Forging the Future in the Flames of the Past

[Srota]

Sand seemed to kick up everywhere as Pol trudged through the valley of the dark lords, his time in the archives had done little to bring him towards a greater understanding of the past and what he could learn from his predecessors. Instead, without a place to begin, Pol had found himself hopelessly lost and unable to proceed. He felt at odds with all the other acolytes, surrounded by others who called themselves worthy of being Sith. He scoffed at the thought of them, they all sought lessons from masters whose minds kept them in the present, but to him, the truth could only be found in the past. It was for that reason that he had slipped out of the academy, leaving the students to their own training in the relative safety of the Academy, he would learn the ways of the Dark Side by studying the past and forging himself through trials in the valley of the Dark Lords.

He was dressed to spend an extended period out in the sand of Korriban's deserts, his head wrapped to keep the sand from getting between his skin and the goggles and respirator mask that he wore. In his hand was the lightsaber pike, the long cortosis blade thumping into the ground with his every step. He could see the valley far below him, and he knew that he would have ways to go yet before he would even arrive there, but it was too late to turn back now. He was well over halfway there, of course where he would go upon his arrival, well, that would be a more difficult question. He had always been interested in the ancient sith, even before he had been discovered and taken in by the Order, even before it. He shuddered at the thought of what had happened back then and forced himself to trudge onwards, fighting his growing weariness with every step.

after hours upon hours of walking, he had finally reached the bottom, allowing him to hear the echoing howl of the wind as it gusted by overhead, it was an eerie sound, one that put him on edge, reminding him of the sounds that the many predators on Korriban would make as they ripped the seemingly defenseless Acolyte to shreds, leaving him to die a bloody mess of entrails and half-digested bone. With a subconscious gesture, he summoned the second blade to his off-hand, the lightsaber wobbling as it slowly made the trip from where it hung looped on his belt to the nearby hand. He shook his head. <I really must work on that...> The thought seemed to pierce the darkness of his mind just as the glow of the green blade seemed to cut through the darkness of the shadows that surrounded him. With a snap-hiss, he shut down the blade, silently cursing his lack of control, the noise of the activation and deactivation would surely attract all sorts of unwanted attention to him now...

 

[Pureblood-Sin]

The winds whistled through the narrow confines of the tomb; its caress caused the red dust within to dance across the dilapidated stone, causing it to gather within any cracks worn into the surface by the passage of time. Such a sight was very familiar to Sin'ryk, having wandered the depths of these ancient places for two decades; listening closely, the Red Sith could hear the all-too familiar voices of the long dead spirits that rested uneasily within the Tombs. Some would say that he is far too sensitive to such things...even fewer would whisper that he is mad, seeing and hearing ghosts where there are none to be perceived. Breathing deep, Sin'ryk drew upon the chaotic nature of Korriban to focus his meditations; the Dark Side itself represented the chaotic aspect of life itself. The Jedi say that it is the easiest of paths to walk, yet they know not what they speak of. They never have to constantly keep their sanity in check from the powers they wield and they rarely have to be wary in their pursuit of the higher mysteries. The Dark Side held many ways to damn the soul, to make the individual a puppet of chaos who lives only for wanton destruction and sadism. Truly, the Arcanist had seen for himself the toll the Dark Side has exacted upon his fellow Sith; Satoryu is an example of this, himself having seen the depths that she has fallen to. She and the Empress, alongside several Sith, had made him determined to preserve the souls of the Order from threats both within and without. Such a problem was endemic to the Order and sooner or later, they will once more pay the price for it.

Soon enough, the Red Sith's meditations were broken by the manifestation of a presence; focussing his Second Sight, the essence took the shape of a Kel'Dor, thus addressing any possibility of this creature being a spirit. From his thoughts, it became clear that he was searching for knowledge within the ancient places...and it was also clear he was diving into the deep end of this metaphorical pool. Gently, Sin'ryk entered the Kel'Dor's mind and began to project the images of the route the Arcanist had taken into the sacrificial chamber. First was the path that led through a burial chamber with Sin'ryk's own locating in the room at the end. Then would come the imaged of the sacrificial chamber itself; the dilapidated altar, the statues of Kissai priests and the ruined pennants that hung from the stone walls would flash from within the Acolyte's mind. Within the telepathic visage, the Red Sith also revealed his face and whispered to the alien; another soul for him to guide on the Sith path.

