Having Back in Sabacc [MA2]

[Zeno Deathwright]

"Sometimes none, sometimes whoever held the military sphere, and sometimes a lord that held significant power of their own. And generally the family is loyal to whoever holds claim to us. There was once when we turned on the Sith that claimed domain over us, but he was disloyal to the Empire. We were exhonerated for that elimination, and no Sith at our head has ever been disloyal to the Empire since. It's not worth the hassle for them I imagine," he explains.

"It changes frequently because the leadership of the Deathwrights shifts frequently. We are a meritocracy that favors skill and loyalty while tolerating no betrayal. Because of the meritocracy aspect of our family culture, leadership tends to change to a different family each generation, the finest of us taking on the Deathwright family name and ruling the house. This makes it difficult for any kind of long term control over the house by long lived Sith since favor within the house results in the most skilled taking on the mantle of leadership... often times without that individual having become beholden to whichever Sith Lord might have held sway over the previous leader. Sometimes with another Sith Lord sliding into that position by having had the foresight to identify the next leader."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"I see. Has your current master made efforts to be involved in the affairs of your family through you or because of you?"

[Zeno Deathwright]

"He has wielded the Deathwright family like a weapon, but has also gotten closer to them than most other Sith Lords in the past, marrying the current matriarch for political control and having children with her to create closer ties. This bothered the Deathwrights less than you might think, since rulership of the family isn't hereditary. Though with the likely next leader having been identified already, I imagine my father would wish to try and create a hereditary tradition by arranging a marriage with her for political reasons. Which I'm not opposed to if I'm being honest. But I also don't think he expected my rank to rival his own so soon, which means less to me than it does to him."

[Moyr Ahaya]

Moyr frowned.

"Wait, either I thoroughly misunderstand you or you've just told me you think about marrying Zash?"

[Zeno Deathwright]

"You misunderstood... thoroughly. Not Zash, Zash has nothing to do with the Deathwrights and I hadn't even though of her once in this conversation," he say shaking his head. "The next presumed leader of the Deathwrights, Narij Rena, is who I am speaking about. She was victorious at the last House Deathwright Combat Flight Tournament and has had many successes in recent military actions. Currently my mother is training and grooming her for a leadership role, but that's some years off. She still has some time before my mother passes and my father will protect her and her position to maintain his control while working on a means for maintaining control, of which he likely assumed I was before, but less so now that I'm a lord. It's all a political mess, and more of a headache now than it had been before my promotion."

"But simply taking her out or removing Narij Rena is not a good option. That would be like destroying your own fleet's flagship because you're afraid someone else might one day take it from you," he explains. "He'd likely prefer my death over hers. But at the same time... I am a Deathwright and he is not. He'd be inviting disaster for his control of the family by eliminating me. And then there is the fact that Narij Rena has a fiance which, honestly, I don't give a damn about anymore. I'd be willing to accept her keeping men on the side if marriage happened. I'm more interested in the political aspect. So much maneuvering."

He chucles at that. "And I'm probably the least capable political animal in the whole mess."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"I did ask you where's Zash in all this. I honestly think she's not disinterested in how her apprentice's domestic affairs will turn out." She paused. "It sounds like you could use an adviser. You should take an apprentice with some penchant for political maneuvering."

[Zeno Deathwright]

"I missed that. And she can be concerned about it all she wants. I've told her before that my loyalty is not to be toyed with. If she tried to wrest control from my father she'd find significant resistance from him, the family, and myself. It would be a poor move on her part, trying to dislodge two Sith Lords from the house, one of which was born into it. As far as I'm concerned, she'll never be more than an observer where House Deathwright is concerned. I won't ask for her help when dealing with the Deathwrights and I'll hold her influence at bay if she tries."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"I see. And the apprentice issue? Have you been on the lookout?"

[Zeno Deathwright]

"Not really, been a bit busy. It's something I'm interested in though. Unfortunately, as a newly minted Sith Lord with not much time among the power structure I lack the resources for properly refining an apprentice and providing what they need to be successful. I would need to find someone whom I could properly train, but I'm still in training myself," he says with a shrug. "And I'd need to select someone that has a compatible outlook with my own."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"A lot of obstacles and preconditions indeed. Looks like it will take some time for you to be ready to reap the fruits of your lordship." Moyr sipped lazily whatever drink was offered through a straw.

[Zeno Deathwright]

"Most lords have years of apprenticeship to build their power. I'm working it from the other direction. I'm sure it wil be useful one day... but I have yet to see that day. Sure, I have a nice room in the compound, but I'd trade that privilege for an information network or a consistent source of income. Even the Deathwrights are still mostly under the control of my father, and I'm not looking to oust him."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"Well, I see where you are coming from with this. Myself, I've been rather happy with my arrangements with Clan Vizsla of Mandalore. Though they require cultivation, the return is not insignificant."

[Zeno Deathwright]

"Yeah. But I am hoping to build something with the pirate queen at Seven Devils. Perhaps you'd be interested in getting involved? When I arrived in Hutt space, me and a couple other ships took out some pirates attacking a merchant vessel. Thaya Kess invited me and the others to a meeting. She offered to us to help her with a job recovering a traitor and a Hutt treasure ship. The offer came with the underlying threat that not doing this would result in pirates hunting us."

"The other ships were a neutral and Republic ship. I suspect they plan on just trying to get the information needed from the traitor and letting them go rather than returning her to the pirate queen. But that's not how one builds a relationship with a pirate queen. If you're interested... rather than a bounty hunting job, we could work on collecting this person and finding the location of the treasure ship. Up for getting involved?"

[Moyr Ahaya]

Moyr processed it carefully, then finally nodded. "Possibly. When is it going to happen, and how much time in hyperspace is involved?"

[Zeno Deathwright]

"The traitor is on Nar Shadaa somewhere. And honestly, the sooner we can get to her the better," he says with a shrug. "As for going to the Hutt treasure ship, since the location isn't known that's something that I couldn't tell you. But I will say that the reward she offered was 25000 credits. I'm more interested in developing a relationship, but you..." he says with a shrug. "Money might be a non issue if we can work it quickly and wedge out the others. I'd be interested in starting after the game tonight. I plan on attending that."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"Well, I am going to give Huttball a shot. It just might be my thing if I can play it my way." She paused. "I might help you catch that monkey lizard that got away."

[Zeno Deathwright]

"I think that would be a good opportunity to get reacquainted after the time we've been away from the academy. And it's certainly a lucrative opportunity as well," he says with a nod.

[Moyr Ahaya]

"There's always a catch, Zeno, and plenty of ways it can all go wrong. Still, claiming an asset early gives a headway in however it plays out later." She replied quietly.

[Zeno Deathwright]

"Of course there's always a catch. Doesn't make it any less of an opportunity. But sometimes the catch is just the danger involved. It is dealing with a pirate queen after all," he says with a shrug.

[Moyr Ahaya]

"Ok, we'll ask around after hypothetical midnight." She sighed. "I may start taking sleep-substituting stimulants."