Star Wars_ Darth Bane 01_ Path of Destruction - Drew Karpyshyn [134]
He knew there was one sure way to end the war, and end it quickly. The thought bomb. He had spent many nights wondering if he dared to use it. If they lured the Jedi in and unleashed the thought bomb, its blast would completely obliterate their enemies. But would the combined will of the Brotherhood be strong enough to survive such power? Or would they get swept up in the backlash of the explosion?
Time and again he had dismissed it as too dangerous, a weapon so terrible that even he—a Dark Lord of the Sith—was afraid to use it. Yet each time he considered it for a few moments longer before backing away from the abyss.
A sound outside the tent caused him to open his eyes and sit up sharply. A second later Githany, now seen by many as his right hand, poked her head in. “They’re ready for you, Lord Kaan.”
He nodded and rose to his feet, taking a second to calm and compose himself. If he showed any weakness, the others might turn against him. He couldn’t let that happen. Not now, when they were so close to ultimate victory. That was why he had summoned the other Dark Lords: one final gathering to strengthen their resolve and assure their continued loyalty.
Githany led the way through the camp, and he followed her to the large tent where the other Sith Lords were waiting for him. He entered with conviction and purpose, projecting an aura of confidence and authority.
As was customary whenever he entered a room, those in the assemblage rose to their feet as a sign of respect. There was one, however, who remained seated, arms folded across his thick chest.
“Are you too heavy to rise, Lord Kopecz?” Githany asked pointedly.
“I thought we were all equals in the Brotherhood,” the Twi’lek snarled back, speaking more to Kaan than to her.
Kaan knew he had to tread carefully. This was not the first time Kopecz had been the voice of dissent, and many of the others took their cues from him. Unfortunately, he was also one of the most difficult to influence and control.
“Equals. Quite right, Lord Kopecz,” he said with a weary smile. “Remain seated. All of you. We have no need of these pointless formalities.”
The rest of the group did as he bade and found their seats once more, though it was clear everyone still felt the tension between the two of them. He let a wave of soothing reassurance ripple out across the room as he crossed over to the strategy table.
“The war against the Jedi is almost won,” he declared. “They are on the verge of collapse. They have retreated into the forests, but they are running out of places to hide.”
Kopecz snorted derisively. “We’ve heard that refrain one too many times.”
It took tremendous effort to maintain his composure, but somehow Lord Kaan managed to reply in a calm, even voice. “Anyone who has doubts about our strategy here on Ruusan is free to speak,” he offered. “As has already been pointed out in this meeting, we are all equals in the Brotherhood of Darkness.”
“It’s not just Ruusan I’m worried about,” Kopecz replied, accepting the bait and rising to his feet. “We’ve lost ground everywhere else in the galaxy. We had the Republic reeling. But instead of finishing them off, we let them regroup!”
“Most of our early victories came before the Jedi joined their cause,” Kaan reminded him. “The point of attacking the Republic in the first place was to draw the Jedi out. We wanted to force them into a battle of our choosing: this battle, here on Ruusan.
“Now we are on the verge of wiping them out. And with the Jedi gone, we can easily reclaim the worlds that have slipped back under the Republic’s control—and many more besides.”
Though Kopecz was silent, there were murmurs of agreement from the other Sith Lords. Kaan pressed his point even farther.