Meeting of the Circle (all 'knights' and 'masters')

[Lilaena De'Ville]

It wasn't a dark and stormy night, although such would have been typical of a meeting of the Black Hand. It was late afternoon on a day that held no further responsibilities for the king's advisors. Time for business of the Circle.

De'Ville and Mortis had been in some discussions as of late, and had decided that a meeting of the Darksiders was in order. Apprentices were invited only with their masters, and they would be expected to restrain their tongues as children would in a group of adults. To speak when spoken to, or through their masters.

So far, Lilaena was the only one here. Out of respect to Raizelle Shadana, the meeting was held in an inner chamber, it's one window draped with heavy fabric to keep the setting sun out.

[Silus Xilarian]

"And here I was thinking I was late."

Silus' voice came from behind Lilaena, brash as usual.

"Havent had one of these since the hand. Im curious to see if our little group is equally as fickle."

Silus gave her a light kiss on the neck as he passed by, taking a bit of liberty in the moment of privacy. They hadnt had many such moments in quite awhile, so he took what he could. A large circular table of stone took a majority of the room. Passing up one of the chairs, Silus took a seat on the table itself, never being one for ceremony.

[Naj Arilov]

Footsteps, augmented by the tapping of metal against stone resonated down the hallway. Naj already had the hood of his robes drawn back, as the lighting was poor. He knew of the room he was going toward, and was surprised that no light showed at the end of the hall. Maybe he had arrived before De'Ville.

Upon entering the room, however, this theory was dismissed, as De'Ville and Xilarian were already there. Slightly confused, but not overly troubled, Naj spoke.

"You requested me."

[Razielle Shadana]

Daytime was decidedly overrated. Razielle was just having a hard time understanding why anyone would want to go about when the light was so bright it was capable of stinging even normal eyes. But De'Ville had assured her that things would be adjusted to accomodate her presence at this gathering. She had just dragged herself out of sleep and dressed quickly, not caring how she looked since she had no intention of emerging from the dark comfortable confines of her cloak.

Upon finding the room, Razielle stepped inside and took note of both De'Ville and Silus and also one other person she had yet to meet. It seemed she had come in right behind him. Disinterested for the time being on making polite conversation, the Vampyre did not introduce herself but moved to a chair and was seated. Covering a small yawn with the back of her hand, she waited for things to get underway.

She wondered briefly where "the kid" had run off to. She was certain that he had been given a temporary room as she had, but she had no idea, nor did she really care where it was. She had appraised him of the meeting time and whereabouts, so if he felt like putting in an appearance they would all get a chance to see the great Vampyre in action with her ten-year-old prodigee. Wonderful...

[Gav Mortis]

"Oh look, a dark room full of ambigously cloaked people gathered around a stone table probably made before the age of the Old Rebuplic." Gav stepped in, with his hands behind his head, tying his hair back while he scrutinised his surroundings with some difficulty. Then irritably: "I feel like I'm back at the Order. A little light?"

He turned to the wall and flicked the switch to activate the lights and they were instantly bathed in bright, artificial light. He faced them once again and smiled cheefully. "Much better; don't worry my dear, there's no chance of you getting a little sunburn with these on."

He half sneered as he passed the woman whose name he was yet to learn but whose reputation for being somewhat over sensitive to light had preceeded her. The last thing he was going to do was tiptoe foot around the rest of the circle in order to keep them happy at the expense of his own comfort. With a sigh he fell back into a seat.

"With that out of the way, what's the first order of business?" Leaning back, he planted his feet on the old, stone table. "Apart from ordering some new furniture."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

De'Ville nodded in response to Naj's statement. "I did indeed. Take a seat at my left and say nothing unless directly addressed." As she spoke she sat down herself, across the table from Silus.

Raizelle entered, looking pale and mysterious as usual. Her new apprentice was not with her, but Lilaena had no doubt that the boy would show up. Mortis followed Shadana in, and turned up the lights. De'Ville ignored him for the most part.

"The first order of business is to await the rest of the high ranking members. And short of that, to discuss the proposition you brought to me last week, Mortis."

