Althalus quirked an eyebrow at Alaira's tone. "Jealous that I've got all her attention? Don't worry, I'm sure Mar can find the time to talk to you. We're done and both relatively presentable. I swear." He teased grinning up at the half-elf. His grin slipped away at Alaira's distaste. "Don't worry. Lyn isn't with us, she's with 'the demon-thing'." He paused for a moment, obviously considering if he should really try this again before continuing with a sigh.
"You have to make your peace with Tyrael at some point Alaira. Lyn likes him and if you want to be around Lyn you're going to have to be around him more. You're both more similar than you'd like to admit. You both want to protect Lyn, Mar, and, strangely enough, me. Both of you, for some damned reason, think you're monsters that don't have a chance of redemption. So, if you're not here to chat with Mar, why don't you go and find Tyrael and Lyn? Have a fun day with the both of them and realize that perhaps Tyrael isn't as bad as you thought and maybe you can learn to trust him. After all, he hasn't threatened you with death. Horrific death, I might add. He may even like you, if you weren't so busty threatening him all the time."
Althalus glanced back into Den before continuing. "If you don't want to go chat with Tyrael and Lyn you could always chat with Mar. I think she might enjoy the company. Don't tell her I said that though, Naga pride and all that." He winked conspiratorially at Alaira.
~| Day 3, 19:45-19:55 GST |~ ~|Location: Mos Eisley, Tatooine|~
Getting into their contact's building was...a process. It took him a few minutes of effort and maneuvering from Melloch, but he got his considerable frame into the doorway that was only meant for humanoids. He looked at the mess all around them with a slight amusement, accidentally hitting and pushing junk as he moved through the shop. Such organized...chaos. He used telekinesis to pick up the offered cup, as his own hands would have dwarfed the drink and he didn't feel like being careful and delicate with his fingers. "We're here on leads about a Sith Ship. The Kaggath, specifically. Stopped by here for supplies. We believe that you can tell us where it's heading next, or at the very least you can point us in the direction of people who could tell us where it's heading next." Something went off in Melloch's robes and he paused, smiling somewhat sheepishly. "Excuse me." Turning around, he pulled out a communicator, his bulk blocking most of the words. "Yes Lyric? Really? Sanctioned? Didn't think so. A brief description of both please? Alright, we'll keep an eye out for them."
He turned around, tucking the communicator back into his robes. "You're going to more visitors shortly. A Zabrak and a Tiss'shar. They're on our side, though they're not Jedi. They'll help us with the contacts and your little debt problem." Almost as soon as he finished speaking, there was a knocking at the door. "That should be them now." Melloch turned around and made his way through the junk filled room again, opening the door to the knocking. He, after making sure they were the two he was expecting, smiled down at the two of them. "Fa and Vebra, I assume?"
Sish kept his severed arm in his remaining claw as he walked towards Miasa's workshop. Agony pulsed from where his stump of a shoulder was and he was tired but he wouldn't let a single sign of weakness show through. He was already a tempting enough target to the other Sith and he wasn't about to make himself a bigger one. So his face remained indifferent to the pain, occasionally snarling at any imperial who stared in surprise too long. He needed a new arm and soon. Both because Jayda's training would suffer without a live opponent to face, and because a one armed Sith Lord whose specialty was combat was someone who could be attacked and killed at any moment. He was weak now, and in this ship and the galaxy, only the strong survived.
“Yes and I think that's enough of a lesson for today. I suggest, when you interact with the prisoners you use it to determine their forms. Acknowledge their weaknesses and strengths. I can't teach you the scent part as you lack it.” Jayda commented in a knowing manner, upright on her feet, her eyes turned toward the screen.
Knowing Sish and her own weakness would be seen easily, her hand reached for two storage devices then inserted them in. Her nails tapped the console as she filtered the vids differently into them. The first held the whole copy, untouched or edited, while she only allowed scenes and segments to transfer into the second. Through Zanna had seen the vids with her, the Zabrak felt it was best not to give the Sith a physical copy for further study. However having one that primarily focused on the prisoners was ideal for practice. She also downloaded her conversation between Lady Lansha and herself but only in the first.
It was likely a good idea to see what she could collect on the Sith Lord before their next encounter. Then prepare for any possibly of a threat or manipulation that could interfere with her revenge.
When it was finished, Jayda pocketed the first then passed Zanna the second one. “See what else you can glean from these and make a list of everything and how you concluded it. You have two days to show me the results.”
