Outer Rim, Esstran, Ziost System, Ziost
The new fortress of the Sith had risen in less than a generation, outstripping all its previous grand structures due to the wonders of contemporary technology. Forgoing the usual pyramid structures of tradition, the sprawling complex was instead made up of a series of spires, with connecting walls and bridges. If you focused, the air around it shimmered with the tell-tale sign of shielding.
The view from any of the spires, even on the lowest of floors that were granted views of the outside world, provided impressive sights of the frozen, corrupted world. From Dureth's personal chambers, situated near the top of his own spire, the view stretched so far that the curvature of planet began to take shape. This was the view the male Sith himself looked over, the slow hiss of his cybernetic breathing apparatus, more a helmet than a necessary device in the controlled climate of the spires under-toning his existence as he waited, patiently, for his guest to arrive. Pressing a button on the device bound around his wrist, the window became a projector, showing a complicated diagram of names and lines, connected events and possibilities. He was just beginning to study it in proper when the door to this particular sanctum of his slide open, metallic footsteps shortly behind.
He turned to face her, never on to trust his back to another, particularly her. Dheva was one of the most powerful of the surviving Sith, In contrast to the arrogance usually associated with their kind, Dureth would willingly admit that he could not predict the end result of a confrontation between himself and the female sith. Her fighting style was more fluid than his own brute force and the extent of her power was something shrouded in mystery, as was his own. Had it been another time, he would already have plotted her death in a thousand different ways, but now, she was a necessary ally. While she would have certainly been a rival, Dureth couldn't help but admit the attraction all but the most unusual Sith would feel for her, built strong but still feminine, her armour cut short to reveal her midriff, it would be hard to find a more ideal example of the Sith form. She knew her power though, and that made her even more dangerous.
"To what do I owe this most illustrious invitation?" Her voice was nearly a purr as she approached him, placing herself in a padded chair, arms on the rests and legs crossed, as she spoke, her eyes searching past Dureth to the window-screen behind him, before he even had a chance to reply. A slight grin spreading across his features beneath the mask, even if the anger involved with the reason for their meeting began to build.
"Hmm, what would you first guess be?" He folded his arms over his chest, eyes burning down at her, locking with her own rather than lingering on her form. She may have been beautiful, but he was hardly far from what female Sith would look for in their own mates. Powerfully built and powerfully stationed, her own appreciation showed itself in the shark-like grin touched the corners of her mouth.
"Well, that's clearly your 'breeding' chart, impressive construction, but alas, I have already been 'assigned' to another," Her grin grew slightly as she teased him. After the Sith had established their current positions of power, Dureth had run an algorithm to calculate how best to grow and strengthen the tiny numbers of his people, the chart had been created. He'd modified it slightly, privately, the computer suggesting that Dheva and he be mated, but he did not trust someone so near to his own power to have the bargaining chip of his children, instead, she had been placed with the young, if dynamic Khagez. She seemed fairly content with the choice.
"It is indeed, its application has already been fairly successful." She would know what he spoke of, already two of the female Sith were pregnant, the younger, Avupae, with the rare challenge of triplets, and his own 'mate, Ichotae, with a single child. The thought of that, however, turned his previous good humour stone dead, the rage taking over, as he prepared to reveal the reason for their meeting.
"For someone who designed this...chart, to best avoid the inconvenience of our numbers, you seem rather unhappy, not prepared for parenthood are we?" Dheva, however, was still as lighthearted as before, the deep sensual nature of her voice before aggravating and calling to him. He could not deny the attraction, but she was also taunting him, something he railed against.
"Do not mock me. It is not my child. Utadez has slept where he is not permitted, apparently not just to shame me, but to jeopardize our entire species, and not just with Ichotae." Admittedly, the rage that burned within him was due to scorn, but equally the planning put into such matters was to strengthen his people, to avoid blood mixing too closely, to build a strong pureblooded sith, that to called forth his anger.
"A tasty morsel that one. Not so strongly built, but handsome. It is no surprise to me, perhaps I to have ignore your precious diagram?" She stood as she continued to talk to him, her hand brushing across his chest as she approached the holographic chart, before standing closer to it, their contact slowly breaking. Dureth wouldn't have been shocked if what she said was true, but it was no threat, Dheva had no real interest, not yet, in bearing children for their cause. Her dalliances were thus only a personal matter. When it strayed into future generations, that was a different issue.
"I care little for how desirable the man is, he has ignored the terms set out, if he has more offspring with other females..."
"Terms which denied him any chance to father offspring, if I remember correctly, I understand his motivations, if nothing more."
"That is not the same as supporting him.
Dheva let out a deep sigh before she spoke again, waving her hand across the holographic screen, causing it to disappear and once more be replaced by the view of the outside world, before she turned to face Dureth, practically as close as they could be without actively touching, there was a minute's pause before she actually replied; "No, he oversteps himself, that and it's rather distressing, to see one of you trying to spread his seed across multiple females as if we were some kind of cattle. I will confront him, violently if need be."
"Good, admittedly he offends me on a personal level, but this has ramifications for us all." The tension building behind his eyes faded somewhat, thankful that the individual who could be consider his greatest rival had agreed to support him. Confronted by the pair of them, the troublesome male would be no issue. He could not stand against Dureth alone, but to have support from another validated Dureth's reasoning. Not enough to kill another Sith, not in these days, but at least to humble him. He was, however, surprised to find her hand once more brushing across his face, this time moving up to remove the rebreather placed on his face.
"But first, there is something you must do for me."
"As much as your companionship is a pleasure of mine, being fetched by slaves is a tad insulting." As much as Dureth's motivations for putting Utadez in his place were based on petty jealousy, Dheva couldn't help but agree that the young male sith needed to be knocked down a peg or two. The arrogance of his complaint railed against her. She was a Lord of the Sith, the greatest that remained, she would call for him as she liked. She had acted quicker than she had originally intended to, returning to her own quarters to bathe and change, she now wore a simple red robe, bound loosely as she reclined on one of the many sofas in the atrium to her own personal chambers, better to add to the pretence that she had invited him to feed her lustful appetites, let his hope and passion turn to ash, to better put him down. He was more smartly dressed, telling of a more formal visit to another spire. She smiled, and beckoned to him, his own features softening as he approached her.
"But then, who could remain angry at you." The gall was incredible, as if her had the right to feel offence at her actions, as he sat down near her, she finally allowed her true feelings to spread across her face, a look on confusion marring his as she stood, taking a few steps away from him, the soft, thin layer of her robe brushing across her form beneath by the artificial breeze, his hand reached for her's as she walked away, she grasped it. In the next second he tried to pull away, but her own strength was too great, and followed by her turning the building rage within her into a current of force lightning, leaping from her to him. In a matter of moments he was convulsing on the floor. She would have to be careful not to do much permanent damage.
"You've been a rebellious child, and we cannot tolerate rebellion."