The Same Road Traveled

[Tarrius Drast]

Kal Gast (Tarrius Drast), Professional Shockball Player
Starback Casino and Resort, Nar Shaddaa
23:24 Galactic Standard Time

The purple neon lights hummed and flashed through the vibrant entrance of the Starback Casino. Countless tourists and many patrons flowed in and out of great opening that lead out to the parking platforms of the casino.

"Kal..Kal Gast sir, do you care to comment on the performance of your game last week?" A snobby journalist asked as he trailed after the shockball player who ignored to answer his questions.

"Wow! Is that Kal Gast?" A near human called out as he ran up towards the player, a smile on his face while he held out a holopad, "Care to give me a signature? It could go for a decent amount of credits on the holo-market!"

Kal smirked and chuckled as he shook his head as he placed his hand on the man's shoulder, "All business inquiries can be sent via holo-mail," he would give the man a good pat before walking into the casino with a slight sigh. Really not in the mood for this.

The city's crime had begun to progressively get worse throughout the past few months, causing him to work overtime in stopping it all, which in return left his bodied beat and broken, effecting his performance on the field and the likelihood that he could continue to play the game. Everything seemed to have been piling up on his shoulders after the incident, his anger was rising and his patience was growing thinner with the behavior of this city of demons and the cast aways. The shadow was growing darker.

He would make his way past the various slot machines and towards a large flashing sign that pointed towards the bar. Stepping into the closed off area, he would begin to adjust his suit as his eyes got used to the dark lighting that filled the area with ambiance. "Correllian whiskey," he called out in an odd accent that stunk of the Outer Rim, but held undertones of an Imperial twang.

He would slide into a chair, his eyes scanning the woman that sat beside him. Giving her a short nod before he picked up the shot glass and downing the liquor within a few short seconds. "Aren't you a little young to be here?" His voice was short and to the point.

tag: @Autumn's Firefly

 

[Kerowyn Tempest]

-Feed the Monster-​

Kerowyn was perplexed at the state of this cantina, abuzz with such life. It was one of the rarer times she actually got out, on the way to some assignment or meetup with a fellow member of the Sith Order. The casino elements where nothing short of annoying, the buzzing sounds and various jingles of people winning and losing met her ears with a level of disdain. Everyone relying on chance to succeed at rigged games. What wholehearted foolishness.

She’d managed to snag a table for herself off to the side, somewhere out of the way of the main attractions. For what this place was, Kerowyn did at least enjoy the food to some degree, picking a slight morsel up from her plate and plopping it in her mouth. She was not drinking, though the thought had crossed her mind. To her left, a series of reporters started badgering a man who looked worse for wear. A simple number of comments waved the holonews vultures away, and to her surprise he decided to join her.

As he sat down, Kerowyn raised an eyebrow, shrugging off a slight amount of hair from her face with a single movement of her wrist. “Everyone has a vice. Mine are these little treats here. They’re quite good.” She shook her head slightly at the comment on being young. She was Sith, and mature for such an age. If the Order didn’t care, neither did most of the Galaxy. “I suppose. But I am here, so, I guess age doesn’t count for much.”

@TWD26

 

[Tarrius Drast]

Muse for this Post
​

The smoke from lit cigarras filled the room, casting a small plume of smoke to billow and slowly choke the room. The young Sith's facial features were partially hidden through it's coat of ash. It was relatively quiet for the bar standards, The Luxur Der Strava, it was old corellian for The Luxury of Strava, it was ironic in a way--a place of gaudy elitism buried away inside the sea of uninspired casinos. Why Tarrius could never take such a place truly serious, it did come with benefits, it was cut off from the regular tourists and riff raff, only for those who had the money to push around and hold a membership, to top it off the food wasn't half bad. So to see a stranger among the ranks of the patrons rose a suspicion in the Vigilante's eyes, but it wasn't much to go off of--for all he knew she could be the child of some legacy family.

"I've heard worse things to be addicted to," he smirked as he leaned back against his stool, listening to the gentle sound of the Bith band playing in the background. He would turn towards her, his brow raised, "You might be right about that," he would sigh as he took another shot of whiskey, "This city let's a lot of stuff happen that it shouldn't, doesn't make it right." He would pause as he glanced away from the girl and towards the smokey reflection of himself that was contained within the confines of the shot glass.

tag: @Autumn's Firefly

 

[Kerowyn Tempest]

Her eyebrow raised slightly as he fully joined her. He had an intelligent look in his eyes, and the way he carried himself made her wonder what sort of man he was. Nobody without purpose carried themselves like this, it was more than mere dignity. It was a practiced, stoic look that somehow suited his ruggedness. She leaned forward slightly, waving a server down with a single motion. "Just water, please."

