Dark Greetings all,
Yesterday I did my final interview and decided to appoint the new Deputy Grand Master. I also wrote a fiction to commemorate the event. It follows. TLDR: skip to the bottom of the email for the fiction free announcement.
A New Apprentice
Montte stood on top of a rocky hillside and looked over the green valley below him. A far cry from the low oxygen hilltop on Eos where he had done this before, but traditions develop. He turned slowly, thumbs hooked into his tactical belt, nearby his kad and lightsaber respectively. He'd requisitioned a shuttle from the Avenger and flown down to this unnamed backwater while the Fleet was paused in its trek toward the Unknown Regions. He saw other Imperial shuttles in the distance on their own forays for supplies and surveying during the momentary pause in the journey Rapier had ordered.
Then his head shifted slightly and the antennae attached to his beskar’gam swiveld a bit at the helmet and he nodded slowly and removed his helmet and tucked it under one arm. A few more moments of waiting and a rabed figure came up the hillside toward his position, obviously using the Force to assist the ascent with graceful superhuman leaps and flips as he did.
Montte gave the barest grin. “Show off.” Then quickly made his face stoic again.
The cloaked man finally reached the hilltop plateau a few moments later and threw back his hood accompanied by an abbreviated military salute.
“You wanted to see me sir?” Sith Warlord Tygra Shadowclaw asked with a friendly demeanor.
Montte’s frown was as slight as his previous grin and he simply stared mutely back in increasingly uncomfortable silence.
After a few moments Tygra flushed a bit and Montte felt a surge of shame and ...yes, there it was...anger from Tygra.
Tygra dropped to one knee and bowed his head before saying formally. “You summoned me my Lord?” The mix of shame and anger is still simmering a bit but receding.
Montte couldn’t have that of course, not for what he was planning here. This wasn’t his usual style, but necessary here. So, he waited, silently. As the seconds passed in tension that grew more excruciating as they went on he felt the dawn of sincere confusion and the anger from Tygra began to take a sharper, more heated demeanor. Finally Tygra raised his head to look at the Grandmaster, and began to rise.
“I don’t recall giving you permission to rise Warlord!” Tom spat with malice, though his face remained impassive.
Tygra sank back down uneasily, uncertainty, confusion, and much more heated anger rolling off him now.
‘Good’ Montte thought quietly, ‘He primes quickly, useful and promising.’
Then Montte began to slowly circle Tygra, examining him in a kneeling position, pausing ever so slightly a bit longer on each orbit when he reached a position directly behind him.
Then the Grandmaster began to speak in a voice of deliberate mocking praise “I hear great things about you Warlord. You’re dedicated, an...efficient leader...Beloved.” Montte snickered nastily after that last word, and was rewarded with pure rage from Tygra.
‘Almost ready.’ Montte thought to himself.
“I even hear that you are studying...light side...perversions to seek knowledge and power.” Montte accused, then spat in the dirt in front of Tygra before resuming his orbit. “Fool.”
Tygra was ready to explode, almost vibrating at this point with rage and anger. The Dark Side literally infusing him cell by cell, burning off any peace or equilibrium.
Montte came to a stop directly behind Tygra with a definitive thud of beskar plated boots, and saw Tygra almost imperceptibly shift his weight. Montte then smiled a genuine smile and thought ‘Now..Now he is ready.’
Montte shifted his footing and assumed a Juyo Form while igniting his lightsaber with a snap hiss. “I cannot allow such a thing..”
Time seemed to compress and slow down at the same time. Montte lunged forward with superhuman grace and speed, directing a strike at Tygra’s back. The warlord reacted only a fraction of a second later and had his red blade ignited and behind his head b;ocking the strike from the Grandmaster’s golden blade before he rolled forward several yards, twisting as he did to end up standing facing Montte with a snarl on his face.
Tygra’s stance was Ataru and Montte could feel the Dark Side surge as Tygra lunged forward with superhuman power and grace using a sweeping strike that intended to strike Montte down and leave Tygra behind him for a follow up if the attack was blocked or deflected. ‘Excellent form and strategy.’ Montte thought momentarily before closing the fist of his free hand while drawing on the Dark Side. Tygra was caught by the ankle and yanked unceremoniously to the dirt by the Force. Where he rapidly kipupped and stood again breathing heavily and even more full of rage, but now circling warily, and surveying the battlefield. Montte unclenched his fistand subtly waved itagain drawing on the Dark Side and Tygra was engulfed in a miniature dust storm, causing him to cough violently for a moment before he stepped forward closer, blade at the ready. Rage surging...but...yes, there it was Montte sensed. Control. Tygra had taken control of his rage now. Time for a final test.
