Ask Ziost All the Time in the World

[Varyn Atrix]

Per my new standard, this thread is death enabled for participants
​

Varyn was doing Varyn things. Sitting in the library watching and rewatching duels between Jedi and Jedi, Sith and Sith, Jedi and Sith, Jedi and pirates, Sith and Echani, and just about anything else he could get his hands on. Maybe there was some part of him thinking that if he kept looking at these and making himself better, he wouldn't have to think anymore about how he had been absolutely ripped a new one by the First Blade of Dromuund Kaas. How he'd been told that he'd never serve as a Blademaster.

He slammed a fist down on the table for a moment, drawing a few looks from other individuals in the library before he went back to his work.

On the bright side, this was work he enjoyed. Even if he wouldn't be a Blademaster, he was going to become a master at dueling. It was only practical with the way the Jedi and Sith warred against each other.

He glanced up after a moment, his frustration melting away as he saw Vahliri approaching and a smile pulling at his mouth.

Hey! he said excitedly, motioning to one of the other chairs at his table. What brings you to the archives? he asked.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Since being admitted into the prestigious Ziost Academy, Vahliri had come to spend the majority of her time - when she wasn’t being deployed on Imperial Missions or planetary assaults - on the frigid planet. It had become a second home to the half-Annfyn in its own way, and the extensive Sith archives - second only to those found on Korriban - were a frequent destination for her to burn time. Her own research into the Arcane had been spurred by some of her more recent expeditions - especially that trip with Arla - and the content of her studies reflected it clearly. Holobooks and scrolls from the time of Darth Kravos, Darth Atrius and Exim Panshard were all casually tucked under her arm - rented out to be studied over the coming hours and days.

Of course, the half-Annfyn’s thoughts didn’t linger on her studies for long. As she stepped into the Ziost archives, her amber eyes gradually flicked across the room - landing upon the familiar visage of Varyn before too long. Her lips immediately tugged upwards into a soft smile - and she didn’t miss the way the fellow Champion banged his fist on the table in frustration, causing her brow to raise a bit.

“Hey Var,” She said, her smile only growing wider as she approached. The half-Annfyn was dressed nicely and for the cold - sporting a pair of jeans, a long-sleeve blouse and thigh-high boots. Her outfit was completed with a long coat that went down to her calves in length - the cuffs, shoulders and collars lined in expensive fur to stave off the cold. Her black hair was left to cascade to the middle of her back, while the air around her was sweetly scented with her iconic perfume.

“Just a bit of reading,” She jutted her chin down to the stack of material - allowing Varyn to get a good look at the authors and topics at hand. “Same as you, I’m guessing.” She leaned in, pulling the fellow Champion into a hug. Vahliri’s gaze flicked over to the vidoes he was watching - gaze briefly lingering on a duel between some ancient Jedi and Sith.

“Everything alright?”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn took in everything about her as she approached, admiring her beauty, the scent of her perfume, the way her presence in the Force immediately brightened his spirit. The smile on his face broadened even more.

Nope, I think you just came down here to visit me, he said with a smirk. His eyes dropped down to her boots and his eyebrows rose. She pulled him into a hug and he followed it up with a short kiss, not quite releasing her for a moment.

I like your boots, he muttered quietly because, really, what man wasn't a sucker for boots like that. It wasn't his fault.

As she tilted the books his way, he read their titles and authors. This was followed by a groan. Vahl, please don't get a Tuk'ata, he said. She knew him well enough to be able to follow his line of thought. Spooky Sith things --> Tuk'ata. She may as well have had a book titled "how to train your Tuk'ata" in her hands.

He saw her glance over at the footage he was watching, still going in the background on almost a frame-by-frame speed. His face grew more serious as he looked back at it, and as difficult as he was to read in the Force, she wouldn't really need to to see that something was bothering him.

Nothing, he said, waving his hand and shaking his head, shutting down the feed and moving back in their conversation again. You're not getting out of this Tuk'ata conversation that easily. There's got to be some other pet you can get. You don't even have room for one on your ship!