Come hither, I offer knowledge...I offer resolution.

 

[Srota]

Pol spun about, seeking the source of the voice in his mind, but he could see nothing. The voice had shown him a path, one to salvation, or at least what he considered to be salvation, not just from the potential threats of the world above the tombs, but from the pathetic lessons of the academy. He cared little about what was taught there, such knowledge coming primarily from the opinions of those versed in modern philosophy, Pol knew the truth, deep within him, he knew that such modern philosophies could never maintain the power the sith had over the galaxy, in fact they could surely see that it was slipping from between their fingers already, right?

Pol set to moving once more, seeking the sacrificial chamber that had been shown to him, every step he took seemed not entirely of his own, as though he were following a path that had been laid down for him by another. Likely the man who had offered him knowledge. This did not disturb him, not in the way it might have disturbed others. He was more than willing to follow the path down which he strode, he would do anything to obtain the knowledge that he sought. To learn the true ways of the Sith.

The walk took him less time than he had expected, as he had grown more comfortable following the path provided to him by Sin'ryk, he had begun to allow himself to speed up his pace until at last he was at a nice steady run. He kept running until at last he had entered the tomb. Once there, he could feel the darkness surrounding him, not only the lack of physical light, but also the dark side itself seemed to be more powerful there, almost palpable as it coiled about the Kel Dor and beckoned him deeper into the tomb. With a near-silent sigh, Pol removed the lightsaber from his hip and slung the pike across his back. He would have no need for such a long weapon in the tomb, for the haft of the weapon would surely be too unwieldy if he faced multiple assailants there. With the characteristic snap-hiss, the green blade cast an eerie glow on the walls surrounding him, but it served to light the way well enough.

With that, Pol descended into the tomb proper, making his way towards the sacrificial chamber at long last...

 

[Pureblood-Sin]

Maintaining his vigil of the Kel'Dor's presence, Sin'ryk watched as the alien drew closer to his position. His message had been heeded, the images have done their role; now it was time to wait and see as his efforts began to bear fruit. Soon enough, the Acolyte then crossed the threshold of the chamber. The Arcanist promptly rose to his feet and turned towards the new arrival, revealing the full extent of his demonic appearance; eyes ablaze with power, baroque tattoos marking every inch of his carnelian flesh and cheek tendrils twitching, Sin'ryk looked upon the Kel'Dor. Delving his Second Sight deeper, a large shatterpoint manifested where the alien's voice-box should be...only it appeared broken. Suspecting that the being before him was mute, the Red Sith began to speak.

"Well met Acolyte, I trust you are capable of telepathy?"

After that was said, Sin'ryk then delved into another subject; the reason why the Kel'Dor had come here.

"You came here seeking knowledge have you not? Then come, I have much for you to learn."

 

[Srota]

Pol shook his head as Sin'ryk asked his first question, the poor Kel Dor instead used hand gestures to communicate. Pol, could hardly bring himself to gesture, the burning red eyes, twitching tendrils, and the aura exuded by the being before him were certainly intimidating, and it took him a moment to bring himself to communicate again. But when he did, it came forth like a flood.
<I have, my lord, I seek to learn more of the ancient Sith, those back at the temple learn the diluted truth, what has been filtered down by millennia of disconnection. Sith today seem so far removed from the tales I have heard of our forebears. They know so little of what it means to be Sith. I have rejected that path.>

With those worse said, well, gestured really, Pol stepped forwards, forcing himself to move ever closer to the one whom had offered to teach him more of the ways of the force. With a snap-hiss, the lightsaber was turned off, the green glow no longer cast about the chamber. Instead, just the flickering light already there. This was replaced by the echoing of his footsteps and of the end of his lightsaber pike as it clacked against the floor with every step. Soon, Pol came to a stop before the Sith Master and knelt, lowering his head. His hands gestured once more:

<Thank you, my lord, I am eager to begin learning from you.>

 

[Pureblood-Sin]

Sin'ryk listened closely as the Kel'Dor's voice whispered in his mind. He could easily sense that the Acolyte was in awe of him; understandable, given that the Red Sith himself was a living Relic and the Acolyte's own veneration of the ancient's, it was to be understood. Furthermore, his student clearly expressed dissatisfaction and disillusionment at the lessons that his fellow Sith were observing. It became clear, though that he had much to learn; and Sin'ryk was willing to teach him.

