Hoth: Blood and Ice

On board, Moyr was waiting at the table with an open bottle of whiskey. She'd left the ramp down.

The tall alien, this time wearing just plain normal cold enviroment clothing, went to his meeting with Lord Bellious. The place was at the decks of Moyr's own ship so, at least, there will be some power to keep the talk warm enough. The duro even with all his preparation against the enviroment, still could feel the chill of Hoth...

He liked it. Extreme planet, extreme life, one could say.

In any case, he arrives without delay and after waiting for permission to be let onboard he presented himself to the Sith Lord.

'' My Lord. '' This time the duro bowed flamboyantly to her. '' i hope that a meeting between you and me will not cause you problems. With me being a fugitive and all.'' Rumun bluntly said. '' Although i guess a meeting with a 'traitor' would be less problematic than a meeting with plain enemies, seeing the rest of our companions on this base...'' He was referring to the republic citizens that now shared space with them.

"Oh, Rumun. I am a Darth, someone feared, not fearful. No-one can deny me the pleasure of conversing with an old friend with whom I made first true inroads into the Dark Side. I am awfully glad to see you. Come join me. Care for a drink?" Moyr smiled defiantly and gestured to the place before her.

'' I'm glad to hear that. '' He smiled and approached to sit as he accepted a drink. '' The change of government made things, more, how do i say it, intricate.'' He adds. '' Not that anyone should really care for such things, after all, things are going well for the Empire and its new ruler, last time i checked.''

'' But enough of politics, there is time for that. How has the universe treated you, my Lord? Raising through the ranks of the order comes with more power but also with more challenges, right?'' He asked.

"Depends how to look at it. It's more how I've treated the universe. With a lot of attention and care, I must say. You've probably heard about some of my good works. Radical liberation has always been my foremost goal and challenge, what happened is that I've found ways to make it real." She poured whiskey for both of them and raised her glass in a silent toast. "You haven't been idle either."

'' Indeed. I have heard of your deeds my Lord. Your influence indeed has reach far, the worlds you fomented liberation and the stretching of Republic resources on Dantooine'' Rumun nods with approval on the diversionary strategy used.

'' Me? well, not much to be said. I have been just, observing, passing the time for the time being.'' He said. '' Unless one caught up with rumours, but i don't give much credit to those of course.'' He smiled. '' I'm just a simple alien trying to live his life through out the Outer Rim, doing jobs here and there, you know, the sort i specialize.''

"You know that I am not vain, Rumun? When my name came up it was either because it was politically expedient or unavoidable. I took credit for less than a tenth of what I had done. Just like the other person in this room I am glad to remain in the shadows and employ means others in my position would discard. After Ziost, I could have taken almost any distinguished post in the new regime. But it would have been antithetical to my vision we had talked about before you had escaped Nar Shaddaa so I chose otherwise, clashing with Baras to have a plausible excuse to step away."

She looked at him.

"You have thrown your lot with Hoshi. Despite all similarities and affinities between me and her we have neither collaborated nor clashed much, respecting each other's turfs. But here and now she doesn't seem to be around, and I am. So if you consider acting in other modes than solo, I am your next best thing."

'' Unavoidable, sounds right.'' He nods. '' Those that take notice of things going on, of course know who is the real mover behind the scenes of course. And getting out of the great shadow that Darth Baras projects was indeed a good choice.'' Rumun adds. '' Although perhaps, depending on your desires, My Lord, it would also be unavoidable that in a not so distant future you will have to clash with him, seeing your rise. He doesn't like, rivals...''

Then he shrugs.

'' My master, like you, has her own ways of doing things. Some may accuse her of having just simple thoughts with no strategy, and tend to underestimate her. Yet she is still out there, even though the Empire seemed to declared victory over her. So...'' He commented.

'' But i should take your offer, my Lord. At least if i can be of use for you, if i can help you, well i would gladly do so. I have not much to do in the meantime seeing that, well we are kind of stranded in here.''

