Logged: April 17, 2001
Logged by: Shi Keltis
Titled: Only the Strong Survive
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Characters:
Shi Keltis Y'Thagriel
Vasseris Malatest

	Keltis stands in the spaceport awaiting the touchdown of the Skull, 
ivory cloak flowing in the wake of the prevailing winds, as if trying to flee 
the confines of its tether.
	As the High General exits the vessel, Keltis strides over to meet 
him, stopping five feet exactly from the man.  There, he drops onto one 
knee, right arm draped across his upturned knee, left fist flat against the 
ground of the tarmac, head bowed deeply, causing his snowy mane to 
drape his face in unlikely shadows.
	"Master." he begins in his customary low purring voice, "I welcome 
you home, and trust that your absence was profitable and successful." 
	With that, he ceases all speech and motion, awaiting the cue to rise 
and take his place at Malatest's side.

Vasseris merely makes a low rumbling sound in the back of his throat, 
hand raising as he tersely bids, the High General never much for wordy 
sentiment, "Rise, Keltis."

	Shi merely 'erupts' from the ground, as if rapidly growing, rather 
then standing. He gives a swift, but legitimate bow to the waist, before 
truly 'standing' upright, and begins to give his simple report.
	"Master, the evening meal is being prepared as we speak, and will 
be available upon your arrival home. Lady Ken'Davl wished a word with 
you, though likely it is another attempt at gaining claw-hold within the 
upper echelon of the Sith Hierarchy. The training you requested for your 
third Shadowcaster unit has begun, and I am told it moves according to 
schedule, which puts its completion one week to the day before the next 
skirmish, as you wished."
	His low rumble: its customary soft purring, emotes these items with 
little to no emotion, simply relating and little more. He moves, as the man 
finally begins to walk, to Vasseris' immediate right and two steps behind, 
speaking softly enough to be inaudible to any the pair happen to pass.

Vasseris says nothing in return; merely nodding his head as the catalog 
of minutiae is related. The High General clasps his hands behind his back 
with martial flair and moves swiftly through the streets of Korriban, 
given a rather understandably wide swath as he and his trusted servant 
make their way towards the distant height of the Krath Clan's headquarters.

Vasseris at length proceeds into the headquarters building, making 
a beeline for his office and outright ignoring numerous underlings who bow 
and scrape at the passage of the High General. As he enters and Shi behind 
him, he notes gruffly, "We are scoping out the prospects of invading a 
world of this pitiful Republic ... Corellia, they call it."

Shi merely nods, offering no words as of yet. Not his place to ask... yet.

Vasseris settles down into the chair behind his desk, frowning 
mildly as he leafs through a few reports left there by his adjutant. "Bah. 
Looks like we've a few more executions coming," he notes, changing the 
subject as a document catches his attention, "Seems we have a few in 
training who have the fool idea in their heads that we tolerate joyriding 
around the star systems and 'sightseeing' some of these odd worlds."

Shi Keltis snorts lightly. "Public or private, master?" The meaning 
is obvious. Is the Shi to destroy them or cause them fear in a public or 
private manner, or not at all.

Vasseris cracks a faint smile at this, always appreciative of Shi's 
'assistance' in such matters. "They'll be publicly disemboweled by week's 
end, but I see no reason not to have them suffer privately until then. We'll
want to keep this a subtle affair. No marks on them. Bruises will show up 
when they're stripped naked before execution."
	
Again, the Shi merely bows his head in a deep nod. This is a 
simple enough matter to accomplish, his eyes say detachedly. "Fear is a 
powerful and easily executed tool, as always Master. I will make 
preparations tonight, once you are asleep and have no further need of me.

Vasseris nods in satisfaction, letting the matter rest at that. "As of 
now, that is the only assistance I require of you, Keltis. Matters in general 
are quiet right now ... which disturbs me, but until anything averse is 
revealed, we sit and wait."

Shi Keltis ponders for a very long moment, then asks, "Master, 
shall I begin more... covert patrols of the grounds and the city at large?" 
spying always works. "Politically, it seems that the Thethu are either 
growing fat or growing in wisdom and making preparations for a 
recriminatory strike on some of our holdings. Something to remind us of
 what they feel our place is. Do you share these observationally based 
conclusions?" As always, Keltis is outspoken enough to get his point 
across, but no further. He doesn't claim to know best, just to know.

Vasseris inclines his head in grave agreement. "They never do 
anything -but- that. They look for an advantage to exploit, as do we. The 
difficulty lies in finding it first."

	Shi Keltis nods, pondering still. "We know there are spies for them 
within our midst. There must be. That being said, is it not possible that they 
know of the Cor... Corellian? offensive, and plan to move just before, or 
worse, during said offensive to attack us here whilst our forces are away?"

Vasseris issues a bemused chuckle. "If they are smart, yes, and they 
usually are. But we shall see what we may do in way of preparing for such 
an eventuality."

Shi Keltis bows his head, saying no more.

Vasseris lifts a hand to give him leave. "To your tasks, Keltis, and 
I to mine ... Oh, and one other thing. Those human captives, which were 
delivered a few days ago, see to it that several of them with strong voices 
are held in reserve. I intend to see how loud they can scream this evening."
	
The Shi bows his head, then continues it to the waist. "As you wish 
Master. Welcome home." With that, he backs out of the chamber, then spins 
on his heel and moves through the complex, sparing barely a glance at 
those who attempt to still him with their glance. His manner is never truly 
disrespectful, but it is obvious he cares little for their attempts at flexing 
what passes for their collective scrotums. 
	One Lieutenant moves to intercept him directly, standing in his path. 
Keltis stops, backs up a step, nods his head in a light, but respectful bow, 
and moves to sidestep the man, who again crosses in front of him, barring 
his way. "May I help you, Lieutenant?" comes Keltis' eerily low purring.

	"Where do we believe we're going, slave? I've a few things in my 
quarters that require cleaning. " the Lieutenant's snide voice oozes.

	"I shall fetch someone for you straight away, sir." Keltis replies 
without batting an eye.

	"'Fetch' someone?" the officer repeats incredulously. "I want 'you' 
to take care of it, slave. When that's finished I will see you on the training 
field. I am in need of some target practice..." he chuckles darkly, drunk 
on the power of his station as compared to the slave: a fact even more 
pronounced with the difference in height: the Lieutenant standing just 
under six feet and Keltis two inches beyond the six foot mark.

Vasseris looks up briefly at the sound of the altercation, an eyebrow 
quirking in inquiry, but the High General makes no move to intercede. 
Strength, above all else, is valued amongst the Sith, and he allows that most 
coveted of skills rule the day in this affair, returning to his work 
industriously and allowing Shi to fight his own battles as he will.

	Keltis merely nods to the man, "If you will show me where your 
quarters are, I will attend them immediately, sir." 

	The other man blinks, then regains a smoother tone, one dripping 
with cocky, glutted satisfaction. "This way, slave."

	…Two hours later, a report comes through that a certain lieutenant 
slipped on wet floors in his quarters and cracked his skull open on the 
corner of a durasteel foot locker.
	Cause of death is obvious, and ruled 'accidental'…