Ask Necessary Introductions

[Sah'ra Ryun]

​

Storm clouds brewed and circled above Kaas City, the streets illuminated brightly by flashes of lightning followed shortly after by the clap of thunder but Sah’ra did not hear them. Knelt in the center of the meditation chamber of her apartment, the young woman’s eyes remained closed as she allowed the dark energies of Dromund Kaas to penetrate her mind and soul and emphasize her ever growing capabilities in the Force. It had been months since she had departed Teth and while she had grown to despise jungle worlds such as her previous home, living underground in her ancestral refuge for years, it seemed as though such worlds always drew her in. Unlike Teth, the woman at least had a vast city that she could call home when she was not exploring the galaxy on official business though the frequency she found herself here was near non-existent. Today was a special case.

The future of the Empire depended on a multitude of aspects. Political dealings, superiority on the growing number of battlefields, agents of espionage to infiltrate and spy on their enemies, to name a few. What each of these things had in common was that they were fed by the newest generations of Sith, soldiers, officers and the like. While the eldest members of their order clung to power, fighting to retain everything they had accumulated with tooth and claw, it was the way of the Sith to train their young to one day exceed the limitations that had been placed on their masters. Stagnation was the root cause for failure of many galactic super powers but it was not something the Sith often dealt with as those up and comers with ambition would remove those too weak to move their order forward.

Sah’ra hardly considered herself dormant and inactive but a growing sense of responsibility to partake in educating the next generation had begun to grow within her. She herself had never held an apprenticeship role with a Sith teacher, instead educating herself with the ancient texts of her family line. It was an arduous route for her to take but she had proven herself worthy despite these hardships and now she felt it was time to pass on what she had learned to a worthy apprentice. Of course, few Sith Acolytes had little impact on the woman as she observed their training, save one. Intrigued by this girl and her family ties to Arkanis, Sah’ra dispatched an invitation to the young woman for her to come to her home where they could speak in private. This discussion would tell her all she needed to know as to whether or not she had found her future apprentice.

Rising to her feet and stepping out into the main room of her apartment, Sah’ra quickly scanned the room and found it to be immaculate as always. Years of dwelling underground had given her a strong appreciation for modern living and cleanliness; even one object being out of place would gnaw at her sanity. That one object, as it were, was often her brother Tren and as she took a few steps further across the marble floors, she would see his unconscious form laid across the couch with a half eaten bag of chips laying on the floor whilst his hand was still inside.

”Oaf…” Sah’ra hissed in her mind as her lips turned downward into a scowl. Silently she moved closer and closer until she stood directly over his snoring head before the back of her fingers snapped across the top of his scalp. Waking with a disgruntled and pained look, the large man pushed himself upward and rubbed his eyes as he yawned.

”Did I not tell you to leave? I am expecting a guest, moron,” Sah’ra teased as she bent down and gathered the bag of chips, tossing it into Tren’s lap. ”Why not make yourself useful and go into the city and fetch us all something to eat. Something healthy, perhaps?”

It would not take her brother long to find his feet as well as his jacket and depart, leaving Sah’ra alone within their home. Making herself a cup of tea, she proceeded to stand at the foot of the window that overlooked Kaas City and watched as the lightning danced across the sky whilst she awaited her guest.

@llamallove​

 

[Zoella Dorran]

Zoella Dorran strode the streets of Kaas City at a brisk pace, the sound of her black boots striking the pavement drowned out by the roll of thunder overhead. The Acolyte had traveled extensively with her family in the past, but never had she visited Dromund Kaas until this day. A relatively unknown Outer Rim planet, it had never drawn the attention of the royal family of Arkanis.

If she were to guess, she would wager that was one of the reasons the Sith Champion known as Sah'ra Ryun had chosen it. It was remote, off the beaten path. The perfect planet for a Sith to settle on, particularly since it had such a rich history with the Sith. The Acolyte was new to the ways of the Sith, but even she could sense the powerful influence the dark side of the force held over this planet.

And if the brewing storm clouds that circled above the city were any indication of the weather, Zoella had a feeling she, too, would take a liking to this planet.

A knot had settled in the pit of the Acolyte's stomach the second she had stepped foot off the transport, an unusual occurrence for the blonde teenager. She was actually nervous, and she was unsure what to do about it.

Sah'ra Ryun was not a Sith she had met before, and yet the Champion had arranged this meeting with Zoella. The teenager had been surprised to hear that a Sith had taken an interest in her so soon, and she had to wonder if this was the first time in her life that she'd ever shown potential.

