(Every character depicted in the story below is a consenting legal adult over the age of 18)

A/N: Vader has a talk with Talzin.

-x-X-x-

“Mother Talzin.”

“Darth Vader… or should I say Anakin Skywalker?”

Vader smiles as he and the leader of the Nightsisters face off with one another. It’s just the two of them… though the holocron he’d given Asajj is currently in the center of the room, resting on a stone table. He’s not too bothered by that though, the prerequisites for it being fully unlocked would make it impossible for Talzin to outright steal it from Asajj, which meant that his Apprentice should at least know where it was. If she didn’t… well, he’d deal with that later.

For now, he inclines his head and addresses Mother Talzin’s accusation.

“To you I am Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith… undisputed. To the rest of the galaxy, I remain Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Master and member of the Jedi Council… for now.”

Obviously, he didn’t expect the Jedi as a whole to last much longer. Not now that he knew they’d all Fallen with no exceptions. The Jedi Order was a zombified corpse being carried along purely by inertia at this point.

Talzin narrows her eyes at his words all the same, clearly noting both the ‘undisputed’ and ‘for now’ claims. Vader isn’t surprised when she focuses on the first of those before anything else.

“It’s done then? He’s gone?”

Vader hums for a moment before replying.

“Yes. Sheev Palpatine, otherwise known as Darth Sidious, head of the Banite Order… is no more. And with the death of Yan Dooku, aka Darth Tyrannus, here on your world… the Banite Order itself is no more as well. It has been extinguished, completely and utterly.”

Then, unable to help himself, Vader quirks up the side of his mouth.

“I’m surprised a woman of your talents even needs to ask for clarification, Mother Talzin.”

The Nightsister Matriarch bristles at that, her eyes narrowing.

“That is precisely why I must question you. There is no absence in the Force… his Darkness still pervades every corner of this galaxy. You may believe you’ve defeated him, Vader… but I suspect he still lives in some form even now.”

Ah. That was a fair fear, truth be told. After all, while Sidious definitely did NOT still live in any form, Vader could understand why someone of Talzin’s senses would be worried. To the average Force User, they wouldn’t be able to tell, but to her… well, he ponders for a moment on how to handle things before eventually coming to a decision.

“I want us to be partners going forward into the future. And so I’ll let you in on a little secret. The only form in which Sidiuous still lives on… is through me.”

He raises a hand and concentrates before she can reply, peeling back the metaphorical curtain to give her a look behind it. Mother Talzin’s entire body tenses up, her spine going ramrod straight and her eyes widening as her pupils shrink. Vader lets her feel what he wants her to feel… though in this case it also happens to be the truth.

The pervading shroud of Darkness that the Banite Sith had cultivated and Sidious in particular had nurtured and grown to an impressive degree once he took over as Master… is Vader’s now. That shroud over the galaxy might have the feeling of Sidious to it, but then, Vader himself has effectively ‘eaten’ the other Sith Lord.

“Sidious did have countermeasures for if he died. A hidden clone facility on a secret fortress world he was constructing. Unfortunately for him, I found it… and it was there where I confronted and killed him. As his soul fled to each of the clone bodies he had there, I drained them one by one, taking pieces of him each time… until there was nothing left.”

As Vader explains all of this, he shows Talzin his true power… and the bottomless well from which it springs. She trembles a bit, unable to fully control her movement. Even someone as powerful as her, even someone with such dark sorceries as she can call upon… can still be overwhelmed when exposed to sheer power. There was a reason Talzin had feared Sidious after all, despite the sheer versatility of her techniques. And Vader is far, far more powerful than Sidious ever was.

Finally, he pulls himself back, returning the ‘curtain’ to its place and leaving Talzin to recover from the glimpse at what was really going on. To her credit, she rallies with impressive speed. No gasping or gulping of air, no falling to her hands and knees as she shudders. No… there’s just a simple tension in her frame that dissipates as she breathes out before fixing her gaze on him.

“… I see.”

Vader just smiles. They both know where the other stands now… and he stands so far above her that it’s not even funny. She’d probably gotten an inkling of that just from the holocron he’d given to Darth Shar, but now she was face to face with the real deal.

Still, Talzin had her pride, nevertheless. And that pride would not let her bend the knee so easily. He would have to force the issue if he wanted to subjugate her and her people, and doing so would only leave resentment to fester in its wake. Hence the mention of partners.

But before she can focus on that, the Nightsister Matriarch needs further reassurances. So she focuses on the second bit he’d said before.

“You mentioned your position in the Jedi Order… and that it was not as permanent as some might think. What exactly are your intentions there?”

If he’s going to use her to her fullest potential, she needs to know. But really, it’s not likely to be a secret for much longer anyways. The Jedi Order will collapse and be replaced with something new in the coming months… and to hide that from her now will only leave her questioning him later. So Vader just shrugs and tells the truth.

“The Jedi Order has already Fallen. They just don’t know it yet.”

That gets Talzin’s attention in a big way. Her eyes narrow as she frowns at him.

“What?”

Chuckling, Vader arches a brow.

“I could show you, if you wish. Like I already did once before. Though I won’t subject you to myself again without your permission. I know I can be a bit much.”

His casual tone makes her eyes narrow even further into slits.

“Show me.”

