Ask Dromund Kaas Far From Friends

[Darth Tempest]

Sith Academy, Dromund Kaas​

Vahliri had developed a routine during his life at the Sith academy on Dromund Kaas - and a large portion of that routine was dedicated to fully immersing herself into rigorous study time - pouring over textbooks and dusty old tomes that lined the shelves of the academy library, absorbing whatever knowledge she could get her hands on.

The half-Sephi had always been an academic at heart, and more than ever she felt an increasing pressure to excel amongst her peers, as one of many Acolyte’s who had gone without a Master to see to her training. While she spent a significant amount of time with the other members of the squad, she was fully aware of the high-profile missions that Ashla received as the apprentice of Lord Raze, and even Altair had recently been taken on by a Sith Lord for formal training.

While she could never feel resentment towards either of them - and in many ways was even happy for them - the half-Sephi couldn’t help but feel some pangs of envy. It left the half-Sephi with a sense of directionlessness - as if she was simply floundering in place - that caused her skin to crawl, and it drove her to push herself harder than those around her. And it was to that end that Vahliri had buried herself in the academy library early in the morning, occupying the same space as usual - surrounded by a health stack of books.

The half-Sephi was dressed in a pair of tight-fiting jeans and an off-shoulder blouse, her wavey black hair pulled back into a loose braid. She wore a few gold bracelets on her wrists, sliding up and down her forearms with each sway of her arms.

Hours passed, and it wasn’t until mid-afternoon that Vahliri decided to call it a day - gathering up her own belongings before starting to return the books she’d gathered to their proper place on the shelves, fear for the single librarian - a particularly ancient and crotchety old woman - rivaling that of any Sith Lord and enough to ensure that the half-Sephi did nothing to draw the old crone’s ire.

Only once her tasks were completed did Vahliri pass through the exit of the library - a few rented books tucked under her arm - and begin to make her way down the long hallways of the Academy.

@Orbit

 

[Raphael Valtiere]

Raphael had returned to the very place that had taught him the arts of the Sith. His stay on Dromund Kaas had been short, his education on Thursta helping him surpass his classmates easily at the time. Even though it had been brief, the Sephi still held fond memories of his training sessions. His love for the practice with a blade never diminished, no matter where he was.

Despite his appreciation for training, the Sephi was there for an entirely different reason. While he was a Champion and had to build his own power base, he still had a duty to his house to fulfill and it wouldn't be forgotten easily by him. The sooner it could be completed, the sooner that he could come back to his people.

A black and ornate box was held in his hand, an iron grip around it that couldn't be peeled off even if he was taken by surprise, the motive of his late-night stroll to the library.

As he was preoccupied with the thoughts of home, he instinctively made the turn in the hallway for the library's entrance. As a result, as Vahliri walked out, Raphael would walk straight into her. For the acolyte, it would practically be walking into a solid brick wall as the Sephi practically didn't move an inch, the sudden collision hard enough to make her drop her books everywhere on the floor if she wasn't paying attention. For him, the bump simply made him glance down to investigate the disturbance.

Whether dazed or bent down to pick up her books, when she lifted her gaze up at Raphael, she would just find his sharp and piercing gaze boring into her, his entire body frozen for a moment as he made no move to help. It was the first time for the pure-Sephi that had ever been in close proximity to a half-blood. In the span of an instant, his mind snapped to the shame that canvased his family's name back on his homeworld and amongst the nobility, the snickers that the King had shared his seed with a non-Sephi.

It would be the only time his shield cracked in front of her, it out of shock. With his long hair tucked behind his ears, the sharp angles of his face and scar exposed, he wouldn't be able to hide the momentary disdain that flashed through him at the sight of her with the combination of his House's supposed sin. His ears would flick back as Raphael's nose crinkled for the briefest of moments, unable to hide it but able to reorient himself back in within a mere second as his face turned passive.

Without letting another second pass between the two, he stepped past her while she cleaned up, "Watch where you’re going." Even with the brush past, Raphael's smooth baritone voice held no anger or disgust as he walked into the library.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Even as Vahliri rounded the corner and started to walk through the hallways leading out of the library, it was fairly obvious that the half-Sephi wasn’t paying much attention to her surroundings - let alone what was directly ahead of her. The tiredness after hours of long study were apparent beneath Vahliri’s eyes and in her posture, and her thoughts had largely shifted from academic endeavors to attempting to find a bite to eat this late in the evening.

