Ask Perspectives

[Altair Din]

Altair knew there would be dissent among the Sith, but he wanted to understand the psychology of soldiers that actively didn’t like the thought of Imperials at the helm. Historically, Sith drove the entire war machine on their whims and subjected trillions of people to their emotional swings. He knew the only way to prevent the extinction of the Empire was to sever ties with those that followed Sith teachings. This left him in a strange place since he himself was a Force user. However, he had aligned himself to being an Imperial for years now.

It was this genuine curiosity about the Sith supporting psychology that meant that the Warmaster himself would be meeting with a captured Lieutenant. The man was a deserter and he faced execution, but Altair wanted to get a read on him first.

The Warmaster strode through the halls of the high security prison on Raxus where the deserter was in his cell. Altair was adorned in his decorated uniform, his rank clearly displayed. The custom made attire had his personal flair in addition to being fitted around his broad, muscular frame. The tiefling’s appearance was cut and crisp, his amethyst gaze gleaming as he approached the cell.

At once, he spotted the state of attire the soldier was still in. Altair turned to one of his men, “This is unacceptable,” He said curtly, “Bring him clothing. Now.”

The soldier scrambled away quickly to get some clothing for the prisoner. The tiefling stood on the other side of the shield wall, his hands clasped behind his back. He cut an imposing figure, the four horns pronounced and his tail curling and swaying of its own accord.

“Lieutenant Dram,” He said smoothly, “I believe you were at my coronation.”

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Being shipped across the entire galaxy in your swimwear gave a man time to think.

Since his capture on Rattatak, Max had spent whole days staring at a blank bulkhead, with nothing but his restraints and a motheaten blanket for company. He had woken to find the men who had taken him were ISB and, by their nature, they had covered all bases. There had been no realistic prospect of escape and even if he had somehow slipped his confinement, he was on a ship bound for hostile territory. Within minutes of coming to, he had reluctantly accepted it was over.

He was a soldier, not some outlaw, and still had his pride. Weirdly, he also still had respect for the Imperial machine that had bested him. He was beaten and the honourable thing to do was face the consequences. It was easy to say, but grim to do. The ISB agents had dropped him at Raxus but kept the blanket, thrusting him in a cell in nothing but his trunks to wait to die by exposure or blaster bolt. There was unlikely to be a trial, or any opportunity to lodge his reasons.

Max thought briefly of Celeste, of all the Sith who men like him had backed. Would they know the loyalty he had shown them, would they mark it? Would they at least retake their place at the head of the Empire, or had he really given up everything for the losing side? It was impossible to know.

When the four-horned form of Altair Din swept into view outside his cell, Max's brooding actually stopped. Dead. For many years he had looked up to the Lieutenant General, idolised his ethos and success. But he had never thought he would see him again, much less here, at the end.

The Tiefling was no longer the Lieutenant General, but the Warmaster of an Empire of his own making. Max had to admit he looked the part, all muscle and might wrapped in a uniform fit for a god. Not since the Chiss waiter on Nar Shaddaa had Max felt the occasional pull of another man. But he felt it now, just slightly. Din was a powerful fracker in the flesh, despite all the chaos he had caused.

Part of Max couldn't decide how to react. Weeks ago he would saluted, even knelt before Altair Din. But now the Tiefling and his Empire meant to kill Max Dram and anyone like him. Anyone who stood by what the Empire had always been.

The Lieutenant - not that he had the rank anymore - just rose to his feet, if anything showing the Warmaster he was unafraid. The lackey passed a set of orange overalls through the hatch and Max put them on nonchalantly, leaving the central zipper open from neck to naval. He was on death row. What did it matter if he was properly dressed.

"You know I was there" Max replied, "little did we know then you were after a much bigger crown". He could not imagine why Altair was here, but he saw no reason to tread carefully with him anyway. He was already dead.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

While Dram got dressed, Altair was handed a datapad. He only had vague awareness of the man - he was only a Lt. after all. However, Altair did recall his name being flagged when Val ran through a list of Sith sympathizers. There was a moment of silence as the tiefling’s gaze rapidly scanned over the lines of details and profile. He handed the datapad back and gazed up at Dram after the other soldiers had left the vicinity.

Altair didn’t expect a salute, but the nonchalant attitude was entertaining at most. The tiefling’s tail swished lazily from side to side, considering what to make of the man. There was no trial for him - he was likely set to be executed within the next few days. Val was efficient and would effectively erase him in every way possible.

The tiefling exhaled softly, “I can sympathize, Dram,” He said as he crossed his arms over his chest, his posture relaxing a little as he leaned against a wall, “Stythani kept my cock warm on many missions too,” He stated flatly, his expression betraying nothing. There was no hint that he found the Sith remotely impressive, “But is that worth turning your back on your brothers to go babysit her personal kingdom and jump through hoops to earn your place?” Altair highly doubted his men were driven by anything outside of faith within Dram himself.

“It was not the crown I chased,” Altair as he began to pace slowly, “It was the preservation of the Empire. This war machine has been driven by the Sith, who only value their own ambitions above the lives of others. Every step they take only puts them first, and everyone else second, under their boot," He turned to look at Max again, starting to walk towards him, “I chose this because when the blood of Imperials spill, I want it to spill for the families they protect within our borders. I want it to spill for their loved ones, for a cause they believe in,” He was right by the transparent shield now, his purple gaze gleaming as he looked at the other man, “What cause do your men fight for? The men who abandoned their families and loved ones to follow you into desertion. The ones that entrusted you with their lives. How are you repaying them, Dram?”

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Din's one line demolition of Celeste was a hammer blow for Max, though he tried not to look phased. She and Din had been a thing? It dawned on the Adumarian that he had never even asked Celeste about her past relationships, he had never felt he had the right. But did that make him stupid, lesser than the Tiefling opposite who seemed to know her inside out?