That was a foreign feeling to Zoella, but even more foreign was the odd desire not to disappoint the Champion. Surely this accounted for the knot in her stomach. There was no other explanation, and yet the underachieving teenager found it hard to believe.

Riding the elevator up to the apartment number she had been given, Zoella lowered her hood and prepared to make her presence known.

@Tulos

 

[Sah'ra Ryun]

While the storm continued to build over the cityscape, drops of rain collecting on the window before growing heavy and sliding downward toward the streets, Sah’ra closed her eyes and drew in a long breath. The lights of the towers glowing through the night, the flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder, the falling rain. It was blissful, serene. Taking a sip from the warm cup of tea in her hands, she let off a soft sigh while she smiled at the scene ahead of her.

Gazing out her window, she could sense the anxieties of the Acolyte ascending in the elevator long before she arrived. Her smile soon began to grow playful, wondering if she should have some fun at the young girl’s expense. Casting a glance over her shoulder to the clock placed above the archway that led into her meditation chambers, Sah’ra nodded approvingly. Right on time. Excellent.

As the lift arrived outside Sah’ra’s suite, a soft ring announcing as much, the Sith woman finally turned from the window while clasping the cup of tea in both hands.

”Please, come in,” she would call out to the young woman as the doors slid open to reveal the sole passenger. Immediately Sah’ra analyzed the woman from head to toe. Beautiful and young, dressed in robes that she could not help but admire. Her posture did not betray the uneasiness she felt but an adept in the Force did not need physical clues to summarize as much.

”You’re late,” Sah’ra stated plainly, keeping any smile from bubbling to the surface. Zoella would instead see a straight faced woman in a black dress seemingly staring through her from the other side of the room. If the Acolyte was any closer, however, she may have caught a glimpse of the corner of her lips twitch upward slightly.

@llamallove​

 

[Zoella Dorran]

The second the lift's doors slid open, Zoella could feel the piercing blue eyes of Sah'ra Ryun analyzing her, inspecting her from head to toe while giving no clue or indication as to the verdict. The Sith had mastered the art of concealment, rarely allowing their true emotions to show. They wore a carefully crafted mask, allowing you to see only what they wanted you to see.

The Champion stood at the opposite end of the room in a floor length black dress, her back to the window as she clutched a cup in her hands. The apartment and her outfit suggested that Sah'ra Ryun was a woman of style, something the teenager could appreciate.

Zoella stepped out of the lift, thoughtlessly passing by the mat without wiping the rain water from her boots. Hesitating in the entryway, she lowered herself into a bow. The teenager was still unsure about the customs and practices of the Sith but assumed that a bow could not be considered untoward, considering their difference in stations.

She was not accustomed to paying homage to others. Usually, it was the other way around. As a member of the royal family of Arkanis, she had always been treated with the utmost respect and favor.

But she was not on Arkanis any longer, and within the ranks of the Sith she existed amongst the lowest. This was something she had to constantly remind herself of, or else be reminded of by others when she forgot her place. The teenager had yet to earn anyone's respect, and that was exactly what her father had wanted.

It irked her that her father had presumed to humble her to this station in life, but she had no choice in the matter. It was something she would have to resign herself to.

The Champion announced that she was late, and Zoella paused in surprise. She knew she was not late. This was the first time in her life that she'd actually been on time for something, and she was most certainly going to get credit for it.

"No, I'm not," she replied almost instantly, her brow furrowed in indignation. "I'm right on time."

@Tulos​

 

[Sah'ra Ryun]

Sah’ra watched as the woman named Zoelle made her entrance into the apartment, a slight twitch in the corner of her eyes as the woman simply walked past the mat that had been placed at the foot of the lift door. She had done her research on who this girl was, what sort of position her family held on their homeworld. And what a position it was; the ruling monarchy. A family who’s wealth and power undoubtedly meant that the girl was accustomed to a life with servants at her beck and call. While Sah’ra did not keep either servants or service droids on hand at the moment, she did intend to one day purchase one to continue the upkeep of her domicile. Until then, that responsibility was her own and even the small droplets of water from Zoella’s boots would concern her until they were dealt with. For now, they would wait.

”If you’re only ‘on time’, then I’m afraid you’re late, my dear,” Sah’ra responded teasingly, allowing the stern facade to diminish and instead presenting the woman with a smile as she slowly made strides towards the kitchen to refill her cup. ”I’ve recently acquired tea leaves from Ithor. A touch spicy but quite enjoyable. Would you care for a cup?” she would call to her guest, forcing the future water stains on her floor from her mind.