"Then there is much I could show you then; but first I must learn of you. Tell me, what are the events of your life that have led you to the Sith? What disillusions proved pivotal in stirring your fate here?"

Then another question manifested in the Arcanist's mind.

"Whilst we are on the matter of knowledge, perhaps you can tell me what you know of those that came before. I trust your studies have led into the deepest depths of the history of our Order."

 

[Srota]

Pol continued to kneel before the pureblood, unmoving except for his hands. Those began to move, making the gestures that supplanted his ability to speak, lost since long ago. There was little that he remembered of his past before five years ago, and he had not really seen fit to search for answers. So, he bbegan with then.

<Well, my lord, the earliest I can remember was 5 years ago, when I first joined with the Baran Do sages, I do not remember why I joined with them, and honestly I do not much care. Instead, I have felt it best to put that time of my life aside, for the only thing of real importance that I learned from them was that sometimes the old ways are the best. They taught me as much as they could, but there was little power remaining amongst them. I understood after a time that there was little that they could truly teach me, besides this sign language that I use now, and some basic force skills. Beyond that, all they sought to teach me was balance and harmony, I chafed under such teachings, and so I left. I stole a lightsaber and a lightsaber pike as well when I left, for I knew that to obtain the power to learn of my past, I would likely need to defend myself. I wandered about my homeworld for a time, but soon, found the lack of answers to my distaste and I left, seeking out the Sith. Upon my arrival here, I came to study at the temple, but there, the masters only seemed bent on teaching modern interpretations of the ancient texts, or completely ignoring them at all. They focused on lightsabers and how best to fight against a variety of foes, but they felt wrong, my lord, they did not grant power, not to me, they only made us feel the illusion of being powerful. One cannot be strong when they are lack rivals and competition to strive them on. I found little of that in the temple. As for what i know of the ancient Sith, i only know the very basics, the Dawn of the Sith and the history of the great hyperspace war, and the rise of Darth Bane, and the rule of two, beyond that, I know only what I remember of these last 5 years, and the more recent histories taught at the temple.>

With that, Pol lowered his hands, wondering if he had explained himself well enough to Sin'ryk. His skills with words were limited, but he was sure that he had conveyed at least the basics to the man before him. Beyond that, well, there was no reason to give away all his secrets just yet, especially to a Sith Lord. After all, he would surely be cunning, and seek to use such knowledge to ensure Pol did not grow powerful too quickly, or so Pol thought to himself.

 

[Pureblood-Sin]

Stroking his tendrils as Pol 'spoke', Sin'ryk listened closely to the Kel'Dor's tale. It was one of dissatisfaction, at the likes of the Baran-Do who he had once been apart of, and the Sith who he perceives to be diluting the Order. While the Red Sith believed that the Order had grown soft, some of its policies were necessary. Whilst he did suspect that the Acolyte was hiding something, the Arcanist let it be; there would be further opportunities to delve deeper. In the meantime there were further matters to delve into.

"Whilst such things chafe against me as well, they are necessary for the type of Imperium we live in. If we had Sith killing one another everyday, then we would lose our numbers; furthermore, it would create more weaknesses for our enemies to exploit. Rivalries can exist...but they have to be subtle; one must be the scalpel, not the hammer when it comes to competing against your fellows."

After that was said, Sin'ryk then moved on to another matter.

"As to the matter of tradition, sometimes change and adaptation are a necessity in surviving the galaxy. The Imperium forbade slavery for it not only offends the masses, but can also breed a potential rebellion. Furthermore, the unwillingness to adapt can lead to even more problems down the road. Tell me my apprentice, do you know one of the reasons why the First Empire fell?"

 

[Srota]

"My apprentice..." Those words spoken by the Sith seemed to send a shiver down his spine. It was perfect. Had he seriously wandered into a situation that would give him just what he desired? A knowledgeable master to train him, personally? What more could he ask for? But it would not do to keep the Arcanist waiting, and he raised his hands and began to move them, "Speaking" through them, thinking through each and every word as he made the gestures.

