Space

[Ads-Gop Flif]

It seemed to make sense to Ads. It was a similar method to healing but it affected a different system. Onderin had allowed for Ads to practice on him, but Ads wasn't sure what type of suggestion to make. But he did have some more ideas of what he could learn and that gave him an idea. Focusing on Onderin's desire to teach, Ads mustered the Force into his words as much as he could.

 

"Why don't you teach me some more abilities?"

 

Perhaps Onderin would want Ads to practice the mind trick first, but it was a relatively low-risk suggestion and there was a good chance that Onderin would have gone along with it anyway.

[Onderin Starlisk]

"Let's teach you some more abilities," Onderin decided. "One other thing that's important for a Jedi is being able to hide his presence in the Force. Like it or not, the Sith are a significant presence in the galaxy, and avoiding detection can be terribly useful, whether you're trying to avoid a fight or get the drop on one."

 

He seemed to consider. "This technique is closely related to shielding one's mind from Force probing or Mind Tricks," he continued. He paused for a moment and seemed slightly confused. "Did we finish talking about Mind Tricks?"

[Ads-Gop Flif]

"Did we finish talking about Mind Tricks?"

 

Ads had to conceal his smile. "Well we moved on from mind tricks, but was there more you wanted me to know about them?"

[Emily]

Several hours later, Eris was in the galley making herself a large dinner. She had been quite hungry recently, something she attributed to the increased amount of exercise she had been getting ever since her and Quietus' reunion. It was nothing fancy--in-flight food never was--but as it was her own ship, she had stocked it with her favorite quick-prep meals. So when she sat down, she had a decent dinner of glazed ribenes, potatoes with chives, a side of Dantooinian grain pasta with local pesto sauce, and some roast gornt. The gornt wasn't usually something she ate normally, but it had sounded good. She took her time eating, and finally pushed back from the table, cleaned up, and made herself a cup of tea.

 

Heading back to the common area carrying her mug, she curled up on the sofa. Roe'gall, whom she had fed before her meal, came and curled up at the foot of the couch. Being as massive as he was, his shoulder was level with her hand, and she absently stroked his short thick fur between sips of tea. For a while she sat there quietly, but after a moment, the quiet grew loud in her ears. "What am I doing, Roe'gall?" she asked to break the silence. "I used to have so much ambition. Where has that gone? What am I now?" She paused. "I'm just another Sith. We used to be a dime a dozen. There have been eons of Sith throughout history. Am I destined just to be another face that time forgets?" Discontent entered her heart. "How did I get here?"

 

She set down her mug and thought about it. The last time she had felt a drive and desire to make something of herself was on Mechis III. She had been determined to learn everything about the Force, and the Force as a whole, even if that meant learning from someone like Master Darkfire. Eris' point of view of Darkfire had changed; where she had used to respect him, now she felt that he had been too weak to have the dedication to remain a Sith. That said, she had to admit he did have more training and experience than herself. "Why did I even leave Raxus Prime?" she asked herself. "What do I want for myself?"

 

It didn't take her long to figure out the answer to that. She wanted to learn, to discover secrets about the Force that few if any knew. She wanted to have the power to do whatever and get whatever she wanted. She wanted freedom; the freedom to shape her own life in a manner that pleased her.

 

"Well if I have the power to do whatever I want, then why am I not happy?" It took her saying the words out loud to realize the truth of them. She wasn't happy. She lacked purpose. And she didn't think that being Quietus' lover was purpose enough. No, she wanted more. She didn't want to fade into the background, to be nothing but "Quietus' woman", to be underestimated by everyone she met. She wanted the power to make others fear or love her--both or one or the other, depending on how she felt.

 

Another thread of discontent, this one deeper, suddenly struck her. It seemed as if certain promises had been made to her, and she was realizing now that those promises were hollow. She couldn't really put her finger on it. The swirling vortex of the dark side rampaged through her mind, but instead of fulfilling her, it was draining her dry.

 

Hours passed as Eris wrestled with herself. There were no easy answers. In the end, she gave up. "I don't know what to do, Roe'gall," she finally said, "except continue as I am and take every opportunity that comes my way to better myself. There are Sith techniques I haven't studied; it's time I did." She just hoped that by throwing herself into her studies, she could forget her disquiet.

 

Throughout all this time, the spot of space she occupied remained empty. As the time she had allotted for Kenneth to appear trickled away, she gave up and headed to her bunk. The proximity chime would warn her if another ship arrived. Until then, she might as well sleep.

[ObliviousKnight]

Traveling solo through space was generally a quiet affair. Hurtling through the stars at a velocity of millions of kilometers per hour, the only indication of trouble was most often a shrill alarm klaxon in the cockpit warning of some imminent threat and a sudden reversion to realspace. If a pilot was really unlucky, there was no time for warning--only a sudden, blinding flash and a moment of consuming pain before reality became nothingness.

 

So when Armiena Draygo, veteran of the civil war that had threatened to tear the galaxy apart and survivor of countless battles in space and many planets, felt the stirring of an instinct that warned her that she was not alone in her tramp freighter, she quietly woke from her alcohol-induced nap and frowned into the muted vortex of hyperspace. The presence couldn't be that of a stowaway--her senses would have detected the intrusion without delay. There were any number of people in the galaxy that might have expended the effort to track her down and snuff out her life. Taking a moment to carefully—as carefully as the impaired coordination of a woman who was still slightly drunk could manage—set aside a bottle of cheap whiskey from the controls, Armiena lifted her feet from the control boards and swiveled away.

 

Her boots lightly clanked against the cold metal of the freighter as she left the cockpit and began to enter the expansive cargo hold of the vessel. The intruder was very close. Pausing for a moment, the fingers of her right hand probed her belt for her weapons, tracing over the hilt of one of her lightsabers for a second before closing around the grip of a low-slung blaster pistol. That humble weapon lacked some of the intimidation factor of a lightsaber, but in hyperspace, a fumble with the blade would quickly prove to be disastrous... and there was no telling how much even a residual amount of alcohol might impair her control. She hefted the weapon, checking to make sure it had a full charge and was set to stun.

 

"You can stow that weapon, dear." Came a low voice in the darkness.

 

Armiena's finger twitched as she started, exerting just enough pressure to fire the weapon. In these close quarters, the report seemed deafeningly loud and the crimson blast of searing plasma blinding in the dimmed glow of the freighter's lights.

 

She stiffened from head to toe. Hadn't she just checked that blaster to make sure it was set to stun?

 

"Confound it you stupid girl!" Her mother, an old Miraluka who took to lurking in the shadows, bellowed out around the corner from somewhere in the cargo hold. "Secure that weapon before I come around this corner and break your fingers!"

 

Obscenities began racing through Armiena's mind. While her mind was frozen, her hands worked on muscle memory, venting the chambered round and ejecting the power cell from the blaster pistol without any productive thought. She dropped the blaster as an afterthought, kicking it away so it fell into the cargo hold. She thought she heard a relieved sigh as the weapon clattered to the ground.

 

A whisper of cloth came from the darkness, and Armiena Draygo beheld her mother for the first time since her disappearance. Misal still defied an arthritic limp, the product of having lived an interesting life with little time for rest or recovery, with a trained stride that made little noise against the steel grating of the freighter's corridors. As her form passed under a glowlamp she saw that she wasn't wearing a armored suit of active camouflage that her colleagues tended to favor, but a simple robe of digitally patterned silver cotton of a cut similar to what a Jedi might wear. Her veil, concealing the vestigial eyes of her people, was weighed down by a thick band of a blackened metal.

 

"Oh, my dear." Misal grimaced as she approached, tentatively reaching for her daughter's shoulders with gloved hands. "You've made a terrible mess of things, haven't you?"

 

The events of the last few years, her disappearance, the resurgence of her disorder and addiction... her abandonment of her son and dreams, the wasting of her health... everything came crashing down on Armiena's shoulders, and the weight of the shame made it unbearable for the veteran warrior to even look at her mother. Her mother was a surviving relic of the past who had managed to weather the cruelties that life had dealt her without breaking, but Armiena was a trained warrior who couldn't even find her way in peacetime...

 

"Mama..." She slunk away like a wounded animal.

 

"It's going to be all right, Arm." Armiena felt her mother's gaunt form close around her in a hug, refusing to let the younger woman back away into the cockpit. Misal felt ribs under her hands and noted the emaciated lines of her daughter's face with dismay. "I'm going to take care of everything. You just rest."

[Qaela]

Jedi, Qaela thought as she watched two of them, why did we ever fear them? She had grown up hearing horror stories of how a single Jedi came to her planet and destroyed dozens of her kind, setting the Nightsisters back decades in their struggle against the Witch Clans.

 

One of her sons woke up and started crying, so she returned to the cabin she was using and, with a brush of the Force, diagnosed the situation. With a small smile, she set her daughter down in the crib beside her disgruntled brother and went about making a bottle. Her daughter seemed content to roll around a bit in the small crib and her son quieted down as soon as she picked him up and started feeding him. It was a strange experience to be sitting here in her situation feeding children that were her own flesh and blood. They were so little, so innocent at this stage. Oh to be so young and not have the knowledge of fear and just how horrible the Galaxy could be to burden her. Sitting there on her bed, she let her mind wander to her own childhood and how her own views of the Jedi had changed.