Her clipped, prideful tone, almost makes Vader want to chuckle. But he resists the urge even as he reaches out with the Force and shows her what he’s talking about, what he’s uncovered. Talzin goes still again, clearly fighting not to be overwhelmed by the sheer breadth of his power. This time it’s a little easier for her, either because she’s becoming inured to it… or because she’s focusing on something else besides the endless well of strength he can draw upon.

“… Impossible.”

They say seeing is believing, but even then the Nightsister Matriarch’s incredulity is not fully dispelled. Vader can’t blame her, it is pretty ridiculous.

“I’m afraid not. Simply… highly improbable. But it’s the truth, Mother Talzin. I’ve done extensive research on the subject… and taken a handful of Apprentices from among the Fallen as well. At the end of the day though, there’s no denying it… every single member of the Jedi Order, from the Padawans to the Masters, has Fallen to the Dark Side. And the only reason they haven’t figured it out yet is because they’re all too busy hiding it from one another to see beyond their own noses.”

For a long moment, Talzin is silent as she processes what he’s saying and gazes upon the proof he’s presenting through the Force. Finally, she lets out a rasping laugh, the first sign of amusement that he’s heard from her since this conversation began.

“Ridiculous. Simply… ridiculous. I always knew they were fools bumbling around in the Dark dancing to Sidious’ tune, but this… this goes so far beyond that.”

Vader inclines his head in acknowledgment.

“Indeed it does. I will speak plainly with you, Mother Talzin. I intend to turn the Galactic Republic into a Galactic Empire. I intend to suborn the Jedi Order into a new Dark Side Order I will be constructing. And I intend to spread the power and order of my new Empire to every corner of the galaxy.”

Talzin’s eyes grow a little flinty.

“And where do the Nightsisters fall within your plans, Darth Vader? Earlier you mentioned a partnership. You also sent one of your Apprentices here ahead of your arrival to open talks with us.”

Smiling, Vader nods.

“Indeed I did. And I meant every word and action I’ve taken so far. I wish for you to join with me… not as a subordinate, but indeed as a partner. You and your Nightsisters would be a sect within the new Order I’m envisioning… not merely a Sith Order, but an Order for all. You would have a place at my side on a new council of peers and together, we will spread our combined teachings to everyone who proves willing to learn.”

Talzin shifts at that, looking interested but also discomfited. Probably because she’s struggling to believe it. Vader doesn’t blame her… it sounds too good to be true. Treachery is the way of the Sith, after all. And yet, he’s had enough of treachery. He’s had enough of the backstabbing, the double talk, the deception.

At this point, having removed certain obstacles from his path, Vader looks towards his next great enemy… and Talzin is not it. She’s not even among any of his eventual targets. That’s why he simply wants to get her on side… and that’s why he’s more than happy to offer her a position high in his new Order if only she will accept.

“… And if I refuse? If I demand that we Nightsisters be left to our own devices here on Dathomir?”

Vader just sighs.

“Then I will accept that, Mother Talzin. I am not here to subjugate you or your people. Nor am I here to make an enemy of you. If you wish to remain cut off from the galaxy at large, to stay here on this world and continue cultivating your arts without interference from the outside universe… I can abide by that. And I can assure you that you will be left alone by my new empire.”

He’s being honest and projecting that honesty through the Force too. Obviously Vader wants the Nightsisters and their strange way of using the Force for his new Order. But at the same time, he also doesn’t need them. Rather… Talzin needs him more than he needs her.

Vader knows he’s right about that when her eyes flick down to the holocron between them for the briefest of seconds. It’s a blink and you’ll miss it moment, but he doesn’t miss it. And he can also tell what she’s thinking too.

If he was willing to put such power in the holocron he gave to Darth Shar… what else did he have access to that he hadn’t shared with his Apprentice and through said Apprentice, her as well?

That was the thing in the end. Talzin was the ambitious, hungry sort. She wanted power. She wanted knowledge. Vader promised both… if only she would take his hand and join with him.

“… I must consult with others before making such a decision.”

Vader doesn’t grin… but he wants to. They both know that she’s the only one here who’s opinion truly matters. Talzin doesn’t need to consult with anyone… she just needs time to mull over her options. But that’s alright. Vader wasn’t expecting an answer today, nor did he need one. Inclining his head again, he hums.

“But of course. Take some time, Mother Talzin. The Empire is not even born yet and the Jedi Order still limps along, unaware that it is already dead. I will eventually ask again for an answer from you, but for now… feel free to think on it for the next while.”

Vader deliberately moves his gaze in the direction where Asajj and Sev’rance currently are before looking back to Talzin.

“In the meantime, I leave my Apprentice, one of your kind, in your capable hands along with her paramour. May they both serve us well by acting as my liaisons among you and your people.”

Talzin wordlessly nods, tight lipped at the moment. Vader finally lets himself chuckle.

“I look forward to our next meeting, Mother Talzin.”

“… As do I, Lord Vader.”

With that, he departs. They have nothing more to say to each other for the time being and any knowledge he might impart to her will require a much further deepening of their relationship. But she’s too nervous to take the plunge, at least for now.

And so Vader finds himself leaving Dathomir behind. He sets course for Coruscant of course, but even as he enters hyperspace, he’s also placing a call… to a certain General.

-x-X-x-

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