"Long-term concerns notwithstanding, this is a singular piece of good news, Rumun. Tell me, do you have an inkling what we're facing here on Hoth, being stranded as we are?"

'' Vaguely '' He said truthfully. '' Seems like there are some pirate issues, at least from the Empire-side. Not so sure about the Republic though.''

'' That is at least from a more, secular, side of things. I don't know if there is any connection, but, the force has been acting or feeling to me in a strange way. And when it comes to it, i don't believe in coincidences. The fact that so many force users have been stranded here together, must mean something, right?'' He commented.

"Well, it does." Moyr nodded. "Pirates are just the tip of the iceberg. Both the Republic and the Empire are likely to face their existential threat here. It wouldn't be so appalling if not for the fact that what wants to replace them would be much worse for the values you and I share."

'' Hmmm, existential threat you say my Lord...'' Rumun wondered about it. '' You speak as there is something, or someone, trying to destroy the status quo?''

"He calls himself the Dragon, and is likely some incarnation of our late Immortal Emperor. I have no idea how, but this is what I have learned through the Force. He has sent his children against us to settle all scores and they are likely on the way. Or already here." She thinned her lips. "Take it with a grain of salt, maybe my visions are muddled. But I doubt it, and I think we should act as if this was the case."

'' Interesting. '' Rumun didn't seem to be unsettled by this new information. '' I do believe you though, my Lord. Your harmonization with the Force is much stronger than a common user of the Force, like me...'' He continues to think about this new information.

'' To be honest, i'm not so sure of what happened during the coup against the Emperor. Of course i didn't believe the lies that some spread or the official story told by the government, so, i do believe you.''

"Even eyewitnesses couldn't be sure, apparently. His powers were beyond comprehension. But some form of him has died enough to abandon rule in the Empire, at least until now."

'' Well governments change, they rise and fall all the time.'' He commented. '' If indeed this Dragon is the Emperor, then, for a living-vergence like him, one type of government must be meaningless after thousands of years, i would assume...''

'' Do you know if this frozen planet had anything to do with the Force, or rather i correct myself, with some sort of Force-driven empire or nation of the past?'' He asked as he wondered. '' To me, unlike Dromund Kass or Korriban, this planet seems like uninteresting...''

'' Stark and beautiful, in its own way, but uninteresting, at least on the surface.''

"I don't know, and I want to check. As early as tomorrow."

'' Well, if i can be of some help, like i said, i could grant it to you, my Lord.'' He said again.

"Then it is settled." Moyr refilled their glasses. "How has the Force treated you all these years? Do you carry any dark revelations?"

'' Not much to be said. Working here and there, carrying some endevours out on the Outer Rim. A simple life, but an honest one...'' He adds with a smile. '' That being said of course, there were some, other jobs taken, just to keep traditions alive, so to speak...''

"I was thinking about your spiritual journey, your explorations of the Dark Side."

'' Ah, well. In reality i have not focused much of my time devoted to the more esoteric arts.'' He adds. '' I have mostly devoted my time in refining my combat skills that were always a bit of lackluster. After all, what purpose would know about the Darkside if one can get killed by a simple knife fight, right?''

'' Just trying to continue focus in following the steps of Lord Exar Kun ''

"I suppose you have some catching-up to do. Once our stay here is over, you should visit Yavin IV again. Nothing better to rekindle your commitment to the path of Exar Kun." She gulped some whiskey, having dropped ice cubes in it. "In the meantime, we can talk. I feel that to face the Dragon, we all need to be stronger in the Force."

'' Well if your visions are true, which i do believe to be, indeed it could be handy to take a look at the more, intrincate paths that the Force offers.'' He said. '' Dragon-Emperor or not, whatever it may be the fact that there is a vergence in the force, it is worthy to take a look to it.''

"I am going to do just that. If my powers prove insufficient, we should conduct a larger ritual."