It would not take long for the woman to re-emerge from the kitchen with a tray containing two glasses, a teapot, as well as whatever they may need to accentuate their beverages for their desired tastes. With graceful strides, she made her way to the sofa and placed the tray down on the table before motioning for the Acolyte to come join her though with a quick pause. ”Please,” As Sah’ra sat down and picked up a teaspoon of sugar to place in her own cup, she shot the girl a side glance with unintentional venom in her eyes. ”The boots can stay at the door, if you wouldn’t mind,”

Stirring the cup slowly before replacing the spoon on the tray, ensuring it was placed precisely in a vertical position on the plate to keep any tea stains from the tray itself, Sah’ra would wait for the Acolyte to join her on the couch.

”Arkanis… I’ve never visited before. From what little I know, I think it sounds delightful. Do you miss your home, Acolyte?” Sah’ra would ask, proceeding to take a sip of tea as she watched the girl’s reaction carefully though her eyes momentarily fluttering back towards the floor and the droplets of water residing by the lift, a slight knot in her stomach forming.

@llamallove​

 

[Zoella Dorran]

It was just Zoella's luck in life that the one time she was on time, she was expected to show up early. The teenager's lips pressed together into a white slash, clearly annoyed but desperately trying to hold her tongue.

Unwilling but ready to eat her own words and apologize to the Champion that stood before her, she was spared that particular concession as a smile spread across Sah'ra Ryun's face.

Ah. She was joking, and Zoella had fallen prey to her goading of her own free will. Perhaps there was some truth to the criticisms of her father after all. Perhaps she was a little too sensitive for her own good.

The Acolyte matched the smile of the woman opposite her with ease, pleased to find that she hadn't already earned the ire of the Champion simply by being on time.

"I'd love a cup," Zoella replied, her green eyes dancing across the apartment while Sah'ra Ryun fixed them both a cup of tea in the kitchen. A warm cup of tea was just what the Acolyte needed after a long walk in the rain.

It wasn't long before the Champion returned with a tray and invited the young girl to join her on the sofa. Zoella considered the request to leave her boots at the threshold of the entryway a little peculiar, but then again she had never visited Dromund Kaas before. Maybe it was a custom here.

Either way, she would oblige her host. Slipping her wet boots off, she placed them near the doors to the lift and crossed the room to join Sah'ra Ryun. Sinking into the cushions of the sofa, Zoella picked up her cup of tea.

"Thank you," she remembered to say before taking a sip.

The Champion's description of 'a touch spicy' was apt, and one sip was all she needed to know. It required more sugar. Dropping a spoonful of sugar into the cup, she stirred the mixture of tea and sugar before returning the spoon to its proper place.

Sah'ra Ryun did not beat around the bush, asking her if she missed Arkanis. The question was asked as if it was nothing more than a conversation starter, but Zoella was shrewd enough to know that this was more than just teatime between two girls. The Champion was evaluating the Acolyte. Every word, every action, possibly every thought.

"I do miss my home," Zoella admitted, her green eyes watching the Champion with interest. "But I do not miss my family."

More specifically, she did not miss her father.

​

​

​

@Tulos​

 

[Sah'ra Ryun]

Sah’ra sat calmly on the sofa, an entertained smile displayed for Zoella as she listened to the young woman’s short response. It was all she needed. Even with such few words, she could easily ascertain that there was no love lost between the Acolyte and her blood relatives. This was something she was only too familiar with. Aside from her twin brother, she herself had no family that she felt any endearing love towards. Her mother had passed in the first few moments of the twin’s lives, leaving them under the care of her father… Or rather, the care of their hired caregivers. Her own father was so absorbed by his work, that detestable creation of his, that his own children were of little interest. Placing the cup of tea to her lips, Sah’ra was able to conceal the momentary twist of displeasure of her jawline though her teeth still clenched together as the thought remained, if only for a moment.

”Is that so?” The Sith replied, placing the cup on the tray laid out before them before turning her eyes to meet that of the Acolyte across from her. ”I find such a negative disposition to your family… curious,” Sah’ra reached across to the plate with the stirring spoon and adjusted it ever so slightly, placing it back in a perfectly vertical position before once again looking at Zoella with a polite smile. Lacing her fingers together, the woman placed both hands neatly in her lap and turned her body to face her guest more fully. ”Your family comes from high standing. The highest, in fact, if you remove your homeworld from galactic affairs. To have such disdain to your blood despite the privileges it would have certainly offered… There must be a reason,”