<"Master, I believe I understand. While culling the weak from our ranks is important, we cannot let it run rampant, lest it hurt the strong as well. Is this not the case?">

His hands lowered to the ground again, and he idly shifted his weight slightly. Kneeling on the hard stone floor was taking it's toll some, and his mind wandered to the idea of rising to his feet once more, before his desire not to appear too weak to remain respectful forced the idea from his mind. Slowly, his hands raised once more and he allowed his thoughts to continue on.

<"As for the fall of the First Empire, was it because Lord Sadow was weakened by treachery committed by the rivals he had put down in order to claim the mantle of Dark Lord? If so, does this not speak to Sadow's inability to truly understand how to dispatch one's foe? Had he ensured his rival was dead, surely he would have handled the Republic with little effort...">

 

[Pureblood-Sin]

Stroking his tendrils, Sin'ryk continued his observation of the Kel'Dor's answers. Oh he was correct in that the lack of union within the First Empire played a role in it s downfall; but there was more to it than that. The Red Sith and all who are either scholars or of Korriban's blood knew their history very well; the only difference was that the latter varied in their perceptions on who was right.

"Such treachery, happening when the Empire was at its most vulnerable during its retreat, proved pivotal in causing its death bell to toll. Yet you must look deeper, see before yourself the events that occurred prior to the Great Hyperspace War. Think; why did Ludo Kressh oppose Naga Sadow?"

Whilst he let Pol think of the answer, Sin'ryk maintained his barrage of questions on the matter at hand. He needed his apprentice to think independently and look beyond the veil of life itself.

"Whilst you'd be valid in stating that Kressh wanted to be Jen'ari as no one can deny that. You must ask yourself why he wanted the throne; why he opposed the ideals of Sadow who desired to further expand the Sith Empire and exercise some degree of reform within their territory?"

 

[Srota]

<I see, master, Kressh was a conservative-minded man, he wished to retain the current state of the Sith Empire. Lord Sadow wanted to change, to grow and evolve, and the conflict between the two was what spelled the fall of the first Empire.> He allowed himself to think for a time, taking the point to its logical conclusion, no longer moving his hands, for the ideas came too fast for him to keep up any more.

So, if this is the case, such conflicts must not be allowed into the upper levels of Imperial leadership, but at the same time, we know that changes must be made to evolve with the times, and that ideas which may be necessary must be allowed to be fostered at the highest levels. But how does one do this without promoting disastrous rivalries? Could such infighting be allowed only at the lowest levels? But conflict strengthens us, keeps us on our toes. These are exactly the qualities needed for one leading a group of power-hungry force users. He allowed himself a brief pause in his racing thoughts, trying to staunch the tide of ideas that came flooding out of his mind. But like a damn at the foot of a great river, once burst, it was nigh impossible to put back up, and the ideas kept flooding out.
So, if rivalry is key to creating stronger, better Sith, but disastrous to maintaining an Empire, how does one resolve the dilemma? We must have strong Sith and a strong Empire, and yet the two seem fundamentally incompatible. Unity of purpose is a good start, but clearly not enough, for that will not stop people from having different ideas of how to achieve those goals. Having one seemingly insurmountable leader who can enforce their will on their lessers is an option, but this will force even more plots against them to be made as more and more Sith become covetous of their power... With that, he looked up at Sin'ryk and allowed his hands to move once more....

<Master, can it not be said that a Sith Empire itself is doomed to failure every time? Clearly the truth of our way of life puts itself at odds with maintaining a lasting Empire, does it not?>

((OOC: due to the long blocks of thought text, I have temporarily opted to use the red color to denote thoughts, in order to better distinguish them from narrative text and spoken(signed) words.))

 

[Pureblood-Sin]

Mental silence descended as Sin'ryk watched Pol delve into introspection; the Kel'Dor clearly had much to think about after the Red Sith's own revelations. Whilst he could easily enter the Acolyte's mind, Sin'ryk left him to his mental musings; it added to the soon to come display of verbal improvisation. Either way, it was safe to assume that Pol was thinking about how the Sith Order could function with its innate penchant for infighting amongst its members. Sin'ryk, until becoming accustomed to the wider galaxy, had never questioned the nature of conflict; for the Sith people, it was akin to breathing for them. Now a days, the Red Sith pondered the necessity for conflict; whilst such a thing is inevitable, there are aspects of it which could be perceived as conditional. The need to face other Sith, whilst unquestionably necessary, had to be controlled; full-on kaggaths could be disastrous, given that it requires two Sith Lords to pit their entire powerbases against one another. If two Darths were to fight a Kaggath..., such a thought made Sin'ryk shudder, knowing full well the consequences of such a thing. Before the Red Sith could continue with his own ruminations, Pol then 'vocalised' the conclusions of his.