Turning back to him, her smile vaguely dipped into a neutral expression. This place attracted some wealthy folk, well off families. Hers was a relatively unknown one, at least throughout the Galaxy.

On Desare, it was said they were something more. A well-known family that served the Dark Goddess during the years of her reign. Kerowyn did not long for the days of servitude, but looked forward to the days of triumph, and perhaps some titles of her own. But Desare, like the majority of her family, was gone. Considering all aspects, she was alone.

"I have my addictions. Don't worry, most of them are simple studies. The Force, for instance." As the waitress returned, she summoned the glass with the Force as though to prove a point, sending it flying into her hand. Smiling at the girl, who seemed shocked, and hurriedly walked away. "I usually don't speak unless what I'm saying is accurate. Though I agree... this city can be a blight. But then again, some people take it upon themselves to pick up the mess." She looked over at him as he observed his glass, taking a sip of her own, before tapping her hand on the table to the beat.

@TWD26

 

[Tarrius Drast]

He watched as the girl motioned for a glass of water, her maturity was staggering she had to have had some formal training, possibly academics within the vast Imperial Academies. It was hard to say, but the man believed that no child simply grew up trained in discipline, it was something that was only taught through rough and rigorous circumstances. She has the ability to use the force. He thought to himself as he watched the glass float towards her fingertips. A twang of jealousy building up inside of him as flashes of his parents and uncles looking at a young Tarrius with disgust came through his mind--he pushed the thoughts away.

"So I assume you study at one of the academies," he mused as he motioned for another glass, "Which side of the fence do you sit," he would chuckle as he picked up the shot glass, "Don't worry I won't tell." He smirked as he shot down the shot, wincing a bit at the burning taste.

"This city might be a blight, but there are good people here. People trying to get by and stay out of a family rivalry gone mad." His words drifted out slowly, as if the last bit was personal to personal, why would he care about the Drasts?

tag: @Autumn's Firefly

 

[Kerowyn Tempest]

Kerowyn pretended not to notice the look that crossed the man's face as he noticed her flippant use of the Force. She was used to people being hostile due to the use of the mystical power, but from him, she sensed a pang of what she could only describe as... jealousy? He was correct in his assessment of her attitude, her father had taught her how to be a proper Vahlan woman and the Sith had taught her the rest.

She rolled her eyes as the ringing of a win on a nearby slot machine could be heard, with the victors yelling and cheering about the credits they'd earned. It was utterly annoying to her, but she said nothing, instead focusing on this man as he ordered another glass. Kerowyn thought back on her meeting with Arianna Marris, the torture chamber that greeted her. The poor trainee, who had been revealed a spy, that lay within.

She thought back on the harshness of training in the Old Empire, how Overseer Arun would drill them day in and day out until they learned the lesson or died from exhaustion. There had been no room for weakness, no room her hesitation. Her combat training had been much the same, as well as her studies of the Force. It was a situation she hoped never to repeat, as she had refused the position of overseer upon graduation and instead joined the Sith Order as an acolyte. The TRUE Sith Order.

"I am loyal to the Emperor, the Dark Lord. The One True Empire, not the Republic offshoot that parades as one." She took another sip of her water, smiling at the refreshing taste. "I've studied at the academies the majority of my formative years. It was harsh, but useful." Her foot continued to tap to the rhythm of the music as she placed her glass down on the table and continued the conversation. His views on commoners where... rather common, not that she didn't share the sentiment. "There are no good and bad people, in my opinion. There are those who do what is necessary for their families, and those who do what is selfish for themselves. Neither good nor bad, they just are. I am loyal to the Drasts, though the young Empress has much ahead of her if she ever wanted to claim my respect."

@TWD26

 

[Tarrius Drast]

-Claire Der Lune-​

The man crossed his arms, as his head slowly nodded to the gentle sound of the piano, the varying highs and lows of the notes taking him to a gentler place in his mind, helping keep him in a place of tranquility. "Suite Zer Rylothian Dance Part I, this part it plays during the second act, when the protagonist finally performs in front of her long time love interest who had just relieved the ability to see for the first time due to cybernetics." He responded idly as the woman glanced away towards the sounds of men and women cheering at their victory, "Classical Holo-Play, banned under Republica Cultural Laws."

