The End of the World [Day 7, Mid Afternoon]

[Dapper Dog]

Her emotions already raw, she couldn't hold back the surprise of her widened eyes.

"You... see him too?"

“As much as I see anything, dearie,” she cackled.

“I have foreseen what he could have made you, what horrors and glories could have been yours but you have been surprisingly resilient to him. It was unexpected, you were a possible obstacle and instead you have chosen the path most Sith would not have the courage to tread… abstinence.”

Arya grinned baring her few yellowed teeth and said, “We are here because we must do something… something I once considered impossible, we must destroy the Emperor if we are to save the Empire.”

“We will be traitors and heroes in the same breath,” she hissed. She focused her dead eyes on Shaisha and added, “We do this even though he knows that we plot against him… I have not foreseen victory or loss, that moment is occluded to all.”

[Lord Jo'ren Rath]

Lord Rath scowled at the old woman when she laughed about his secrets and managed not to show his surprise at the presence of Zash. The daughter of Valkorian bit didn't even raise an eyebrow, he had become aware that Shaisha hid things from him. It was one of the things that drew him to her.

"Fate of the Galaxy in our hands. Figures. Guess we'd better stop over-thinking it and win then."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia went pale. Paler. As pale as humanly possible. And very still. She might have been mistaken for some very lifelike ivory statue, which in turn someone had mistaken for a mannequin.

Slowly, she swallowed. "Is such a thing even possible?"

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

"It iz pozzible," Jun-Tsu answered. "Mein zizterz und I hawe already begun preparationz to craft a blade to pierce zhiz abyzz made flezh. He iz a hungering woid vhich must be zewn zhut or he vill conzume uz all in zhe mozt literal of vayz. By dawn tomorrow our veapon vill be ready."

[Sylvain Torsin]

“Then tomorrow is the day. Darth Malgus will move soon on the Emperor. Jun-tsu’s best chance is in the chaos he will create.” Sylvain replied simply as he glanced around the room.

[Lord Tenebrous]

She took a deep breath, looking at the ancient crone.

"Does my father - Lord Scourge - know about this?"

[Lord Jo'ren Rath]

As they waited for Arya's answer Jo'ren threw in another question.

"And what's the Emperor up to on Yavin IV?"

[Dapper Dog]

She took a deep breath, looking at the ancient crone.

"Does my father - Lord Scourge - know about this?"

Zash responded, “He knows of the Emperor, for quite a long time it seems… but has lacked the power or opportunity to take advantage of such knowledge. If given a chance he could aid us, but we can’t pull him in until the moment of the strike. Of course if the Emperor already knows of our plot, then he must know that Scourge is already compromised.”

“This could all just be a trap and purge in the making.”

[Dapper Dog]

As they waited for Arya's answer Jo'ren threw in another question.

"And what's the Emperor up to on Yavin IV?"

Arya responded, “Yavin IV? Why is that significant?”

[Lucinia Malveaux]

"It iz pozzible," Jun-Tsu answered. "Mein zizterz und I hawe already begun preparationz to craft a blade to pierce zhiz abyzz made flezh. He iz a hungering woid vhich must be zewn zhut or he vill conzume uz all in zhe mozt literal of vayz. By dawn tomorrow our veapon vill be ready."

Lucinia gave Jun-Tsu a curious look. "Really? How fascinating. I'd be interested in discussing the methods you use."

She looked around, the curious look becoming a frown. "If we all survive, that is." She took a deep breath. "If he knows we plot against him, what plan do we have to overcome that advantage?"

[Dapper Dog]

Vas-Tsu spoke, “Zhe Emperor knows but does not know, he can hear the whispers and zhe shadows but zhey are hidden from him.”

She waves her left hand and everything becomes as smoke and shadows and there a million whispers and then waves her right and the world becomes clear and in focus. She continued, “We have more to fear from zhe Night of zhe Terros, for zhose who have drunk deep of his power have made him ztrong and they vill be as his hands and eyes.”

“He will be zhe Void of many faces.”

[Lord Jo'ren Rath]

Arya responded, “Yavin IV? Why is that significant?”

"There's a base. One of the temples. Imperial Guard are keeping everyone away." He shrugged. "Might be nothing. Might be he's got a plan. Like Exar Kun."

[Lord Tenebrous]

Vas-Tsu spoke, “Zhe Emperor knows but does not know, he can hear the whispers and zhe shadows but zhey are hidden from him.”

She waves her left hand and everything becomes as smoke and shadows and there a million whispers and then waves her right and the world becomes clear and in focus. She continued, “We have more to fear from zhe Night of zhe Terros, for zhose who have drunk deep of his power have made him ztrong and they vill be as his hands and eyes.”

“He will be zhe Void of many faces.”

She rubbed her chin in thought, watching the fascinating child.

"Do you know what will happen to those who have drunk deeply from his power? Will they be his puppets?" Shaisha glanced to the others. "Do we know anyone who might be likely victims?"

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

Jun-Tsu pet her daughter's head, "It iz true, I hawe long veared zuch to be zhe caze, but I vorry more und more zhat zhoze who hawe tazted hiz pover, vill be zlawez to hiz vill. Already he growz und vezterz vithin zhoze who hawe chozen zhe pazh of eazy pover." She look with what might have been the barest hint of sympathy to Shaisha and Jo'ren who she knew had succumbed to his siren song at least once.

"Only vith zhe deazh of zhe emperor can ve giwe zhe barezt hint of promize zhat you vill be zewered vrom hiz zvay."

[Lord Jo'ren Rath]

Jo'ren nodded. "I've survived slim odds before. Thanks to me you'll have the last of the tools you need."

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

Another nod of agreement. "I cannot deny zhat you hawe been a great azzet, und you may yet be a great azzet, but ve muzt go in vith zhe mozt cauziouz of mentality."

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain looked around the group with growing pessimism. Under best conditions this wasn’t a bad group... but if they were compromised by the Emperor... or this Valkorian fellow... much would be riding on him than normal.

[Lord Tenebrous]

"What will happen if we fail doesn't require much thinking; we and anyone related to us will be purged, and he will continue on with his plan." She grimaced slightly at that. "But... what if we actually succeed?"

"He has no heir. But plenty of folks who'd be eager to jump at the power vacuum."

[Sylvain Torsin]

“And depending on who it is who rises... the members of this band could still be targeted for a purge.” Sylvain added.

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

Jun-Tsu was almost startled by Sylvain's voice, but she once again agreed. "It iz waztly ahead ov ourzelwez to contemplate, but ve all know vith zhe vall of zhe emperor, zhere vill be a great wacuum of pover. Let uz take heed of zhe lezzonz of Naga Zhadow, greatezt of zhe old Emperorz. In hiz moment of greatezt wictory, he vaz uzerped becauze he expended hiz ztrength too zoon."

The witch looked around the gathering, "Ve know zhat Darzh Malguz vizhez too claim zhe zhrone, it vould not zhock me iv Darzh Baraz, or ozherz of zhe counzil do az vell. To zay nozhing of playerz ve may not ewen know. I care not who zitz upon zhe zhrone, in all honezty, I care only, vor zhe moment, ov removing zhiz liwing canzer from zhe Forze bevore it deztroyz zhe pover vrom vhich iz grovez."