Zanna idly watched Jayda download and delete the videos, pocketing her own copy with only a slight smile. Evidently Jayda didn’t want her studying her teacher’s body language. “As you wish. For now though, I want you to put your storage in and play our encounter with Lady Lansha. I’m going to start teaching you how to lie. I don’t know what happened in that room, but I certainly don’t want to attract Lady Lansha’s interest. She will get you to crack if she sees you again without Sish to act as a buffer or me to distract her.”
“Fair enough, though if you're curious then we can try to seek out any vids directly linked with it.” Regardless any comments or requests, Jayda inserted her copy then pushed play. She was careful to select the scene with her and Lansha then took a seat again.
Zanna paused the video at key points, pointing out Jayda’s errors and successes.. “You hesitated too long here, as if you were gathering your thoughts. Every Sith on this ship would be alert for you to be lying to them immediately from that. The assigned tasks bit was good, though I suggest you have those tasks planned out ahead of time. Next time she might ask about them. I assume Sish has promised to make you stronger? Good. Keep weaving truth into your lies. You need to mask your nervousness. It’s blatant, and while you may be able to pass that off as fear or respect of a Lord the first few times, they’ll begin to question if you continue to be nervous after repeated interactions.”
As the video ended, Zanna turned to face Jayda, regarding the Zabrak for a moment. “The best liars have their stories planned out, don’t show their uncomfortableness or nervousness with lying, and weave truths into their lies. You know how to control your body to hide the messages it gives to others, I assume. Do that when lying. Forcibly make yourself appear calm. Always be ready to expand upon your lie, in case anyone inquires further into it, and stick by it until they absolutely have to tell the truth. Over the next few days I want you to lie to me about what you’ve done, what you think, or what you know. If I catch you, I’ll correct your mistake. If I don’t, you’ve made progress.” Zanna gave a slight smile. “Try to refrain from doing it while I’m teaching you or you’re teaching me.”
“You assume my nervousness was from her or the fact I was forced to lie.” Jayda said, her tone lowered defensively as she continued. “If that was the case, I wouldn’t have much difficulty.”
Zanna raised an eyebrow at the sudden defensiveness. “Well, what is the reason then? I can’t help you fix the problem if I don’t know the cause.”
Jayda was quiet for a moment, her eyes set downward before finally seeing little benefit in lying. “The most contact I’ve had with other Sith were at a distance and even when I saw one face to face, there was only one or two present in the whole area at the time. And none even close to Sish’s power. It took me several days to get use to his. However, this ship... . It’s something that makes me nervous to feel the energy within it. I’ve been jittery since I’ve arrived here.”
She paused as she inhaled, then added a last bit. “Feeling like a caged animal, how would you react?”
Zanna nodded slowly. “Wary. Forever on the defensive. Uncertain of who I could predict and, after a fashion, trust. There’s nothing we can do for that except give you time to get used to the realization you aren’t a predator anymore. Unless, of course, you want to spend more time with other Lords and Sith to get use to them?” Zanna smiled again. “Regardless, you can use it to your advantage for now. A new apprentice on a ship with the venerable Darth Nyiss and several Lords? Who wouldn’t be nervous? Still. Remember what I’ve said; Hide your nervousness, weave truths into your lies, and have your story straight before your lie comes under scrutiny.”
Jayda glared at Zanna when she mentioned more time with Sish and the other Lords, her fingers digging into her chair’s armrest. She knew trust was never something that could happen in this place. Not if the Sith were all like Sish as she made small notes in the back of her head before settling back into the seat. “I’d much rather not reveal anything of myself if I can help it. Most of what has been stated was essential or obvious enough.”
There was a subtle jab at Zanna's intelligence with the last sentence. Namely as Jayda had to tell her about the nervousness’ source and fact it was spreading to other area, her head turned away toward the room’s door. “I suppose now we’re done with our lessons and I aim to see if what has been lurking on the ship actually has a face.”
A few clicks later she pulled up the camera display just in front of the living quarters, playing it around the time of the murder. It showed an older Sith entering then the sound of a muffled voice that turned into a fight before it died down. No one had went in or out since. The thought wasn't a pleasant one to learn her suspicions were correct with what her nose knew, Jayda stared at the screen then looked to Zanna.
Zanna merely quirked an eyebrow at Jayda’s words. Apparently, someone wanted to be clever. She glanced down at her palms again, running a finger idly across the burn scars. We’ve both made assumptions, haven’t we? Zanna looked up at the video. It gave them nothing. They already knew someone disappeared in the room. “That gives us noth..wait.” Zanna paused, leaning forward to type in the video. “Lady Lansha was injured. Something hurt her, and she said she had been in this room. What happened there, I wonder?”