Sah’ra could sense the feelings of discontempt as they rolled off Zoella’s shoulders. Her guest did not need to speak the name, the source of her ire. With minute training against such methods, there was little the Acolyte could do to prevent Sah’ra from delving into her mind and revealing such secrets. The relationship between Zoella and her father was undoubtedly strained though she could not pinpoint exactly as to why this was. Her own research into the Dorran family offered her enough insight; the daughter of the Patriarch was not his heir, not his direct relative to ascend to the throne. A slight chuckle escaped the Champion as she mulled on this. It was not the first time she had faced such resentment, her recent trip to Adumar with the Sith Lord Darth Caelestis had resulted in her tampering with their own monarchy. It was through her intervention that the Princess, or rather Queen Nefri, had found herself usurping her elder brother for the crown. It seemed such a tale was commonplace across the galaxy.

”Please elaborate for me,” Sah’ra continued, once again offering the young woman a polite smile. ”Such things will grant me the opportunity to understand what makes you who you are,” As she finished speaking, the woman reached out and picked up her cup of tea once more before taking another sip, blue eyes never moving from green as she awaited her response.

@llamallove​

 

[Zoella Dorran]

The Sith Champion was not a woman to beat around the bush. She asked questions, and clearly she expected answers. Nothing more than a Sith Acolyte and a guest in her apartment, Zoella had little choice but to answer.

It was not in her nature to open up to someone she had just met, but if she wanted to rise through the ranks of the Sith Empire and one day regain the respect of her family, she would have to play nice with her superiors. This would not be the last time the teenager would be called upon to clench her teeth and bear it, so there was no sense in fighting the inevitable.

This was what her father had reduced her to, and it was now a matter of self-preservation. Advancement was now a necessity, not a choice. The choice had already been made for her.

The Champion had never put into words the reason for this invitation or why she was so keen to learn about Zoella and her family, but the young teenager did not find it difficult to guess the motive behind both.

Sah'ra Ryun was looking for someone to train, someone to mold and shape into the next generation of Sith. All those gifted with the Force were compelled at one point or another in their life to pass on at least a portion of what they had learned, immortalizing their gifts and their legacy in some way.

The Sith were no different. Or so she would imagine. The Champion had witnessed something in Zoella that had piqued her interest enough to call for this introduction.

Zoella liked to believe that it was her natural talent that had elicited this sudden interest, that the teenager had impressed her in some way yet to be disclosed, but the skeptical side of her nature suggested a alternate reason.

The name of Dorran meant something, and to a great deal of people it was the only thing about Zoella that mattered. Sah'ra Ryun was not the first person to take an interest in the teenager solely due to her familial ties, and she would certainly not be the last.

If that was the Champion's true motive, that is. Zoella could not be sure. She had yet to master the ability to read people through the Force, so the Sith Acolyte would be forced to rely on her gut and to hope that Sah'ra Ryun's interest went beyond the last name Zoella carried.

Whatever her motives, Sah'ra Ryun had shown the teenager nothing but hospitality. She had opened up her home and lent her an interested ear, not to mention a cup of exquisite tea. One kind turn deserved another.

"I might have spoken out of turn," Zoella amended, the corners of her lips twitching upward into a polite smile. "I do not miss my father. My relationship with my mother and elder brother are... more complicated."

Perhaps it was best to leave it at that, but the Sith had requested elaboration, so Zoella would elaborate.

"It was not my choice to leave my home planet of Arkanis or to join the Sith." She hesitated, wondering if she would lose favor in the eyes of the Champion for that confession. "I was content on Arkanis."

It was my father that was not content with me...

"My father believes that time away from my familiar surroundings will do me good, that it will make a woman out of me. He wants me to be disciplined and responsible."

Everything that my brother is...

​

"And he believes the Sith can succeed in that area where he failed." Her smile widened, more genuine as her eyes lit up. "Of course he would not admit to any such failing. Those are my own words, not his."

@Tulos​

 

[Sah'ra Ryun]

Listening to Zoella’s words, nodding along appropriately when the situation called for it, Sah’ra carefully ensured her facial expressions and body language would not give away any signals as to what she had been thinking during the Acolyte’s explanation of how she had come to be here. Fortunate as it was that she had been able to conceal her disposition, something the girl said struck the Champion as curious. Not the resentment for her father, nor the ‘difficult’ relationship between her mother and her brother. No, rather the fact that her arriving within the Sith was not a choice of her own but rather one her father had made for her.

This was a potential problem. If she had not made this choice on her own, did she possess the drive and ambition it would take to truly become Sith? To twist and mold the Force to her will? To claim the birthright every Sith clung to dearly; power above all else in the galaxy? Sah’ra harbored doubt. To become Sith required the utmost devotion and commitment to the path. One could not simply dip their toes into the water and claim they know how to swim.

