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“I pity you. His blind obedient lap dog. No one’s safe with Baras. Not even you.”
Arti’sat eyed the dying man before him. Republic Admiral Monk; traitor to the Republic and servant of his own Master Darth Baras. The revelation that Baras had withheld information from him was, well, not exactly surprising, but infuriating nonetheless. His anger was growing, and any force sensitive within a 10 kilometer radius would have likely felt the darkness surging through him.
“If he tries to betray me, he’s in for a big surprise, Admiral,” he replied.
Monk let out a feeble laugh. “So naïve,” he managed to force out of his mouth with his dying breath. “You’re nothing compared to him.”
Arti’sat continued to stare at the dead Admiral for what seemed like an eternity. The young Sith Lord was burning with rage. He turned quickly on his heel, followed closely by his apprentice, Jaesa Willsaam. He stormed out of the bunker Monk had holed up in, and he knew that Baras would have to pay for this. He could sense his Master’s betrayal coming; he would need to ready himself for this inevitability. But not before he let the old man experience just how powerful he was becoming.
*****
Arti’sat burst through the doors of his ship, creating such commotion that his crew knew immediately that something had gone awry, and that he was furious.
“Get me Baras!” he barked, not necessarily to anyone in specific. He knew that somebody would take the order upon themselves, however.
Captain Quinn came striding out of the cockpit and quickly hailed Baras’ office on Dromund Kaas. “My Lord,” he said. “Darth Baras for you.”
“Leave us,” was all he said in reply.
“Ah, apprentice,” Baras said. “My Master Darth Vengean is distraught. With his covert attack exposed, the Treaty of Coruscant has been broken. And apparently Moff Masken did not survive Admiral Monk’s ambush. What happened?”
So Baras was going to play the fool. Arti’sat furrowed his brow glowered at the holographic image of his Master through his mask. His anger was boiling, and loose items around the ship’s lounge were beginning to levitate while the ship itself began to shake.
“You tell me, Baras,” he replied venomously, unable to keep the angerfuryhaterage out of his voice.
“Ah,” Baras responded. “You figured it out, did you? You know Monk was my minion and that I orchestrated the ambush and Darth Vengean’s blunder. Don’t let this new-found knowledge confuse you, my young apprentice.”
“At what point did you think you were going to clue me in on this, Baras?!” Arti’sat growled, removing his helmet as he said it. Baras had never seen his face before and, despite Baras’ own mask hiding his face, he could sense the surprise in his Master at learning he was a pure-blooded Sith.
“You were given all the information you needed to complete your mission, apprentice,” Baras said, his own annoyance beginning to turn into anger. “You would be wise to mind your tongue, young one.” The last words spoken were spat with such venom that Arti’sat couldn’t control his anger anymore.
Arti’sat looked down at the floor, growled, and then screamed at the top of his lungs. The ship began to shake again, as he threw his mask at the wall with all of his strength, and looked back up at the image of Baras, his pupils a deadly yellow but the rest of his eyes glowing blood red. “’All the information I need’?!” he yelled. “Bantha shit! That isn’t good enough, old man! If you want to take down your Master, you could at least tell me your kriffing plan before I go risking my life your blasted power play!”
“Mind your tone, appren – “ Baras was cut off when he suddenly couldn’t breathe. Arti’sat’s anger was nearly uncontrollable at this point, and the raw strength and potential that Baras had seen in him as an acolyte at the Sith Academy was now full blown power; power that was unmatched by even most Dark Council members. His right hand was extended outwards, with his fingers clenched in towards each other in a gripping motion. It was an incredible feat to force choke someone from across the galaxy, and it was a brazen move to do it to your own Master. But Arti’sat didn’t care at this point. He would deal with the consequences later, but right now he had a message to send.
“I will not be another pawn in your kriffing schemes, Baras,” he growled. “I am more powerful than you could ever dream, and my strength grows by the day. I refuse to sit back and wait for you to inevitably make me the next sacrificial sabacc piece. Treat me as an equal, or I will come to Dromund Kaas now and we will see who the true Master is between us!”
The invisible grip on Baras’ throat was released, and the Dark Lord took a moment to catch his breath. “I will see to a fitting punishment for this insubordination, apprentice,” he said, anger flowing in his voice. “But for now, I need you for a crucial mission on Hoth. When you arrive in the planet’s orbit, contact me and I will brief you on the details.
“Don’t step out of line again, apprentice. You won’t survive the next – “ Baras was again cut off, this time by Arti’sat ending the holo-call. He needed to meditate. Things were progressing faster than he had imagined they would, and he needed to prepare himself for what was to come.