Another Day in the Empire (Warvanus, Rahab)

[Kell Sangros]

He watched as she quickly picked up the pieces , it appeared she got the idea. This was good . He turned on his heel and started to walk out of the establishment. When two individuals blocked his path, they appeared to be bouncers or a few drunks looking for a fight. Warvanus would give them one.

“Move” he told them. When they did not comply Warvanus was quick he grabbed the throat of the first one and then with his other hand brought out his lightsaber and activated it, impaling the first one , killing him instantly. The body slumped to the ground .

The second one started to run but Warvanus was not feeling merciful or generous. He extended his hand *Telekinesis* and pulled the individual off his feet back in his general direction. His lightsaber still lit. He walked over and decapitated the second one. He did not glance at Rahab or any of the patrons. He simply closed his lightsaber down and clipped it back to his belt and continued on his way. As if those two guys were just flys and he swatted them away.

He was well away from the establishment when he finally stopped and turned to Rahab. “With time and training you will find you can do amazing feats with the Force” he did not know why he had said that, but either way they were now close to the shuttle and his trusty droid KL-PK1 was waiting at the bottom of the boarding ramp.

“Ready for take off” he asked his droid.

“Yeah we’re ready Milord” he spoke with his proper accent (English) , He boarded the shuttle. Once Rahab was on board KL-PK1 would follow and close the ramp and then from there to the pilots chair prepping the shuttle for take off.

[Rahab Aapofi]

Rahab followed after him. She was starting to feel more relaxed in his presence but ideally wanted to be out of an easy arm’s reach should any moods strike him. But, as if by some dark divine providence, she was about to be shown how little her caution would matter.

She reached out to touch Warvanus’s back, as if that would have helped to soothe him, wishing to just keep moving. Rahab was certain that he could just brush the people in their way aside without causing much of a scene. But he was out of reach, by a half step. The gesture that would have likely meant nothing to him, regardless.

“This is not necessary,” She said but her words were drowned out by the commotion he was causing. There were gasps and cries, dishware being knocked over as people moved in fear, a clatter from the kitchen as workers came to see what the matter was—the sound of senseless violence and its conclusion; the dull thud of unliving flesh hitting the floor. One of the sandbags had been disturbed in the altercation, and the water from the street poured into the front of the room, being stopped only by the absorption of the carpeting and the bodies that were now on the ground.

Rahab kept her eyes down as she carefully stepped over the bodies, lifting her robe wanting to not get it wet or to drag it over the corpses. She tried to keep them in her mind, the images of the dead, but she feeling foggy already. All that had been too much, at once, to process. She hadn’t the energy to.

It was best not to.

As they made their way through the city the smell of burning flesh lingered in her nose. She had foregone her respectful distance and took to walking besides him. People were giving them a wide breadth as though they could sense the dead on them. Maybe they could. Warvanus’s appearance alone merited that sort of reaction, she reasoned.

At first, she was more angry at him, than anything else. She could never go back to that place now, not after she brought that sort of miasma to them and even if she felt like she could return, she was without a doubt not going to be able to get that waitress’ contact info. Her day had been going much better than expected up to that point. She was fuming besides him in silence until he broke it.

Rahab didn’t respond right away. He had caught her off guard and it had dispelled the anger that she was feeling. It was misplaced. It was her fault that what had happened had happened. She had no right to be upset at him. She should have picked a location unpopulated by civilians. And with that anger gone, all that was left was a guilty feeling, that she had put her own feelings first.

She was not sure what to say at first. Eventually, she simply said, “Thank you.”

Her Master said things like that to her in a similar spirit. She did not see what they were seeing. And was trying to make sense of why he had spoken like that to her just then. The sight of his droid had taken her out of her thoughts and she stumbled up the ramp, distracted by the machine.

“I was concerned that I would be treated as cargo,” Once the ramp closed behind them she started to speak, hesitantly, looking anywhere else but at him, “Should someone have to port me to the Lord Blood, but you have been very hospitable to me.”

