Venom and the Murder [Silas, ask to join]

[Kressara Thryn]

Once again the dark lord was exerting himself through the force, showing off all that hard earned power and looming over the little assassin with intentions of posing a threat for her insolence. Would have worked too, if she didn’t find it amusing by now. Not only from Silas, but most bigger players in the sith. They always got so aggressive with their need to circumvent insult, sometimes when there wasn’t anything to be insulted about at all. If she was being honest with herself, it was half the reason she didn’t care for power like theirs. Having so much of it has to make one’s mood difficult to manage, and if you can’t handle your own temperament, then what can you really control?

Staring up at him through the duration of his warning with a blank expression, Kress cracked a crooked grin as soon as he was finished as if to say ‘So moody.’, but her actual words weren’t far off in energy, even if they were technically a formal response.

“Sir, yes sir.” Her simper said it all, hazels not darting away from his own vision like many others might have responded to a scolding from a sith lord with the kind of gile Silas maintained.

Once on board and preparing for the trip, Kress oversaw a few minor adjustments to their equipment and took stock of supplies when Silas remerged looking like he could sell her on a street corner. Her crew (afraid of Silas for good reason) all turned back to their work and pretended not to be stuck in close quarters with a man that their boss wasn’t about to kiss boots for, who she probably should have been. Crossing both arms over her ribs and leaning on her shoulder against the wall, she giggled at Silas, “It’s better…but you’re still going to get taken for an offworlder. Still, that might be the most casual I’ve seen you in. I appreciate the effort.”

Stepping past him to the cockpit in the narrow hall, Kress brought an open hand to his cheek and gave him a good natured pat. “Good job.”

Gawking fearfully at the exchange from the pilot seat, Jasper hurriedly turned around as Kressara entered and muttered to her, “Quit testing your luck! Remember, murderous, brainless, remote controlled death androids!”

Rolling glittering eyes, Kress leaned against his chair and tussled the young man’s curls. “He’s cool.” She stated plainly, looking over her shoulder to Silas with a grin. “You ready? Last chance to make any changes.”

After all arrangements were taken care of, the Shyyyo lifted off the tarmac and took off for higher elevation. The journey to Coruscant wouldn’t be too long, but it would give them some time to simply exist in the same space, a regal master of the darkside and a cheeky bunch of punks led by a woman with more guts than glory.

[Silas Karn]

Kressara's grin stole whatever fervor Silas might have possessed. It reminded the Dark Lord just how inadequate his expertise was in such personal settings. How many cycles had the Sovereign dealt with the grand scope of operations and macro management aspects of factions? Alongside a very isolated upbringing it didn't leave much for the kind of settings his old rival would certainly thrive in. The Crow's mirth and resolute fearless gaze unsettled the indignation that fueled Silas.

A few minutes later Kressara finally granted a weak approval of Silas's apparel. The flighty Sith was correct though as the Sovereign hadn't removed his armor in months and that had been an experience he did not wish to repeat. Likely due to the loss of his heritage in his youth it seemed unthinkable for the monarch to be cleaved from the wealth he had painstakingly acquired. Any wayward thoughts were shattered however as Kress reached out and touched Silas.

Fighting his own nature and desire to immediately recoil the Sovereign's countenance sharpened as his eyes granted a rare glimpse of emotion surprised as he was. Kressara walked past Silas only for Jasper to begin whispering exasperatedly in an attempt to not allow his words to carry, a lost cause given Echani senses. The Dark Lord was about to feed on the pilot's anxieties only for the Crow to downplay the threat he posed to the crew. No sooner that Silas sought to chide her for such frivolous chatter than Kressara call out to him once more.

In response Silas reclaimed his icy composure, "Oh yes. I eagerly await the meeting of the minds. This vagabond believing themselves adherents to the darkness. They shall serve as a proper target to enlighten and expunge." Granting a moment for his words to be granted the weight they deserved the Sovereign followed up. "In what manner do you seek to pass the interim? Not even I could delve into meditation for its entirety." Serious as ever, and out of place amidst such rabble, Silas looked to his subordinate for some measure of respite.

[Kressara Thryn]

Jasper, the entire crew in fact, paused to look at Silas as he spoke. His words were unusual to them, people who were used to the casual conversational habits of their leader. The words of the Echani were vastly contrasting and until now, perhaps even Silas hadn’t realized just how relaxed the crow’s countenance was. Surrounded by ”rabble” as he would view them, he hadn’t yet come to understand that Kressara was one of them. More Euphornis punk than sith, she was the brain of their little cartel. They looked up to her regardless of what power or prestige overshadowed her, and put their hopes and dreams on her. No matter what Kress knew the rabble on her ship had her back, just like she was going to tear down anyone and anything who stood between them and the lives they deserved.