 

She had ventured into this Galaxy at the ripe old age of 14 of their years and had to swallow down the sickening taste of fear that built up in the back of her throat every time she summoned a spell simply because she was afraid that a Jedi would come and kill her. It was said that they patrolled the stars in the hundreds of thousands with tens of millions of fanatical followers eager to carry out their will. There were, according to rumor, billions of people who were their informants. One wrong word and the Jedi armies would nab her and kill her. She, a warrior who made her first kill at 9 of their years old, had been petrified even to walk down the street.

 

When she was 15 of their years old, she readily preyed upon the wealthy elite of numerous "civilized" planets, exploiting their desire to spend time with a young, seemingly helpless and innocent offworlder nobody was bound to notice. They all died, of course, though if they were attractive and interesting enough, she sometimes waited until afterwards before killing them in one fashion or another. Their money was what helped keep her mother's ship operating, though that was not all. Her mother hid the rest away and she had never been able to find it. Even then, when she was about her business, she always looked over her shoulders and stepped cautiously. It wasn't because of those who thought themselves the predators hunting young girls. They weren't predators to her, they were prey and only twice did she ever feel genuine fear in their presence. No, those she was afraid of didn't wear fine suits or trendy outfits, they wore brown and tan robes. She knew that her earlier fears were largely unfounded and not based on the reality of the situation, but that didn't stop her from looking over her shoulder or jumping at shadows.

 

When she was 17 of their years old, she expanded her prey to many other wealthy or opportune targets. The corrupt and vile drew the darkness around them even if they couldn't cast spells. That darkness drew her. At this stage, she didn't simply put herself out into the wind hoping to attract attention, she went hunting her prey one by one, and she didn't always manipulate their minds. The thrill of the hunt became more interesting than the kill or the money taken as result. She had her share of men and the occasional woman, but when she was done with them, she didn't always kill them. Sometimes, she would ruin their lives and leave nothing but justly deserved destruction in her wake. Once, she simply destroyed everything a man held dear and drove them to end his own life. When she was bored or didn't have time to properly set up a mark, she would patrol the alleyways and destroy those who thought themselves the hunters. She always kept an eye and ear out for rumors of Jedi nearby and even came close on two occasions. It was through that that she began to suspect that the Jedi weren't all that much of a threat, though she would never mention as much to her mother.

 

When she was 18 of their years old, her mother revealed to her the true intent of her excursions. She was to find the Sith and glean every bit of knowledge possible from them while making an alliance between their kinds. The Jedi were a threat, even Qaela still believed that, and that threat needed to be destroyed. She was sent out to Coruscant and there, attracted the attention of the Sith's Dark Lord. She had been so used to fearing the Jedi that she never thought to fear the Sith. In her naive experience, all those who embraced the dark were easy to manipulated and destroy because, after all, she had been hunting them one by one for years. She knew how to handle other Nightsisters, how to behave and react to them, and what to say. All of that was meaningless among the Sith. The Sith were not like Nightsisters or corrupt businessmen or back alley thugs. They were the pinnacle predators of the Galaxy, a title that not even the Jedi could claim. She was now 21 of their years old. She had come to them as an amateur. She had left them a master, not one of them, but no longer afraid of them.

 

These Jedi were nothing compared to the Sith. They devoured everything in their path. These Jedi were soft. She had seen more than she had desired of them and realized that they had their strengths, but were nothing compared to the Sith. They trusted too easily, were too quick to forgive, and had too many artificial restrictions that prevented them from doing what was sometimes necessary. Starlisk, one of their great surviving masters, was so trusting that he would allow her to manipulate his mind without fear. Even before that, he slept soundly in the same small ship with her without fear that she would slit his throat in the night. He knew some of the terrible things she had done and yet, didn't keep her locked up under sedation. He was willing to travel to her home planet and be among her people--dark siders all--and trust that she would protect him against them.

 

Trust. It was such a strange concept to her that she didn't know how to handle it. Ca'Aran had trusted her, but he was naive in his own way. She manipulated and used him to her own ends and he was a willing victim. Starlisk, on the other hand, was too wise and experienced to lead around as she had him. That was what confused her so much and made her wonder what his true purpose was. Was he the one manipulating her, but in such a way that even she couldn't see his tendrils. That thought disturbed her greatly and had been for a few days now.

 

What if he was using her for some nefarious scheme? What if he had no intention of making peace, but rather, was preparing an ambush to destroy one more dark threat among many in this Galaxy? It would explain a great deal, including how he had allowed her free after being caught infiltrating one of the Jedi's facilities. It would also explain why he had let her have her children back even though he knew she would raise them to be like her. What if he was manipulating her feelings and emotions even now to cloud her judgment?

 

Her son had long finished with the bottle and had fallen asleep in his mother's arms. With little else to do and a lot of unpleasant thoughts to keep her occupied, she dozed off into a light sleep.

[Emily]

Eris woke several hours later to a headache and nausea. She groaned. That’s the last time I’m combining deep thinking with roast gornt. She took a few steadying breaths, then pushed herself to her feet. Heading over to the ‘fresher, she splashed some water on her face and got dressed.

 

Rolling her shoulders to loosen some of the accumulated tension, she padded barefoot to the cockpit. The sensors showed no sign of her apprentice. “Well, I suppose that makes him my former apprentice,” she said. She rolled her eyes. She hadn’t liked the boy, but she had hoped he had had the guts to try his hand at being a Sith, if only for Quietus’ sake. He had thought the boy had some backbone. Guess not.

 

A wave of irritation at him wasting her time came over her, but she didn’t indulge it. Kenneth’s lack of appearance only went to show that she had been right in this instance, and Quietus wrong. The thought brought an amused smile to her lips. Better not tell him that. Don’t want to damage his ego. Aloud, she said, “Well, no point in hanging around here any longer. Guess I’m still apprentice-less.” She punched a few keys and flipped a few levers until the Shadow’s Shine was traveling back through hyperspace once more.

 

Still feeling a bit queasy, she rose and went to make herself a cup of caf. But once she smelled it’s normally welcome fragrance, she grimaced and pushed the cup away. “Forget this,” she growled. The Jedi had taught her about life and its interconnectivity. She remembered distinctly sitting in meditation and studying a flower, and discovering how she could influence it to become what she desired it to be.

 

Now it occurred to her that she could do the same with her own body. Heading back into the main common area, she lowered herself to the floor, sitting cross-legged on the cold durasteel deck plates. Taking a deep breath, she plunged into the heart of the vortex of the Force. She let it fill her to the brim, and then pushed herself further, pulling more and more into herself, reveling in the intoxicating sense of wild abandon it gave her. Then she turned her focus inward on her own body, intent on figuring out what was causing her illness and making the adjustment to force her body to heal itself more rapidly than it would normally.

 

She immediately encountered resistance. While the dark side was quick enough to show her the workings of her body, she found that making adjustments was difficult. It puzzled her until she realized that before with the flower, she had been focusing on the lighter side of the Force. Perhaps, in this instance, restoring things or healing them or remaking them was something more easily done on the fringes of the vortex instead of at its heart. No matter, she thought. I can do what I need to.

 

She continued to search through her own body, looking for what might have caused her indigestion. After some time, she was forced to conclude that there was nothing. So she broadened her search, looking for some sign of infection or a virus that could have done this, examining her cells both on an individual and collective scale, often at the same time. As she did so, she suddenly got the vague sense of some sort of…growth.

 

That riveted her attention. The thought of something growing in her unnerved her to the extreme. She immediately diverted her search and focused her Force senses on where the growth was. It was small, that much she could tell, although a bit larger than she was comfortable with. And it seemed like it was leeching something from her. Then it was as if her vision shifted, and she suddenly saw clearly what it was.

 

No. She was utterly frozen in shock. No…no…it can’t be. But she couldn’t deny her senses. As if she needed more proof, her mind unwittingly went back over the past few weeks and strung together all the signs that she had been ignoring. Suddenly emotion caught up with her, and terror, raw terror crashed over her.

 

No! I…I can’t be…I don’t… She pulled her mind away and released her grip on the Force. She put her head in her hands, forcing herself to take a deep breath. For the first time in her life, she recognized what it meant, what it really meant, to be terrified. It was deep and visceral and made her want to scream and run and never stop running. But this was something she could never outrun.

 

Pull yourself together. Deep breath. In, out. In, out. Slowly, ever so slowly, she mastered herself again. Okay, think. Just think. Get over your shock. Really, you shouldn’t be surprised this has happened. After all, it’s not like either of you were being careful. This changed everything. Nothing was the same anymore. And it was that that really terrified her. In that moment, Eris realized what she was afraid of—powerlessness. Situations that were out of her control. Things she couldn’t change.

 

That’s not entirely true in this situation, the back of her mind whispered to her. You have the Force…You always have a choice.

