Ziost - Crown of the Sith Empire

Around them, rubble. Behind them, a dead emperor. The gang had been victorious. Now it was time to lick their wounds and let the reality of what they had done sink in. Xyll though, was just in the process of regaining consciousness, discovering pain in places she hadn't felt any before, and finding out that her left eye didn't work anymore.

"Seems she's still with us," Shaisha murmured as Xyll stirred, and rather unceremoniously she went through the woman's belongings to find a pair of stims.

One was jabbed into Xyll's thigh. "Time to wake up," she said, and followed up with a second one.

She hissed as the 2nd stim was applied, and shot up. Instantly regretting the motion. Shaisha, being the one to return her to wakefulness and being conveniently nearby, earned the honor of bearing the glare of the Emperor's Wi... no, the Witness. Of course, her glare was a little different now, with her left eye devoid of color.

After a moment, she held a hand over that eye, and discovered it didn't work. Resulting in low growl of general discontent.

"What happened."

The sound of boots and Imperial troopers moving in unison announce the arrival of Darth Baras. He frowned looking at their state and motioned for the soldiers to stand down as he said, “Darth Arya has informed me of the situation, her forces have defeated Darth Malgus in orbit and secured Ziost space… but that still leaves this situation. You realize that the Emperor’s death must be handled deftly.”

“An Immortal dying at the hands of traitors is not an Imperial death.”

Judging by Shaisha's brief smirk, it seemed she was going to give something resembling good news to Xyll, but the arrival of Baras and company silenced whatever she had planned to say.

"Traitors?" one of her ridged eyebrows rose. Surely Baras knew the truth about the Emperor, considering how he stuck his fingers in all the pies.

“Which is why I, well Darth Arya and myself, propose an alternative narrative. The Emperor has not died, he foresaw this insurrection and engaged Darth Malgus in battle and struck him down. He was grievously wounded and had to enter a deep rest but in the meanwhile he chose a successor to rule in his stead until his eventual return,” Baras replied calmly.

“In time we can reveal that he has transcended this life and moved onto… something else, a purely natural end for a wholly unnatural being.”

She stood up, and despite her injuries looked quite ready to send Baras flying.

"Already spinning the story I see," she said. "If you've got some lie to fool the public with then fine. But we will have our glory and reward, in some form, for ending the real threat to the Empire."

Jaheem was there as well, he glared at Baras "The Emperor was not immortal, obviously, and he was the traitor. A traitor to the Empire he built, he viewed it only as a play thing and a fountain of youth for himself when he may need it. We are Patriots one and all for ending this monster."

"We have a chance to restart now, to build something real, lasting. An Empire not built on back biting and power hoarding. If we are to defeat the Republic we must become something new."

“Being spared execution and exile seem a most just reward,” he said to the Witness.

“A great many will love the Emperor until the day they die and will never believe the truths you espouse. A great many. You are owed nothing but quiet congratulations, what transpired here can never be made manifest. It will never reach the archives, for obvious reasons.”

He grinned deviously and said, “You are heroes now and must bear that burden.”

Jaheem Abasi wrote:Jaheem was there as well, he glared at Baras "The Emperor was not immortal, obviously, and he was the traitor. A traitor to the Empire he built, he viewed it only as a play thing and a fountain of youth for himself when he may need it. We are Patriots one and all for ending this monster."

"We have a chance to restart now, to build something real, lasting. An Empire not built on back biting and power hoarding. If we are to defeat the Republic we must become something new."

“I simply do the work of the Empress-Regent to be,” he said with a shrug.

“This is how nations are built.”

"An *insufficient* reward," she said with a sigh. "I do not care for public accolades, but you and the others of note know what we did, why it was necessary, and we expect our efforts will be recognized by those that matter. What the plebs know or do not know is of no relevance."

Xyll Vanth wrote:"An *insufficient* reward," she said with a sigh. "I do not care for public accolades, but you and the others of note know what we did, why it was necessary, and we expect our efforts will be recognized by those that matter. What the plebs know or do not know is of no relevance."

“I am sure the Empress-Regent will reward you for your service to the Empire, if behind closed doors,” Darth Baras responded.

It was hard not to laugh.

"Interesting words coming from the one who was about to sacrifice the future Empress' mother to save his own hide..." it would delight her immensely if that earned him some punishement.

Guess it was too much to hope for that Baras had perished in the chaos. Like a cockroach he did seem to always survive somehow.

“Politics is a dangerous creature, Lord Tenebrous,” he said brushing off the insult.

"You will do good to remember that when faced with a group of people who the future Enpress saw defeat her most potent enemy. And whom the current empress-regeant has to thank for her current elevation in standing."

“Of course,” he said dryly.

“You have done something many thought impossible, but that action could tear the Empire apart, so forgive me if I am not elated at cleaning up the mess you have created for good or ill. The Emperor provided stability, now that void must be filled.”

"I would rather deal with chaos and disorder than having all consigned to the void as fuel foe the Emporer. Forgive me if your job seems difficult." He replied just as dryly. Baras was a rat and one the embodied much if what Jaheem disliked about Sith.

It really wasn't worth getting worked up about now, and Shaisha proceeded to take out a pair of her own stims to apply to Dayana.

"Spin your yarn, Darth Baras." She sighed. All would become clearer with a new day when the dust had settled.

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OOC: 2 stims applied to Dayana.

It seemed they would all live. It was not what he had expected. Jo'ren looked at his comrades and then at Baras. "Darth Baras is right. We know what we did. We know it was the right thing to do. That's enough." He shrugged. "If we're not careful the Empire will implode. We need a politician right now." Folding his arms he nodded at Baras.

"Exactly." Shaisha echoed. "A lesser of two evils, so to speak," she gave a pointed look to Jaheem in hopes that he understood too.

Sometimes you need a Jo'ren to state bluntly.

Jaheems eyes were hard when he looked back at Shaisha but he said nothing. He would hold his tongue. For now. But he would be damned if he saw that monster venerated. But there was a time and place for these things.