---------- Months Before the Take-Over of Vjun ----------

The Dark Lord's flagship entered the Almas system. He switched on the comm, already having contacted the diplomatic center on the planet Almas.


Dispensing with pleasantries, he began an address.


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Address to regional representatives of Almas.


The Dark Lord's image shimmered into view on every holo-generator in the capital city.

"Representatives of Almas, I am sure by now you know me as the Dark Lord of the Sith, Lord Maim. Some of you may also remember me as the former Prince Regent of the Galactic Empire or know of me currently as the Procurator of Justice for the New Order.

I come before you today to offer you my thanks for the sacrifice you are all about to make with your lives. You will be cut off completely from the rest of the galaxy but your names and service will be forever remembered in a place of great honor and glory. You will be a base of operations from where we will launch our the beginning stages of our great campaign to rid the galaxy of the infestation of rebel and Jedi alike.

Each of you has given time and time again to our cause and now you give more than can be measured. When all is completed you shall be rewarded grandly and your families taken care of from here to eternity. Now, go and be well in the Force.."

With that he ended his transmission.

Turning to an officer of his intelligence agency, he nodded signifying to him that once the operation is complete, the inhabitants of Almas are to be eradicated.. utterly.

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Nelix sat quietly, his legs folded nearly as he tapped his greenish fingers on his formal robes, overlooking the planet Almas, the immense Sovereign-Class Star Destroyer of the Ancient Sith Empire looming over the surface of the planet. Trade Federation Central Military Command had received a message from Master Miam, Dark Lord of the Sith to meet with him on his ship, the Procurator, a true sign of the power of the Sith, the 17,000 Meter ship shadowing the planet.

"Let them know of our arrival, Ensign." Nelix said as he sat up from his seat on the cloaked Sith Infiltrator.

"Confirmed, Viceroy. We have permission to dock."

The Viceroy nodded his head, standing slowly as he smoothed the wrinkles out of his Formal robes. He had long since anticipated this meeting with the true Darklord of the Sith, since his first weeks of training with Darth Zeta, Sith Master.

The Procurator - Docking Bay

The Sith Infiltrator set down with a shallow thud as the hiss of it's airlocked doors slowly opened, a small entourage of Droideka Destroyer Droids giving way to Nelix, flanked on one side by a Protocal Droid, TK-421.

"Greetings, my Master..." Nelix said as he fell into a humble, and graceful bow before the Dark Lord of the Sith.

"I am at your Service..."

The Dark Lord had, indeed, moved to the docking bay upon completion of the address. A dark black cloak flowed around him as he moved.. a shroud of death. Flanking him on all sides were his loyal Royal Imperial Guards, a few of them actually addressed as Sovereign Protectors.

Coming to a halt before the landing ship, just as the docking ramp lowered into place, he stood tall and prominent without a hint of waiver in his expression. He glanced to the droids rolling onto his ships polished deck then returned his glance to his new Servant in the Dark Side of the Force.. Nelix.

"Rise, Lord Xilen."

Without so much more pleasantries, he turned and strode towards the conference room closest to the docking bay.

Following, silently without a word, Nelix lowered his head, standing a few feet behind the Dark Lord as a prominent show of respect. As his heels clicked on the hard metallic floor of the Docking Bay, the Darkside consumed him. He could feel the flow of power from the Dark Lord.... A power he hadn't even felt in his Master, Darth Zeta. A power that he not only admired.... but a power he soon hoped to achieve.

As the hiss of the airlock of the conference room closed behind the two, Nelix removed the hood of his dark green cloak, his head still lowered in respect.

"I have come at your will, my Master."

The Dark Lord of the Sith looked upon his new recruit. Lord Xilen would make a fine addition to his band of Sith Brothers. He took in the man's physical form, aswell as taking in his Force Sense.

"I have called you here to cast your lot officially with the Ancient Sith Empire.. and the New Order."

Waiting a moment, the Dark Lord continued.

"Pledge your loyalty now to me and the true power of the Dark Force and I shall make you more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

Nelix nodded his head as the Dark Lord spoke.

"I will do as you command, my Master. The Trade Federation has always been loyal to the New Order, and has, more than once, pledged it's loyalty, and support to the Order. As for the Ancient Sith Empire, The Trade Federation has, on numerous accounts supported the Sith Culture."

Nelix Stood, extending a hand toward the Dark Lord of the Sith, a slight grin on his face.

"The Trade Federation, The Confederacy of Independant Systems, Leviathan Corporate Industries, and all that I control are at your command."

The Dark Lord grinned, if slightly, looking upon his newest student are warrior.

"By your lifes blood, I take your pledge of loyalty. Shall it always remain this way, until the force claims us."

The Lady Athena stood there and watched her beloved husband take on another student of the Darkside. She said nothing as the ordeal went on.

Her brown hair shinned in the light and then as she turned and departed from the area she went back to her own quarters and awaited the final call for the takeover. Athena hated to be on ships and hated more to be in space.

She rather fight her fights on the ground and hand to hand not this ship to ground or ship to ship crap.

The souls of her boots clicked on the floor as she walked, and they echoed down the empty halls.

The Dark Lord's holo-display flickered to life. Standing before him, a shimmering blue image, was a familiar face. He feinted shock, then recovered.

"Ahhh.. you have news from the surface, I trust?" he stated in a calm, but not commanding, fashion. One of the few people he respected enough not to command.. another was his wife, but few more there. A few of the upper brassed Imperial Commanders, perhaps... but few..

Shaking his head, he regained his focus.

"Good news, I hope, I do so like good news...."

The conversation neared it's end and the Dark Lord spoke last.

"Yes, then.. take one of the landing shuttles back up to the ship. The occupation force shall remain here while I demonstrate my power to both these people, and the Galaxy at large."

The image shimmered and faded, and the Dark Lord turned to the comm officer once more.

"Contact Fearsons of the Jutraalian Empire."

"Begin sending... now."

"Ahhh Fearsons. I trust your negotiations with the Empire are going well? Now that you are an ally of the Empire, you have become an ally of mine. It is time to end these petty differences of ours and work towards galactic balance. In a show of good will, I will remove my operatives from your capital city. Also, I welcome a personal visit by you, for I have a gift I would like to give you."

Turning towards the viewport, the camera's angle widened.

"For now, however, I must show my power to the Galaxy. Until next we speak.. old friend."

Pretending he left the holocam on, the Dark Lord began to speak in ancient Sith. Calling forth raging floods of dark power. The space around Almas swirled with ripples of Dark Force, then suddenly.. with an explosive sound, wormholes opened in a ring around the planet. Sliding from them where star cores, flung from who-knows-where in the galaxy. Slamming in on themselves, space began to turn in towards the dense points of matter and soon.. soon there was a ring of black holes surrounding the planet of Almas. Seemingly no way in, or out. The light in the region twirled and spiraled into the gaping 'holes' in space. The Dark Lord had promised the people of Almas protection.. and now they were protected indeed.

He grinned at the magnificent display, though felt drained from the vast amount of power he had shuffled through his mortal body. Stumbling slightly, he seated himself in his command chair and allowed the Dark Force to begin restoring his energy supply.

The Dark Lord waved his hand. "Cut off the comm-unit, and let me know if any messages come in from Fearsons, Almas, or any of our other fleets."

With that, the commander left the room, and the Dark Lord began the road to recovering the energies he had just expelled in such a demonstration of the power of the Dark Side of the Force. Now more would understand the awesome power he could wield.. now more would fall under the will of the Empire, and to his own.. now the Galaxy was ripe for the picking..