[Han Fernua]

Unknown to all, 'the kid' was really among them. Maybe closer then anyone would have thought. And to those that dont know he was around, they would indeed not be able to see him. For the first part he was under the table, hidding like most children do so that anyone over five feet tall would not be able to see them right away. But to add to the effect, he cloaked himself in a illusion. One that made him look like a table leg. But anyone that had a brain and new that a table usualy has only four legs would be able to see that there was a problem. There was five. And on was bigger then all the rest. And for some reason was placed right in the middle of the table. Han sat quietly and listened to all that was said.

[Salvestro]

I approach the room cautiously, my steps hesitant, after seeing my master enter. A sigh escapes me as I poke my head in and observe what is going on.

"Seems to be the right place." I whisper more to myself than anyone else.

I spot my master sitting casually in a chair and I approach him, ignoring any looks from the others. I am careful to avoid staring at him directly, but I can't keep from talking to him.

"Hello Master." I mumble inaudibly.

[Razielle Shadana]

Clearly that one knew her for what she was. When the room was cast into a brighter illumination, Razielle peered out from her cloak. The artificial light wasn't anything for her to be concerned with, aside from the fact that she had just woken up. It did cast an even more disturbing glow to her eye's though. If she was just supposed to shut up and listen, she was going to be breaking the rule's quite frequently. At least until she was assigned a Master, so she may as well start now.

To the one who first turned up the lighting, then plunked himself in a chair she finally spoke, amusement dripping from her tone. "By all means..." She looked upward indicating the light not bothering her at all.

Looking about again, she listened to De'Ville as she informed them that they were still awaiting the arrival of some of the Circle. Another member came in after that and lingered in the wake of the one unfond of dark rooms. That made six. Closing her eye's for a minute she frowned. There were seven heartbeats. She was not mistaken.

Pushing back from the table, she found the source of number seven and glared. Narrowing her eye's she reached beneath and grabbed the "table leg" by the scruff of his neck and yanked him out. Slamming him down, none to gently, into the seat to her side she hissed at him "Sit down.. shut up, learn something beside's the art of annoyance."

[Garrett Blade]

Rancors!

Two of them!

Outside the room!

They were marching down the corridor towards the door.

Paintings fell off the walls.

Glasses and vases clattered on trays.

Then in walked Garrett, and his apprentice, Gash. They walked over to the table and greeted those present. And with a quick survey of the room Garretts pleasant smile faded into a frown as he noticed the reality of the seating arrangements.

'Seems that furniture I ordered hasn't arrived yet. I guess we'll have to stand then.

He glared at Silus, who didn't use his chair out of choice rather than necessity.

[Han Fernua]

I was sitting and being quiet.

Han glared back at the woman that was in charge of him. He dispised her. She was always pulling him away from what he does best. And she was overly violent, like she was right now. She had a temper problem, he could tell. It must have something to do with already being dead.

Every time she touched him, he wish that he could set her on fire, just like one of his illusions. He wanted to stab those ever looking eye's out. She always new that he was around. Even if she could not directly see him. Everyone here was able to, in ways he did not know, find him.

Sitting back with a huff, Han glares at each person around the table in turn.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

De'Ville grasped the edge of the table as the room shook and Garrett and his almost equally impressive apprentice entered the room. She looked at Raizelle, hiding her grin as the vampire wrenched her unruly apprentice out from under the table, and sensed her uncertainty at her position. Lilaena had addressed Naj when she had told him to sit down and shut up, not the vampire. As a knight the woman was more than welcome to join in the discussion.

"As we are mostly here, we might as well start. Gav Mortis will give us the run-down of his plan, and then we can discuss the idea to death. Or...to life, as need be." She checked her silver wrist chrono, wondering when Shade was going to show, if at all.

[Jared Mriad]

Jared "sneaked", which in his terms meant walked quietly, into the room, taking a quick glance around at the vigil occupants. Somehow he felt late, which he was. The Warrior moved to a yard (depending on the room size) behind Mortis, standing with his feet spread shoulder-width and his arms crossed infront of his chest. He wore a dark-gray shirt with a black leather jacket over, lower-bound he wore a black pair of jeans and steel-toe boots. Mriad's weapons were not visible, but of course were there.

[Gash]

Gash shrugged in cuonterpoint to Master Blade's words. Standing didn't bother him. In fact, he preferred it; this way he could react faster.