”It is true that walking this path can instill discipline and constraint in those who choose to take the steps,” Sah’ra responded after a moment, letting the words of the Acolyte hang in the air as she considered them carefully, analyzing them and allowing Zoella to do the same. ”But those who find themselves following footsteps rather than making their own rarely succeed here, I’m afraid,” It would seem Zoella was unruly, hard to control by both her family and the expectations placed upon her shoulders. These were hardly attributes that Sah’ra would wish to quash but rather would prefer to nurture, letting them flourish into what could one day be a powerful Sith. Her resentment to her family and her natural talents would serve as a perfect stepping stone, a base to branch out from if they were fed and stoked. But if she did not choose this for herself… Pursing her lips, Sah’ra stared ahead at the dormant fireplace as she considered her options.

”It is no secret to either of us that you require a teacher. Someone who can show you how to harness your power and bend it as you see fit,” Turning her attention to a candle burning on the opposite side of the room, Sah’ra reached out with her hand and cradled the flame with the Force, lifting it away from the wick and letting it burn brightly in mid air as it seemingly levitated across the room. As it drew nearer, she would turn it’s trajectory and and project it into the black steel hearth, lighting the logs that lay inside and filling the room with the soft crackle of burning logs. A warm fire on a rainy day was a perfect partner for a warm cup of tea, after all. ”But I worry you lack conviction. I worry that if you were placed in a situation where you must exert your power over another, you would falter…”

Sah’ra turned her attention back to Zoella once more though gone was the polite disposition that she had offered until now. Instead, the Acolyte would see steely determination in the Champion’s eyes. ”There is no place for the soft within the Sith. Here, it is kill or be killed. You can trust no one. Not me. Not the Sith Lords. Not your fellow Acolytes. No one. As soon as the opportunity arises where slaying you could grant others power, you’d be foolish to believe any sort of bond you may have will save you. Do you understand this?”

@llamallove​

 

[Zoella Dorran]

Sah'ra Ryun was not an easy woman to read, and that was no accident. Her movements and her gaze were steady, her words calculated and precise. She did not desire the Acolyte to be able to read her inner most thoughts or conclusions, but it was clear that she was deep in thought.

Whatever her thoughts might be, Zoella could only guess and hope that the Champion would keep an open mind.

The days of Sith snatching unwilling children from their beds and the arms of their mothers had long since passed into obscurity, or so the Sith Empire said.

Now individuals seeking glory and purpose joined themselves to the growing regime, willingly and with excitement and adrenaline rushing through their veins. They pledged their bodies and their very lives to the Sith Order and to the pursuit of the darkness that resided within them, awaiting release and magnification.

But Zoella had not joined herself to the Sith Empire, and it had not been her choice. She had not been consulted on the decision, simply informed and instructed to pack her belongings.

This must have struck the Champion as odd. Disappointing, even. Would she still consider training the teenager or would Zoella be sent through the sliding doors of the lift without so much as an explanation?

Although not her choice, but the Sith was her life now. There was no getting around that fact, and for all the wallowing in self-pity she had allowed herself, perhaps the change in scenery would do her good.

Zoella had grown tired of the reprimands of her father, of his nagging and his berating. She longed for the comfort and the luxury of her childhood estate and would not pretend that such a deep rooted longing and desire would vanish over night.

But the Acolyte had come to terms with the hard, cold truth that it was no longer within her grasp. That was unavoidable, and she had forced herself to come to grips with reality.

Riches and respect would have to be fought for and earned now, and she could not wait until they were hers again. All hers.

"I understand," Zoella replied, her voice nor her eyes faltering under the Champion's steel blue gaze.

"I will not pretend that I hold some grand allegiance to the Sith Empire, but I do possess a strong conviction. It is a conviction that the whole galaxy shares in but that few have the resolve to see through no matter the cost. A conviction for self-preservation. My father robbed me of my life, my riches, and the respect of my title. I will not falter."

@Tulos​

 

[Sah'ra Ryun]

Sah’ra offered the Acolyte a soft chuckle, her attention turning to the flames as they danced within their cage. The beauty of fire, whether it be controlled such as this or left wild amongst the plains and forests of a world, was that it held no regard for whatever or whomever stood in it’s path. Left unchecked, a blaze could easily grow wild and dangerous with no regard to who it consumed. So it was as well with the Sith and as Zoella offered her explanation, Sah’ra became convinced that there was something of similar worth within the girl.