 

And there it was. A choice had blindsided her, and now she had to come to terms with it. She could accept what had happened and deal with it, or…well, with the Force it would be a simple thing to stop. She was a Sith, and Sith killed people all the time. This would be no different. Whatever she chose, she would need to take immediate action.

 

Eris took another deep breath. As much as she didn’t want her life to change like this, it was not a decision she could make lightly. After all, she herself had been an unwanted child. She knew she had been conceived when her father had been messing around with her birth mother. She knew that Sirvani had been livid when she found out. But they had made the extremely painful decision that they’d accept what had happened. Becca had carried her to term, and then given her to John and Sirvani before disappearing into the sunset.

 

Now for the first time, she understood how hard of a decision that had to have been for all of them. She was sure Becca hadn’t wanted her. The little she knew about her birth mother confirmed that. But Becca had had access to the same choice Eris was now facing. And she had chosen to keep her, to stick it out and see it through. She had wanted to give the baby her best chance. If it hadn’t been for that one choice, Eris would never even have existed. She owed everything to Becca in that sense. How could she rip that chance away from this child?

 

On the other hand, Eris didn’t know if she could bring herself to make that same decision. She thought about all that it would mean for her, for those around her…for Quietus. Because she had to think about him. This was partly his fault, and his responsibility. What he would want, she had no idea. But if he wanted her to keep it, would she be able to do so?

 

This needs to be my decision, she thought. I can’t let him know if I decide to…end this problem. The lure of that option drew at her. It would be so simple. A pinch of an artery, a severed umbilical cord, pressure on a soft vertebrae. But could she actually do it? Could she kill this thing inside her? That thought was tempting, but it was also deep down extremely repulsive. As a Sith, Eris prided herself in having no morals. But this…it just seemed wrong. A protective instinct had arisen in her, and it surprised her how powerful it was.

 

The dark side pushed and pulled and whirled unbeckoned through her, answering that question for her. One life or another, it didn’t make much difference. The galaxy was a cold and forbidding place, and no one mattered but herself. It stripped away all thoughts of others, and brought it back to the one question that it always made her think about in the end: What did she really want?

 

She took another deep breath. She did not want this baby. And the only thing that was keeping her from solving her problem was some misguided sense of morality, of right and wrong. A Sith never sacrifices her own happiness and desires for others. And Eris was a Sith.

 

So before she could change her mind, she steeled herself and reached out through the Force. A moment later, it was done.

 

It was normal that a Sith feel the death of someone they killed. Most Sith reveled in that moment, in the sensation of life slipping from a body. Eris, too, had felt that pleasure. But this…this was completely different. She could feel him—for it was definitely a him—dying inside of her, and as he died, it felt as if she died too.

 

A sob tore from her lips. My son… She curled on the cold deck of the starship, hurtling through the twisted clouds of hyperspace, and wept until she could weep no more. And deep in her heart she knew she was a failure, for this was the end of everything. She was truly no one now, for she had let her fear of what this baby would mean control her. In trying to act like a Sith, she had betrayed everything that it meant to be one. And only now, when it was too late, did she understand.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin gave Ads a knowing smile when he figured out just what had happened. "It seems that you have a pretty good grasp of it already," he said. "There will definitely be times to practice, and you have a long career as a Jedi Knight ahead of you. For now, let's keep covering new topics so you can get the basics down. Then you can spend some time reflecting on everything and practicing until and after we arrive on Dathomir."

 

He shifted slightly. "When you want to stretch out with your feelings and touch things in the Force around you, you sort of expand a sphere of presence, or perhaps a sphere of influence. In order to hide yourself from the Force, you essentially do the opposite. Pull your feelings in and make them as small as you can. If you can get it suitably small, I won't be able to feel your presence at all." He remembered fondly some of the different ways he had taught this lesson. Back when Sabian had been just a boy, and they had played hide and seek using their Force senses. Onderin thought of the times with a slightly bittersweet taste as he remembered just how attached he and Sabian had become. The padawan had become like a son to him, and he had been like the father the boy never had. Those had been good times... but the nature of the relationship hadn't been right for a Jedi and his apprentice. He had slowly drawn back from Sabian after that... thankfully, things had worked out.

 

The Jedi Master brought himself back to the present. "You won't be able to use the Force to enhance your senses or manipulate your environment, but you will be hidden from it. When it comes to enemies who use the Force, this is a more important part of stealth than actually being quiet. Try it now."

[Raynuk Montar]

For Quietus, there was something magical, something powerful about being at the controls of such a massive ship as the Shadow's Gambit, even if it was to merely be a luxury liner and casino ship. it had been built as a sign of the Sith's presence within the galaxy, a reminder that those that served the dark side were still among the shadows in the darker corners of the galaxy, despite what the Galactic Alliance, CoreSec, and Jedi had been feeding the masses. The ship itself was of little threat to anyone, but the idea of it was like a giant golden thorn in the side of the supposed 'good guys'. And Darth Quietus would have had it no other way.

 

After securing the ship from the Kuat Drive Yards and setting a path away from the planet. He had not been ignorant as to her departure prior to their arrival at Kuat, but at the time had been more focused on teaching his apprentice and ensuring the safety of his pet project to see her off properly. But only after the Shadow's Gambit entered hyperspace did Quietus feel that he had the time and focus to listen to the message she had left. it was from that message that Quietus altered the trajectory of the Shadow's Gambit to rendezvous with Darth Eris at the predetermined coordinates. He had intended to set about crewing the massive ship at once before turning his attention back to the plans that he and Furion had cobbled together, but now it seemed more important to once again reunite with Eris; if nothing else he could prod her with the intent to get a rise out of her. The Sith Master was far from blind to the bouts of sheer rage and jealousy that his former apprentice was prone to, especially when it came to anyone other than her or the tuk'atas being around him and taking up his time. Quite simply, he found sadistic pleasure in seeing just how deep that rage and jealousy could go.

 

===================================================

 

By the time that the Shadow's Gambit arrived where Eris was to have met her apprentice, the deadline for Kenneth's arrival had passed by nearly thirteen hours. And so all at once, like the golden dagger of death it was, the massive ship wretched itself from hyperspace to utterly dwarf the Shadow's Shine. And with another massive show of force, Quietus extended his mind to the various consoles once more and cut in the sublight engines to bring the massive ship to a halt. But only upon releasing his control of the ship, which was quite simply sitting idle now, did the strain and audacity of the move show; Quietus rapidly fell to one knee, his hands catching the floor of the command walkway on either side of his body to support and steady himself. The display of weakness occurred in full view of Karys, but Quietus said nothing, finding his focus wavering in the moment, so much so that he did not even comprehend any reaction that the Massassi might have displayed.

 

Vex'aedr, who had also found himself a cozy corner of the bridge to claim as his own, was also witness to the incident. For the tuk'ata, the display of weakness was a much more concerning matter, enough to make the massive beast gallop across the bridge to his master's side. Only the hand of Quietus rising from the floor to rest upon the muscular shoulder of Vex'aedr brought ease to the beast. And just as quickly as he had fallen to a knee, Quietus rose again as steady as ever. There was only a momentary pause before he began walking down the command walkway, and down into one of the crew pits, directly to one of the comm stations. There he paused for just a moment, and without even a glance at Vex'aedr or Karys, practically treating the experience like it never happened, Quietus turned and looked out the front viewport, his gaze finding and locking onto the small spec of a ship as he keyed the comm, making his voice sound as rigid and official as he could manage

 

"This is the Shadow's Gambit to the Shadow's Shine. It seems you are all alone out here little one..."

 

Quietus paused for barely a heartbeat, before speaking again, this time in the ancient language of the SIth.

 

"Redzi mans mīļais, mans darba augļus. Ieraudzīt nākotni pie ordeņa."

 

The grin that spread across the face of Quietus, the grin that came from hearing his own words, was the grin that suppressed the whispers of fear and sadness that had come to him when the Shadow's Gambit exited hyperspace. So confident, so caught up in his own ego was Quietus, that several important thoughts never came to the surface of his mind. They were whispers that, if he had focused on and listened to them, would have made Quietus entrance less off a show.

 

They were the whispers of the Force that spoke of the deed that Darth Eris had committed such a short time before Quietus' arrival. An action that would change everything. An action that showed just how ignorant a Sith Master such as Quietus still could be.

[Emily]

An hour later, Eris had no more tears. She sat on the floor, her back leaning against Roe'gall's rippling black hide, quiet with sorrow. It was natural, and normal, and Eris hated herself for her weakness. But she couldn't pull herself out of it.

 

That is, until a warning chime came from the cockpit. A few seconds later, Quietus' presence washed over her, bringing a sense of blessed relief. Here was someone who had always been there for her. He was something solid in the midst of a whirling ocean of chaos. He was one thing that remained the same in a season of change. His voice rang over the intercom, cocky and confident, washing away the remaining twist of anxiety in her gut that worried that he would find out what had happened. She was sure that for one as powerful as him, and one who knew her as well as he did, it would be an easy task to put together the clues he would get through the Force. But he hadn't been paying attention, and for that, she was extremely grateful. Perhaps someday she would tell him, but she was in no way eager for that time to come.

