Orchestrated Disorder (Lorrd)

[Dire Wolf]

To say that the minds within the Sith Order were cunning would be an understatement. Yes there were a few idiots and those who believed the dark side was about senseless destruction, but hose men were few in number. One such cunning mind developed a strategy, or trick, to woo the planet of Lorrd to the Imperial Ranks. One team of Sith Lords had been sent to converse with the Argazdan slavers, who were the wretched people that had once controlled an entire system of space. Their goal was to instigate an attack on the Lorrdians. They had been cast back and away from Lorrd decades prior, and both sides had finished licking their wounds long ago. A second team of Sith would then be sent with a very opposite purpose: defend the people of Lorrd.

Most people felt a certain kind of anticipation before battle. A special kind of fear mixed with excitement coursed through the imperial soldiers around her. Vesperia's heart was as still as the grave. There was as still as the grave. There was no rush of fear, no excitement, and definitely no eagerness. Only what seemed to be apathy.

Hot wind whipped about the inside the transport as it raced over the desert of Lorrd's kinyov province. The wind tugged at the woman's raven pony tail, as well as the stray locks that made up her bangs. A sleeveless azure tunic clung to her form instead of the usual silken robe. Plastoid vambraces protected her forearms while a pair of greaves of the same material hugged her shins. Loose fitting pants of a stark white hue and a golden sash around her waist complemented her attire. Finally, a soft blue cloak was drapped over her shoulders and swirled at her calves with the wind.

Icy blue eyes drifted amongst the men as she passed by them until she found herself at the open troop bay door. The desert floor all but flew by in a blur as her ship sped on to the battle, and the woman looked up to view the veritable fleet of transports that followed her. Vesperia didn't just aim to win: she was going to make a statement. So resoundingly defeat the slavers that they would never dare attack the Lorrdians again. Vesperia turned to view the soldiers and sith behind her. The details of her form darkened against the bright backdrop of the desert.

"Men," her voice seemed to win against the roaring Lorrdian wind, even though she hardly raised her voice. "You are all the very best that the Empire has to offer. Do not fail me."

The Sith Lady wasn't one for pretty speeches or honeyed words. The power of ensuring her underlings were taken care of was not lost on her, though. REpsect is more powerful when its earned and not extorted through fear and the threat of pain. Perhaps that was why her troops were so effective: she had earned their respect.

"There will be rewards for success, by the way," her eyes fell on Hervor, "some more... immediate... than others."

[Cavalry King]

Deception lay at the heart of the Sith. This tenet was central to Callidus' Sith philosophy. The plan devised to take Lorrd epitomized that. Of course the Sith could always simply storm the planet, but that would mean another battle, another story of struggle that portrayed the Sith as ravenous beasts. This strategy devised would work wonders for the Sith's public relations. Sith saving a planet. For the Outer Rim planets still on the fence about their allegiance, this might very well push them to the Sith side. Callidus had a special role to play, he had to convince the slavers to attack, while keeping the knowledge of Sith participation a secret. Fortunately, Callidus had been operating in the shadows of the criminal underworld for years and so this would not be difficult. He would come as a representative of his organization, bent on acquiring new sources of slaves. At his disposal were his formidable powers of persuasion, a massive bank account, and an elite mercenary company of ferocious Trandoshans.

Slavery had been on the decline on this world and it was common knowledge that certain elements wished to revive it. To this end Callidus and his team landed on Argazda, the planet of the slavers. His goal was one of mischief. He hoped that once the Lorrdians had been saved, they could carry the fight to Argazda, however for the moment he would keep focused.

Callidus had been monitoring communications on Argazda for several weeks prior to landing in an effort to know who best to contact. His monitoring eventually revealed an ultra-nationalist group known as the Argazdan Redoubt Revivalists. They were well connected in the government, business world, and local militia. They resented having been reincorporated into the Republic and longed once again for their empire. Using their own communications networks, Callidus called for a secret meeting of the movement's top representatives. They were told this was a movement leadership meeting. None knew its true nature - as a means for Callidus to spur them to war.

The meeting place was set for an old naval dock from the days when the Argazdan's had their own independent navy. As the representatives filled into the room a sense of confusion was taking hold in them because it only took them a few moments to realize no one at the meeting had actually been the one to call it. Callidus watched them from an old observation deck. He smiled under his mask and to the assembled team he said with a hint of delight, "And let the games begin..."