[Kell Sangros]

He turned to her, he sensed her anger it was strong. He breathed it in like a fine wine. “Anger is a powerful weapon” he told her. "With anger if properly channeled could enhance your focus your command of the Force giving the appearance that you become stronger with the Force. Something more than likely Lord Blood would show her with training." he paused again before continuing

“You are not cargo” he said after they were aboard. “If you were a slave perhaps, but you are a hopeful for the Empire, where if Lord Blood deems you worthy will train you to be a sith and Sith are never treated like cargo” He said this as matter of fact.

He accepted her gratitude “Lord Blood asked me to deliver you, I had to test you when we first met” he began “There are beings albeit foolish ones that would seek to destroy us and I had to be sure” he told her then added “he personally asked me, and as a guest of Lord Blood it is only proper to extend any hospitality that I have at my disposal” he bowed his head and then removed his helmet and placed it on the table. He had blue eyes, medium length black hair his eyes saying that he had seen much been through more

The shuttle just entered hyperspace. Karl announced it would be about an hour before they arrived. “Very good KL” then turning to Rahab “Sojourn is not on the standard starcharts. Which is why I need to bring you instead of you being given instructions on how to find the planet” He explained. “Once Lord Blood evaluates you we will have time for a game”

He rose and went to the food dispensor “Are you hungry or thirsty?” as he waited for her answer he programmed the machine to produce a drink that some cantinas would call an “Iced Mocha” He took the cup and stole a small sip before tending to his guest.

[Rahab Aapofi]

Rahab brought her hands into her sleeves now that she no longer had to hold the bottom of her robe up. She was already feeling bad about having been angry, having to think about using said anger against others was making her feel worse. This was something she was having trouble with during training. Even under the enormous pressure to preform, a lifetime of self-restraint and restrictions weren’t going to vanish in a handful of weeks.

While he spoke, she picked at a more recent scar—trying to pull up a scab with her nails. Rahab struck purchase under the harden tissue and was making quick work of re-opening the wound. Much of the vim she had brought with her going into this meeting was gone, otherwise she would have wanted to talk over the finer points of being an indentured serf with him. Maybe some other time.

She thought about his scars he received in the past and the killing that happened just moments ago. Cause and effect were forming a supine connection in her mind. She felt bad for him. For the people he killed. For herself. What a piteous role they played.

[…albeit foolish ones that would seek to destroy us …]

She made a small, incredulous sound when he said that. As if she had any sort of power to be a threat to anyone, let alone warriors who welded magic far above her current capabilities. She lacked the self-awareness to understand that the train of thought she had seconds before was possibly the sort of thing he meant; heretical thoughts. Her idealistic spirit had not yet been crushed, not even under the mighty weight of the Dark Lord’s will.

Rahab turned her head away when he took his helmet off, giving him; and herself, some semblance of privacy, before turning back. She wasn’t going to remove her veil.

An hour. She wanted to find some place on his ship to be alone with her thoughts and rest a while. She decided it would reflect poorly upon her to ask for such a thing. The actual purpose for contacting Warvanus had slipped the forefront of her mind when he had killed those people. Everyone she had asked prior to today had been uncharacteristically, in her opinion, cryptic about the nature of this ‘evaluation’ and though she wanted to ask him about what laid ahead for her, she did not. Her stomach was starting to twist into worry-filled knots.

She stopped picking at her skin. If he thought there would be time to play later, then he was assuming there would be a later for her. That was a vote of confidence, at least. She smiled despite how awful she was feeling, “I will hold you to that.”

Rahab observed him, peered at him like she was trying to see through him, and took longer to reply and when she did it was with more caution than was warranted for the rather quaint exchange they were having.

“Water will be fine,” She said, taking her hands out from her sleeves and rested her arms against her chest, relaxing a little.

[Kell Sangros]

He handed her a water as he sipped his drink. They were still a bit away from Sojourn yet.
He studied her, “Lord Blood would have his work cut out for him” he thought to himself.

