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[Whether or not Altair is in the place he's usually at is difficult to tell- after all, he's not often inclined to use his device's video function, unless he's speaking to someone he already knows.

From the looks of it though, he's at the hospital, and it looks... Surprisingly functional. Obviously he's been working on it for at least a few days.] Knowing those of you I know, and knowing of those of you who I don't as well, I assume some- if not most- of you are braving the storm. Playing the heroes the Agrii wished for.

[His veil is off and he... Looks mildly concerned. Had his veil been on, his expression would have looked like neutrality. Without it, he's not as good at hiding his feelings as he wishes he was.]

I've been getting the hospital ready. Something like this, some of you are bound to get hurt. The hospital is here, and so I am I. Until things settle, I doubt I'll be leaving much. I'm typically no healer, but the situation takes precedence over my preferences.

[His lips quirk into a brief smile.] Any complaints about my bedside manner, however, and I can assure you you'll be leaving the hospital more broken than you came in. Or at the very least shuffled down on my list of priorities.

[That was a joke. Even if his tone doesn't suggest it.]

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I'll keep that in mind... Though I'm certain I've dealt with worse. I'm a politician of sorts at home and my fellows like to argue their points in tones that could shatter glass.

[A touch of humor is nice. Despite the danger that lies ahead.]

It's a miracle that I haven't gone deaf yet, to be honest.

Oh, I am not sure of that ... although are you a politician? I have been one mysellf.

[He smiles wryly, as he adjusts something on the screen in front of him.]

I hope our miracles will be many.

Something of the sort, yes. Though I get the feeling that Sith politics and normal politics are quite different. Lies belong in any politician's arsenal, Sith or otherwise, but the games Sith play do get complicated to keep track of.

Separating truth from fiction is fun though, though those who can't manage tend to die.

[It's complicated. Everything about being Sith is about fooling or at least being stronger and smarter than one's opponents. One can't lack in a single area.]

And yes... We're going to need a miracle or ten to get through this all.

Are your politics a matter of life or death? Can you lose your head, or everything you hold dear, or both, if you play the wrong hand?

[He is curious. Westeros's game for the throne tends to get bloody. He has never heard of another place with such problems. Not even Thedas.]

All Sith business is a matter of life or death, politics or no. Earn the ire of the wrong Lord by breathing wrong in their presence, and chances are heads will roll- sometimes the heads of apprentices and family, too. My ancestor was murdered by ambush and the rest of his family fled and fell into slavery- I too, was a slave, and I was born nearly two-thousand years after my ancestor died.

Dying by ambush is also considered to be a disgrace that even your descendants will suffer from.

[Being Sith is complicated, to say the least.]

Though secrecy is important, too.

[He looks thoughtful. This conversation is a nice distraction from the danger of the storm, too, and honestly it's been so long since he's been able to talk about these kinds of things. Technically he's not supposed to, but. He's the only Sith here, so he doesn't really care about breaking rules. And wouldn't, even if more Sith were around.]

Generally speaking, it's not murder if no one knows it was you and we're taught this even as apprentices- even if it's obvious that it was not a natural death. My former Master used me as her weapon to destroy another Sith in her way, for example. No one would believe a mere apprentice could kill a Darth.

Of course, all Sith plays games that are about earning just a little more personal power, and claw yourself far enough up there and you can more or less do as you please, secrecy or no. I earned my spot on the Dark Council by murdering my predecessor in front of his peers, for example.

[Altair's voice and expression suggests that he didn't actually want to do this, and would have preferred to settle their argument in a non-lethal way. He liked Thanaton, after all. He also doesn't sound like he necessarily agrees with the way Sith are, even if he is Sith. Which is probably a staple of their Order, anyway.]

Admittedly what I liked most about that in the moment was seeing the looks on everyone's faces once they realized they had to work with an alien.

[Tyrion listened with great interest - huffing quietly when he recognized a ploy from his own experience with politics. Some of it did have him looking back at Altair with a raised eyebrow -- the Sith were a trifle bizarre at that. Though he supposed he really could not say anything about tradition, now could he?

Although Alitair sounded like a man after Tyrion's own heart. Just because you understood the game, did not mean you agreed with how it was played.]

As a dwarf, I can imagine their faces with great glee and satisfaction.

Oh, it was fantastic. The fact that they have to deal with me sitting as an equal on a daily basis is even better. Of course, standing out means dealing with the odd assassination attempt here and there, but I've yet to meet a challenge I can't handle.

Normally people like me aren't seen as citizens of the Empire, and some consider aliens to be nothing more than animals. Slaves in particular.

[There's definite disagreement there, even disapproval.]

Personally I find slavery disgusting and want no part of it. Unfortunately one cannot change an Empire set in its ways in a day, and working toward unity on the Council alone is tedious. I have an ally and together we can press the Council into line if necessary...

But any idiot can see that if we Sith keep murdering each other for the slightest error, the Empire will fall.

[Flatly;] Again.

[He pauses, considers...]

... Given that you are not reacting with shock and horror, I will assume you know this sort of murder and mayhem well?