Casting a glance towards the young woman, he noted that she was thinking about something, most likely the past. Possibly her experiences in the academy, her childhood, a death in the family? These were the things that played inside of his mind constantly, the pain that he had suffered, the pain that shaped him. Sadness and low points could never stopped, but possibly the senseless violence the sheer and worse pain of all, maybe that could help shape things. He knew it was a lost cause, he could never win the war and stop murder or destruction. Instead, he hoped that he could serve as a beacon for new Lights to help guide and protect the city and the innocents across the galaxy.

He had learned of the hubris and downfall of the Jedi at the hands of hig great...great grandmother, how she brought the galaxy to bend to her will. The injustice that swung through this very galaxy was because of his name, Drast, and it was a burden that he had to carry with him for the rest of his life. He glanced towards the woman, as she proclaimed her aliegance to the one true Empire, that of his offshoot relative ruled over. "The Sith Empire, the Republica, both of them represent the repression and injustice that the Drast Family have brought to the galaxy. Through the actions of the various family members throughout the years have caused nothing, but pain for the name of their own glory." He would pause as he took another sip from his drink, "You state that people are neutral forces, that may be so. There is good in every individual, it's pain and the injustice of others that cause a broken man to turn to the darkness, to put a blaster to someone's head and pull the trigger, to put a blade to a man's face and strike him down."

He would sigh, "To do something in the name for one's family is inherently selfish, you are putting the good of your own lot ahead of others. I understand that this is the natural process, but there is another way. To attempt to stop the cycle of hatred one must understand true pain, they must let that pain so they can understand both sides--the victim and the aggressor. You must be willing to prevent and stop crime or injustice at all costs, but must be willing to provide the aggressor with a second chance to redeem themselves, to understand them." He would pause for a moment as he gauged the girl's thoughts, Maybe she could make for a good Light? "Let me show you."

tag: @Autumn's Firefly

 

[Kerowyn Tempest]

Her face grew incredibly impassive beneath the mask as the man began to speak. The music in the background did little to entertain her, but it's somber tone matched the situation. There was very little calm in Kerowyn at any given moment, the Dark Side flooded through her veins, appearing as a blot of darkness within the Force. What he was saying, about the woman and her lover, did not interest her in the slightest. She knew nothing of that sort of love.

She was a member of an ancient family, far older than that of the Drasts, but far smaller and insignificant in comparison. They had been servants to the Dark Goddess, and the Sorceress that claimed to be her for years. In many ways, her servitude to the Empire was a similar relationship, using Kerowyn as a weapon with which to strike down their true foes. Being the extension of another's will was within the Vahla's mandate, though she sought to be free of all chains, as all Sith did.

Andraste's conquest, in Kerowyn's mind, was nothing unjustifiable. Though, in truth, she did not revere the Empress past as some sort of savior figure as many in the Empire did. Nor did she completely agree with the destruction of the Jedi. Weak though they may have been, it was a Jedi Knight who freed the Vahla from the chains of oppression, destroying the Embers of Vahl alongside his apprentice. That Jedi belonged to a sister family, the House of Phoenix. They're exploits where rarely told among the Galaxy, but to the Vahla their legend is eternal.

"I have no love for the Imperial Republica, but my allegiance does lie in the Old Empire. I have not seen evidence of such wrongdoings.." Adjusting how she sat, she placed her glass back down on the table and listened as he spoke. "You certainly have your opinions on the matter, as do I." She followed his train of thought to its conclusion, waiting patiently until he had finished. "You cannot stop the Darkness. Where there is light, there is also Dark. Very few people understand this. The Force, by nature, is conflict and change. This feeds into the Darkness. There is no other way. But yes, let us see what you mean, though I doubt you will like how I handle situations of that nature."

@TWD26

 

[Tarrius Drast]

Tarrius glanced towards the woman, shaking his head at her propositions of wrongdoing. He once felt the same way about his own bloodline and Empire, to stand so close only magnifies a small portion of a much larger picture. The original Sith belonged to his family line, their very nature was the wrong doing of this galaxy. The very testaments of the Sith were selfish in nature, to bring anyone down in the name of their own power or consumption. It was an unsustainable ecosystem that was showing signs of bursting upon each other. The bad guys could only team up for so long before they ate each other alive, it was simply in their nature. He couldn't deny that the powers came across as alluring, the darkness and anger boiled inside of him, it made up the core of who he was as a person and as The Shadow. He knew that if he was born with the same gift of the force he would have walked upon the same path of darkness, to stand as a Sith and possibly enemies. This girl, she wasn't an enemy, misguided by her masters for their own power plays.