There was not much to Warvanus as much of his memories were beyond his reach, due to a terrorist
Attack in the capital city of Bestine on Tatooine. He knew before hand he had lost a son and had
In his grief abandoned his wife. He did not remember these events, or the emotions connected to
Them. It was a clean disconnect. It was better this way for him. He had no regrets. For him killing
Was something like breathing or eating or sleeping. It also was him asserting his dominance. He was
A fighting, killing machine after all.

He took a seat at the table in the cabin of the shuttle. KL-PK1 was navigating the shuttle. He took
Another sip of his drink. There was silence for a couple of minutes

“You may not be a threat yet but you are a part of the Sith, Lord Blood if he deems you worthy will
Show you the path to power” he took a sip, he wondered if she knew of her force sensitivity. If she
Was worthy Lord Blood would show him the path to power. As he was now guiding Warvanus.

Warvanus had no idea how much time had passed as KL-PK1 commed the cabin “We are approaching Sojourn” just
As he said that the shuttle gave a slight lurch as it returned to real space. Warvanus finished his drink
And rose “Karl, signal the palace and inform Lord Blood that we are on approach”

“Very good master” the droid chirped.

The shuttle approached Sojourn and made its way to the compound where it began its final approach to land

[Rahab Aapofi]

She reached out, with caution as she was still a bit suspicious of his cordiality, and took the container from him. Quickly, Rahab brought her hand back, holding the container against her chest where her heart was beating too fast. She was breathing too fast. Rahab placed her other hand on the container, clenching it as she tried to steady her breathing. She felt his eyes on her and pretended not to notice.

Rahab was grateful that their conversation lulled and Warvanus went to preoccupied his time with something else. She had much to contemplate. It was not as if she had never seen dead bodies before. But taking the life of someone who didn’t consent to it was different than putting the expected dead out to sea. She hadn’t even been particularly good at that rite, anyway. Waterlogged, bloated bodies filled her mind’s eye while she tried to recall details of the victims from the café. They were just shapes in the darkness. Things she could barely see beyond her veil. The darkness had been to Rahab’s benefit in the grander scheme of things; for Warvanus in his armament, reeking of miasmas as he did, would have had been too much for her to handle had they met someplace where she had to look at him clearly in the light. She thought about the way the pale candle light created shadows in the divots of his warped flesh. She glanced over at him then, just before he picked the conversation up where it dropped off. Though she had been looking at him, being addressed still gave her a start.

“I am a threat,” Rahab snapped, more agitated at having been startled than she was at what he was actually saying, “Just not to the Order. I do not like the implication that—

She caught herself midstream and changed directions, “Forgive my tone, Warvanus.”

Rahab tapped her uneven nails against the container of water, thinking over what she was about to say. She turned over each word carefully like she was looking for just the right kind of smooth river stone to skip. Even if Lord Blood felt an altruism towards her should she fail to gain his approval, she doubted Dastan would be as lenient. She was also certain that she would not be able to face her Master with that kind of disappointment. She would rather Lord Blood just kill her right there than have her carry that sort of shame back with her.

“I have not the room for failure,” She finished her thought finally, just barely above a mumble. There was no room for "ifs". Either she would or she wouldn't.

After the exchange was done with and the cabin slipped into silence once more, Rahab returned to her overthinking. Her thoughts were becoming increasingly scattered as the distance between the ship and Sojourn shortened. She decided to drink the water she had been given when the droid announced the nearness of their destination. The ship lurched the same time she had brought it to her lips, causing the water to spill down the front of her robe.

Rahab sighed, in a resigned way that suggested she was use to this kind of thing happening to her.

[Slade Xandir]

The Sith Lord watched the shuttle touch down on the external pad, lowering with the slow and timed manner of either a well practiced organic pilot, or the mechanized grippers of a droid. Simply analyzing the ratio of lowering time versus that of wobble, Blood had deduced the ship was in control of a droid, as it landed precisely, lack of wobble from a heartbeat, lack of persona. It was made a machine, just as the one that flew it.