After a few moments, Vahliri reached down into her pocket and pulled free the data pad, pulling up Ashla’s name out of her contacts lis - deciding it wasn’t too late to hit up her friend.

Before she could hit send, however, Vahliri collided directly with Raphael - the immense height difference meaning basically she ran into his lower torso. A high pitched squeeze escaped from a startled Vahliri, and the impact was enough to not only cause her to stumble back a bit - but it also sent the books in her hands tumbling down to the floor below and scatter.

Instinctively, Vahliri glanced down and went to grab her fallen belongings. “Shit, my ba—“ She looked back up to Raph, catching that look - however brief it was - of raw disdain and disgust that was etched into his features, not to mention the way his own fluted ears flicked irritably. It was enough to completely banish the apologetic expression from Vahliri’s face.

In an instant, Vahliri’s own expression soured - her fluted ears flattening against the sides of her skull. That look of disgust - unprompted by anything but looking at Vahliri for what and who she was - undeniably caught the girl off guard. She had grown accustomed to being an outcast amongst her own family - of sticking out amongst the purely human crowds of her home, due to her mixed heritage. But this was different.

Even if she’d never experienced it in person, Vahliri had heard plenty enough stories about the elitist, bigoted views of her pure Sephi kin. The way they viewed her as nothing but an abomination and the product of sin. Something to be ashamed of and to be treated lesser than.

It didn’t matter that Raph regained his composition almost instantly. Vahliri had seen the cracks in his mask - seen the vitriol that lingered underneath - and that was enough to put the half-Sephi on the defensive, no matter how passive he looked now.

“Watch where I’m going?” She hissed. For the moment, the books and scattered papers were forgotten entirely, and Vahliri rose back to her feet - refusing to do anything but be standing proudly on her feet in front of some bigoted douchebag. It didn’t matter that he was a champion, or the fact she had to crane her neck to glower into those silver eyes. “You walked into me, dickwad.” She grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. “Maybe take your head out of your ass and pay attention to where your walking.”

@Orbit

 

[Raphael Valtiere]

Vahl would get no reaction from her insults, her words bouncing off his broad shoulders as she would still only see the back of him. Raphael continued into the library without a hindrance in his step, his focus returned to his original purpose as his grip on the black box was still tight. As he entered, his footsteps echoed lightly across the vast chamber but nonetheless would still draw the attention of the old crone that stood sentry over the knowledge stored there.

Raphael's attention would draw to her as he spoke blankly, "I have a need for a certain type of book. One concerning Dathomir majik." Rumors had circled his family for years. It was time to discover if they were actually true or not.

The old crone raised an eyebrow slightly as she walked toward her desk, "Actually..." When she arrived at her desk, the flipping of pages could be heard before she chuckled softly, "Yes, the acolyte, the one that just left. According to my record, she checked it out just moments ago. Our selection is quite limited, so it would have to be the one you are speaking of."

Raphael would just stare at the woman for a few seconds, almost unable to believe what he was hearing before he slowly stated in recovery, "What a perfect coincidence. Thank you." Of course. Without pause, the Sephi would spin on his heel and walk towards the exit, a soft exhale escaping him.

Not only had he come across a half-blood, the one that he had was carrying the very book he required. It was his luck and he wondered if this was part of the curse that had befallen his house. Raphael wondered what his father would have thought of this predicament as he certainly wasn't a fan.

As he exited from the library, the Sephi reached out with the force and located the half-blood's signature. Using his long strides, he would catch up quickly.

 

[Darth Tempest]

“What a prick..”

Vahliri grumbled under her breath - though she knew well enough that her words were loud enough to reach Raphael’s ears, given her own sensitive hearing. Whether it was done intentionally or not, the Sephi’s complete lack of response was successful in sending a wave of irritation down Vahliri’s spine - her brows furrowing ever-so-slightly and body tensing.

A part of her wanted to follow up her words with a flurry of more, but she quickly decided against that course of action.