 

Moreover, his presence was enough of a reminder that she was able to regain her self-control, retreating to a high cold plateau of the Force where no emotion could tie her down unless she wished it to. Rising, Eris strode to the cockpit. What she saw made her burst out laughing. So this was Quietus' secret project, his gift for Furion and the Sith. She chuckled again. "Why, Lord Quietus," she commed back, "imagine meeting you here! Can I hitch a ride?"

 

Without waiting for him to send the inevitable permission, she brought her ship around to the main port docking bay. Once she had been cleared, she set it down, shut if off, and strode out, Roe'gall at her heels. She could feel his presence on the bridge, but was puzzled by the lack of anyone else. Where is the crew?

 

She made her way swiftly to the gleaming bridge, passing Quietus' Massassi apprentice without acknowledging him, and strode up to Quietus. After giving him a kiss, she pulled back. "When I saw this great big golden ship, I thought for sure it was Lord Ar-Pharazon," she teased, her tone perhaps a bit too bright and forced, although one would probably never be able to tell. "You've acquired a taste for ostentatiousness, I see."

 

Eris glanced around the bridge, but saw no one, which puzzled her even more. "Where is the cr--" She cut off mid-question when she realized what he had done. "You flew this ship by yourself?" Her tone was one that would be familiar to Quietus from her time as his apprentice, for it was full of respect and awe. She glanced at the Massassi. "You had better appreciate your master, apprentice. There is not one in a thousand Force-users, Jedi or Sith, that could pull off a feat like this without killing themselves."

 

Now that she looked more closely at Quietus, she could tell he was tired, something that she rarely saw in him. But that did nothing to decrease her respect. He was truly remarkable in every way.

[Raynuk Montar]

By the time that Eris brought her ship into the massive belly of the Shadow's Gambit and made her way up to the bridge, Quietus was found to be extremely focused elsewhere. He of course heard her come onto the bridge, and returned her kiss of greeting well enough to pass for paying attention. Beyond that however, all bets were off. He was standing over the holonet terminal, his gaze focused downward as his hands tapped various keys with seemingly random efficiency. His own personal datapad was lying on top of the console, having been patched into the system by Quietus himself. It was clear, he noted with the perifrial sections of his mind, that Eris was rather happy to see him once more despite the two only having been separated for a handful of days.

 

All in all, the Sith was much too focused on his work to even consider if she was so happy to see him, much less to debate the possible reasons behind it. It took far longer than it should have for Quietus' concious mind to even realize she was speaking to him in that moment, and as a result he caught only the tail end of her comment, catching the name of Ar-Pharazon and the dig about Quietus' apparent aquisition of ostentatious tendencies. His mind registered the words and formed a response, but Quietus' gaze and most of his focus remained on the terminal in front of him.

 

"Mmmmm... So it seems."

 

It was a short response, and rather curt as well for Quietus given who he was talking to. In another moment, one without the distractions of his work, Quietus would undoubtedly turned his entire focus to his former apprentice upon her arrival on the bridge.

 

Apprentice...

 

The word stuck like a spear in his mind, disrupting the flow of his thoughts and bringing him fully into the present enviorment. Only then did he look up from the terminal to look at Eris, who by that time had noticed the lack of crew and pieced together just how the Shadow's Gambit had come to pick her up. And there with the realization came the tone of voice that never ceased to cause Quietus to grin like an evil genius; that perfect mixture of awe, adoration, and respect at something he had done. He watched her turn to address Karys, who for his part had remained rather silent since the drop from hyperspace, either out of his own respect for the powers Quietus commanded, or something else.

 

But when she turned back to Quietus, and her face softened ever so slightly at seeing the tired look on his face, the grin faded along with it. He held her gaze for a moment, before turning back to the console, prepared to finally give voice to what had left him distracted.

 

"Ah... yes. The crew. I felt I couldnt dare trust anyone that the Kuat Drive Yards and their CoreSec handlers provided... And so, indeed, I flew the ship here myself. But the solution will be provided soon enough; I will recruit the crew and staff for this flying resort myself. I have already planned out a schedule for the next few weeks, leading up to the point at which the Shadow's Gambit will have her true maiden voyage."

 

He took a step sideways, moving him to the side of the console, but also took Eris' hand to pull her with him, thus placing her directly in front of the holonet terminal. Only then did he show her the carefully crafted message he had built and created for the Shadow's Gambit. Once she had seen it in its entirety, Quietus said nothing as he sent the message to be broadcast on the Holonet. Only when the message dissapeared from his screen, out of his hands, did he turn to Eris once more and spoke like the Sith Master he was.

 

"I see you came aboard alone save for Roe'gall... So either Kenneth failed to show up, or he failed his task and you killed him for it... Or perhaps he completed his task, showed up, and you killed him anyway just to spite me?"

 

His tone turned slightly hostile towards the end, but not nearly enough to be a true threat.

 

"You have an aura of murder around you my dear... The kind that only comes from taking a life or at least seriously plotting it. I must say, it looks radiant on you. So which is it Darth Eris?"

[Emily]

Quietus was distracted as she came aboard, so much so that he barely paid her attention. As a Lady of the Sith, there was little that drove Eris crazy more than being ignored, but she strove to hold her peace while he finished his holonet advertisement. He then pulled her close and showed it to her. It was well-done; eye-catching and interesting enough to pique the attention of the sort of clientele who would soon, if everything went as planned, be swarming this golden ship. She was going to point out an error--she was sure it had said Shadow's Gambit in one place and Shadow's Fury in another--but Quietus hit the transmit button as soon as she was done reading it and she gave a mental shrug.

 

He then finally focused his attention on her, but in doing so, he picked up on some of the residual Force energy that was clinging to her. Her heart twisted inside her. His words were like pouring Hoth vodka on an open wound; the thought that she looked radiant as a result of killing--She cut off the thought in her mind savagely. She had known this was not something she could hide from him. Others perhaps; but Quietus knew her too well. Regardless, though, she was not ready to tell him the truth of her discovery and subsequent action; in this situation, Kenneth would be a welcome diversion.

 

"He never showed up," she said, keeping her tone carefully bored and scornful. "It seems you may have been mistaken about him. He did not have the guts after all to become a Sith." She tossed her head back. "When he didn't show up within the specified timeframe, I got much delight from plotting how to punish him in case he did show up late. But sadly, he seems to have failed to even do that." It was not a lie; she did indeed have time to consider what she would do to a man who had ignored her more times than she cared to count during their brief acquaintance. She hoped that Quietus' normally intense perception would, in this specific case, fail him, for she didn't like to think how he would respond if he realized she was hiding things from him.

 

To that end, she made the decision to try and distract him and change the subject. Stepping closer to him and speaking in a low voice so only he could hear, she added, "And you should know I'd never do anything to deliberately spite you. Probably. Not when there are other things I could be doing to you that would be infinitely more fun."

 

She stepped back with a small smirk. Inwardly, however, she was simply hoping he would be distracted enough to drop the subject. That at least is one weapon that women everywhere have that they can use against their men. We'll just see how heavy handed I need to be. The deception only added to the sadness she was carrying deep down inside her, though. For what started as a small thing, a white lie here, a secret there, would always grow and fester over time. This would be a drop of poison in their relationship, a poison born of the dark side.

 

But, Eris told herself firmly, it was necessary. And she dismissed the thought. "Speaking of apprentices," she said louder, throwing another subject out there, turning to glance at the Massassi before returning her gray and hazel gaze back on Quietus, "what have you been teaching yours?"

[Raynuk Montar]

Quietus listened with an inquisitive ear as Eris spoke in response to his questions and of Kenneth's failure, but found that something still did not sit right with him regarding her behavior. Quick as she might be, she must have known that she couldnt hide a change in her attitude and demeanor from him forever; Didnt she? There was almost nothing to point a finger at in terms of anything being amiss with her from what he could sense, at least without fully diving into the swirling darkness that was her mind. But even still, he caught the knee-jerk reaction that his words had on her. His words had stung, but Quietus had no sense of why they had stung, and had no direction on the matter.

 

Something else to note and file away for later.... he thought with a fair amount of frustration. He loved the fact that she seemed to be getting more powerful and more chaotic within the Force, but at the same time he did miss the early days when he could completely unravel the deepest secrets of her mind in a matter of seconds. For whatever it was worth, Eris put up the best show she knew how to in the presence of Quietus. When she had finished relaying the lack of participation on the part of Kenneth and stepped closer to him, he became acutely aware of the change in subject that she brought to the conversation, a fact which caused him to narrow his eyes slightly as he studied her face and listened to her words. When she stepped back with a smirk, he spoke, his words a careful aim to disarm her and see past the words.

 

"Perhaps my dear, you should learn to be capable of spiting even me..."

 

He then closed the gap between them as quickly as she had made it, ending up perhaps even closer than before as he reached up and placed a hand on the side of her neck and head, a gentle move that quickly turned into a solid grip as he continued, his own devious grin spreading.

 

"You never know when I may, force you to do something against your will and treat you like little more than a mauka; disposable and worthless."