Golden irises stuck to the shuttle as the hisses breezed air over the luscious grass that was held over the area, a sea of bright emerald. This moon had undergone a massive lift from when Blood had first began his work here. No longer was it a slab of rock, cold and lifeless. The Master of Dragons had in turn graced this moon, breathing the fire of life into the rehabilitation process. Trees, animals, and other alien life forms served under him in a harmony that swore of him even remotely still harboring humanity. In fact, he was still harboring humanity, he thought bitterly. Slade was his humanity. Still kicking and clawing at the inside of his chest, trying to instill morals into a universe that deserved none. In times, it was handy, yes. But in most, it was nothing more than a nuisance. From simple interaction with a Mandolorian, one of the different packs that resided within the reality of this life, he could see exactly how little morals mattered to snakes.

The Sithian was dressed simple. A regular garnet button up, a bit casually professional, as he had black slacks on. Curious matter, however; his feet were bare. But on a glorious moon such as this, who wouldn't want to feel the grass between their toes? In his own twisted mind, it was almost like the grass worshipped him with it's cradle, but that was just something his selfish snickers came up with.

As the ramp lowered and the pair came to address him, Blood scanned his pupil, checking a multitude of things at once. First, vitals, ensuring the man was still healthy and unburdened by any stresses, whether they be mental or physical. The man was hearty, healthy, and doing well, his training schedule providing the pupil with a heighted respiratory allegiance, and muscle tightening. The babyfat of novice began to wean from his packmate. Next, he checked the scent Warvanus kept within the Force. It was still mingled tightly with Blood's, confirming his loyalty to this pack, and his nonexistent intentions of departing from the Family. He was still here, and actions confirmed such, a well, as the woman was brought before him. Blood was pleased by Warvanus, his ability to follow order to a distinct sharpened edge registering in Blood's mind on an unnamed list of favor. These things had not gone unnoticed.

"Welcome back, Warvanus," Blood murmured in deep baritones to the raven-haired male. "And welcome to you as well, miss Rahab." He brought a gaze which intensified on the woman, checking her status not only in the shape of life, but her role in it. She was the Force Sensitive Dastan had informed her of, and she was budded in the Unknown. Confirmation of such came as his own Force nares sniffed out her own scent in the Force, and it shimmered in his mind's eye. She was going to be his next project, it seemed.

"Let's not waste any time, as it is something we all have near none of," he began, already turning to the resort which was to be a prime area for rest and refreshment before and after training. Behind the resort's registration building, a nicely raised and simple-elegant building of tanned and smooth cream sandstone and white accents, lay 6 miniature mansions, buildings that were used as living quarters for his Acolytes and pupils alike. Raphael and Warvanus held their own buildings, while Belladonna held her own, as well. Emre, while he was still here, had taken to his own doings with Raphael, and the pair shared a mansion together with Fox. Belladonna bunked with Kressara in their own mansion, and War held his own singular living mansion alone. Rahab would be by herself until another had managed to join their pack.

"You will be living in building 4, behind the sliding doors of the registration area, but we will address those later. I, am Lord Blood, and I will be making sure nothing happens to you that shouldn't, on this moon. But past it, you will be working in the name of the Sith, bettering yourself in the ways of the Sith, and I will be also, who molds you in such manners, as your new Master."

Blood crossed his arms behind him, one grasping the other in a gentlemanly fashion. "Are there any questions which befall you, Rahab?"

[Kell Sangros]

He could feel the rising anger in Rahab inwardly he smiled. He was beginning to see what Lord Imatari saw in her. He said nothing as he finished his drink and set the empty glass down. The shuttle had just landed and the boarding ramp descended. He disembarked with Rahab and was greeted by Lord Blood.

“Thank you Milord” he said as he bowed his head in acknowledgement and respect. He was still clad in his armor, minus the mask. He had left that on the shuttle. He stood silently as Lord Blood spoke to Rahab, his task was completed. Elsewhere, KL-PK1 was tidying up the shuttle and initiating refueling and pre-flight procedures, Warvanus had no intentions of leaving so soon but KL-PK1 knew that Warvanus liked to keep it ready so he may leave at a moment’s notice.

