Rapping at the Barge's Door (D4, LM The Dango)

[Dapper Dog]

“I have foreseen it, all of the threads converge here,” she says confidently.

[Sylvain Torsin]

He nodded and pondered the meaning of her words, "What do you know of Nomen Karr? Is he another thread in your web?"

[Dapper Dog]

“A hated enemy of Baras, they have history but it was never a concern for me to dig deeper. He is Jedi, nothing more be said,” she says honestly.

[Sylvain Torsin]

"There are few people who could distract Baras as much as he could... I spoke with him yesterday. I wonder if he could be used for our purposes..." Sylvain pondered the possibilities in his head.

He let out another slow breath as he closed his eyes and considered how to proceed, "So mother... if we were to succeed, what are your plans? I doubt my vision aligns with yours from what I gather through these conversations..."

[Dapper Dog]

“I won’t interfere with your plans, when Baras is ended I will be free to pursue my own studies and choose my own path,” she says honestly.

“I have no extant plans beyond that.”

[Sylvain Torsin]

He tilted his head, "I assume you will maintain some form of presence in the political sphere even if I run the day to day operations... Your power and strength will be required to prevent others from swooping in and collecting on our gains. Your promise to teach me in the ways of the force will remain I hope?" He asked.

[Dapper Dog]

"I will always be available to you, my son," she says.

[Sylvain Torsin]

"I cannot trust your words. I believe that your desire to see me succeed is great... but for what you have done to father I can never trust that your intent is what you say it is... For now, however, you can rely on my support." He replied.

[Dapper Dog]

“So much weakness we must strip away,” she hisses.

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain merely stared out over the city with a resolute look on his face.

After a moment he replied, "All in good time mother. We will strip away our weaknesses together. Your fanatic devotion to that which has only situational utility, and the more foolish parts of my 'sentimentality'."

[Dapper Dog]

“Your weakness will get you killed long before my devotion will. You put too much faith in others that will betray you. All that time and Korriban and you have learned nothing of the Sith,” she chides.

“They did you a disservice.”

[Sylvain Torsin]

"I have learned much, about the Sith's strengths and their weaknesses. And I hope to continue to learn more. If you will teach me." He replied, taking the tone of a dutiful son and apprentice.

[Dapper Dog]

“We shall see.”

“You are a filled cup, anything I have to share will spill to the floor to be unused so you can cling to your ideas of nobility. The world is cruel my son, right and wrong are merely constructs of weak minds too afraid to realize that they are insignificant and beneath notice and there is nothing look out for them but themselves.”

“I may have to break the cup to make room for new ideas,” she says calmly.

“But you are my Son, so I will do whatever is needed to see you rise above all others.”

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain looked over to his mother, "You misunderstand my view, mother. I am not a full cup. There is much to learn, the only 'right' thing is that which is efficacious. I am willing to do whatever needs to be done to get the job done. What you have learned and lived gives you tremendous power to accomplish your goals. I require that kind of power, and to know how to access it. But I will pursue any power that helps push my, and the Empire's objectives along. And in that way, your son will one day surpass all others."

[Dapper Dog]

“Learn to let go of these emotional connections to those that do not matter. Your affections will get you killed. Do not deny them, but you are the Master not your heart,” she says dismissively.

“The only relationship you should value is that to your Master. All the rest are fleeting and last only as long as they have purpose.”

[Sylvain Torsin]

"I am master of my heart mother. I am willing to do whatever it takes to make me stronger. I value any relationship that makes my goals and ambitions possible. A tie to Kristal serves my, and your purposes. You wish to see me and our house rise above all others? It would be wise to consider what strengths they bring to the table."

He paused, "Solidarity among the noble and military houses. A strong bloodline to build upon for the future. The ability to portray our enemy, Baras, as a traitor against the Empire and engender support from members of the council... It allows us to take the concept of 'loyalty' and appropriate it for our own purposes. Loyalty to the Empire, becomes synonymous to loyalty to us. She is not only useful as a skilled fighter and commander, but as a symbol of the kind of loyalty that we are looking for from the masses of our potential followers. They will still fear us, but we will control their thoughts and hearts and they will allow themselves to follow our narrative if we present it in the proper way. We will create layers upon layers of control over the more uncontrollable elements of the Empire, and shape behavior to our needs. There are many reasons why she is the best choice for a potential spouse for me in the future. Saying nothing of the passion and focus I derive from my interactions with her, she is the optimal ally at this juncture in our plans."