He contemplated the idea of stopping darkness, he knew it was the truth. That was why every Shadow needed a Light, a young person to hold the mantle of youth and inspiration for the galaxy's weak and innocent, to show them that there were still those willing to protect them at all costs. His name was not a simple moniker or gimmick, it represented an idea one that was personal to himself. He did not see the name as a sign of pride, but instead a mark of shame. He felt like a criminal, a Sith, his bloodline dictated that. He only hoped that his training would allow his students to blossom into something that could overtake, surpass him and be ready for the scum that hid in every shadow and corner. There was simply a moral code and a bit of restraint that separated him from the likes of Solius Grand, if he broke that code he knew his darkness and temptation would be the end of him.

"You're correct, the light and dark side of the force, one cannot exist without another. It's similar to the physical properties of the sun and the moon, together they are stuck in constant battle between light and darkness. For portions of time the sun controls the sky, but it declines into darkness and the moon takes it place. Nothing is a fixed or static, you know this." He would pause as he felt a buzz at the side of his hip; he ignored it. "Dark men can redeem themselves in the end, only if they truly open themselves up to it, but it's not my path or decision for me to make."

He felt another ring at his side, sighing he would pull the datapad out to see the commissioner was calling him, "Lartson.." He responded dryly as his eyes squinted.

"Drast, I hate to call you, but NSPD needs your help, Rez Vindor has escaped from the Asylum close to two hours ago, we have a bad feeling about this." The officer responded in a hush tone.

Tarrius glanced towards the Sith, sighing softly. Well she knows who I am now. What's Today...the 25th..25th...Rez Vindor..His eyes snapped back into reality as he commanded the commissioner, "Have your men close the air roads around Stargaze and Bessadi Avenue, I know where he'll be."

"Wait..isn't that..." Tarrius clicked the communicator dead and tossed a few credit chips onto the bar table. He would give one glimpse towards the girl, motioning for her to join him on one of his crusades into the underbelly of the Smuggler's moon.

tag: @Autumn's Firefly

 

[Kerowyn Tempest]

Her eyes thinned as he answered his commlink. What he said about redemption she couldn't argue, her brothers had been adamant that she should step away from her baser instincts. What power she possessed was still that of the Dark Side, however, and it flowed within her even now. Her hands gently lowered down to her weapons for a second, checking whether they were there while he answered. She overheard some of the conversations and mentally prepared herself for combat. Mentally and physically, she was ready. Kerowyn had never left her armor, and so her mask was still on, nobody would recognize her.

So, he was a Drast. That would explain why he disliked them so. The Empires where founded by his family, and now she could see that the anger inside of him came exactly from that lineage. She understood that, she empathized with that, and for a moment her eyes dimmed from the Dark. Perhaps she could learn a thing or two from him. "So, you're a Drast. Living under a false identity, then? Amusing." She raised herself from her chair and flattened the robes that lay underneath her armor, adjusting her helm so that it was straightened and centered. She didn't know who this officer was that he was speaking to, but it was obvious they knew each other.

"The NSPD? What exactly is going on?" She nodded as he motioned her to join him, her sweeping robes fluttering as she exited the cantina and joined him on the streets of Nar Shaddaa. The lawless world would not be prepared for their combined might. Sith or not, he was a Drast and obviously a capable fighter if the policing force listened to him so eagerly. This would be an interesting evening after all, not simply water and music. "So, who is this man, Rez Vindor? I think I've heard his name somewhere... a lowlife, no doubt a criminal. I supppose we are to stop him?" Unclipping her crossguard lightsaber, she set it at her side, prepared.

@TWD26

 

[Tarrius Drast]

Tarrius peered towards the woman as they made their way towards the platform outside of the casino. "I haven't gone by that name in nearly twenty years. The Commissioner found out my true identity around seven years ago..It's a long story," he said in a gruff tone as he motioned towards a slick and blacked out sports airspeeder, "It's not my normal ride for this sort of thing, but it'll work." He smirked as he gave the girl a bit of a wink.

