The Dark Lord, shrouded in death black, took a step into the light from the secret passage that led to Athena's room.

"That won't be nessisary." he said in a cold tone.

Moving silently, he took a seat near Zeta. Flowing robes seemed to move on their own accord around him. His black eyes cold and almost lifeless. His gaze fell upon the Sith Lord and he positioned himself rightly.

"Speak, if you will. I am listening."

Zeta nodded briefly, speaking now that he had the floor.

"Malice and I came here on a chance. I, along with Malice, believed, and still do, that it was important to listen to your say and see what you had to offer. However..."

He paused, looking Maim over for a moment before he continued on.

"...We are nothing alike I have come to find. You are far wiser beyond your years than I could ever be as a Sith. I want to be your equal, but I do not feel as if you ever have a chance in seeing me in such a way."

Maim stated plainly and coldly.

"You are not my equal..."

He paused.

"Yet. However, someday you could be. With time and effort. You are, however, equal in a sense. You are Sith, just as I. No, you are not of the sacred race, as I am, but you follow the teachings religiously. For that, you have my respect."

He nodded briefly, as a show of that respect, before continuing.

"The question now is not weather or not you want to form a council. That time has passed. It was a foolish idea to begin with. The question now is will you follow the rightful ruler of the Sith? Will you follow a Dark Lord into battle who will lead you to victory over your enemies and show you powers beyond your wildest dreams? Will you hail me as King of the Sith and God of our religion?"

The Sith Lord went silent, his face set hard as he gave the Dark Lord's words much careful thought.

"I can't and will not speak for the Naboo Sith Order. That order is a part of me, and I must consider what they all believe. However, I have my own thoughts and beliefs. So I will tell them to you. You are of a greater presence, one, I suppose, that does not go with the Sith of now. We believe different, and we have that right, as do you. I will see you as I have always seen you, as I have known you to always be. So this is but all you need to know...."

He looked Maim in the eye.

"I will hail you in a different manner, a manner that is not spoken of, and can't be spoken of. A manner different from the rest of the Sith. You have your place, and I have mine. The two do not mix, and that is the way of things."

You have my respect...

Maim listened and waited a moment before responding.

"Respect and allegiance are two seperate issues. Weather or not your people choose to admit it, I am the God of the Sith for the time being. The Dark Lord is the center of our religion and I have studied and toiled for over a century to achieve that honor. I will no longer pretend that I do not see the actions of other Sith.

I will also no longer pretend to allow the insolence of those that are my lesser. Some of those in your order will learn, if they continue upon their paths, that the Jedi are not their true enemies. Their enemies lay within themselves. They disrespect the wrong people and shall one day pay for that insolence.

This does not only go for your people but for the galaxy as a whole. I respect those such as yourself who have respect for others. I respect your position in this galaxy. However, the galaxy is changing. Will you change to match it? Or will you be left behind to become a stale remnant of what once was?

I hope for your sake you choose to change with the galaxy and not get left behind in the powerful backlash that will arise from the events to unfold before your very eyes. Death will rise a wake and swallow the disloyal and the non-believers alike.

The tidal wave of power which I have unleashed will not be easily quelled. It will wash upon the shore of every Sith and Jedi's home. It will reach from beyond the outer rim to the center of the galaxy itself. No where will there be a soul who is not effected by it.

How you choose to use this is entirely up to you. However, I will tell you now. Eventually a line will be drawn between the Sith which serve me and those who do not. Which side will you be on?"

Zeta nodded, if only to acknowledge his words.

"I have the open mind to see what it is you tell me, but I must find my own path, as you yourself seem to already have found. Change comes, and is not easily often accepted. Time will guide me on my path, perhaps it will guide me towards yours, making our paths cross and connect, perhaps not. I will not pass judgement upon you as so many others have. There is no longer a need for such things. For now, I am content with the way things are."

Malice continued his search for Zeta. Through the force he could not sense his fellow lord. And so, he went searching with his eyes. Should one of these guards try and stop him, they will regret it. And the demon lord cared not for what Maim would do. His time would come someday.

He appears alone, and without having moved. Infact, he seems a statue, like so many other men in crimson throughout the castle. Though, as Malice rounds a corner, this one stands clearly in his path some ten feet ahead. His posture is like that of any other Royal Guardsmen, infact... everything about him is.

Even his voice is the same. Tinny and spoken in echo...
"Are you lost, Malice, or simply looking for trouble."
"The exits can be found upstairs, as can your way off planet. As I read it, you have exactly 2.63 minuits to find yourself a way off planet or else find exception to leave."

The voice ceases as ten identical forms round the corner behind the one who had spoken. Aswell, in the distance, the sound of heavy metal footsteps can be heard...but not felt. For around those steps comes an area null in the force, and it will round the corner shortly.

Malice stopped in his tracks. The white robes billowing around him as he stared at the crimson figure. Aaain his words meant nothing to the demon sith. They were but little breezes of wind that passed by his ears. Though, when more of him had arrived, Malice's humorus attitude faded. Even more so, when he flt a blank space not to far from here coming this way.

This space was void of any force energy, which to the sith meant only one thing. As such, he would not have long to act.

*I know good and well where the exits are. But i shall not leave without my comrade. We have arrived together, and we shall leave together*

With that Malice went silent. The darkside quickly gathering around his form. His hand falling to his side, hovering over his saber. Should these guards want a fight.......Malice would entertain them.

But the guards would not and did not speak. In fact, they did nothing further then stand blocking the way, preventing Malice from proceeding. No motion nor sound did they betray, rather they stood silent as a wall barring the path.
And they would not respond, not until the aformentioned time had passed.
As they stood in quiet obstruction even as the source of the loud footsteps rounded the corner. Their source, some sort of towering droid that hardly fit within the confines of the hall and left little room to pass on either side. And though it gave no indication of how it blocked the force, it did.
The bubble of null-force, while not extending too far, did more then envelop Malice and the front row of Royal Guard, perhaps more...

Then one spoke, "Twenty three seconds of free choice remain..."