Jayda moved away as she let Zanna take the console, removing herself, and watched the Red Sith type. She recalled the mention earlier though she didn't feel it was suitable to bring it up first.
Zanna pulled up the recent video feed with Lady Lansha in it. She frowned. Something was wrong. They could see Vivithe reacting to something, but all that could be made out was a clawed, red, hand. And that was only barely through the static. There was nothing else. They couldn’t even hear what Lady Lansha’s attacker was saying. “Sabotage.” She spoke aloud, more for her own benefit than anything else. The Red Sith leaned back in her chair and glanced at Jayda. “So we know it can make illusions powerful enough to fool a Lord, and it apparently only attacks people who are alone. Great. Tell me again how you don’t want me to sleep in your room?”
“We also know what it smells like,” Jayda stated reminding Zanna of her nose and thinking in depth what it could be. She continued to mentally recall everything she knew from her own experience, “There’s also a large amount of dark side force energy, more than a Lord from my guess. Which makes a good reason to worry. Is it natural through? One of the Darth’s experiments or another Sith, with permission? I can’t imagine she would willingly allow such a thing to roam freely unless she had little to worry about…”
“Not another Sith’s. It would have tried to kill Lady Lansha if it was, and when she was weakened it’s master would have swooped in and killed her, and then deleted this video.” Zanna replied, almost absentmindedly. “It could be Nyiss’. Something to test us. She wouldn’t care if it killed a few of the weaker ones. It could be why it left Lady Lansha alone. It tested her to Nyiss’ desire, then left.”
A thought occurred to the Zabrak “How is getting around unnoticed on the ship? It didn’t leave the room into the hallway nor did it enter the room through the door…?”
Zanna thought for a moment, brow furrowed as she concentrated. Her mind thought back to everything they had found in the room. “The vents.” She declared suddenly, looking excitedly at Jayda. “The melted bolts, remember? Besides, that’s the only thing that would make sense. That’s the only other way into the camera room besides the front door and Force Illusions don’t affect technology. At least, it wouldn’t affect the technology now. It has to be getting through the vents. So it’s either tiny or it’s form is intangible. Doubtful that it’s tiny, from the position of the hand and the way it threw Lady Lansha about. So it must be able to become intangible.”
“Then why would it need to use the vents?” Jayda asked, her mind thinking of the reasons it would require the use of the vents then it could just walk through them. “Something doesn’t make sense. There’s no reason it would need to use them if it could basically walk through the walls.”
She expected the excited look to vanish from her expression and leaned back into her chair, looking for answers the Sith might have.
Zanna appeared to grow even more excited, hands gesturing as she talked. “Intangibility doesn’t necessarily mean it can walk through walls. It’s most likely something like mist, fog, or water. Something that can slip through cracks and vents. Perhaps it’s not subtle or fast enough to slip under the cracks of doors. If you saw mist pooling under your doorway, wouldn’t you immediately be on alert? But how often do you spend watching your vents? Think about it. It’s a system that connects all throughout the ship. There’s a vent in every room, even the prison cells. How better to move unknown about the ship? One moment you’re in the camera room, the next you’re gone and in the prison cells. The perfect predatory situation.” Zanna regarded Jayda with an eager gleam in her eye, as she waited for the reply.
Jayda moved to the side, avoiding the hands waving about as she raised an accusing eyebrow at the Red Sith. Her purple eyes narrowed in on the show of passion erupting through her seated position while the apprentice’s hands waved about. It took studying since the excitement became obvious to realise the Sith was clearly enjoying herself, the mental challenge sparking something Jayda herself only had when it came to learning how to use her force or trying to master the Soresu form under her father, those days long jaded thanks to the misery she had suffered. She had her own doubts she could remember how to smile again since her brother died. Curiosity overcame her judgement as she lifted up from her seat then closed her eyes, her nose inhaling softly to absorb the sulfuric scent filling the room’s air.
Zanna smiled, somewhat sheepishly, at the eyebrow Jayda raised at her. “Sorry. I like to gesture when I get excited and I’m talking.” She watched the Zabrak stand up and inhale, presumably to get the scent lingering in the room. “It’s the same scent, isn’t it? I’m willing to bet my stuffed bantha-” Zanna stopped and blushed in embarrassment before hurrying on. “bet my entire alchemical supply that you’ll find a greater concentration around the vents.”