He hopped into the airspeeder, pulling a brief case that revealed his black armor and cape. As he sat in the vehicle he would begin to strip off the blazer and slacks that he was wearing, to reveal a black undersuit that he wore during the night, for events and special cases like this. He would quickly throw on the armor and cape, placing his helmet onto his head--a vacuum hiss emitting in the tight confines of the speeder as the helmet sealed around his head.

His illuminated white eyes would glance towards the control panel that sat in the center console of the speeder, his armored hands flicking at a few of the controls, while various screens would begin to appear before them. "Overwatch.." His mechanical voice was inhuman sounding, "Do you remember the play The Fall of Alderaan?"

An older female voice would respond through the speeder's comm system, "Hmm...I don't suppose I do, why are you planning on attending it?"

"The Princess of Organa had fallen in love with a cartel gangster back during time right after the Hundred Year Darkness, when the Hutts controlled Alderaan and the Old Republic dismantled their Empire..The story doesn't matter, but the lead actress does." He responded as they zoomed through the city, dodging various slower airspeeders in the process.

"Miss Ana'dama, yes quite lovely...why are you two seeing each other?" Jen responded with a bit of a laugh.

Tarrius smirked underneath his helmet, as he responded, "I'm afraid not Jen. Six years ago, she received strange texts and messages from an anonymous fan, he even attempted to court her a few times. He couldn't handle that she was dating Thomas Krang, so he freaked out and snapped, attempting to use chemicals to poison the man. It failed, I attempted to stop him, and he caused it to burn upon his face, melting most of the skin." He would pause, "Rez Vindor escaped the asylum a few hours ago, the same night that Ana'dama is supposed to unveil a brand new play."

"Looking at his files now," Overwatch responded as she paused, "Exiled Sith from the Republica, his profile shoes a whole list of oddities, overly obsessive..He threw his whole career away just to pursue this woman...He's been in the Asylum for years now. Do you think he's going to kidnap her?"

"No..if he can't have her, he will force her to go down with him, similar to the ending of Fall of Alderaan, I'm heading to the concert hall now..I have a guest with me," he paused as he glanced over towards the armored girl, "We'll call you if we need you."

He would pull the speeder to a side alley, parking it on top of an abandoned platform that stood adjacent from the towering theater complex. He would step out onto the platform, reading himself and aiming his hand towards the roof of the theater, he would motion for the girl to wrap her arms around him, so they could zipline across to their target building. "Leave that lightsaber behind...we don't kill, and you don't want your saber to appear in the headline news tonight."

tag: @Autumn's Firefly

 

[Kerowyn Tempest]

Kerowyn nodded slowly as Kal responded. Kal Drast... that sounded like a name she had heard before, one associated with a Dark Lord of the Sith. Interesting. She understood wanting to live under an alternative identity, especially considering his family situation as it currently stood. Getting into the airspeeder, she responded. "The easiest way for someone to ignore your true identity is to never use an identity at all, I find. I'm just a Sith, nothing more, nothing less. It helps."

Her eyes widened as he began to unfurl a dark suit, complete with armor and a cape. This was one of those vigilantes that everyone kept on talking about, defenders of truth and justice and all that. Her head spun, wondering how she'd got herself into this situation in the first place. But here she was, about to do some form of vigilante work with a man who's clearly been doing it for some time. She'd since pieced together how he was such an excellent shockball player. The exercise fighting criminals would be more than enough to improve his reaction time to a degree that professional sports would hardly be difficult.

Kerowyn listened as he spoke to someone over his private commlink, discussing the Fall of Alderaan, a play set on the titular planet concerning star crossed lovers. It seemed this Rez Vindor was something of a romantic, and from everything she heard it became obvious he was some sort of obsessed nutjob. "Great. Another lover gone mad. What could go wrong?" Her voiced was laced with sarcasm as they sped towards a side alley, arriving in time to see the nightfall like a dark blanket, completing the change between dusk and dawn. It seemed even the weather intended to make this cinematic.

She scoffed as he told her to leave her lightsaber behind. "Fine. But if someone steals them, their bodies are on your hands." Unclipping her sabers, she placed them beneath the seat of the speeder and walked down the alleyway with him, until he finally motioned for her to grab ahold of him and climb using a rope. Smiling, she shook her head, bending her feet downwards before shooting up into the air. She used the Force to control her ascent, with relative ease she lifted herself through the Force by pushing downwards with a kinetic blast, reaching the rooftop far before the man, before turning downwards and waving to him. "Are you coming or what?"

@TWD26