Jasper questioned after a hard swallow, “Interim?” to which Kressara cracked an uncertain grin and laughed through her nose like she understood every word out of the more refined sith’s mouth. “Yeah! Interim…it uhh…means a hot minute.”

Their course was set and now it was only a matter of traveling together and not allowing her gang to rub Silas the wrong way too much, while also keeping entertained. “Well, not listening to the vacuum of space and the sound of our own breathing would be a nice start.” Kressara approached the dash and fumbled with a few settings until music played over the speakers throughout the cockpit, audible through the rest of the ship, but not so loud that they had to strain to hear one another. It wasn’t likely something the lordly sith had ever heard before, being that it was a mix of independent, anti-establishment, underground artists from all over the galaxy, and she knew just about every word by heart.

“And I don’t know about you, but I could go for a drink.” Exiting the cockpit, Kress swept past Silas again and opened one of the crates surrounding the rec area table, pulling out a mostly full bottle of rum before propping herself up on a stool against the wall. “And don’t scold me for it, please. I’ve had a long day…I know I got shot up with my entire supply in that last fight, but up until then I’d been doing pretty good, not using glitterstim I mean.” And she had. Her doses were fewer and farther between than they had been a month ago. Still, the glitterstim deposits evident in her body would likely never go away even after the effects of the drugs finally subsided. One such issue was bugging her already.

After pouring herself a shot and knocking it back to ease a killer headache, she fished a bottle of eyedrops from her pocket and craned her neck back before letting a few droplets coat each eye. Blinking away the excess and wiping it on her sleeve, the gritty feeling of dry glitter fused eyes subsided.

“We could talk. Haven’t had much time to do that yet. You could teach me some snazzy new force trick, or we could get to know one another…you’re still quite the mystery, and I doubt you know much about me. Not much of anything real at least. What people say about me in the temple is fake news, most of it anyways.”

[Silas Karn]

Not only had Silas not heard the artists before he had never elected to listen to any form of music in all his days. Outside of overhearing others on Mindor or the various performers in the scarce few cantina's he had graced the composure of such tones was all but foreign to the Sovereign. The noise was a bit unsettling, were it any louder Silas would have had to disrupt the calmer atmosphere it granted the crew. Upon the Crow's offer the Sovereign acquiesced, "Should you possess any quality wine I wouldn't besmirch such an offer."

Awaiting Kressara taking purchase of her own amenities Silas walked with her. As she finished Silas sat down in front of her and pondered her offer as to how they should pass the time. With a subtle sullen expression the Sovereign replied, "Well much of the past I no longer connect with as it was in a way lost to me. I'm no Tormentous, though the technique used to partition my mind was close in nature. All that was, washed away and buried."

Taking the drink offered Silas sipped before continuing, "However, though I don't relate to the memories as they were my own I can recall them with perfect clarity. Perhaps the curse of my race and the reason the man I was decided he could bear it no longer. Of course having already embraced the darkness prior to this effort the man I am now the true Sovereign was inevitably set on the path I now travel. So I am not infected by a hostile entity yet I am not the 'Silas' the galaxy had known prior to the schism." Taking another sip the Dark Lord noted the distinct drop in quality between his occasional indulgence though it wasn't so unpleasant as to complain.

"Outside of detailing exactly how Tormentous came into being, as I knew him prior to his time with the Sith, to Silvanius I have never divulged the past to anyone. That however is mostly due to circumstance, none have stood before me and asked such. So what would you wish to know?" Another sip and Silas added, "As far as the Force is concerned is there anything that sparks your interest? Seeing how I lack any true threats within the Sith there is not much outside of the Secret of True Immortality that I would abstain from instructing." Alluding to the fact that the Dark Lord did indeed possess the ever-sought rites behind transcending mortality certainly begged for further discussion regardless of whether or not Kressara desired instruction.

[Kressara Thryn]

Pulling out a bottle of wine one of her boys nicked off a pilfered trade ship, long fingers slid a dark red container across the tabletop before knocking back her own drink. Eyes that had been focused on the sith lord went distant as she listened, staring off into the ether right through him. Tormentous, her former master, Silas, and many other sith all practiced something which she found incredibly funny, given their disapproval of her own escapism.

Hypocrites, all of them. Sneering at a woman using chems to destroy what she could no longer bear, when they use the force to do the very same. At least she didn't have the audacity to glorify her cowardice of mind, nor initially to judge lords who opted to split their personalities to untether themselves from morality and weaknesses they couldn’t stand recalling. Now however? She was beginning to feel some sort of spite towards those who scoffed at her own methods, but fractured their own minds as though it were any different.