Instead, Vahliri waited until Raphael crossed the threshold of the library - out of line of sight - to turn back to her fallen books and begin collecting her belongings. Her honeyed eyes immediately went to the most important one of all - the particularly ancient book on Dathomirian Magick. It was the single piece of material on the subject located within the Academy, and the half-Sephi had practically camped out at the library waiting for a particular Sith Lord to return it before immediately renting it for several days. It was a subject that interested her greatly, and she wasn’t going to miss and opportunity to get her hands on any such material.

Tucking the book back beneath her arm, Vahliri dusted herself off and ran a hand through her dark locks before continuing down the hallway. She shook her head, as if to dispel the memory of Raphael as she made her way towards the academy mess-hall. Most of the food options had already closed for the evening, but there was bound to be a vending machine to sate her late-night hunger.

Within a few minutes, Raphael would return to find Vahliri sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria - having moved her late-night study session there while in between snacking. There was a half-empty cup of yogurt sitting in front of her, her eyes fixated onto the pages of the ancient book. The same one Raphael was searching for - a single hand resting across one of the pages.

As soon as Raphael began to approach, it didn’t take Vahliri long to spot him. She hadn’t the slightest clue what had possessed him to walk in her direction again, but she doubted that an apology was in order - and thus she was already on the defensive to some degree.

She blinked a few times, her what tilting to the side. “What?”

@Orbit

 

[Raphael Valtiere]

The chase wasn't long and the Sephi was grateful for that. He didn't want to allocate too much effort into this little fork in the road. Before entering the cafeteria, the black box was slipped into his jacket pocket, tucked away and out of sight.

Pushing the doors open, Raphael would take a step inside before he scanned the large room thoroughly. Being this late at night, it left the tables empty except for one. His cool silver gaze would lock on the half-blood, his optics almost gleaming like the moon itself, an intensity behind them that was naturally carried by him. With purposeful strides to cut through the lanes of the tables, he would walk straight towards the acolyte, the sound of his footsteps echoing softly.

When Raphael neared, his gaze would first go to the yogurt, the books, then Vahl herself. Her question would be answered with silence for a moment until he lifted his arm and beckoned the force to his command. Both of the half-blood's hands would shoot back and away from the book, at the same time it being pulled toward Raphael. It slid for a couple of inches before it just shot straight through the air and into his large hand. Once it was within his grasp, the force that had restrained Vahl would dissipate.

Raphael would give the text a soft jiggle, his grip on it iron tight in case she grew a bold idea, "Nothing, I'd hate to disturb your study." Nothing would have bothered him less if he did. He had been serious when he didn't want to spend much energy. While his voice held no aggressive tone, like what had transpired hadn't even happened between them and they had just run across each other again, his gaze told differently for a brief moment.

It would be a subtle warning, one that told her if she tried to pull the same move, his retaliation would be swift. Practically without concern, Raphael opened the book and began to flip through the pages.

 

[Darth Tempest]

The half-Sephi’s sensitive ears rapidly picked up on his footsteps, and Vahliri kept her honeyed eyes firmly trained on Raphael the entire time - watching the Pure Sephi as he approached the table where she was sitting. She didn’t know what he wanted - or why he had made the point to seek her out - but the feeling in the pit of her stomach warned that there would be no pleasant and polite exchange between them. Vahliri was, as could be expected, already on the defensive.

Her almond-shaped eyes widened ever-so-slightly as Raphael raised his hand, answering her question not with words but rather his actions. She felt the Force suddenly coil around her arms, forcing them backwards at an uncomfortable angle while the book was unceremoniously torn from her clutches. It was a harsh confirmation of what the pure Sephi wanted, and yet the pure Sephi would feel no immediate resistance from the Acolyte.

Instead, Vahliri’s honeyed eyes once more narrowed into harsh daggers - her fluted ears flicking with irritation and shifting to flatten against the sides of her skull, subtle indicators of the rage that pulsed through he veins. She clearly noted the warning in his gaze, and promptly decided to ignore it. It didn’t matter that Raphael was her senior in both rank and skill - the pure Sephi had put his hands on her, and that wasn’t something that Vahliri would tolerate without retaliation.