”Self preservation is fundamental in nearly all aspects of the path you have been thrust upon,” Sah’ra responded as she turned her attention back to her guest, bringing the cup to her lips and gently draining the remaining contents. ”Loyalty to the Sith is… ideal, at face value. What is more important, however, is having loyalty to yourself. Certainly, bending a knee to our Empress or any Lords and Ladies is expected of us all but blind fealty can only allow us to achieve so much. I, for one, would sooner face my demise at the hands of my enemies rather than serve as a pawn to another’s ambitions,”

Sah’ra stood from the couch, straightening the front of her grown with both hands before seemingly gliding across the black marble towards the fireplace. Reaching to the standing utensils, she wrapped her fingers around the metallic prod and placed it in the embers, rotating the log and stoking the flames. With her other hand, the woman would pull the grating over the opening of the fireplace and place the handle of the poker atop while letting the end remain within the glowing cinders. There she would stay, her eyes reflecting the dancing flames as a coy smile began to form. ”If your father has taken so much from you, I must ask,” Pausing for a moment, Sah’ra would clasp her hands together at her waist as she continued to observe the fire. ”Have you any intention on… taking it all back?”

@llamallove​

 

[Zoella Dorran]

A moment of silence passed between the two Sith, both seated on the plush couch as the fire popped and crackled, a perfect companion to the rain and thunder that engulfed the city of Kaas. Zoella studied the champion in the silence, watching the flame's embers dance across the woman's cold blue eyes. Not even the warmth of the fire was able to melt the cold façade the Sith had perfected.

If there was one good sign to be taken away, it was that the teenager had not been sent packing yet. This came as a surprise even to her. Usually her lackadaisical attitude turned people off, and it didn't exactly inspire confidence in her or her abilities. Perhaps her time with the Sith Order had begun a change in her already. Wouldn't her father be pleased?

Her eyes narrowed at the thought, but she reminded herself that this was for her, not him.

Sah'ra Ryun finally broke the silence, rising from the couch and floating across the room to the fireplace, her black dress sweeping the floor in her wake. Zoella watched as the Champion poked at the fire, stirring its embers as sparks spat at stone.

Her question was one that Zoella had contemplated many times before, lying awake in her bad at night as she stared at the ceiling. If given the chance, would she reclaim what was rightfully hers?

The Acolyte's father had given her every assurance that if she were to return to him disciplined and accomplished, she would be welcomed back into the family and given every comfort and privilege that had once been hers. He had assured her of his love and that this was for her own good, but his assurances meant nothing.

He had betrayed her and left her in the hands of strangers halfway across the galaxy. Sah'ra had said that there was no place for the soft within the Sith Order, no place for the gullible.

Trust no one. This invaluable lesson had already been impressed upon the young Acolyte, and by her own father no less.

The question remained. Would she return to Arkanis with a spirit of gratitude or with a rod? The choice was hers.

"I do," she replied, her green eyes staring up at the Champion. "I intend to take it all back."

@Tulos​

 

[Sah'ra Ryun]

Zoella’s words were exactly what the Champion wished to hear. Revenge was the base of motivation for a great many Sith throughout history and it seemed that it would feed yet one more. The Force was indeed strong with the outcast noble girl, proper training and careful steps potentially turning her into a valuable weapon capable of toppling another planetary government. Of course, it would not stop there. It could not. Arkanis was merely a stepping stone in the right direction. Together, with Sah’ra’s knowledge and Zoella’s determination and assets, she was confident that their names could be cemented in history. However, Sah’ra still required proof of the young woman’s commitment. Simply speaking the words would not be enough.

”It would seem that your father has made a critical error in believing that you could be tamed. By sending you here, he has merely guaranteed his fate as well as your own,” Sah’ra finally responded, turning away from the flame and focusing her gaze on the Acolyte as a sinister grin formed. The Champion had plans, plans of which Zoella may well have a place in seeing to fruition, but to see her dreams become reality would require the utmost devotion to the cause. And she was missing a critical piece of the puzzle. Sah’ra would walk past the couch that Zoella was sitting on, motioning for the girl to follow her into her study.

