Ask Umbara I Had To Buy a New Dress

[Param Vour]

Param needed help. She was wearing something casual, her heels clicking across the floor in the Academy on Umbara. She hated this place. It was always so dark, and the plants that grew weren’t as colorful as the ones that would grow in sunlight. The only person that she knew that could help her with her particular problem, was the very same person that had burned her dress to a crisp at the social, and humiliated her.

In her hands was a potted nerfscourge, growing nicely and proudly. It was a peace offering from herself to the Potionmaster. The Potionmaster, and his master of alchemy, would most likely enjoy it; it was a flower that produced a pollen that if overused was capable of causing nerve damage to most species. She even had two boxes of identical tea boxes. One was laced with the nerfscourge, the other was her K-Special tea.

There was only a door between her and the Potionmaster. She walked through. What she thought was an office was a lab of growing plants and alchemy equipment. The Potionmaster was there, his back turned. “I need help, Potionmaster,” she said, holding the potted plant, and two small boxes of bagged tea out toward him. “A peace offering. Nerfscourge flower. Its pollen can cause nerve damage to most species. Two boxes of tea, one regular and spicy. The other laced with nerfscourge and spicy.”

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

“Champion Dalon-”

“Oh, please call me Kuvo,” A sultry male voice would resound from inside the chamber, “No need for the formalities since we’re the same rank now, right? I figured we could uhhh get on a first name basis if ya know what I mean,” An oafish laugh followed.

Silence.

“Okay well um did you like the flowers I got you?”

“Yes, actually,” Azar’s voice could be heard, “They were crushed up for a batch of my nightshade potion.”

“Ohmygosh that makes me so happy!!!” Dalon squealed, “Hey teach- I mean uh.. Azar…Azaaarrrrr god your name sounds so hot..you know.. like Korriban..I read it's a desert so it's gotta be hot....”

“Get to the point, Champion,” Azar said impatiently with a sigh.

“So like there been some rumors like uh..are you like… you know..like cuffed with that disphit bully- I mean that guy Kar-”

This was right when they both sensed there was a visitor and Param walked in. She would spot a massive Zabrak glaring at her with his fingers curled into fists. His teeth were grinding together.

“That will be all, Champion Dalon, thank you,” Azar said coolly as the Zabrak forced a smile and stomped off.

Azar was surprised to see the Beacon of Troiken here, but he harbored no active grudge against her. He eyed her curiously as she brought her gifts, “Welcome, Teamaster,” He greeted her, accepting the plant that would be exceptionally useful. His face lit up at the sight, and he was also eager to take the tea. He would, of course, run through his own methods of identifying if any of the items were harmful to him before using them.

He stepped aside and offered for her to take a seat, “How can I help you?”

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param watched the new Champion leave, matching his glare with an emotional deadpan, until he was out the door completely. She turned back to the Potionmaster, handing him the gifts and sat down when offered. There was an excitement bubbling within her that he seemed to find the plant and the tea satisfying. Even his face lit up. She always enjoyed seeing people's faces light up; especially when they weren't be lit by fire or electricity. Despite everything, the two of them could probably bond quite a bit over plants and gardens.

"Master Thel has vanished. I've secured his missing assets, including inheriting his apprentice, Acolyte Gemini," she said. Param crossed her legs, resting her finger locked hands on her knee. "Acolyte Vossari is a delight to train. They're attentive, learn quickly, and are always eager for more. They always tie what they learn and do in with their passions. Acolyte Gemini on the other hand, seems... lost." There wasn't really a word for what Gemini was, to be honest. Not one Param knew.

"I'm struggling to instruct him; he has something in him that changes him completely, so I'm no longer teaching Acolyte Gemini, but some other entity. I was wondering if you had any experience with dealing with those sorts of things? It is not a very subtle shift at all." Her silver eyes watched the pureblood intently as she explained.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar listened quietly as she explained, working to make some of the tea she brought. After the tea was added to the hot water, he tested it by dribbling some of it on a specific plant. There was no change, so the tea was deemed safe. He handed a mug to Param and kept one for himself, sitting down across from her.

Vossari.

Azar had yet to work out the enigma that was Vossari. There was an undeniable physical attraction there - the Wrean was just as striking to behold as Nakoa. Azar told himself to avoid visiting their planet if he wanted to keep himself from getting distracted. And yet Vossari was an instigator - unruly and boisterous at best, a liability at worst. He could vividly recall the loud music through the forest that got them both captured.

Gemini.

Azar was impressed with the acolyte after the mission on Rutan. The man had a pain kink, but Azar had one for inflicting it, so he couldn't see any downsides there. However, Gemini was a handful and unhinged.

The Pureblood took a sip of his tea, marveling at the flavor, “You are doing both of them a disservice by taking on two acolytes,” He stated flatly, “Choose only one and let the other find another Master,” He couldn’t comprehend the concept of training multiple acolytes in such a rigid and harsh Order.

“Your master’s disappearance does not mean you automatically inherit their acolyte,” Azar explained, “As a Champion, you gain the right to choose,” It wasn’t the question she asked, and he expected some lame response about a ‘sense of duty’ to train both, “You will fail one of them if you continue as is.”

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param took the tea Azar offered with a smile and grace. She took a small sip, feeling the heat from the hot liquid, and then the heat from the spices involved. It was an excellent batch, one that she had devised and thrown together remembering the Ziosti ingredients Karys had shown her. That felt like a lifetime ago now. Param frowned, not at the thought of a bridge burned for mere words and mistakes, but at the Potionmaster's words.