His gaze looked out over the city. There was an argument for every concern his mother may have. He may have excluded his thoughts on how he knew the type of woman Kristal was, and could trust her fully.... but he knew what his mother's response to that would be. To him this was both the rational and emotionally optimal path.

[Dapper Dog]

“The only requirement for a spouse is that they enhance the family, the Serasai are a fallen name. They bring nothing to our bloodline. Choose a pure blood like Shaisha, she comes from a distinguished blood and is not tainted like the Serasai family,” she says glancing to her son.

“Nobility and bloodlines has nothing to do with love, Empires are not built on love they are built on power and strength.”

[Sylvain Torsin]

He shook his head, "It is because they are a fallen name that they are more useful than someone like Shaisha. The Empire has stagnated mother... since father's death our losses have increased, our victories diminish, our Dark Council becomes more and more divided. To rely on the same inane dogma and affix ourselves to imaginary forms of power like 'bloodline' only makes us weaker as we expand our borders. It is obvious that with these changes, the Empire must change and adapt as well. What once worked is not always guaranteed to continue working. The old dies, and the new overcomes it."

He continued, "What matters is not who their parents were, but how much they dedicate their lives to the Empire... our Empire mother. There are those who would take the slaves of the Empire and turn them against us. The Dark Council has its own radicals who wish to destroy us from the inside. Clinging to the old ways will only empower them more and weaken us... It must be painfully clear to all that allegiance to the Empire is the only way to avoid destruction. By restoring the Serasai to their place among the highest in the Empire we show to the millions of slaves and lower class followers that the lies that Hoshi and others are telling them are false. We reach out to control not only the elite, but all sectors of society. You may see it as a deception if you so choose, because to many it is... We convince them of the possibility of a greater future for themselves, and then we provide a role that fits our purposes reinforced by the fear of knowing betrayal means death. By showing that not even one like Baras is beyond the reach of the Empire, and that misdeeds will be punished, and loyalty rewarded... we create a new Empire better suited for the future."

He paused briefly, "This rhetoric too will outlive its usefulness. As do all things... but in this moment, it is what will bring us closer to our eventual goal."

He turned to look at his mother, "Shaisha has seen a vision... and has visited a planet which was destroyed by the Emperor... He intends to destroy all life in the galaxy, including our own. I know you do not care for perhaps any of the life in this galaxy other than yourself... and maybe me... but his intentions are to kill you and I as well as everyone else. We must make the Empire ready. Not even the Emperor will be beyond our grasp. More than any man... more than any code... the Empire itself stands as the only symbol which can possibly achieve our ambitions. By creating and maintaining the systems of control that commit people to its causes... we can one day remove the Emperor on basis of his 'disloyalty'. We will have the strength to do so..."

[Dapper Dog]

“You place too much faith in the words of children, my son. The Emperor is absolute and his vision is for our domination of the galaxy… and if not it matters not to me what a doddering old man desires. I will not stand in the way of you and your sow with the Serasai name. I do not agree with your reasons but so be it,” she responds.

“You lesson my grandchildren with inferior blood. I pray you apologize to them when the time comes.”

[Sylvain Torsin]

He nods gratefully, "For allowing me the opportunity to show you the efficacy of my plans, I thank you. We will build a greater Empire together, mother. And your grandchildren will surpass all of your expectations... I would not be making this decision if Kristal was not strong; if she was not the optimal choice. You know me... my ability to think critically extends to myself as it does for others. I see your concerns, I see the potential pitfalls, and I promise they will not hold me back. I will be loyal to you as an apprentice should be loyal to their master. I will always do what must be done."

[Dapper Dog]

She refrains from comment and offers motherly silence instead.

[Sylvain Torsin]

"So... When? What needs to be done mother? Am I just to arrive at the moment of confrontation?" He asked.

[Dapper Dog]

“I am moving my pieces into position, I won’t know your role in it until all pieces are revealed. I prefer to stay flexible. I will bring you in but I have no set plan only an end goal. The plan builds in the moment. I do not scheme, I simply create the opportunity for success,” she says placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I find it keeps Baras off-balance if I reveal nothing till the last moment.”

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain chuckled, "We have very different styles of preparation."

He then smiled, "You always were the one to take Shai and I out for a bit of fun without a plan now and again."

[Dapper Dog]

“Yes I do remember,” she says looking forward at the skyline.

“Easier days, now long gone.”