”Before you can achieve this goal, reclaiming both your home as well as your father’s throne, there is much you must do. As you are now, you are weak. Untrained. A runt amongst beasts,” Sah’ra would continue as she walked, not so much as glancing over her shoulder to ensure that the girl had decided to fall in behind her. Walking into the next room and activating the lights, they would both be greeted by the near-black room with blood red curtains descending the full height of the exterior wall window. Many artifacts ranging from recovered pottery of a bygone era to ancient lightsabers circled the room on pedestals of dark marble. At it’s center was a large desk made of worshyr wood, stained a deep gray to match the ambience of the study, with a variety of archaeological tools and the like placed neatly on a tray off to one side. The center-piece, a night black metallic tray with burgundy velvet lining, sat in wait for the two women. ”But I have a plan that may well benefit us both,”

Taking a seat on the opposite side of the desk, Sah’ra tenderly placed the fingers of both hands on the edges of the tray and slid it towards Zoella. Upon inspection, she would see three square receptacles that laid empty, each no larger than a closed fist.

”You see, I’ve spent a large portion of my life scouring the galaxy for artifacts of my ancestor’s. On Teth, I believed I had located the stockpile of her greatest collection. Much of what you see here had once belonged to her,” Sah’ra continued, motioning to the wide range of devices and antiquities that adorned her study. ”Yet there are pieces missing that I require. One of which I believe I have located and all that remains is it’s retrieval,” Sah’ra paused and looked to the Acolyte, locking blue eyes to green as her sinister smile continued to be displayed. ”Have you ever been to Onderon?”

@llamallove​

 

[Zoella Dorran]

The rain continued to beat against the windowpane, but it was nothing compared to the beating of the Acolyte's own heart. The sinister grin that had formed on the Champion's face when she turned from the fire was the answer Zoella had been waiting and hoping to see.

She hadn't been aware how desperately she'd been hoping until this very moment.

Opportunity had come knocking at Zoella Dorran's doorstep, and for once she had managed to not mess it up. She'd forced herself to get up and open the metaphorical door. It was a first for the teenager, but she didn't want to dwell on that for any length of time.

Motivation had never stirred so strongly within her soul. In fact, it had never stirred at all. It was a strange feeling, but one that she supposed she would grow accustomed to eventually. She had no choice, after all. She had to.

Was it the desire for revenge or the need for survival that drove her more? She couldn't be sure, and did it really matter? All that mattered was the end goal, not how she got there.

Sah'ra swept past the couch, motioning for the Acolyte to follow her as she moved forward at a brisk pace. Zoella managed to swallow one last sip of her Ithor tea, rising from the couch to follow as she wiped her mouth clean with the back of her hand.

The Sith Champion's study was as fascinating as it was dark. Zoella's green eyes bounced from one artifact to another, the childish desire to reach out and touch each of them a little overwhelming. The Acolyte restrained herself, however, only reaching out to run a finger along one of the ancient lightsabers that lined the walls. Her pale finger hovered over its activation stud. Was it still operable?

Realizing that Sah'ra awaited her, she came to the conclusion that now was probably not the most ideal moment to find out. She cleared her throat and crossed the room, stopping at the center to stand across the desk from the Sith Champion. Sah'ra pushed the tray lined with velvet toward her, and Zoella stared at the three receptacles within with curiosity. She had no clue what they were, but she had a feeling she was about to find out.

"Only once," Zoella replied, staring into the Sith's eyes and matching her smile. "So far, that is. What exactly is it that we seek on Onderon?"

@Tulos​

 

[Sah'ra Ryun]

If Sah’ra was indeed to take on an Apprentice, be it Zoella or some other Acolyte waiting in the wings, there was one attribute she so desperately wished that they would share; an interest in history. As it were, she had come to discover that this was a trait she shared with a great many of the Sith Lords. In her view, an eye for historical artifacts was critical in one’s search for authority. Knowledge was, after all, a key source of power. So as the Arkanisian girl followed her into her study and displayed her intrigue of the lightsabers that sat upon the pedestals for strict viewing only, a smile would form on her lips. Of course, she knew that a fascination with weaponry was common amongst the youngest of their Order but it was a start.

”Such a dreadful world... “ Sah’ra groaned disdainfully. Even though Dromund Kaas was similar to Onderon in that much of it’s surface was plastered with wild jungles and ferocious beasts, at least the climate here was much more suitable to her liking. ”Unfortunately, my ancestral lineage is born of Onderon. As it were, my forebear favored her homeworld to such a degree that upon her death she wished her body to be entombed there, deep within the jungle,” As Sah’ra spoke to the Acolyte, her attention slowly drifted downward and soon took notice of a glistening stain on the back of her hand.

Squinting her eyes in disgust, she soon looked back to the green iris’ of the Acolyte with a scowl of repugnance. ”For someone of royal descent, I had expected a certain degree of care in your hygiene,” she half hissed, pulling open the drawer and removing a wet towelette before placing it firmly on the desk’s surface, sliding it towards the young woman with a single finger. Shaking her head slowly with a heavy sigh, the woman moved to push a stray strand of hair back behind her ear before continuing on.