"I see," she said. Vossari was a good student, and she had invested in his future; but he also kept pushing the boundaries of what their Master-Apprentice relationship would allow. Gemini on the other hand, was an addict, one that had to be shown that his life was no worse or better than anyone else's, and someone that continuously seemed to draw upon baser, temporary emotions with the idea they would somehow become perminent. It made her wonder what someone like the Potionmaster, who taught students every day in classrooms would do to pick.

"How would you decide between the two?" she asked, taking another sip of tea. He knew better than her, the wisdom and knowledge he would impart would be listened to and regarded. It was the same when she even asked her Acolytes what they would do. Perspectives and their differences were something that fascinated Param, and helped her learn. Was the Potionmaster the winner of a duel type? Or did they go for a more direct pros and cons approach?

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Had she really come here just for this? Azar drank the tea, calmly assessing her. While she no doubt considered her quandary, his thoughts were on whether she actually had blood in her veins. How could someone be that vividly white? Back on his home planet and even the Sith on icy planets like Ziost - they still kept their red pigment. What dark, underground world did she emerge from to appear so anemic? It was fascinating. This fascinated him almost as much as twi’lek and other races that had braintails. It was akin to having your balls out and waving around and just waiting to get kicked. What was the evolutionary benefit?

Azar sipped from the tea.

Her question drew out a quirked brow, “I like students that challenge me, so I would base it on that,” He said calmly, “But for you, perhaps neither,” Azar’s gaze met hers, “For you have nothing to teach as a Sith,” Azar stated flatly. By his assessment, she was an atrocious Sith. She had skills and her uses, but he found her uncommitted to the cause and more of a liability.

“You are talented, but they are likely better suited elsewhere,” Azar said breezily.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param's gaze didn't leave him, even as he stared. Even as he spoke. Her expression showed no signs of discomfort, disdain, or otherwise. It was almost a pleasant, serious dead pan. What the Potionmaster said wasn't wrong, in the slightest. It only came as somewhat a surprise that he'd know, but he wasn't wrong. When it came to the teachings of the Sith she was about the worst teacher one could have Almost all of her skillsets were in nature, and martial arts. She knew she was in over her head with one apprentice, when she foolishly accept two her life have started circling a proverbial drain.

"You're not wrong, Potionmaster," she admitted. There was no point in hiding it, since they both knew. "My Master never taught me about the Sith the way that they learn about it here in the Academy, or how an Acolyte would learn from you. It was always asset acquiring. Martial prowess does not make a complete Sith, on that we defintiely agree." She was not here to admit weaknesses and strengths, however; she was here to learn from someone who was Sith.

Vossari had tried to forcefully enter her mind, her sanctum, and for that he would be given back to the Academy to do with as they saw fit. Gemini, however troublesome, had requested to be trained as an echani. That was something she was sure she'd be the only one to provide. His training as a Sith, however, would have to come from else where. She wanted to ask the Potionmaster if he had experience with being asked to be trained in specific areas of expertise only he could provide, but that would be a dumb question. Of course he had, he was the Potionmaster. If anyone wanted to learn alchemy, they went to him.

"Everytime I think the answer is complicated, it always turns out to be simple. I guess this is just a social call, after all. Unless you need something fought or planted, of course."

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar chuckled at her words, “So you blame your master for your own incompetence?” He asked breezily as he sipped from the tea, “You blame your Master for your inability to seek out knowledge as it should have been? You are no child..” His tone wasn’t severe or stern, but perfectly calm and measured. She could play the victim here or she could face her own pathetic outlook. And realize she was solely responsible for anything that didn’t go as planned.

“The answer is simple,” Azar said simply, “Run along and live in the shadows. But know that being Sith - being truly Sith - means commanding your own domain. It means control of your destiny and the fates of those in your sphere,” He smirked at her, “You can rise anew or you can fade into obscurity because you can’t see past your own delusions.”

Azar strongly disagreed with how Thel taught. Clearly he hadn’t taught Param to think for herself among the Sith or how empowering it could truly be. Then again, it wasn’t Azar’s job to convince her to stop playing victim. She would get that reality check soon enough. Never once did Azar fear losing what he had and it was because of the tremendous value he brought the faction. Just as it was terrifying to be Sith, it was equally reassuring knowing that you could get the Dark Lord herself to support your ambitions.

“Thank you for the tea,” He said smoothly, “It was… unfortunate about that dress.”

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

There were a lot of things she could blame Thel for, but him not teaching her the culture of the Sith was not one of them. Karys had talked about the culture pretty extensively, but that didn’t stop her from treating the Sith like a job when it was their entire being. One could play a god for only so long before someone else came along and claimed the title. At one point she had hoped Karys and his culture could thrive once again in the galaxy, but now she was simply indifferent to the idea.

“Hm…” Param hummed, taking one last sip of tea and setting the cup down. The Potionmaster’s words didn’t hurt her feelings, or cause a stir. They were nothing she hadn’t heard before. Param was better in the shadows. Attention was her greatest enemy, something she had come to learn in the Sith. While Sith wanted to conquer worlds and bring them to their knees, Param thrived the most in the shadows of those worlds in recent months. The corners of her lips curled upwards at the mention of her dress.

“It’s just burnt credits,” she said. “Echani aren’t as adverse to being nude as many species would be, anyway; Half our rituals are either nude or barely clothed. From what I heard, it sounds like losing the dress actually saved me from a rather… shitty situation.”

@Sreeya