Raezyr entered Trychon's room without knocking or saying a word. The brothers could feel each others' presence so instinctually it made little sense to bother.
Trychon was standing with his hands behind his back, staring out the giant one-way privacy transparisteel viewports that lined his room's outer walls, seemingly lost in thought. The other Sith didn't need Force insight or a family bond to see what was going through his head.
"Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Lord Trychon." He wasn't mocking his brother's new self-given title, as he'd done the same. Instead, he was merely poking fun at his tendency to dream big... even though it was something he admired and needed from him.
He could get away with the jest because they were both using their new titles in private to become accustomed to them. They figured it would be a while before they could use them publicly, with a few exceptions. The Black Phoenix group could call them that, and it would not be a problem, as they had been loyal workers for them for a while now, and wouldn't publicly out them too early. Problem was that they had already portrayed themselves as Sith Lords to that group, and had been using such titles.
On Den Var, they were trying to get by without being known as Sith until they were more settled in. They could not do that and use Sith titles. For random missions and trips, they would have to decide on an individual case by case basis. Some times it would be appropriate and sometimes it wouldn't.
On Hoth, at the King's Lair they could perhaps demand that the pirates other than Dianna, but they couldn't dream asking her to, and that would make it awkward for the rest of her crew. Half of them were close friends anyway, and not being Sith lords around them gave them a place to go and relax with a little less on their mind for at least part of the time. They got to be a bit more normal, and it was a good release.
That was exactly why Raezyr was in Trychon's room now.
"I'm ready to go back to Hoth, Trych."
Trychon didn't move or acknowledge the comment. Like announcing themselves upon entering the room, it was nearly pointless.
"As much as we buy here or get involved, this still isn't home. I never thought I'd say this, but Hoth is really our home more than anything."
The two could have their entire conversations in silence, but some things were better said out loud. Trychon turned around and gave his ever so annoying grin. "Raez, I don't think anyone ever thought they would say that."
"Di should be back in a few days. If we leave now, we can be there just a day or two behind her."
"Ok." Trychon nodded. "We can leave in the morning. We have a party to attend tonight. It's election night. Zhan Helwae commed to invite us. I told him we'd come, as long as he did not introduce us as campaign contributors or anything. We're shy and all that."
The look he got in return spoke volumes. Raezyr really did want to go now, and didn't feel that being publicly active with Helwae was prudent.
"I said we'd be there." The look he gave his brother in return was also plenty for Raezyr to understand. He was set on arguing the point anyway, but they were interrupted by a beep from one of Trychon's many pockets.
"About time..." He mumbled as he reached for his datapad. "Been waiting to get a connection to the base on THX for hours. I'm going to have to look into that when we go back to get Mannix."
He spent a moment rapidly tapping through various screens. "This is very odd. It's still showing the boy under medical coma for rehabilitation. The original projections put him out of that stage three weeks ago. Either something went wrong, or things are taking a bit longer because the systems there aren't as good as they think they are."
"Everything's fine though? Just slow?" Raezyr craned his neck to take a look at the report, but Trychon kept switching programs too quick for him to get a grasp on it.
"I'm no med-droid, but yeah, all the stats appear to be within normal ranges. He should be fine. It's an old system. I think it's just acting weird."
Raezyr sat on the bed for a few minutes while his brother continued to tinker. Finally, he shrugged and put the datapad away.
"Trych, can I at least bring my lightsabers? I get sick of walking around without them. I feel naked."
"Sure... as soon as you upgrade your leg to hide them."
Raezyr's eyes lit up. He clearly hadn't thought of that small upside to a cybernetic prosthesis.
----------------------
Unfortunately for Raezyr, the upgrade to his leg was not something that he could pick up anywhere and would have to be fabricated to his customized specifications. Fortunately for him, one of the companies they had purchased while investing their haul from the highjacked aurodium shipment had been a small company just starting up which specialized in custom cybernetics. At the time, Trychon had noted that playing with laser swords could be a serious risk to the survival of their limbs. Raezyr had scoffed at the thought of losing a limb, especially given his skill with a blade, but gone along with the investment anyway figuring that his brother only wanted to have shiny gifts for his girlfriend-bot. He hadn't envisioned Sand People energy slugs or Sith Lords who broke knees.
The order was still going to take several hours to complete, even given the fact that all other projects had been dropped to work on this. The company president hadn't been very happy when the order came in, but after being told that he could be replaced even though he had founded the business, he soon came around.
In the mean time, Raezyr decided he'd have to settle for a hold out blaster. Trychon had been against the idea, reminding his brother that security would mostly likely be heavy and result in his getting caught, but after seeing the set of his younger brother's jaw, he realized further argument would be futile.
A couple short hours and one trip to the tailor shop later, both Sith brothers were waiting in the private bay of the Farrian Arms for the speeder that was to pick them up. When it arrived, Trychon gave a low whistle. It was long and black with black-tinted transparisteel windscreens. The driver got out and opened the door for them to enter. The passenger cabin was upholstered in genuine leather, not the synth-leather that most things were made from, and there was a small bar stocked with Teeboe Ale, which the brothers recognized as being produced by the large brewery they had purchased from Zhan Helwae right before he had announced his candidacy.
As they poured the ice-cold amber liquid into glasses and took a drink, Trychon looked over at his brother. "Did you know it's my birthday today?"
"Really?" Raezyr asked in surprise. He sometimes forgot how little they knew of each other despite how close they had become in such a relatively short time.
"Well, the people in the village where I grew up never knew when it was exactly, so they always just celebrated it as the day I had wandered into the town," Trychon told him.
Raezyr lifted his glass. "Then a happy birthday to you, Lord Trychon."
Raezyr then lit up a cigar that the luxury speeder had been stocked with. "I'm guessing that Zhan is expecting to win if he's going to all this expense," Raezyr commented, changing the subject as he took a long draw on the pungent cigar.
Trychon just chuckled. "I see your interest in politics runs deep, Darth Raezyr," he commented with his usual grin. He'd been keeping track of the polls all day and Helwae was well ahead of the incumbent, Mr. Maflay. Ever since his infamous press conference a week earlier, his popularity and support had steadily declined. The more he insisted that Dark Lord Tiberius Vulcanus had really visited him, the more he had been viewed as a crackpot lunatic. The fact that on top of it all, he insisted that Helwae had killed people in a drunken piloting accident only served to drive the voters to his opponent's camp. Tonight was mostly a formality.
The soiree was being held at a posh, upscale hotel and to the Sith brothers it appeared that every upper-class citizen had turned out to congratulate and suck up to the new Representative as soon as the winner was formally announced.
At the door the security personnel stopped Raezyr. "Excuse me sir. You need to come with us."
Raezyr's first instinct was to fight, and Trychon apparently sensed it. He stepped over quickly and casually waved his hand. "This is a misunderstanding. He can go on through."
Both Sith started to move ahead when the security guard put his hand on Raezyr's chest. "No... this isn't a misunderstanding. He will be coming with us."
I thought you had perfected the mind trick, Raezyr thought to his brother.
I did, Trychon thought back, but it only works on the weak minded.
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