Dark gods treading among mortal beings, raining destruction without end on all those who stood in their way.
In one corner of the city lightning flowed like water, destroying buildings and people alike. In another, a large 4 armed beast crushed everything in his path, tearing down buildings with his bare hands. In yet another part of the city, explosions tore apart buildings every few minutes. A whirling tornado of death cut everything to pieces as it traveled between buildings, leaving the exploded buildings in its wake. In the last corner a figure stood prominently on top of a building, his arms out wide, as once close friends turned on each other, their minds corrupted by the darkness emenating from the Lord of the Sith. Above it all, the Sith aircraft destroyed everything that rose to challenge it, and blasted everything below it into oblivion.