He could see under that innocent layer in rahab that was a being who appeared to want to bring her power to bear on those who would dare cross her path. Her agitation when he said she was not a threat yet, it had hit a delicious nerve. The darkside if she was lucky would choose her and saddle up to her. She had mumbled about not failing. That would be the kind of mentality she would need to survive Sith training.

[Rahab Aapofi]

The lower Warvanus’ ship descended through space, through sky, to ground, the higher Rahab’s anxiety had risen. During that time, she had tucked the; mostly, empty water container into her satchel. And then proceeded to try and dry herself off with her sleeves. She had fussed in a quiet panic as she trailed after Warvanus, off of his ship and down the ramp. Rahab had been so caught up in her frantic thoughts that she didn’t understand what she was seeing at first and had nearly collided into the back of him.

As they moved to the solid ground, she lifted her veil up to have a better look at her new surroundings. She hadn’t seen grass since she had left her homeworld. Every planet she had landed in, however brief, had been barren cityscapes or just dusty outposts that existed to be passed through.

She didn’t know exactly how much time passed since she had joined the Sith. What constituted as days all bleed together and her recollections of events were muddled. It had at least been weeks, very likely months; it felt like a life time ago since she had last seen grass. This was the last place she had expected to be reminded of what she had left behind. Rahab had been envisioning fire cracked ground and spitting brimstone or cold industrial buildings set in a cement landscape. This was so surreal to her, like it was all apart of a vivid dream that she would wake up from. Rahab staggered out from behind Warvanus as they moved away from the ship and towards the man that was approaching them.

At first, she wasn't assuming that it was Lord Blood. Like the environment, she had worked up a preconceived notion of him, and imagined he would introduce himself as a fiendish amor cladded warlord, if he had introduced himself to her at all. But the dread she was feeling standing before him was unmistakable. She had grown, not acclimated but just, use to Dastan’s smothering presence. What this man was emanated was nearly as overwhelming. It was more than enough to make her senses recoil in fright.

She had jolted when addressed. He hadn’t reprimanded her but he may as well have. She had just watched Warvanus bow his head, and she had been still processing things in a daze. Rahab bowed; quickly, deeply, lowly, a full bent at the waist sort of bow. She heard her heart beat race in her ears. Holding herself like that for a moment,she let her stomach settle before drawing back up right. A familiar sickness was settling in on her, being under his gaze like that had made her legs tremble beneath her. (Rahab was also just prone to motion sickness after hyperspace travel.)

Rahab did her best to keep pace on wobbly legs after the Lord. When he told her what building she was going to reside in, she had made a noise, like she was going to say something. It was a complexity of emotions that were being dredged up but she could only deal with what was on the surface.

She had living quarters here.

Rahab had been under a very different impression about what was going to happen to her. She had worked herself up over it since she received the order, fantasying of the waking nightmares she would have to endure to appease this Lord but here she already had a living space here. This wasn’t going to be the barbarism she had imagined. This place was like a campus. She was going to walk into an athenaeum and fill out a placement chart like some kind of high-born. It was so civilized. This was so…normal. The rush of relief she experienced was so euphoric that it made her dizzy.

“Nu-none, your Lordship," Rahab responded, words catching on her tongue. While she was in an elated mood over the turn of events, a windfall of luck on what was an emotionally taxing day overall, playing a questions and answer game with someone who didn't like his time wasted and had, what she was taking to be, was a reputation of a short temper was a mine field that she was not ready in the least to navigate. Besides, anything practical she would have liked to ask about she would be seeing and doing soon enough.

"I-If I may speak; however, "She bowed with just her shoulders, using this gesture to look at the ground and not at him as she spoke, " I w-would like to express my gratitude.Truly, I am honored that you find me worthy of your time," He clearly valued this concept of allotting time properly so that felt like a safe thing to say, "To be shaped by hands such as yours, hands of caliber and of a historic lineage; it is a privilege beyond anything I could have imagined for myself."