 

[Darth Tempest]

“Oh? And why would I come all the way down here to visit you?” The half-Annfyn asked with a raised brow, eyeing the fellow Champion appraisingly for a long moment. It only lasted that moment, though, as her lips immediately began to tug upwards and into a smile. She lingered into that hug - squeezing him until Varyn went in with that kiss. It was a gesture she didn’t quite expect from him - and it immediately caused the smallest twitch of her fluted ears.

Vahliri glanced down at her own boots, flashing Varyn a grin when her gaze returned to him. “Then I’ll have to wear them more often.” She said without missing a beat, flashing Varyn a playful wink as the words left her lips. She didn’t hesitate to find a seat beside him at the table - crossing her legs as she glanced over his own reading material.

Before she could press him on it further, however, Vahliri’s attention was drawn to Varyn’s sudden Tuk’ata protests. Her gaze flicked down to her own books, back to Varyn, back to the books, and then back onto him for the final time. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly, conviction burning behind those striking ambers.“I am getting a Tuk’ata, Varyn.” She said simply, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ve already gone over the rituals necessary and started gathering reagents. There are hundreds of Sith who have claimed Tuk’ata as protectors and companions over the eons. They are sacred to our order - why shouldn’t I get one?” She stared back at him, entirely convinced of her plan. By now, Varyn knew Vahliri enough to guess that the half-Annfyn was going to see her idea through regardless of whose approval she got. “Just means I’ll need to get more space.” She said with a shrug of her shoulders.

“You act like the thing is going to eat you,” She said with a small roll of her eyes.

Without warning, the half-Annfyn fixed her gaze back onto Varyn - reaching over to flick him right between the eyes. “You’re a shit liar, you know that?” She said curtly. Even if she couldn’t sense his frustration through the Force or read his expression, the half-Annfyn had seen his frustration manifest in the way he decked the table - and the fact he tried to play it off only raised her suspicions further.

She glanced down at her own reading material for a long moment - and then promptly switched her gaze to Varyn’s own videos. “Well,” Vahliri admitted after a pause, her lips tugging up a bit. “I’m not likely to get any reading done with you here - soooo,” The half-Annfyn pushed up from her seat - a flick of the Force causing her rented books to scoot neatly to the center of the table. “Might take a walk around the grounds. Do some exploring,” She started to turn on a heel, glancing back at him, “Coming with?”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn's cervical spine lost all integrity as she insisted on getting a Tuk'ata. She wasn't going to change her mind, but that wasn't going to stop him from arguing about it. It was one of the fundamentals on which their relationship seemed to be built.

Yeah, it is gonna try to eat me, he said, shaking his head. And then it'll either eat me or I'll stab it, and then it's just a lose-lose, he said with a "what can you do" shrug.

Truthfully - well, truthfully, he really didn't want her to get a Tuk'ata, but that wasn't why he argued with her - he argued with her because he liked to aggravate her. Just a little bit, not enough to make her actually angry, but he liked the way her eyes narrowed and her arms folded. He liked that same look of determination she got and utter conviction.

He was a terrible liar, huh? If only she knew.

Whatever you say, he said, with a roll of his eyes. It didn't take her long to decide she wasn't going to get anything done right now and he put his hand to his chest in mock offense. Are you implying that I'm not the academic type or just that you can't take your eyes off me long enough to read something? he asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

She started to walk off before spinning around to ask him if he was coming.

What? Oh yeah, sorry, I was just so distracted watching you walk away... I mean, what? he said mischieviously, hopping up quickly and falling into step beside her without hesitation.

Hey, have you heard about the ice caves up north? We could go check them out... though, I might have to stop by my ship and grab some warmer clothes, he said, glancing down at the robes he was wearing. They were fine for indoors but they weren't exactly outdoor trekking material.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Varyn’s ridiculous ultimatum about the Tuk’ata. In truth, the half-Annfyn always found a bit of humor in his persistence arguing against the prospect of her obtaining one of the creatures - as much as she argued against him. Nevertheless, there was likely nothing that would convince the half-Annfyn to actually abandon the pursuit in actuality - now that her mind was made up. By now, Varyn would know Vahliri to be stubborn and thick-skulled to her very core, and would likely expect nothing less.