He did not immediately cave to Din's insinuation. Yes, he had lent his strength to Celeste's and offered to help secure her gains. But she was the Sith, with power over air itself, and he the soldier with only material skills. It was the partnership he had always understood formed the bedrock of the Empire.

Max tried to block out Din's explanation, to ignore whatever rationale he applied. But he heard the words all the same because he knew the Warmaster believed them and Din had far more campaigns to his name than any mere Lieutenant.

"I did nothing for one person alone" he said finally. "Orders are orders. Sometimes the Sith themselves give bad ones yes, I've seen that same as you". Celeste had generally sought his view on matters, but it was true the invasion of Corellia and other decisions taken higher up had not made much sense to Max.

"But they have the Force, Din". It nearly killed him not to address the Tiefling with a rank but he had to do it. Anything less was to surrender right now. "Like you, the best of them can literally move heaven and earth. If not them, the Jedi. Do you really think men have a chance against that kind of power?".

He looked at the Warmaster hard now, hazel eyes searching for the honest answer. This was the crux of it for Max, the sinking feeling that an Empire that stood against both Jedi and Sith was hopelessly outgunned by powers it did not itself possess. He did not see how Din could hope to trumph, now matter how formidable he himself might be.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was disappointed by the answer, but he expected it. The soldier was delusional if he thought he was acting on anything but a single Sith’s own orders. Altair had run multiple missions supporting Sith, but it was almost always to further their personal agenda. That was before he knew better.

The tiefling’s entire journey had been to remove fear of the Sith. To give power back to the Imperials. They knew he was a Force user, but they also knew he began to move away from the purely destructive path. Clearly Dram had been cut off from all forms of media coming in from Imperial space. Altair wasn’t surprised - Celeste had to block out anything that could start to make Max realize he didn’t have to serve under her or that she had no power left.

Altair said nothing, simply bringing up a datapad. He played a Holo that very clearly showed himself overseeing the Dark Lord and her followers angrily walking out and surrendering their sabers to him. He didn’t worry about their strength because he knew how to outsmart them. He had Val and an entire group dedicated to being one step ahead of them. They could have the power to move mountains at their fingertips, but they were simply not clever enough to topple Altair and what he built. And that included Celeste, who was fuming in the video as she walked out and ditched her saber.

After the feed was done playing, Altair switched it off and calmly looked at Max, “I will take my chances,” He said confidently as he answered his question, “But this Empire has no room for cowards,” Altair said as he gave a salute - a reminder that he didn’t forget what he was even if the deserter did. He spun on his heel and began to walk away. Max would be given a choice of a final meal, but ultimately executed.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

At first, he thought Din had no answer to his challenge. Then the Tiefling played the holo and Max watched transfixed in spite of himself.

He saw the Sith marching onto their transports, not strong and proud but cowed and disarmed. He would not have believed it were it not for several faces he recognised from briefings and reports, not least Celeste herself. So Din had already outsmarted them.

Max already knew from personal experience that the Warmaster's power play had been a surprise in itself, let alone the aftermath. Now he was seeing visual evidence that the Sith, the great power he had held on a pedestal all his life, were not smart enough or strong enough to fight back.

It was a fracking difficult pill to swallow, but Max Dram could take his medicine when it counted. He could die honourably for a cause, but not one that had been shown to be grossly exaggerated. The Sith had power, but Din had demonstrated it was a power than could be overcome. More than that, he had revealed that Max and Celeste's partnership was far from unique. At best, Max had been misinformed, at worst he had been manipulated. Either way, there seemed little sense in losing his life.

"Wait..." he called, through gritted teeth, stepping within a breath of the force shield, eyes fixed on the back of Din's head. "I may have been....misled" he ventured, a vein in his neck throbbing with anger at himself and his situation. He looked Din up and down, hoping he could reach the Warmaster. "There was a time I trusted what I saw, what I knew, rather than what I feared" he continued, speaking honestly "I know the men of this Empire better than most. I am still one them, I will always be".

He didn't hold out particular hope for a reprieve. But things had shifted. If he went to his death, he would do so now as a good soldier. Nothing more, nothing less.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair paused on his way out when Dram spoke. His tail swished a bit, but his back remained turned. It was impossible to tell what the tiefling was thinking. He had little reason to expect Dram to do anything but be a weasel. There was little honor in the man if he was swayed so easily by seduction. There was nothing to imply that the next pretty face couldn’t get him to switch sides and endanger others. At the same time, they needed all the men they could get, especially those that were versed in working with Sith in the past.

Altair could understand being driven by fear - many Imperials were. Countless imperials committed massacres and atrocities on the orders of a Sith, and Max was hardly unique or particularly flawed there. The tiefling thought for a long moment before he finally spoke.

“You will give every detail on every mission you’ve done with a Sith and all the intelligence you possess. ISB will validate it, so if you are lying, you will be executed,” Altair said, still facing the other way, “You will be demoted and no longer command men until you prove yourself trustworthy. Your platoon will be dispersed across existing squads and report to other officers.”

Altair paused for a moment, his head finally tilting slightly to look over his shoulder, “And you will address me as sir. Call me Din again and I will remove your head myself.”

Without another word, the tiefling kept walking and disappeared from sight. It was Max’s choice on what he did with those terms.
@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

The Warmaster stopped, but he did not turn.

Max's head fell as Din read out the terms of his reprieve. He felt gratitude at being spared execution, but a wrench of loss as everything that made him Max Dram was stripped away. His rank, his men, his good name in the Empire. The Warmaster was sending him back to square one, undoing years of service and hard graft. But Max knew, on some level, that he had brought this on himself.

"Yes Sir" he said quietly, after a long moment of reflection. But Altair Din was already gone.