 

Had Quietus known the truth of the secrets Eris was holding, he may not have said such a thing. But through his time as a Sith, Quietus had learned that it is often the weapon that a person weild, that can do the most damage to them; why fear what they control? It was through this thought that Quietus attempted to turn Eris' own attempts back on her. He did not however wait to hear her response; if she chose to jump from one subject to another, he was more than willing and able to keep up with her. He turned to regard Karys once more, still sitting there like a mute child in the corner, watching.

 

"I have taught him what he has asked about, and I have shown him the power I wield. For now, he is observing me; what I teach him depends on what he learns from my actions. Soon enough his training will begin in earnest, and then he shall his training truly begin. Then he shall know pain, know hatred, and know fear so that he may overcome and feed off of them."

[Emily]

As he grabbed her neck and head, she met his eyes steadily. His words didn't phase her; it was an empty threat in her mind. She didn't think he would ever actually make good on it. I'd like to see you try, she thought privately, arrogantly. And if the time came, well, then, they would see.

 

As he turned away, she suddenly realized what she was thinking. A wave of confusion swept over her as deep inside her, Emily made a bid for freedom. Was she seriously doing things to drive a wall between her and the only one she cared about anymore? That was completely unlike her. Her sudden mood change left her disoriented, and after a moment, Eris managed to push the treacherous thought aside and regain control of herself.

 

A frown crossed her face. Eris was angry at herself; she had recently been at the mercy of emotion, and that was not something that befit a lady of the Sith. "I'll leave you to it then," she said, beckoning to Roe'gall. "For now, though, I'm going to find the most luxurious quarters on this floating palace." Her tone was closed, but Quietus would know that he never needed an invitation to join her.

 

She strode off the bridge, the tuk'ata at her side, her emotions a swirl of dark chaos underneath a placid exterior. When she had felt Quietus arrive, all she had wanted was to be close to him; now, she wanted to be alone. And that disturbed her more than she cared to admit. She had been alone for most of her life and had had her fill of it. But now...things had changed.

 

She made her way through the ship, not really seeing much nor paying attention. Nevertheless, her feet took her to the empty hotel part of the ship, where she made her way to the penthouse, a lavish sprawling room fit for the emperor of a thousand worlds. Once there, she collapsed onto an ottoman, not bothering to turn on the lights, leaving the only illumination to come from the emergency lighting that had activated when she had entered the room. "What's wrong with me, Roe'gall?" she whispered. "Why am I suddenly losing control?"

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

As the ship moved Karys stood silent. The only time he did move was when his master for some reason or other seemingly toppled over but before he could even act the Ta'kata beat him to Quietus. It was a brief display of weakness but one that did not worry Karys for he had no doubt that even in such a moment the man was just as deadly as ever. He spoke briefly in a moment of apparent true concern for his new master. He had no intention of losing him after getting so close to what he craved.

 

''Is everything ok master, you seemed to lose yourself for a moment there.''

 

It seemed his master was fine by all accounts as he quickly went about his normal business so Karys paid no mind. At least until he uttered in sithese a fact which did nothing but further his respect for the man, albeit it was a distinct dialect. He understood each word inexplicably and acknowledged them. It was then he followed Quietus.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------

 

By the time that Eris brought her ship into the belly of the Shadow's Gambit, Karys was found to be simply looking out at nothing in particular and standing still at least before he was himself addressed by what he had by now guessed at was Quietus lover. The force and physical proximity of the two told him as such, subtle notions that the usual crowd would not know but a warrior would. He had even noticed a slight hint of misconduct upon her, the air of murder as came from a fresh kill. He paid no mind as the two began introductions and kissed although he did have a slight hint of jealousy come about at it for he lacked such a companion but hoped that time might provide such a thing eventually, his race needed replenishing and if he was the one to do it all the better. He missed the carnal pleasures of life and the slaves hardly provided any sport, to seduce a true woman, a real woman as he thought it was a rare challenge and one he hoped he would have time for eventually but for now his potential training and new master had his full attention.

 

As Emily addressed him so did he nod and speak in his peculiar mix of basic with a heavy influence of sithese in tone.

 

''Oh I do appreciate him and his prowess. For in our short time he has taught me a great deal of the force even if I have not learnt it directly myself yet. His display at commanding this ship alone has given much insight as to the true nature of the force and what just can be done with such power. It is awe inspiring and something I can only wish to aspire too myself, someday I will make it so as to emulate such feats with his help.''

 

He spoke in a perfect syncronization of equal parts awe, respect, admiration and jealousy at least on a conscious level. Sub-consciously he was making his own determinations and decisions on what to make of this woman and tried to figure out just what sort of mayhem had she caused as to give such a aura, simply for curiosities sake. Karys had noticed that controlling the ship had taken a toll on his master a fact which concerned him for a moment before subsiding and paid mind to be careful of not over exerting himself in a similar fashion unless absolutely necessary when he finally had command of the force. He remained deadly silent as a display of words seemed to play out before him, although intriguing as it was he decided it best to just keep quiet and listen than to interrupt a conversation of which he had no part in. Although he did find it a little odd that she chose to suddenly change the subject matter but again it caused him no mind as he found it was of no concern of his. Only when his name was mentioned and when Quietus spoke of what Karys was to learn did his interest become more apparent.

 

It seemed much depended upon what he learnt from his observations. He was all to happy to oblige and learn more from Quietus actions, at least more than he had done so far. He anticipated the moment when his training did begin in earnest much how a small child anticipates the moment they are given a bunch of sweets. He was savoring every moment up until that moment. Listening he held no doubt that he would feeling pain, pain which he was both familiar with and that which he was not along with all other manner of physical and mental torture as to make him a capable warrior of the sith. But yet he had no worry nor fear of such a moment, held no illusions as to just what it may bring and eagerly waited for it to arrive.

 

When Emily left Karys looked to Quietus with a look that seemed to suggest confusion. And then he spoke.

 

''Very odd one that one. She is a fine choice for you although I wonder what brought that on, did I offend her in some way.''

[Ads-Gop Flif]

"It seems that you have a pretty good grasp of it already," Onderin told Ads.

 

"Then I guess I had a good idea anyway," Ads joked to no one in particular as Onderin continued.

 

"There will definitely be times to practice, and you have a long career as a Jedi Knight ahead of you. For now, let's keep covering new topics so you can get the basics down. Then you can spend some time reflecting on everything and practicing until and after we arrive on Dathomir. When you want to stretch out with your feelings and touch things in the Force around you, you sort of expand a sphere of presence, or perhaps a sphere of influence. In order to hide yourself from the Force, you essentially do the opposite. Pull your feelings in and make them as small as you can. If you can get it suitably small, I won't be able to feel your presence at all. You won't be able to use the Force to enhance your senses or manipulate your environment, but you will be hidden from it. When it comes to enemies who use the Force, this is a more important part of stealth than actually being quiet. Try it now."

 

"Okay, I think that makes sense." Ads thought back to the mind trick that he had played on Onderin and the process of manipulating things telepathically. He discerned the similarities between the processes, the ways that he was really only extending his own mind and going with the flow wherever the Force would take him. In fact, it seemed like he could possibly better describe it as going with "The Flow." It wasn't him controlling the Force and he was certainly not being forced into doing anything. He could leave the process at any time and simply let go and followed. All he had to do now was to simply not go with the Flow. He would not fight it, but rather leave it. Rather than pulling his presence inward, he could feel the Force drawing in around him as he stepped out of the river of the Flow. He had expected to possibly feel weaker or alone when separated, but it was actually fortifying and empowering. He felt the ripples as the Force that bound all life together gathered around him. While he may have been more isolated from any individual, he was certainly more connected to life at large. He was more aware and he felt as though stepping back into the Flow would produce a Force more powerful than any he had conjured before.

 

He eased back into the Flow, not wanting to unleash a powerful Force in such a small space. As he did so, he found himself exhaling for the first time since the process had begun. It was as though he had drawn into a Force trance with more awareness. He wasn't sure if it was one that had the healing properties or conserving qualities of the trances that he had practiced earlier but it was certainly some form. He felt alive and aware. In that moment, he was euphoric. Not because of any man-made, forced power's blessing. But because, he was enlightened by his connection to the universe.source 12

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin raised his eyebrows at what he felt as he studied Ads in the Force. The padawan did seem to pull his Force presence down to a tiny bubble, but that pocket of energy was incredibly focused. It was like all of Ads' strength in the Force condensed into a powerful seed of life, a galaxy revolving within a man's form. Then there exploded the complete peace of enlightenment, and Onderin felt it roll in waves off the young Jedi.

 

The Jedi Master exhaled. "That was... remarkable," he said. "Not exactly what I was trying to teach, but something very potent. If I were you, I would remember very well what you just managed. As for now, though, I believe Dathomir is quickly approaching. We'll have to resume later."

 

His instincts proved correct. No sooner had he finished speaking than the proximity alarms went off in the cockpit, informing the ship's inhabitants that the hyperspace jump was coming to its conclusion. Onderin finally stood up and stretched his legs. He stepped into the chamber where Qaela was resting with her children--no doubt the alarm had stirred them. "Why don't you take over from here?" he asked her.