<Master, can it not be said that a Sith Empire itself is doomed to failure every time? Clearly the truth of our way of life puts itself at odds with maintaining a lasting Empire, does it not?>

The Arcanist stroked his tendrils, having anticipated such a possible answer; he could further anticipate the line of thought that such words came from.

"It depends on who's ruling and the circumstances of a particular Empire's reign; I also suspect that your line of thinking has led to thoughts about the Rule of Two. Think this; why did the first Empire last for many millennia whilst Palpatine's Empire lasted only a few decades before splintering into the Imperial Remnant. That the latter had came to fruition is something of a miracle to say the least."

 

[Srota]

Pol bowed his head while Sin'ryk spoke, answering his question with another. Slowly, things were beginning to click in his mind, the connections being made at long last as he mulled over the posed question. As he did so, he flexed his fingers, speaking with hand signs was only good for so long, once the conversation began to continue on for more than a few minutes, his hands had begun to tire. Sin'ryk could hear the soft cracking of his knuckles as he flexed the fingers of his left and right hands. He sorely wished that he could learn some better way to communicate. Something that would allow him to communicate even while his hands were full using a lightsaber. After all, it would have to be quite difficult to fight and sign a conversation at the same time.

He mentally cleared his mind, thoughts were beginning to wander, and he had to think on the answer to his new master's question. It took him some time, the thoughts racing through his previously empty mind at break-neck speeds, as he thought over the possible reasons for why Palpatine's Empire had so easily shattered.

<Is it because he made no plans for his potential failure? Was he not arrogant to the point of never anticipating his own failure? Surely he had thought that he might fail, that someone might unseat him from his position of power. The First Empire had a clear rule of succession, did it not? I cannot see how his hiding his true nature as a Sith led to Palpatine's downfall.... Unless... Was it because it was his own subordinate who turned on him?>

 

[Pureblood-Sin]

It was clear that Pol's hands were starting to ache; one didn't need the Force to divine that his hands were cracking. Within Sin'ryk's sensitive ears, the sound of joints grinding against each other echoed prominently, providing some degree of annoyance for him. After the Kel'dor was due to give his answer, the Red Sith knew precisely what they'd begin working on first. Soon enough, Pol managed to full communicate the answer that he wished to convey.

<Is it because he made no plans for his potential failure? Was he not arrogant to the point of never anticipating his own failure? Surely he had thought that he might fail, that someone might unseat him from his position of power. The First Empire had a clear rule of succession, did it not? I cannot see how his hiding his true nature as a Sith led to Palpatine's downfall.... Unless... Was it because it was his own subordinate who turned on him?>

So many questions, thought Sin'ryk, yet there are fewer answers. Breathing deep, the Arcanist gave his Apprentice the answers he so desired.

"I have but a single answer for your questions; indeed, it may not even satisfy your pursuit of knowledge. The reason why the first Empire had persisted for millennia is because they were, from a certain perspective, culturally homogenous. The Empire of Old was primarily composed of the Jen'Jidai's hybrid descendants which built upon the culture of the Sith. The Caste system, whilst I dislike it personally, proved successful for a time when the Sith who remained within the Stygian Caldera were numerous compared to my own direct ancestors; it was in essence, bred into them...so very few questioned it. Now look at Palpatine's Empire; so much diversity can prove problematic when one's government enforces the notion of "Human High Culture". Yes, Humans are the most prominent species in the Galaxy, yet Palpatine's Empire practically spoon-fed the rebels with more members with their anti-alien policies. Though I will digress that the First Empire had little competition during its time which likely contributed to its longevity..."

Content with the answer that he had given, the Red Sith then proceeded to delve into matters of the lesson at hand; now would be the adequate time.

"Now then, we move onto the first facet of today's facet; telepathy. I believe we can both admonish that you will need to hone this skill to enhance your functionality within the Order."