She crossed her arms over her chest - a playful grin tugging at the corners of her lips as she eyed Varyn. Her gaze flicked up and down the fellow Champion, head tilting ever-so-slightly as she spoke. “Are those two things mutually exclusive?” The half-Annfyn said playfully, weaving the playful insult right in with the compliment.

The half-Annfyn made it half-way towards the exit before glancing back at Varyn, her grin only tugging that much wider when he made his mischievous and admittedly cheesy line. “Now who can’t keep their eyes off the other?” She said with a grin, wiggling her brows a bit. Of course, the half-Annfyn continued walking right along with a bit of deliberate sway to her step. She only glanced over again when Varyn mentioned ice caves, blinking a few times.

“Ice caves?” While the Vahliri had been a student at Ziost for a while at this point, she had admittedly done little exploring of the planet itself. “Sounds like a complete and utter disaster.” She said flatly towards him, though her expression was quickly betrayed by the playful glint in her eyes and grin on her lips. “I’m in.” She said with a wink, nodding along when he mentioned heading back to his ship. “Lead the way,”

As they walked through the halls of the academy, Vahliri turned her gaze out one of the tall, glass windows - allowing her amber eyes to sweep the frigid, snow-swept mountains of Ziost. “How have you been, by the way?” Her gaze returned to Varyn as they approached the spaceport where student vessels were harboured. “Since Vandalhelm?”

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn let his mouth hang open for a moment as she said the two weren't mutually exclusive.

I am both insulted and flattered, he said, shaking his head and closing his eyes. The only thing missing from the gesture was a 'tsk-tsk.' He didn't miss a beat, though, at her next comment.

And why would I want to keep my eyes off of you? You're perfection, he said. Evidently, he knew how to lay on the charm or perhaps he simply spoke what he thought without any inhibitions anymore. It was oddly liberating in its own way.

For a moment when she said it was a complete and utter disaster, he thought she was going to say she didn't want to go. Of course, he should have known better, idiot that he was.

Alright, let's get to it! he said. There was a slight extra skip in his step as he moved through the academy in the direction of the spaceport. At least for the moment until she asked how he'd been. There was that same weight to it as when she had asked him about what was wrong earlier, but he didn't brush it off this time.

Eh, he said, mouth contorting up a bit and head tilting to the side slightly in a "alright I guess" motion. I was putting in some work to try to get a position as Blademaster at one of the academies, he said, unsure if he had ever mentioned the "plan" (though that was a pretty strong word for it) to her before but thinking he hadn't.

They put me on a bit of a trial over at Kaas. Turns out I'm much better at doing than teaching, he said. Both the students I'd been trialed on were killed at Korriban. Kaas First Blade tore me a new one and told me he'd make sure I never taught at one of the academies, he said.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri couldn’t help the smile that began to spread across her face - elicited by Varyn’s smooth remark and widened just a bit further as she began to walk in the opposite direction. The fellow Champion clearly had no qualms with being bold - and it stood in stark contrast to the way he seemed to almost trip over himself in the past. Whether it was her own advise or something else, it was a change in Varyn she didn’t mind in the slightest.

The half-Annfyn causally folded her hands together as they walked - amber eyes flicking over to Varyn as the Champion began to speak. She didn’t miss the way his face contorted briefly, eliciting a raised brow from Vahliri as she listened to his answer.

“Blademaster?” She couldn’t help but ask. Of course, it certainly made sense based off Varyn’s own talents. It was a position she expected he would excel in, given his passion for bladework.

Of course, her lips immediately began to tug downward when Varyn elaborated further - revealing what had become of his students. For a moment, the half-Annfyn was silent - her gaze flicking off to stare into space as she mulled over what to say next. A small breath flowed through her nostrils before she finally shook her head.

“Those Acolytes knew what they were getting into the moment they stepped foot on Korriban.” The half-Annfyn’s words cut almost frostily - a bit harsher than she intended them in truth. “They died in defense of our homeworld and for their Empire. Sith elsewhere, die in defense of their Empire.” It was a harsh but simple reality. “They weren’t your Acolytes. And just because you put a blade in their hands and ran them drills - it doesn’t make you responsible for their fates. Or their shortcomings.”