Jayda ignored but noted the fact it seemed Zanna still used stuffed animals to sleep with, a matter that could be used to assume much through now wasn’t the time. She inhaled and focused her nose toward the scent collected near the back of the room. It was where the vents were located causing her head to look upward. The scent lead right up an untouched grill untouched, it’s bolt intact and not melted. “You were right though… this one is untouched. There’s no melted bolts or signs of entry unlike the earlier scene.”
She wrinkled her nose in disgust as she held upright on her feet, both fighting the urge to vomit and the vertigo that followed. Her head turned toward Zanna and added. “Come look for yourself. It’s a very unsettling difference between this vent and the last.”
Zanna, cursing her lack of caution and thinking when she was excited, came over to examine the grill herself. She craned her head to look at it, cautiously eyeing the Zabrak to make sure she doesn’t collapse, she frowned at the sight of the untouched grill.
“Well… We’ve never saw any evidence of this thing, whatever it is, before. We’re assuming it’s been created by Darth Nyiss, and I would guess recently. It would have been released our first day here had it been created beforehand, and there have been plenty of times where a Sith has been alone and unsuspecting. Perhaps it couldn’t control its powers in the beginning, and had to force the grill open rather than maneuvering through it. The man was killed in a very public attack. No illusions, very little talking. It just attacked and killed him, then presumably ate him. Lady Lansha it toyed with, more in control of its powers and not hungry anymore, I imagine.”
Zanna looked over at Jayda, one eyebrow raised. She could still feel the blush on her cheeks but ignored it in the hopes the Zabrak would forget about her slip up. “Unless you have any other ideas?”
“Predators attack loners because they are unable to fight back, easy prey. Through there was still interaction with its prey… why? What does it gain from talking, toying or engaging first the Apprentice then a Lord? What does it feed off of? There wasn’t any signs of a body, barely any blood and judging from the lacking blood… Both the Lord and the Apprentice took time to converse with the thing before it started to take them down. Does it mean it has the intelligence to have a conversation?”
Jayda paused then made a consideration, one that made her hair stand on end. “ If so… will it try to separate us or worse, learn when we’re weakest then strike for a quick meal? We’ve already established its traveling through the vents but I’m still confused as to why the means isn’t the same in both cases. Wouldn’t it have been smarter to melt the bolts off in the first instance than the second? Even with the powers needing time to grow… Something’s off with the first encounter.”
Zanna thought back, biting her lower lip thoughtfully. “It seemed to be able to chat with both of them. I would assume that it is intelligent enough for speech and ambushes. It doesn’t eat in a way that we think of as eating. There’s no mess. No blood. Not even a scent of it. So perhaps it dissolves its prey? How else do we explain the lack of the apprentice’s body? There was only one way into that room and as far as I know there is no way to shrink bodies. As for the separation, maybe. It will certainly try to strike when we’re weakest. It’s testing the ship now, trying to find the weakest members and when best to strike. Sith in the common room will be fine when they sleep. Sith who have their own rooms...less so.” She looked meaningfully at Jayda, before continuing.
“There are two options; Either it needed to force the vent open, for whatever reason, or something else opened the vent. Perhaps the Apprentice did, to hide something.” Zanna tapped her fingers on the computer table, looking at Jayda. “We didn’t thoroughly check that vent. Perhaps there was something he wanted to hide from his fellow Sith.”
Jayda growled in frustration, and though she wanted to slam her fist into the nearest wall she resisted the urge. She, unlike Sish, could control her temper when needed. However, it didn’t mean she wasn’t above considering it for a moment or two. “Maybe, through I’ve been seen with you enough. We have no idea when Sish will return and I much rather not explain why my intentions with the… Tandoshan. If he’s still alive.”
Her arms had crossed over her body while her fingers buried deeply in her robes, nails piercing through the fabric and into her skin a bit. She needed to mediate and soon before her emotions burst out. Already she felt like a hot, red iron was burning her insides slightly and she didn’t want to see what happened when it burned her up. “I can’t really check the vent in there as it would seem rather odd, namely as I have my own. It seems like you’re going to have to check it out on your own.”
She looked at the apprentice, expecting an excuse to the cold, hard fact Jayda had presented.
Zanna shrugged. If the Zabrak wanted to play with fire, even after what they had all seen, she wasn’t going to push the matter any further. Some things just had to be learned on their own. “Telling him the truth worked last time. But if you want to play it safe, very well. Stay on guard. This thing likes prey that is weakened and alone. You’re both.”