”In this tomb, I believe she had been interred with at least one of three holocrons that contain a vast wealth of information. With luck, it’s recovery may well place us on a path to discovering the location of the remaining two. I propose that together, you and I shall travel to Onderon and visit this tomb for ourselves,”

@llamallove​

 

[Zoella Dorran]

Zoella raised an eyebrow, more than a little taken back by the Sith Champion's sudden outburst and harsh scolding. The teenager wasn't even sure what had set the Champion off in the first place.

She stared at the wet towelette with a blank expression on her face, unsure what Sah'ra Ryun expected her to do with it. Realization gradually spread across her features as her green eyes settled on the tea stain on the back of her hand.

The Acolyte's skin was paler than most, the result of a lifetime spent on the rainy planet of Arkanis, and even a small stain stuck out like a Hutt in a lady's boudoir against her porcelain skin.

What are you? My mother? the teenager thought to herself, not daring to speak those words aloud. She might have been indignant, but she wasn't stupid.

The Champion's tone and words were almost identical to those that the girl's mother had often implemented in her daily coaching and urgings for her daughter to act more "ladylike" and more "like a princess ought."

These were memories that Zoella had attempted to repress since leaving Arkanis, but now they all came flooding back to her. Along with the memories came resentment, but the teenager would not be able to blow off the reprimands of the Sith Champion as easily as she once had her mother's.

Within the Sith Order, she walked a thin and dangerous line.

Pursing her lips and burying her pride down deep, Zoella accepted the offered towelette, leisurely applying it to her hand before returning her attention to the matter at hand.

"Sounds exciting," the Acolyte replied once Sah'ra had finished filling her in. Picking up one of the square receptacles, she turned it over in her hands as she examined it. "If you know where your ancestor was buried, why haven't you retrieved the holocron yet?"

The question might have seemed impertinent at first glance, but that was not Zoella's intention. She was merely curious.

@Tulos​

 

[Sah'ra Ryun]

Burying her disdain at Zoella’s lack of cleanliness, Sah’ra instead offered the Acolyte a polite smile as she asked her question. It was a fair one, by any rights. One that she had often asked herself, but the answer was always the same.

”If you’d like, I could abandon you on a jungle world with no contact outside of a buffoon and the wild curs that inhabit it for six years and we can see how eager you are to venture back out into the wilds,” As she spoke, the Champion’s eyes reflected a certain degree of playfulness and sarcasm but in truth, she knew she had delayed long enough. ”Alas, you’re correct. I’ve put it off for some time. Too long,”

The Sith woman would stand from her desk and move towards the window, standing directly between both drapes as a flash of lightning streaked across the now blackened sky. Silhouettes of the many towers of Kaas City briefly could be seen beyond the specks of fallen rain on the glass before once again fading into darkness, save for the illuminated rooms of each building. Mere seconds passed before the crack of thunder followed, Sah’ra closing her eyes and drawing in a deep breath as the room shuddered in response.

”Come morning, you and I shall depart to find them, as well as take the first steps towards a greater destiny,” she paused, turning back to face the Acolyte as she linked her hands behind her back. ”That is, if you so swear yourself as my Apprentice,”

@llamallove​

 

[Zoella Dorran]

Sheesh. Bitter much?

"Point taken," Zoella acknowledged, tilting her head to one side.

Sah'ra Ryun's history, just like the woman herself, was far more complicated and multi layered than Zoella would have imagined at first glance. The Champion wore elegant dresses; drank expensive, imported tea; and lived in a large, lavish apartment, but life had not always been so good to her.

All Sith were born from adversity, or so it seemed. From a small slight, to a large betrayal, to everything in between. Anger and resentment manifested in their bones, driving them into the open and waiting arms of the Sith, where these emotions would be encouraged and trained for a greater purpose.

Unlike the majority of the galaxy, the Sith possessed the backbone necessary to right these wrongs and to repay evil. Maybe that was all that separated them from the rest of the galaxy.

Sah'ra crossed the room, stopping in front of the window as lightening streaked across the sky behind her. Either the Sith Champion had excellent timing, or she had a taste for the theatrical. A shiver ran up the length of Zoella's spine, and she silently returned the empty receptacle to its velvet tray.

The Acolyte was at the threshold of destiny. There was no turning back now. The decision she made now would shape the course of her life, and yet it was by and far the easiest decision she had ever made.

Zoella bowed toward the Champion, her long blonde hair cascading over her shoulders and framing her face.

"I so swear."

@Tulos​