And in the area of speed he needed all the help he could get.

With experienced warrior's eyes he surveyed the room. The first object of his attention was De'Ville. Although he didn't know her that well, he was still better acquainted with the woman than with anyone else in the room save Blade. She had been on his list of dangerous people for as long as that acquaintance had existed.

Next, Mortis. He radiated the same inexplicable something as De'Ville, that quality which told Gash not to pick anything approaching a fight.

Xilarian. Likewise. A cocky attitude could get a man killed...but Gash could somehow guess that anyone who thought him careless or inept might be in for trouble.

Shadana. Something was 'off' about her, but whatever it was was well outside the giant's experience.

Arilov. A thinker by the look. Maybe. Chiss features didn't lend themselves well to Gash's evaluation.

Mriad. If it wasn't for that [i]something[/]i - maybe this 'Force' - Gash very well might have considered him the most dangerous person in the room. Even though he was ostensibly a friend, the giant was still a hair from being fully on his guard.

Salvestro. Probably not a threat.

Fernua. The sight of someone that young here, and in such company, made Gash blink slowly. The boy must be fairly important.

His evaluation complete, but keeping in mind a past adjuration to keep silent, he merely waited and listened. Huge fingers clasped and unclasped by his sides. Patience didn't sit too well with him.

[Ishan Shade]

I suppose showing up late was better than not showing up at all. Ishan had forced himself out of a groggy sleep for the meeting, albeit late. Slipping in the door behind De’Ville, Ishan decided not to take a seat, but rather to lean against the far wall, forcing himself to stay awake. He did his usual spot check of the room; it seemed everyone was there – an impressive gathering to say the least.

The light that shown over the entire room did not treat his still drowsy, but sparkling lavender eyes suitably. He held back a yawn, and did somewhat of a mock bow to those who looked over in his direction.

[Gav Mortis]

"Very well, let's get this sideshow on the road."

Since his arrival, Gav had remained aloof except for when De'Ville had informed him what sort of business they were about to conduct; after all what interest should he have in others unless they were going to serve some immediate purpose, his apprentices arrived and he saw no need to acknowledge them for there's was a silent respect; and once all were in attendance he began. He slipped his feet from the table and looked up from his pristine fingernails, quite an impressive group.

"To spare you the big speeches you all are no doubt very used to because let's be honest, us Darksiders have an affinity for the theatric, I'll get straight to the point." Gav's voice was clear and eloquent, as always, and he used this time to look over all in atendence, catching their eyes at least once and sucked their gaze into his as he spoke. He liked feeling superior. And stood.

"The Empire fell, the New Republic came to power and since the death of Palpatine who didn't see this coming? The enemy have moved back into their temple and relations between the Jedi and the Senate have improved significantly, thus our security is comprimised."

Moving from one chair to the other about the large table, making sure to stop at every person he came across and either resting his hand on their shoulder or chair, he would deliver his proposal with the attitude of someone that all the time in the world. He didn't care because he knew regardless of the delivery, his proposition would see fruition and success.

"Now I am not suggesting you aren't capable of standing up against a Jedi--" He came across Gash, he looked up, there was no chance he could reach his shoulder. And smirked. "--Or ten. Not at all but we to think about our position, we are a group of Darksiders with the leaders of Onderon eating out of our hands, we effectively own the city and as such must defend it to ensure our survival."

He arrived back at his seat and flopped lazily into it, feet back on the surface, he held a small control and pressing a button activated a hologram in the centre of the table. It showed a section of upper level Coruscant, a militarised zone, packed with defenses.

"Word has reached my ears that here, in a maximum security complex, there are stored files which contain blueprints and schematics which will pave the way for the military science and give the New Republic such an edge in military combat that they will be practically unstoppable; this makes the Jedi unstoppable; and we cannot allow them to have this edge.

My proposal is simple, get in there and steal the files, we use them to develop our own defenses and amass an army and navy of the future, then we sell the files on the black market to the highest bidder. Make us a little profit along the way."

The hologram faded and Gav steepled his fingers, gazing up.

"Thoughts?"

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"I, for one, think it is a good idea." Lilaena nodded to Gav, and added, "Do you already have a team in mind to take? We certainly will not all need to go. For such an operation, a smaller group will work best."