“The First Blade can go fuck himself.” She said bluntly, turning into the spaceport. “Whether you teach again is entirely dependent on your own accomplishments.”

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn didn't want to ruin the mood with his moping or whining, so he tried to put the thoughts out of his head even if they had been at the forefront of his mind for most of the day. Instead, he shifted over to thinking about what the day may bring. Keep your focus here and now, he thought to himself, hearing the admonishments of his old Jedi Masters. Sound advice whether Jedi or Sith.

As she talked about the dead, he realized - much to his shock and partially appalling - that he was more upset for himself than for them. They were dead, and he was mourning his own loss of potential. Maybe that was a statement about how far much he had changed, but he couldn't take on the pain and responsibility of everyone in the galaxy. It simply wasn't feasible.

He did have to smile, though, as she cursed the First Blade. He even started to chuckle slightly, her blunt and direct nature managing to raise his spirits.

Maybe you're right. Guess it's a long way off anyway. For now, I'll just keep honing my own skills, he said.

They made it over to his ship and he punched in the access code. The yacht had been purchased by him with a combination of his family's assets and his pay as as Champion, and it was definitely an upgrade from the Empire-affiliated ships he'd been forced to rent.

Sorry, it's a little messy, he said, making his way inside. I wasn't really planning for company, he said. It wasn't terribly bad, but a small variety of things that probably should have been put away were just kind of left around for later use.

I'll only be a second, but make yourself comfortable, he said, motioning to some sitting spaces in the common area. He disappeared back into the bedroom for a moment, stripping out of his robes and pulling on some warm pants. He seriously considered just coming back out without his shirt on yet, but just narrowly decided not to.

Instead, he reemerged a few moments later, bundled up. He frowned for a second, looking at himself and then looking at her. You look a lot more stylish, he said, and as she looked at his clothes she would be able to tell these were cold-weather mission clothes for work.

 

[Darth Tempest]

As they walked, Vahliri glanced over to Varyn - nodding her head in agreement. “I usually am,” She said with playful grin, wiggling her brows a bit when the fellow Champion mused that she might’ve been right. The half-Annfyn had always been blunt - and gave little credence to what others thought of her, by now. “Focus on yourself, and you’ll teach when you’re ready for it.” She opted to leave things at that - not wishing to linger on the topic too much that clearly lowered Varyn’s spirits.

“Daaammnn,” She said as they approached the yacht, allowing her amber gaze to sweep over the vessel. The Nightsweeper-Class was a beauty to behold, and certainly an upgrade from the ships that the Champion had been rolling up in over the past few months. “Good place to call home,” She said towards Varyn with a grin, making clear reference to their previous conversation on Raxus. Her gaze swept the interior of the yacht, humming softly as they stepped inside. “It’s only me,” She quipped back when Varyn apologized for the mess, waving her hand off a bit. “Doesn’t bother me one bit.” While the half-Annfyn was a bit of a neat-freak in her own spaces, she’d spend enough time around people like Cairo, Altair and others to the point she wasn’t really phased.

While Varyn changed, Vahliri happily plopped down onto the couch - setting aside a few belongings as she did so. It was the first time she’d been in any space Varyn lived in - and she took a moment to simply glance over everything from the posters that hung on the walls to the miscellaneous items strewn about. A few moments passed, and Vahliri’s attention was finally drawn back to where Varyn re-emerged - bundled up in a puffy jacket, warm pants and a scarf wrapped way too tightly under his chin.

“Yes, well,” She tilted her head a bit playfully. “I usually am.” The half-Annfyn repeated her earlier words, clearly poking fun at him just a bit.

“You look just fine,” She said, pushing out of her seat to approach Varyn. Without a word, the half-Annfyn reached in to adjust the way Varyn’s puffy jacket fit on his shoulders - straightening the fabric just ever-so-slightly. Next came the scarf, which was loosened a bit and extra end tossed over his left shoulder. “See? Perfect,” She said with soft smilr, lingering there for a moment before turning on a heel towards the exit ramp. There were a few speeders they could rent in the bay, one specifically tailored for the snow and ice.

“So what’s the deal with the ice caves? Any spookies we know about?” She said as they walked, making a slow beeline for the speeders that she fully intended to drive.

@Phoenix