Unlike the first time, there would be no verbal outburst from the half-Sephi - instead allowing Raphael to casually flip through the book for a few seconds. There was no external warning as Vahliri simply stared daggers into the side of his skull - no warning before she abruptly shifted her hands under the table, reaching out with the Force.

The Darkness built within the half-Sephi before extending outwards, invisible tendrils of energy snaking out from her fingertips and coiling tightly around the pure Sephi. Raphael could grip that book as tightly as he pleased - until his knuckles turned white, for all she cared - because she had no intention of trying to snatch it back at the moment.

Instead, Vahliri coiled the Force around both of Raphael’s legs - tightening her grip on his knees and upper thighs. With a sickening flick of her wrists and clenching over fingers into a fist, the half-Sephi attempted to abruptly pry the Champion’s legs in opposite directions beyond their natural range of movement - in order to cause him to topple in either direction, or to split his manhood right up the center.

Regardless of the effectiveness of her cheap attack, just as she tore her hands in opposite directions, Vahliri sprang to her feet and kicked the chair out and behind her - knocking it a few feet away and immediately taking a more defensive stance. She knew that her opponent was stronger both physically and within the Force, and she was prepared for whatever swift retaliation came her way.

@Orbit

 

[Raphael Valtiere]

The Sephi read through the Dathomir book. His cool gaze scanned each page meticulously until he was rudely interrupted to his surprise. It only shocked him because he didn't believe the girl had the balls and the ignorance to retaliate against him. A half grin nearly erupted across his lips at the opportunity she was giving to him on a silver platter.

As the force coiled around his legs, Raphael's legs would barely shift an inch as he used his own command of the energy to reinforce his control, his power simply stronger. Both his piercing eyes immediately snapped toward her and as Vahl attempted to stand up from the table, the force would wrap around her chair. Before it could be knocked over, the Sephi would simply make it slide right back against the table with Vahl still there. The intention was for her to be slammed into the table, hard enough that it would knock out the air from her lungs.

Whatever the result, the force would then coil around the half-blood herself as she was lifted up in the air. Below her, she would just see Raphael's emotionless gaze before he simply tossed her straight into a nearby trashcan. Vahl would go ass first, her size allowing her to fully be swallowed if she didn't catch herself.

As the Sephi watched passively afterward, the book still opened at the page he left at, his gaze remained on her for a few moments. This had been the first time he had come across a half-blood and he realized how all the stories were true. They had no control over themselves and their emotions. As far as Raphael was concerned, Vahl was right where she belonged.

With his attention returning to the book, his free hand's index finger traced along the line that he read. Without peering up, he simply stated, "You're either brave or incredibly stupid." The answer was already known by him. If Vahl looked out from the trashcan, she would find the pure Sephi walking back to the set of doors he entered from.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Springing to her feet, Vahliri kept her eyes harshly narrowed upon Raphael - fluted ears flicking and twitching against her scalp with clear and plain irritation. She knew she was picking a fight with someone stronger than herself. She knew that she wasn’t going to best him. But she wasn’t going to take what the pure Sephi was dishing out without biting back.

Her fluted ears twitched just then, picking up on the sound of the chair skidding forward once more - warning of what Raphael was doing. The half-Annfyn immediately veered to the right from where she was standing - causing the chair to slam into nothing but the table where she had been standing.

Her hand shifted down to her belt, only for Raphael to abruptly coiling the Force around Vahliri and lift her into the air. For all the emotionless ways that he stared at her, Raphael would see furious glint in the half-Annfyn’s amber eyes - the almost feral way she sneered down at him - unwilling to let an ounce of fear bleed into her expression regardless of what came next.

She braced herself as Raphael hurled her across the room. Despite what he might’ve intended, the half-Annfyn didn’t land in the trashcan - instead slamming harshly into the rim - striking her in the center of the back and knocking the wind from her lungs. She crumbled to the ground, a fit of coughs and wheezes escaping from her lips. “Go fuck yourself,” She snapped back in response, a wheeze escaping from her lips as she attempted to catch her breath after slashing roughly into the trashcan.