Montte drew his kad, the beskar blade gleaming in the light except where the dark Sith runes seemed to suck up all light. His stance shifted to Jar’Kai as he did and then Montte became a whirlwind of motion, each blade lashing out high and low in an irregular staccato rhythm. Tygra blocked and backpedaled rapidly under the ferocious assault of the golden and silver blades all around him, weaving his red saber in a basket of defensive patterns and consciously channeling his rage to the Dark Side toward defense. Montte continued this assault for a full thirty microns before deliberately leaving an opening in his assault. Tygra sprang upon the opening, thrusting his blade forward in an aggressive attack that seemed to surprise even him as it was an instinctual action the Dark Side directed more than he did. Montte barely evaded the thrusting blade by sidestepping, but then broke into a ferocious and wolfish grin while waving his hand and ripping Tygra’s lightsaber from his and sending it clattering across the rocks. Tygra stood stock still, the Grandmaster’s golden blade at his throat and glanced nervously at his fallen saber.
“Good Apprentice, very good!” Montte said deactivating his lightsaber and returning the blades to his belt while still smiling.
“My Lord… Tygra stammered his anger giving way to sincere confusion and a surreal feeling in the absurd circumstances “I’m not your…”
“Sith Warlord Tygra Shadowclaw,” Montte intoned formally, “You are hereby elevated to the position of Deputy Grand Master with all rights and duties attendant to that position. We’ll begin to address your lack of lightsaber practice in the morning and I’ll assign you some reading on both strategy and politics when you aren’t performing your other duties. You did well today.”
Montte unceremoniously turned away and began walking down the hill toward his shuttle for the return trip to the Avenger.
Tygra was a bit dumbfounded, angry a bit still, but grateful and more than a bit confused. “Thank you my Lord!” he shouted after Montte.
Montte waved it away as he walked, then paused and turned. “And for Sith’s sake don't just leave your lightsaber laying on the ground like that! That lightsaber IS your life! Get it out of the dust!”
Tygra was even more dumbfounded and struck motionless for a second then he opened his hand, his blade flew into it and then to his belt, while he stared at Montte’s diminishing back. When he was certain the Grandmaster was out of even Sith earshot Tygra muttered, “I think I hate him a little.”
Tygra literally jumped when he heard the Grandmaster’s voice inside his head, “Good Apprentice that is the perfect way to start.”
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Yes folks Tygra Shadowclaw, effective immediately will be assuming the role of Deputy Grand Master. I think very highly of Tygra and think he will do very well in the position. That high opinion comes with high expectations which I'm sure he will fill or exceed. So please everyone, join me in welcoming our new Deputy Grand Master and congratulating him on the position. Be sure to stop by the Sith Cantina on the Avenger and buy several drinks on his tab in celebration. I always like to have an Apprentice in debt and a bit desperate . It motivates them. 😈
GM Tomaas Montte/DC-1/
(GLS) (SLx2) (DSx3) (EDx2) (RSx3) (SB) (GCx41) (SoI) (SoI) (SE) (DC-CS) (SNAu) (KS) (Cr-Dx8-Rx24-Ax45-Sx30-Ex211-Tx192-Qx51) (CF-Y) (LSB)
TO/FA Tomaas Montte/CS-5/SSD Avenger
GS/SS/BSx6/PCx3/ISMx7/MoC-2boc/IS-1SW-2BR/LoC-RS-CSx4-Rx1/LoS-Rx1/CoB/OV-19E [Decurion][Officer 3rd] [Beginner] {TCCORE-SM/2-XTM/1/2}
{IU:C/TC, C/DB, C/DIR, S, SM2, INST, HTML/1, CBX, GFX, AIM, M1, M2, ICQ, HIST, INTEL, MAN1, MAN2, WKS, HAD, GHA, THR, OSS, CRD, INO, EJE, TD, SPW, ESET, ISET, AWAK, BWAK, XWAK, YWAK, AT1, XWAC, LST, RT, STM, SC, GMR, 1, 2}
Darth Beskad