 

[Srota]

Pol nodded his head emphatically at the comment regarding his lack of skill in telepathy. It would be good to be able to communicate more easily again soon. That is if he was able to truly understand telepathy well. He was sure he could grasp the concepts though. For some reason he was rather certain of this fact. A grin crept across his face, for it was so obvious that the Kel Dor was tired of signing, despite it having been his primary means of communication for as long as he could remember. Much of what had just been told to him he had not consciously heard, but he did remember it, vaguely, at least. He was far too eager to begin learning more of the ways of the Force and to be able to improve his ability to serve the Order. After all, by serving the order more effectively, he could earn more status and hopefully pass his trials to become a Sith Sorcerer.

A glint of desire could be seen in his eyes as his hands raised up in front of him and he began to sign once more. <Yes, master. I can imagine it being difficult for me to function as a Sith without being able to communicate and fight at the same time.>

 

[Darth Maleficar]

"Then let us begin."

Began Sin'ryk with a smile.

"First things first though..." The Red Sith then proceeded to reach out with his mind towards Pol's presence, slowly but surely touching his consciousness upon that of his apprentice. Deciding that it would be inappropriate to glean his apprentice's private thoughts, he instead chose to speak into his mind; that was the point of this first session after all. He then began to whisper into the Kel'Dor's mind.

What do you know of the theory behind telepathy? To understand it is to utilise it better after all.

 

[Srota]

Pol felt his master's voice in his minds, it had the curious tingle that came from someone whispering into your ear from up close. He suppressed a shudder at the sudden invasion of his mind, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He tried to summon what little knowledge of the technique he had, and then looked Sin'ryk in the eyes before his hands began to move.

<Master, I believe that telepathy is an extension of sensing someone with the Force. You reach out with the Force and use it to sense the emotions of your target, pressing deeper until it is no longer emotions, but thoughts instead. To send, I assume it is almost the reverse, correct, master?>

 

[Darth Maleficar]

"That is most correct my apprentice." Began Sin'ryk with a smile. "Except you temporarily reach out with a piece of your own conscious and allow it to touch upon the target's consciousness."

The Red Sith then gestured to himself, proceeding to delve into details if this most vital lesson for the Kel'dor.

"To begin with, I want you to reach out to the Force; immerse yourself in its flow. Now then, sense my presence; given the level of my power, I should be very easy to sense. Now I've let my mental barriers down, reach out to my presence in the Force; merge your mind with it, manifest your thoughts into further words. Let them flow into my mind as though you were truly conversing with me."

 

[Srota]

Pol bowed his head, acknowledging that he had understood with a brief flick of his hands to make the appropriate gesture. Slowly, he allowed his mind to empty of thoughts, reaching out, using his fear, the looming pit of his unremembered past, the anger at his own mind for leaving him unable to learn the truth. He reached out and willed the force, using it to extend his consciousness outwards. He could feel the full power of his master, looming over him, the depths of which he could only begin to fathom, it was so overwhelming, the he was hesitant to merge his extended mind with it, and he recoiled with fear mentally for but a moment.

He willed himself, steeling his mind for the power that he would feel as he allowed his mind to merge with his master and a brief gasp escaped his lips involuntarily as at last minds merged into one. The contact was brief, splotchy at best for now, but he was able to maintain the link long enough to convey, not a word, but a feeling. A sense of inquisition, of wonder, and of pride that Sin'ryk would be able to tell was Pol asking if he had achieved his result properly.

Pol seemed to visibly relax as the mental link closed, his breath coming heavily at first before slowing to normal as he recovered from the mental exertion of bending the force to his will in order to maintain his link. He hoped it had worked, for if not, he was sure the punishment for failure on so basic a level would be harsh.

 

[Darth Maleficar]

A most peculiar sensation began to spread throughout Sin'ryk's mind; it entered, not with the subtlety of a scalpel but the obviousness of the hammer. It was a presence, but it was very slight; indicating that the user, Pol, was indeed very new to such a technique. Whilst the connection was indeed rather tenuous, the Red Sith began to notice an emotional imprint within the mental tide; inquisitiveness, wonder and pride were in abundance, and this impressed Sin'ryk. His apprentice had went for a more subtle communication, but this eventually turned to channelling exhaustion; the Kel'dor was clearly heavily exerting himself in his endeavour, the Arcanist proceeded to convey a message.

Rest now, you are wearied. He stated telepathically, before proceeding to use his physical voice.

"a very good display of mental ability, proceeding to convey emotion rather than words is more tricky than words. Have you any further questions on the matter?"