“Sudas.”* She muttered when Jayda told her she’d have to check the vent on her own. The flash of fear she had was ruthlessly crushed and repressed. It wasn’t the time for that now, the impure bitch was right. “Very well. I’ll see if I can glean anything from the Force traces left behind as well. Hopefully it will be public enough that it won’t risk an attack, if not I suppose I’ll be able to identify our mysterious murderer.” Zanna gave a small smile, not letting her fear show throuogh. This thing gave Lady Lansha a fight. What can I do against it?
“Bring a trooper with you, then either drug him to forget it ever happened and erase the evidence or something.” Jayda stated, recalling the fact a non force sensitive had ended up chasing the creature off. “It doesn’t seem to want to mess with groups of any mixture since a mere employee managed to save the Lord’s life after all. I’m sure your Alchemy could do that at least?”
Zanna sighed. Jayda had no subtlety. It’s what made her a bad liar. “I’ll figure out something. In the meantime, when do you want us start training you in how to better use the Force?”
“We’ll start with your lightsaber lessons first, for now. Mine can wait.” Jayda didn’t elaborate why this time as she didn’t want the Sith knowing her trust was still rather fragile. The notion of Zanna trying to teach and not take advantage was impossible for her to accept immediately. “Any other questions?”
Zanna smiled, slightly wolfishly. “As you wish. Are you even healthy enough to train me in lightsaber combat? You nearly collapsed by us merely walking.”
Jayda bared her left side of her mouth, showing her canines briefly. “I didn’t say right now we would train and after pointing that out, how much good would your Force training do me if I can’t wield it without collapsing? The force requires physical health just as much as mental, else I couldn’t use it at all.”
There was venom in her tone and clear familiarity with the matter she spoke of. One she had dealt with at least twice throughout her trials which she wasn’t fond of trying again. The Kyyykash shadowlands were a lesson forever imprinted in her memory and a painful truth of her own weakness at the time. If she hadn’t been physically fit before then she would’ve died during it.
Zanna raised an eyebrow at the venom and the snarl. “Mental defenses don’t require a fit body, merely a strong mind with the right training. You posses a strong mind, that much is clear, but your defenses are broad. They leave weaknesses, cracks a skilled Force user can slither into and expand. Lady Lansha would have taken even fewer seconds than I did to break into your mind. But, if you wish to get all of your training started on the same day, we shall wait. Do try not to collapse on your way back to your bed.”
Zanna turned to leave, ready to react should the Zabrak try anything stupid. Fortunately, Jayda did nothing more than watch her leave the room.
Before she headed towards the room where she had picked up her latest lightsaber, however, she turned and headed towards Nyiss' quarters. She needed to gain access to the Darth's Alchemy lab, as she had already ran out of her own supplies, spent on Jayda. Stupid impure bitch better help me stay alive... She thought, idly dropping a hand to her saberstaff. With deft sure steps she approached the Darth's door, biting back on her nervousness at the idea she was just casually walking into the lion's den, pressing the button announcing her presence and waiting, lightly pulling on her face tentacles. I hope this wasn't a mistake.
*Fuck
Nazca
~| Day 2, 12:31 - 12:33 GST |~ ~| Aboard the Kaggath, Prison room|~
Despite herself, Nazca smiled at Koren. "Nice to know you're so popular. Makes it easier to steal things from people while they're busily gushing over you." She held up both her hands, waggling her fingers. "You could say I've got sticky fingers. Nearly got a Sith's lightsaber. Would have gotten away with it to if wannabe pretty boy hadn't checked for it." Her face clouded over slightly at the mention of the Sith helping him. "More than likely just an attempt to get you to trust him before he betrays you. Common tactic on Nar Shadda. Especially with the Hutts."
She pretended to contemplate his question, her new hand idly rubbing her chin. "Well, I watched you fight a robot, very nice if a bit close at times I must say, fell asleep, and then woke up to you being sassed by another robot." Her eyes briefly flicked to Navi, before returning to Koren. "If by lesson you mean anything involving physical work, no. Any other lesson, yeah, sure. I'm good to go for that."
Now our characters are sent to act as mediators as a feud has begun among the bloodlines and it is impertive that a bloodline war be avoided at all costs. So our characters will be sent to the annual summit where all the patriarchs of the bloodlines meet. We have to make sure everything goes smoothly.
*Looks at Maeve* Er...
The next chapter should be very interesting in my opinion. It's not so much focused on fighting as it is on tact and guile.
ER. This is Maeve we're talking about, right? THE ONE WHO HAS NO TACT OR GUILE. THE ONE WHO YOU'RE SENDING TO A DIPLOMATIC, TACT NEEDED, TO AVOID WAR, SUMMIT.
Konan375
Member