[Raynuk Montar]

As Eris rather quietly dismissed herself, Quietus studied her silently and with a concerned eye. He felt the eyes of Karys upon him as well, and only after Eris' form had disappeared and the doors shut behind her did Quietus turn his gaze to his apprentice, who took that moment to voice his concerns. There was a fair amount of concern swirling through Quietus as well as he replayed the last few minutes in his mind; there was definitely something off about Darth Eris, a Sith who should have no reason to hide from Quietus.

 

"You, my apprentice, did not offend her. She is troubled it seems, and she is most certainly hiding something from me. What concerns me is that she should have no reason to hide from me..."

 

Quietus knew better than to pursue the train of thought and let it distract him, or worse to pursue Eris herself. She was after all, a Sith Lord, and no longer his apprentice. If she desired to be alone, he would not impose his presence upon her. He knew her well enough to know that should she desire his input, guidance, or even his presence, she would come seek it out herself. The fact that she was on the ship with him at least was security enough in the matter. For now, there were other matters to attend to. Turning back to Karys, Quietus spoke, his tone no longer showing the concern that was slowly receding.

 

"But it is of no concern to you my apprentice. Come, allow me to divulge my plans with you so that you may take a more active role in the rise of the Sith..."

 

Quietus turned and walked towards the nearby tactical display, motioning for Karys to join him as he began discussing what would happen over the next few weeks. Once the plan was in place, Quietus again resumed his position at the middle of the command bridge and took control of the ship once more, sending it streaking into hyperspace once more.

 

====================================================

 

In the weeks following the ship's departure from the Kuat Drive Yards and the rendezvous with Darth Eris, the Shadow's Gambit under the direct control of Quietus made three stops; the first at Talus, then Kamino, and then finally at Gromas. The three planets were of no particular significance other than their relative proximity to one another. Upon leaving the rendezvous location, Quietus aimed the ship towards Talus, arriving in near record time for such a distance. Upon its arrival, the Shadow's Gambit took up a standard orbit over the planet, and let the entire planet know that the ship had arrived, just as the Holonet broadcast had said it would. Quietus of course registered the ship's arrival as any other civilian ship would, and obeyed all the local and galactic laws and regulations.

 

Within an hour of its arrival, several small shuttles from the planet were arriving one by one in the Shadow's Gambit main hold. They were of course merely a part of the thousands of crew and staff members that would be needed to operate the ship. With the massive golden ship holding steady in orbit above Talus, Quietus was free to greet the new employees as they arrived, welcoming each group as they arrived and giving them a rough itinerary that included a tour of the massive ship. For now, the ship was open to the crew before the passengers arrived. And after a day spent floating silently over Talus, Quietus again returned to the bridge and took command of the ship. This time however, the burden of the ship was eased due to the handful of bridge crew members that had been hand picked for duty in his presence; mainly former imperial navy officers who not only were vaguely familiar with the systems, but were smart enough to not panic in the service of a Sith. They were of course the only ones who knew that Quietus was a Sith; he had gone to great measures to ensure that the general labor force was not aware of what exactly they served.

 

The process was much the same at both Kamino and Gromas, with the ship remaining in orbit for a day to take on the numerous crew that the ship would need to run efficiently and independently on its long journeys across the galaxy. By the time the time came for the Shadow's Gambit to depart from Gromas, over three quarters of the crew needed were on board and preparing to take on passengers. Leaving the bridge in the hands of a former Imperial Major named Jacob Kira, who would serve as Captain for the time being, Quietus allowed himself the rare oppertunity to enjoy the ship with other people around. He had of course made several casual attempts to speak to Darth Eris, but between the preparation and her unease around him, nothing much ever came from those attempts.

 

Finding Karys amid all the preparation, Quietus instructed the Massassi, who was having little difficulty inspiring fear and confusion amid the common workers, to meet him in the plaza gardens so that his training might continue. Once his apprentice arrived to find Quietus in a rather quiet moment standing on one of the elevated walkways overlooking the lower plaza, The Sith Master spoke, keeping his back to Karys.

 

"For the last several weeks my apprentice, you have observed me. You have seen the way I conduct myself, heard the words I speak, and seen the raw power that I possess. Now, it is your turn..."

 

Effortlessly Quietus turned to face Karys.

 

"It is your turn to show off. Show me what you know of being a Sith; of Force manipulation, of combat prowess... Whatever you think you know, I want you to demonstrate it to me. Now."

 

Whatever cards the Massassi might have up his sleeves, Quietus was prepared. There was even a very dark part of the SIth Master that was hoping Karys would attempt to attack Quietus, even if was only an effort to show the skill he possessed.

[Emily]

The next few weeks passed quickly for Eris. The first week she mostly kept to her room, speaking to Quietus on occasion, but never for very long, and never were their conversations of much substance. It was a time for her to focus herself as much as she could, to heal the wounds on her soul with quiet and time away. By the second week, she began to make an effort to get back into a normal routine. Routine and ritual, she quickly found, were excellent balms when the stillness got to her. They allowed her to not think, but to just live, and that was good.

 

The golden ship soon began to fill up with people. Eris took the opportunity to throw herself into her studies. She found more and more that she preferred to keep to the shadows, insubstantial as a wraith, and as a result, very few people even knew she was onboard. When they did see her, she used the opportunity to practice her Force illusions, sucking energy from her victims bodies and using it to project images of her fading into mist, becoming dark and ethereal, or having flames where her eyes should have been. The illusions didn't take much energy, especially as she was using them against ordinary people and not Force-users, and their reactions were quite satisfying. She never attacked anyone--this was a pleasure ship, and one that would need to be successful to fund the Order--but she was secretly pleased and amused one day when she overheard one crew member talking to another, whispering about the rumors of a dark lady, sometimes accompanied by a massive black shadow with glowing red eyes and a mouth full of teeth, haunting the recesses of the ship. When she heard it, she was in the middle of practicing hiding herself in the natural recesses and alcoves the ship presented, and so the crew members had walked by right in front of her, completely oblivious to her presence.

 

When she wasn't prowling the ship, she worked in a gymnasium with Roe'gall. They soon trusted each other again at a significant level, and their skills at what she privately referred to as mounted combat quickly increased to a deadly level. The rest of her time was spent sleeping or eating, most of the time alone, but occasionally with Quietus.

 

So it was that by the time the Shadow's Gambit was mostly staffed, Eris was fit and healthy again, at least physically. Emotionally she was still recovering, while mentally, she still suffered from bouts of depression, confusion, and self-doubt. More and more frequently, she would have a burst of insight into how futile all of this was, and how all the power that the dark side offered her, while massive, was still insignificant.

 

One day, she was deep in the dark side when she felt Quietus reach out and summon Karys. Curiosity struck her, and, motioning to Roe'gall to accompany her, she set off through the ship, keeping her Force presence locked up so tightly that she doubted even Quietus would notice her unless he specifically looked for her. She could feel the two of them on a walkway overlooking a plaza, and so she made her way to an upper deck that had another walkway overlooking the same plaza from a different side. Once there, she found a comfortable spot to melt into the shadows, using the Force to subtly deflect the attention from the passersby away from her, and settled in to watch and observe Quietus and Karys work.

[Qaela]

While the Jedi trained, Qaela remained with her children. She had a lot of catching up to do and a great deal of work toward establishing herself as their mother. They had spent only perhaps three weeks of their six months of life with her and she knew that trend would likely continue. While they were here with her, she was happy and even comforted to maintain a bond with each of them through the Force. It was quite strange to be able to link up with someone so familiar, so much a part of herself. They offered no resistance, not like nearly every other being in the universe. They also had no agenda of their own, beyond getting food and being held. She was more than willing to accommodate them on both accounts, such as she was able.

 

She continued to marvel in their simplicity and innocence while occasionally taking breaks to contemplate her situation. She had many things weighing on her mind about the near future and only a few answers. Occasionally, her worry bled into her connections with her children causing them to cry. She was quick to placate them, but the worry never left her. On occasion, she could sense one of the Jedi reaching deeply into the Force. As long as they didn't threaten her or hers, she didn't much care. She wasn't too much on edge about either of them because she didn't think Starlisk would ever move against innocent children. If he had wanted to neutralize her as a threat, he would have done it when she was alone before rescuing her children.

 

At last, it was time. She heard the alarms warning of reversion and felt Starlisk come to her. He awaited directions and she sighed heavily at the end of her time with her children. Even if she was able to find time alone among her Sisters, she wouldn't be able to open up to her children quite in the same way as she was here in relative solitude.

 

"Our camps are nomadic, there is no single coordinates that would serve," she said neutrally. "I can guide you to them through the Force, but it isn't as simple as homing in on them. We don't normally allow ships near our camps, so unless you relish the concept of being crushed by multi-ton boulders or dragged nose first into the ground under the weight of Force conjured nets, then we will need to land an hour or two away from the camp."

 

With great reluctance, she placed her son into the crib and went to the bridge to wait reversion.