Why do they always think assassination is the best plan? For my part - I have to give it to my own family. They set me up on false murder charges against my nephew, the King. I nearly lost an additional six inches of height - and frankly I cannot afford to lose anymore.

[Both of his eyebrows rise together, before he let out a wry chuckle.]

Where I come from, we are in the midst of the War of the Five Kings. Now there are only three left, give or take. I have been living this for about five years. A constant back and forth of rivalries, blood feuds, and bickering on battlefields on who gets the Iron Throne.

Edited 2020-02-16 01:43 (UTC)

Your family sounds pleasant. [His tone is as dry and sarcastic as he can get it.]

I'm sure my family would have murdered me, had we not been property when I was young. Of course, I'm uncertain about whether or not I should consider that a blessing.

[He listens to Tyrion then, tilting his head. He has to wonder if any place exists where there's no strife.]

It would seem war lives in the blood of men regardless of where one is from.

Oh yes, they are a joy. [Tyrion's tone is equally dry.]

As I have told many a bastard ... simply own who you are. If you do that, no one can ever try to take your sense of self away from you. My father taught me that well.

[Tyrion sighs, as he tips his head away from his screen.]

I have yet to hear of a place where there is not a war.

I'm sure they managed to take who I am away from me when I was a child... But now, no one could take my sense of self away. Not them, nor anyone else who might like to give it a go.

[The wonders of adulthood and personal power.]

Besides- they are still slaves, assuming they live. I am not.

[He doesn't sound the least bit upset about it, either.]

It is becoming rather obvious that it plagues all worlds and all places, isn't it? Strange that one cannot settle one's differences in other ways...

Then you and I are in the same line of thought.

[Power is in fact always personal, but how you wield it is the true wonder.]

Well there we differ. My family is only slaves to their ambition.

[Tyrion was a slave to vengeance -- and ambition was always part of his blood. Now, though, it was his survival there. Not here, though. Here he was just trying to survive period.]

I have always thought we ought to try drinking contests instead.

[He can't help but laugh at that.]

Sounds a fair way to settle differences. Though even then you run the risk of drunken brawls afterward.

[Tyrion smiled, then, with a chortle of his own.]

But that would be the fun part.

Alas, it would only be amusing until someone took losing a drunken brawl as a declaration of war.

[Because someone definitely would.]

I think we both know enough about powerful men to know that to be the truth of things.

An amusing thought nonetheless, though.

That is ... quite true actually.

[He sighed deeply.]

Sometimes I wish the truth was slightly less depressing, but here we are.

The true horror behind knowing the hearts and minds of men, I'm afraid. Even our daydreams aren't safe from their idiotic nature.

[He's only halfway joking.] Makes you want to go someplace far away, as though there is any place to run to to hide from it all.

[It really is depressing.]

Still, at least here it's the weather working against us, not some bloodthirsty lunatic- or three. They usually come in groups, in my experience.

That is quite true. We shall forever be assaulted by the stupidity of others.

[He exhaled deeply, before he snorted softly.]

I prefer the weather. It may be unpredictable, but at least it's not malicious.

I much prefer the weather too.

[They may not know what's causing it, but the weather at least won't try to stab them in the back or do something else that's entirely idiotic.]

Although I must admit ... I have never seen weather patterns like this before.

[Tyrion could admit this freely.]

I've been tracking this storm -- and it seems very ... localized.

It is strange, to say the least.

[He looks thoughtful, crossing his arms.]

Still, if it had been easy to figure out, our dear Overlords would not need their heroes to save the day for them.

... I think it a bit much to consider myself a hero, but as a scholar, I shall be happy to keep tracking it's progress.

[Is Tyrion's dry response.]

[Altair sighs softly. Force he misses being that himself.]

We Sith are the blades of our Empire- even Dark Councilors like myself. But stars, do I miss serving in a scholarly fashion.

I had many people working for me, but at home, my domain was called the sphere of Ancient Knowledge, one out of twelve spheres for the Sith ruling over the Empire entire.

Archaeologists, scholars, translators, researchers into the arcane. It was our duty to unearth the knowledge left behind by our ancestors.

What I wouldn't give about now for a tomb to pick through or an ancient temple to traverse in search of knowledge.

[Look at him, he's near waxing poetical about it. After a moment though, he shakes his head.] No need for that here, of course.

[Tyrion's eyebrows raise together, before he looks curious.]

That sounds like the knights of our realm. Of course, kissing the arse of my sister will get you a knighthood these days, so it does not seem as venerable as your own.

The education though ... that sounds like the maesters.

[A pause before he gives Altair a raised eyebrow.]

Have you seen this place? If ever we needed people finding answers through study -- I believe it is now.

[He gives a slight huff of laughter.]

It is entirely more difficult to become Sith than that, yes.

All Sith are meant to fight for the Empire, though what they do beyond that depends on the Sphere they belong to. Of course, all Sith are also taught to be individualistic so getting everyone pointed the right way can be a chore.

[He knows that better than most.

As for researchers being necessary, Altair shrugs his shoulders.]

You're not the first to tell me that, believe it or not.

But for the time being I am much more concerned with everyone's continued survival. I don't think I could take sensing anyone die.

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