“Must have been tough.” She half heartedly mused, tipping the rim to her lips. “Seems like there aren’t many sith out there capable of facing themselves as a whole. Even the biggest and the baddest need a little factory reset, hmm? Strikes the question, is it really all that natural to absorb into the darkside? Maybe it’s no more natural than Jedi abstaining from love for the sake of the light. What’s light about that? I wonder how many of them meditate and cope to forget what they must surrender for power. Seems silly doesn’t it? Striving for strength, power, and knowledge to change your life, only to adhere to rules that break you down to the point of needing to kill the parts of you that long to break those rules.”

She did want to know about him though, even if she had a philosophical grudge against most students of the force, making her rather reluctant to adhere to one teacher. It all felt like unnecessary control over others as a trade off for knowledge. She wondered what ran through his head when he was lower in the ranks.

“Yeah, I want to know something. Everyone talks about how they joined the sith. Frack that. What made you STAY? What kept you here?” Most sith seemed to think it was a wonderful blessing to just be allowed in the sith, but she questioned it’s worthiness of those who joined.

As far as the force went, Kress hadn’t anything in mind really. The concept of living forever didn’t interest her as much as it might have in her childhood. Now, she could hardly handle the thought of losing people as is. The idea of out living everyone she presently knew was just depressing. “Immortality is…something. Personally? I’d rather die. Not yet, but eventually. How’s it feel? Living forever that is.” She shrugged, taking a third drink and letting the burn run down her throat. “I don’t know. You’re the one with the bag of tricks. Anything that might help me get Lorcan back?”

[Silas Karn]

Chided for wanted to flee the lowest point in his life drew a dull ache in Silas's forehead. Unsure of what the Crow meant until she finished an audible scoff followed Kressara's words. "I feel you have misunderstood. There was no use of the Force that granted me life nor subverted what I once was. It was the forbidden teachings of the Echani Battlemasters that led me here. The mental schism that archived and removed the events of the past from my current self was indeed self inflicted but it was made possible only through my blood."

Taking a moment to catch her attention Silas closed his eyes briefly before they snapped open and the light within them altered to a pearlescent hue. The almost feral gleam highlighted the loss of distinction between his iris's and pupils. "What you witness is the mastered focus of a battlemaster. A technique void of the Force, forged by an ancestry of warriors that rivaled the Mandalorians of old. This ability in fact has a duplication in many aspects that may be learned through the use of the Force likely being derived from it." Releasing the technique Silas took a moment to recompose his self before continuing.

"Yet it is through the foundation of training and mental augmentations that led to this art that the schism was discovered. You see I am not broken, looking for an escape, conflicted, I am simply who I am as a result. In a way a new man given a new life by one that finished with theirs." The Sovereign had been forthcoming for the almost all details save one. The art was still imperfect. Even given the centuries since its discovery the taboo nature of its use had left it so.

As such the memories and experiences of who Silas had been weren't lost forever. After that subject ran its course Kressara indulged in an inquiry the Dark Lord could not have anticipated. Hearty laughter, not even fully dark in nature echoed out from the Sovereign. "I had sought out Korriban after..." A moment's pause as the levity in Silas's voice was choked out.

"The second greatest disgrace in my past life. That is when Tormentous found me and it was the first time we had fought, since he had taken that guise, in singular combat. There hasn't been a duel that has rivaled that one since despite several monumental battles thereafter. Regardless at the end of it I was defeated unaccustomed to the darkness as I am now and nowhere near the depth of knowledge or power. It was a severely close engagement then, yet as I grew Tormentous grew faster. However, it was not in disgrace of defeat that I was enslaved to the Sith or indoctrinated, it was as an acknowledged rival and second only to the Dark Lord. It was that day that I was made High Priest. I am unsure as to whether or not I should disclose the reasoning behind my initial stay."

Complicated emotions made a subtle appearance upon Silas's countenance. Electing to instead, at the moment at least, answer Kress's final question. "Something you should understand is that even deprived the supernatural an Echani can live for centuries some lasting beyond a thousand standard years. With just the addition of the capacity to manipulate life energies through the Force, though a profound skill nearly matching the rigorous study of the very highest echelons in order to wield, I am biologically immortal. Living forever however, even I am unsure of the ramifications. Echani culture is very stagnate after all, and without a purpose it may be more treacherous than anticipated. When the Dark Lord was lost, when Tormentous vanished, and I ascended the throne I felt it. The drive I felt prior ebbing away. Magnify that by countless years and I withheld from the ritual he aided me in devising."