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

Karys considered what Quietus had said before nodding and listening to his master as he divulged his plans. As he listened he couldn't help but inwardly smile at the innumerable possibilities the opportunity would allow. Once all was explained the ship once again blasted off into the deep of space.

 

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In the weeks following the ship's departure from the Kuat Drive Yards and the rendezvous with Darth Eris, as the Shadow's Gambit under the direct control of Quietus made it's three stops at Talus, Kamino, and finally Gromas, Karys had spent his time familiarizing himself with the ship and it's various systems. Even at times inspiring fear in the ranks of those who knew that he and Quietus were sith and ensuring their loyalty and that they would keep their mouths shut. Those that didn't had quickly found themselves become the newest part of the bottom of a turbolift shaft (at least when no-one knew he was there or when they were not looking) or a notch upon Karys sword which always brightened up his day as he took pride in his workmanship. Many on the ship had come to know his presence since even if they did not quite understand what part he served, it only made him inwardly laugh at the irony of the situation while at other times it eased his boredom as he awaited the day his master would finally begin his training in earnest.

 

Finally it came.

 

When his master beckoned that he come to the plaza gardens so that his training might continue, Karys could not have been more happy nor more excited as to the possibilities this would afford him. He had observed, been patient and now his time had come. The massassi made sure he was equipped for the job just in case he was asked to fight something or other and thought upon what lesson he would be imparted today as he walked the many hallways until he finally came to the plaza itself on time. As Queitus effortlessly turned to face him, Karys looked at his master with a eager smile as he heard the words he was waiting for. Now was his turn.

 

And so he acted accordingly, without hesitation nor fear as he replied to the question that was posed to him.

 

''As you wish my master.''

 

Within that moment, what was once a smile quickly faded into one denoting a serious demeanor as the facade dropped and revealed the massassi's true form. Remembering what Quietus had told him previously about feeding off of emotions when he had posed the question and of how the force whispered to him but he was to preoccupied to hear it, Karys attempted to use this knowledge to his advantage. Using what he had been told he attempted to listen as he focused himself and shut out the rest of the world around him. Everything except Quietus and the plaza which would serve as his arena. He deemed first of all to start simply with his fists knowing full well that in that regard he may have an advantage in that his master was unfamiliar with his martial form. Few were. The ancient massassi martial arts of which he was familiar had not been seen in the galaxy for millenia, at least in most places but it did still exist regardless and this was a rare opportunity where anyone who was looking would catch a glimpse of it.

 

His movements were fast, concise and powerful, it was truly a form created to break bones and expose the various pressure points on the body to excruciating pain, a form created to use techniques effectively to use eight weapons in the fists, elbows, knees and feet. But it was not this alone it also encompassed tricks or 'Mae Mai' (Master Tricks) and 'Look Mai' (Complimentary Tricks) which were the fighting movements. The form was created during a time when war was frequent and often. While not subtle it did the job it was intended for. Karys started simple, clenching his fists he entered the stance of his form, fists held high with the elbows used to shield his face and his legs evenly spaced apart for movement. And then he encircled his opponent, his eyes never once leaving his opponents own even as he moved. He struck, easily maintaining control and balance as he swung his right leg to attack his target with all the power he could muster, and in the same movement, his hip twisted in the same direction of the swing. It was all perfectly executed as he bent his legs a little and swung the kick aimed to the area around the knee-joint or the back of the knee joint in a attempt to either bring Quietus to one knee, break bone or at the very least knock him off guard. The kicking leg, was intended to be really powerful, and as such was straightened. At the same moment his hand guard was up securely ready to bring several well placed fists to the man's face, head and neck should his initial attempt fail. For now however he was simply testing the waters so to speak and as such reserved his more powerful techniques for when he needed them most. He waited for what Quietus might bring as he reveled in the thrill of the battle.

 

((Just for reference I based the massassi martial art style on Muay Thai as to give you some bearing on what stance his using ))

[Raynuk Montar]

From the first days that Quietus joined the Sith all those years ago, he was conscious of the fact that everything he knew the Sith to be had been built upon the backs of the Massassi eons ago. He had read and studied the stories of their great empire and their timeless war against the Jedi and those that supported them. He had often wondered in those early days, what it would have been like to stand among or face to face with one of those ancient warriors, and now here Quietus was; standing face to face with a Massassi in the form of his apprentice. An apprentice who was now for the first time showing Quietus just what it meant to be an ancient Sith.

 

The opening moments of any fight, be it for blood, for sport, or in this case for training, are often the most critical. It is in those few seconds that the combatants size each other up, and lay the groundwork for how their fight would proceed. As Karys dropped into his stance, arms held just so to make use of elbows and fists alike, and his legs almost light and springy in their own capabilities of attack, Quietus sized the Massassi up evenly. He however, did not fall into any particular stance; in fact, he was almost casual as the two circled each other. Quietus' eyes never left Karys though, his gaze being perhaps the only thing that would penetrate past the guarded arms.

 

And then all at once, the Massassi made his move. Quietus had no qualms about admitting his lack of knowlege of the various unarmed martial arts; most of the time if he was unarmed something had gone seriously wrong and he would lash out like a caged animal. But for Karys, the form was practiced and well known. That did not however, mean that Quietus was unprepared. As the kick progressed, the Master gave the apprentice just the glimmer of hope, staying his own body a microsecond longer than normal. But just as quickly as Karys lashed out with the kick, Quietus reacted in kind. He did indeed fall to one knee, but instead of it being a reaction to the impact meant to buckle his knee, Quietus removed the opportunity and took command of it himself. With his now lower stance, his forearm was instead poised to meet the shin and foot of Karys. But instead of connecting with it as his knee would have, Quietus' arm was angled lower than the kick. At the fateful moment of impact, Quietus brought his arm up, hooking under Karys' ankle and deflecting the blow upward and away. The result however, was that Karys' leg was brought higher up, out of a flexibility range that even the Massassi could achieve. As a result, Karys' balance was thrown way off, and like a coin stood on end, it took just the slightest application of force to tip the Massassi over.

 

Delivering a piston punch across his own body with his other arm, Quietus delivered his fist directly into the inside thigh of Karys, pushing the Massassi backwards and off balance as Quietus rose again to his feet. The kick was delivered well from what Quietus did know of the unarmed martial arts, however such a move inevitably left the user on a precarious single limb. As much as Karys attempted to cut Quietus down to one knee with the kick, it would have been even easier to remove Karys from an upright base all together if someone was skilled enough with timing and speed.

 

"I certainly hope you have more to show me apprentice..."

 

Knowing that playtime was indeed over, Quietus watched his apprentice recover, and as soon as the Massassi was on two sturdy feet again, Quietus made perhaps the grandest gesture he could in that moment. He threw off his dark robes to reveal to Karys that underneath, Quietus was fully clad in his armor and possessed nearly his full compliment of weapons; on his hips hung his two lightsabers, swinging slightly from the movement, on his back was strapped the Warhammer which once belonged to Kakuto Ryu, and wrapped around his wrist was the chain that eluded to Navemiba in its hidden sheath.

 

For the moment, Quietus did not draw any of his weapons though. This was Karys' show to dictate, and in all things within this test, he would let the Massassi set the pace.

 

 

================================================================================

 

With the three stops on Talus, Gromas and Kamino completed, and thus the ship being nearly fully crewed, it was high time that the Shadow's Gambit opened its doors and hanger bays to willing customers.

 

Or so Jacob Kira thought at least.

 

His time in the imperial Navy was little to remark upon, a series of postings in which he neither made an impact or made waves. He was, at best, an acceptable officer who did his job and remained in the middle of the pack. With the formation of the Galactic Alliance, Jacob found that he neither trusted the GA, nor wanted to be an outcast among the Imperial Remnant, and so instead, he resigned his commission and ended up on Gromas. But now, he was the acting Captain of the Shadow's Glory, simply because his service record was clean and neat. No tendencies to flub orders, and no desires to rule the galaxy, both of which had caused the downfall and or demise of countless command officers over the history of the Imperial Navy. He had always dreamed of Captaining a Star Destroyer in his younger days, and while the Shadow's Gambit was no Star Destroyer, it was close enough for Jacob's satisfaction.

 

As he stood on the command bridge overlooking the crew pits, one of the junior officers, who unfortunately Jacob hadnt learned the name of yet, handed him the latest ship-wide status report in preparation for the last leg of the journey before the Shadow's Gambit accepted passengers. Captain Kira glanced over it, taking in all the information that was truly critical. The only source of trouble were the continued reports of the ship being haunted by some evil spirit that the crew had come to call a 'dark lady'. That combined with several members of the crew seemingly disappearing, and the three crew members that had inexplicably found their way into an open turbolift shaft, didnt help matters much. Captain Kira was perhaps one of the only people on the ship who knew of Quietus and his apprentice,and had strong suspicions that there was a third Sith on the ship hiding somewhere. It was however, none of the Captain's business; Quietus had guaranteed that much personally, so for now there was nothing else for Jacob to do except go on with business as usual. Looking up from the report, he looked around the bridge, and with a nod to himself, spoke.