[Slade Xandir]

Blood knew Warvanus, just as useful as he was here, was even more useful out and doing training to any others who had wandered onto the spiked doorstep of the Sith. He was even more resourceful in the dissecting of criminals against the Sith, working hand in hand with Raphael on who to chase down and maul. Raphael provided the info and location, while War brought ruin to them. Raphael had made it known to Blood he had come across some heathens in the lower east sector of their territory, and to ensure it was dealt with promptly, Blood turned to the dangerous mass of man.

"War, byloti kia Tave Siarbras. Tym zinot redis nuo j'us, ir j'us, vune . If you are famished or parched, food is abundant on this moon for your taking."

He spoke partial of the message in Sith, as to not hint names nor intel to the newest pupil, just in case of anything which could befall treachery to the plans. He still didn't know Rahab yet, but if she proved herself loyal to the pack, she would in turn too, learn Sith with the rest of the Family. Until then, her studies and willingness to learn would be what granted her such luxury of proof that she was indeed one not to be questioned in matters of alignment.

Turning back to the woman who was both petite and of strange skin condition, he listened to her words after he dismissed his trusted Acolyte. Her voice trembled, softly registering in his auds. It was being held back, her emotions prior to visiting this edenous moon. Holes were left, filled with feelings that did not fit those fear, anxiety and trepidation-made crevices. She tried gaining the momentum of courage as she granted herself freedom of gratitude-based speech. He did not interrupt. The Sithian merely listened.

Many of the things you caught most was from body language. Second, words. Humans, aliens, all organisms in his mind, were only animals. All animals spoke more with their body language than their words. Words could be falsified. Words meant very little to the Sith Lord, just as they should to all others in the universe. But to those who knew nothing of treachery or hidden intent, words were the pairing of expression. And to the meek and submissive, it was a more open manner of expression, almost the peak of experimental seeking for praise. He had trained a many of animals, who went from exclusively showing body language and learning it was what gained their confidence as praise was earned, to moving to be more vocal and sound-expressive. If it earned them confidence and praise, they would continue to illustrate that which pleased their masters. Rahab, lovely and delicate female here, was no different. All in the same, he was a master tamer of animals, not through brute strength or harsh words, but through understanding and wisdom from his experience. He learned dominion through his desire to be Alpha of All, but he knew the path to take it was not through foolish meat-headed strategies.

"Desire becomes surrender, and surrender becomes power, Rahab..." he gently murmured to the woman, his baritones sounding more hand in hand with a passionate waltz than if he were to scream them like that of a war-lusty barbarian. He kept those words close to his heart, to his mind, and it was what held those pieces of fractured brain together.

"I want you to desire, to branch from the illusion of being kept in a shell. I want to see you expand into your own person, to crave, to lust after much that is achievable whether it be easy, or not. After that, for you to surrender to those passions, to learn how your own heart and mind work. And the key to your chains lies in you mastering your own harness, not me mastering you."

A second passed from the last sound of words leaving those smooth lips. Then more took the silence's place as they punctuated the subject.

"Until you have freed yourself, I can not take solace in your words, as I have to substance to base them off of. Thus, to me, they mean naught."

It might have sounded cruel from the gentle-seeming Sith Lord, but if there were members of the world he was honest with, it was his pupils. There was no purpose of fueling deception, as that was what gave you unstable foundation. He would keep nothing but emotional tides in this pack of his. Loyalty and the desire to better not only themselves, but the Pack as a whole. Only with cohesion and lust for such would dominion come from a single minded faction. It was true he was impatient, it was true he was a monster, a complete Nightmare to a plethora of those who crossed his path. But more often than not, it was through the illustration of the complete opposite. Through his impatience, he would be patient for the things he wanted seen to. He would not tolerate things that had nothing to do with his plans, ignoring them, completely. He turned melodies into tragedies through singing a tune with the issues at hand, delivering a fix to a wound that only bolstered his own strength. Moves he made were not for only himself, but now, for the betterment of his pack. But ultimately he knew, that to better himself, he would need them.

A strong leader was only as strong as the members who followed him.

"But I will show you how thankful I am to have you here with us in the Sith, not with words, but by showing you how I've earned such a reputation. To get started, we will begin your hand in the Force. But before that, do you require any foods or liquids? Any rest?"