Her gaze lifted as Raphael began to exit from the room, though she didn’t immediately follow after him - clearly still winded.

@Orbit

 

[Raphael Valtiere]

By the time she had struck the trashcan and recovered, Raphael would already be on his way to the exit. While he would have enjoyed it immensely, he wasn't there to torment the girl. There were more important matters to take care of, ones that were tied to the reason why he left the comforts of Thustra in the first place. The only response that Vahliri would receive from him would be the sound of the door slamming shut from his departure.

Raphael would leave the Academy at a brisk pace, mainly just utilizing his full stride. The weight of the book weighed heavier in his coat with each step but it had to be done. It was for his House, for the Sephi as a whole. A single speeder was claimed with the use of his rank, the operator waved off before he simply shot and past the walls of the Academy and into the forests of Dromund Kaas.

After about an hour or so, he would eventually arrive at his destination, a temple and one suffocating in the dark side. It was the amount he would need in order to complete the ritual. Parking the speeder by the entrance, Raphael would get off and make his way up the stairs to the entrance. The dathomir book would be in his right hand, the grip once more iron even though no one was around.

Entering the temple, the Sephi would navigate deeper but as he closed his eyes, allowing the tainted force to flow through him as he soaked it all in. Raphael would eventually find himself in a large chamber and would stop in the center of it. Statues would line the walls, those of historical Sith figures and a mix of the ones who created it in the first place. The Sephi paid no heed to them as he would slowly get onto his knees and placed his hands upon them. With grace, he would place the book down in front of him first and then reach into his jacket to pull out the black box. Raphael would hold it in front of him a moment before opening it with care to reveal an ornate black hairbrush. The piercing gaze he contained would burn into it before he placed the box above the book and the brush back in it.

Returning his hands to his knees, his gaze then slid down to the book as he opened it to the page he found before. Taking a few moments to memorize the lines, Raphael would then close his eyes before centering his gaze ahead. A deep breath later, he would begin to recite the line he memorized perfectly, "Hash yeri ray tih erinak’s zhavorsa anna is zhokwa ma haj... Hash yeri ray tih erinak’s zhavorsa anna is zhokwa ma haj."

The hairbrush would slowly rise from the box as he continued to utter the words. It would stop and hover about eye level as it slowly twirled in place. After another pass of the words came, green energy would spark and ignite from the brush, the hue touching Raphael's face. The sparks would then turn into thick clouds, that were familiar to the witches on Dathomir as it would almost form a sort of prison around the brush. Once he finished, the Sephi would keep his eyes closed, trepidation surprisingly filling him but he had to know. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes as they reflected the green light.

Immediately, Raphael jumped to his feet and took a step back, the smoke disappearing and the brush falling into the box. The Sephi would just stare at the box blankly, silence filling the room in the meantime. His eyes would close once more as his body became as still as a statue, remaining so for what felt like minutes. But without his control, his arms would shake, his ears pressed back continually as uncontrollable rage would bubble within him. The rumors were true. Their King really did have an affair and if that was true, that meant the other part of it most likely was too. And it was now only truly known to Raphael and the King himself.

Suddenly, Raphael's eyes would snap open and the force would thrash around him like a whirlwind. He turned to the nearest statue and simply lifted it with the force to throw it with a heave of effort. The statue would be tossed into others, the ones struck shattering into pieces as the walls would shake slightly. The silent Sephi wouldn't stop, throwing over the statues or splitting them with the force as the chamber would fill with dust in his outburst. All he could see was red and for the first time ever, his perfect visage completely broke. What he did was disrespectful in many folds but in his mind, it was nothing compared to what had been done to his House and people.

At the end of it all and amongst the rubble, Raphael would be standing there and breathing heavily. His silver gaze flicked to the statues and then to the book and small box still in front of him. The Sephi would hold his gaze there for a moment before he eventually took a long inhale and exhale to calm his breathing. He would dust his clothes and then straighten them afterward before bending down to collect his items, all once again done in his usual grace. Slipping the box back into his jacket, Raphael would offer one more glance at the destroyed room before he spun on his heel to exit.

The next destination for him would be the library in order to return the book, not wanting to suffer the credit charge and wrath of the old librarian.

/end