 

"Alright people, lets get this show on the road. We have a schedule to keep!"

 

Less than five minutes later, the Shadow's Gambit made its next jump to hyperspace.

[Emily]

Eris watched Karys attack with initial interest that soon faded. If he was going to stick to normal martial arts, no matter how esoteric, he was never going to have a hope of beating anyone, not even the lowest Jedi padawan. Surely, Quietus had taught him how to attack with the Force? If not, he had been taking this training far slower than she would have expected. It hadn't been but a few days into her own training when Quietus had flayed an acolyte with his mind and ripped his skin off, then expected Emily to learn to do the same.

 

Eris thought back on the time with a bit of amusement. She had been disgusted at the time by what she had considered a pointless murder. But now she was older and wiser, and she knew she had been mistaken. Very few Sith killed for no reason, and she had never known Quietus to do so. The day he did was the day she would leave him, for he would have become diminished, and a shadow of himself. Or perhaps that would be the time to implement the oldest of the Sith traditions and kill him. Not that he wouldn't put up a fight, but it would be a glorious battle.

 

Suddenly, she realized what she was thinking. What has gotten into you? These thoughts are not your own. You would never want to hurt him; you love him. She shook her head. Love? No, not love. This thing that you have...it's not love. You would not hesitate to do something like that if the situation warranted it. She rubbed her forehead, frustrated. Or would you? I just don't know anymore!

 

She forced herself to take a deep breath. Every time she let herself come down from the icy plateau in her mind to thaw a bit, she was only more and more confused. It was as if she was of two minds on most things, and it was ruining her. She had always been possessed of such determination. Quietus himself had remarked on it more than once during her training. Now, she was lost. Floating adrift in space with nothing to prevent her mind from jumping every which way. The darkness pulled her here, then there, then back again. She was caught up in the whirlwind, the tempest, and soon, there would be nothing left.

 

Without thinking, she rose and padded her way undetected back to her quarters. I need to find out who I am. The realization came to her as she was in the sanisteam. But where do I start? Where do I go to remember? As she got ready for bed, a prompting, subtle, but definitely of the Force came to her. Start at the beginning. Go back and remember your heritage.

 

She slipped into a sleep, glad to have direction at last. Raxus Prime...

[Emerald]

As the Nebula's Glory entered hyperspace and the stars stretched into lines, Emerald lounged about the main hold with Ruby, having been summarily relieved of the pilot's chair by Sapphire. Their destination: Kamino, in pursuit of the luxury starliner, Shadow's Gambit, not to mention all the credits the three Blood Gem Pirates could get their manicured and deadly hands on.

[Ruby]

As she and Emerald lounged about, Ruby decided that she'd get a headstart on their infiltration and went to work on reviving their protocol droid. The minutes stretched into hours as Ruby worked and she and Em carried on mostly inane conversations.

 

"Ugh, stupid droid," she muttered in disgust, throwing her hydrospanner down in frustration. "The vocoder's dead. I think I have a spare onboard the Onslaught, I'll have to go grab it once we're back on Kamino. If that doesn't work... Guess we'll be rearranging plans a little bit." Ruby leaned back in her chair, throwing a glance over at the chrono. "We should be coming out of hyperspace soon. Might as well get everything gathered up."

[Emerald]

"I trust you."

 

The words rang in her ears long after Sapphire had disappeared into the cockpit. The Glory, or rather, the Csilla's Pride had already entered hyperspace, and still Emerald sat, her chin in one hand, staring at the dejarik board on an adjacent table. The entire ploy was a gamble, she acknowledged that much. Was it fear that drove her to seek such a heavy-handed and volatile set of allies as the Sith? Emerald had resolutely decided on the course of action out of what she thought was simply logic and cunning. But she couldn't deny feeling unsure about the move. On the one hand, if everything went according to plan, they stood to benefit immensely from the encounter. But if it should go sour, Sapphire was right, the Sith weren't known for being exceptionally gracious handlers.

 

Dejarik was a dangerous game to play with lives.

 

Resigned to their course of action, she rose with striking agility and walked the length of the ship to where Ruby was assembling her armaments. Another kriffing bit of dirty work that she had to do, Emerald thought wryly. She entered unannounced to find her crimson-eyed compatriot sewing grenades into the lining of a formal Chiss evening dress. Oh boy, here we go.

 

"Uhh, Rube?" she began hesitantly. "So... listen, Sapph and I were talking, and, well, we just don't think we need to bring a portable weapons bunker onto the Gambit with us."

 

Seconds later, Emerald cringed, wondering if Sapphire could hear the ruckus all the way from the helm of the ship.

[Ruby]

"...Sapph's gonna kill me, isn't she?" Ruby stood, wide-eyed, staring at the charred spot on the wall where one of the clothing storage closets used to be.

 

From time to time, she had been known to become so absorbed in modifying a weapon or concocting some new mixture of explosive that she tuned out the rest of the world, aware of only what was in front of her. This... had been one of those times. And the product in question was the new shiny explosive tape that she'd gotten from Kamino. She'd been trying to figure out a way to attach a microdetonator to it, so she could keep precut strips ready for use, rolled up and attached securely to the inside of one of her dresses, when Emerald came strolling silently into the cargo bay and well... scared Ruby halfway out of her mind.

 

Once it was over, both women were a little fuzzy on the details of what, exactly, had happened. Somehow, though, the rest of the roll of explosive had disappeared along with the dress, Ruby was sitting on the detonator trigger, and the closet in question was completely gone. In its place there was an exceptionally large scorch mark. Ruby stepped closer to the wall, rapping her knuckles against several different spots on it.

 

She turned around, grinning brightly. "Hey, it works, no structural damage!" She stopped for a minute, thoughtful look on her face. "So can we take all of the stupid paintings down now? The lounge is making me nauseous." Her expression shifted again as she looked back at the blackened wall. "...What was in that closet?"

[Sapphire]

Sapphire was mulling over the direction it seemed the Blood Gems were heading when there was a muffled BOOM from the rear of the ship. In a flash she was out of the pilot's chair and running pell-mell through the ship. "RUBY!!!!"

 

She skidded to a stop in the cargo area to see a smoking scorch mark on the durasteel hull plate. "WHAT did you DO?" she shrieked. Immediately she was next to it, rubbing at the charred area furiously. This was not the first time Ruby had accidentally set off one of her toys, but it was the first time it had been onboard Sapphire's ship. Well, except for that time on Gromas, but that didn't count. "I'm trying to keep this ship together and make it fit for a dignitary! Stop trying to blow holes in my ship!"

 

A blight on her ship was like a blight on her own body. She fetched a rag and started rubbing at the scorch mark. Suddenly, she paused. "What exactly did you blow up, anyway?" she asked slowly, turning around to meet Ruby's red-eyed gaze.

[Ruby]

Ruby visibly withered under Sapphire glare, flinching slightly. "Well... The dress that I was planning on wearing for all this dignitary poo-doo before you two obviously up and changed our plans. And... there might've possibly been a storage cabinet there before. And I wasn't TRYING to blow a hole in the ship, Em came sneaking in here and scared the kriff out of me."

 

She took a step back from Sapphire while she stared at the scorch mark, trying to figure out a way to escape the other woman's wrath. Struck by sudden inspiration, she jumped forward and snatched the rag out of Sapph's hand, making a few well places swipes and pokes at the wall. "Look, our logo! It gives the ship character! Right?" She grinned hopefully.

[Sapphire]

Sapphire rolled her eyes at Ruby's hopeful attempts. "At least that means it comes off," she replied. "I think you've gotten yourself a job to do before we get to Coruscant." She looked around the cargo hold. "The bigger problem is that that particular storage cabinet had a bunch of spare parts for the ship. We're going to have to restock when we land and hope nothing goes wrong between here and there."

 

A chime interrupted them, signalling their approach to Coruscant. Sapphire grinned ruefully. "I suppose it could have been worse. You could have blown up those storage barrels," she said, motioning to one that held their backup fuel supplies. "Just be careful, huh, Rube?"

 

She turned to go, then glanced back. "And we didn't change the plan; we just don't think a normal Chiss noblewoman would go around kitted up like a suicide bomber." With that last remark, she headed back to the cockpit. It was time for the game to begin.

 

Deft hands brought the newly christened Csilla's Pride out of hyperspace. She maneuvered the ship into the traffic lanes and sent out their identification, waiting for clearance to transfer over to the lanes heading for the Shadow's Gambit. Unfortunately, when she finally got through to the correct control person, they gave her bad news. The Shadow's Gambit was not docking a single personal ship, but rather, making all who wanted to board her take public transport. She grimaced. What was up with that? There had to be plenty of hanger space on a ship that massive.

 

"Em? Ruby? You guys better get up here," she commed to the back. As she waited, the curve of the planet suddenly revealed their target, a massive golden Interdictor-style Star Destroyer. It was gorgeous, catching the light from Coruscant's sun. When the other two pirates joined her in the cockpit, she motioned to it. "They're not letting any ships land. We'll have to go down to the planet, land, and take public transport up. So much for our decorations and our quick escape plans."