Taking a moment to allow the former discussion to settle Silas added, "Would you like to learn how to cancel out the attacks of the Force? At the highest levels of proficiency its even possible to negate the capacity of a target to wield it entirely, temporarily of course."

[Kressara Thryn]

Silas corrected her, which didn’t seem to ruffle any feathers as far as Kress was concerned. With that correction came a display of his technique which turned his eyes a lovely quartzed over shade, like moonstone masking his pupils. That alone grabbed the crow’s attention. What corvid didn’t have a fascination with unique eyes?

“I see. My mistake...So force wielders learned to heighten their focus by mimicking your people? Well, you know what they say about imitation. It’s the highest form of flattery.”

Laughter. Genuine laughter that wasn’t at the expense of another sounded foreign coming from his vocal cords, but pleasant. Letting herself relax a bit more into her chair, Kress noted. “Your rivalry with Tormentous goes back quite a ways then. Still, that’s a pretty high position you held for so long. To think he’s up and disappeared on us…I thought you might be lonely at the top. There’s a very miserable sort of emptiness to fulfilling a life goal, especially with so much life left to live. I hope you don’t let this taste of victory hollow you out for the rest of your existence, otherwise, you might miss out on new rivals gunning for your place. Whether or not Tormentous returns, there will be others to keep you on your toes. That’s a comforting fact of life, my friend.” Sipping her drink, Kress glanced over freshly closed wounds where glass had once been running the length of her arms. Sighing, she knew it’d cost a hefty handful of credits to erase their existence from her skin. “That’s not to say I’ll ever aim for your spot at the top. Not my style…though I could enforce a new law that insists the sith hire a decent cook for the temple. Have you been eating food there? I sincerely hope you haven’t, or that immortality of yours might be compromised.” Ever trying to lighten the mood, she couldn’t let her present company get too gloomy without cracking a joke.

When Silas mentioned learning to cancel out attacks, Kress quirked a grin and questioned, “Like a shield? I know how to raise a barrier in the force against mental attacks and all that mumbo jumbo. Learned it from Tormentous, not long before you and I met for the first time. I just haven’t felt the need to use it.”

[Silas Karn]

A renewed sense of levity arrived with a wicked grin upon Silas's countenance. "I'd welcome potential usurpers. However, in all honesty the cabinets were left bare with Warvanus's death. Outside of a focused group effort, something not done since the days of Ragnos, I have nothing to concern myself with." Taking another sip the Sovereign listened as the crow of attempted to maintain a light-hearted air to the conversation. "The temple? Oh, you mean the academy. Well, outside of the palace at the heart of the citadel I've not stayed long enough to attempt such. Training the crossbreed has been taxing enough on my sensibilities but not enough to forestall my returns to the far better fair held within the citadel."

Finally the subject drew to a far more interesting point as Kressara failed to grasp the magnitude of the technique to which Silas had referred. "Hardly, such paltry defenses may steel your mind yet could not deny more potent assaults. What I describe could shunt telekinetic volleys and in part refute lightning. For example, call on the Force a moment and raise your guard. If anything I'd like to see how well you'd hold up should your wayward foe possess the capacity to alter your free will."

The Sovereign waited in anticipation as his unlikely companion raised their guard. Taking the moment to drown his own soul in the limitless tributaries of the supernatural that carried them both, Silas raised his right hand just in front of Kressara. "What I may show you now is the peak of what this ability can produce. In truth I would count only one other capable of utilizing this technique as such and having fought them they never shown any tendencies toward the art." Silence, a deafening quiet soon filled Kressara's being. Natural sound progressed as normal but the very bond to the unseen she had manifested was entirely quelled.

As Silas encircled her form with a void of the Force itself the magnitude of the stillness only increased until he hand compressed the sphere and dispelled all traces of its touch within and throughout her. Though strained in holding the technique it was obvious that at the degree he had employed it that this was not anything the Dark Lord couldn't maintain for a substantial period of time. "As one that had managed to employ the Wall of Light that holds great infamy within the Jedi Order I can say that this ability used as such runs ever so closely to that in the capacity to rob an adept of their capacity to wield the Force.

However, even at its greatest potency this ability needs another element to succeed in such." With a gently expression Silas once finished with the demonstration, released the technique. This did not however result in the immediate restoration of Kressara's greater senses. Though undamaged the effect was not wholly temporary. The 'sound' that which was all but imperceptible, the song of the unseen could just faintly be known, felt, sensed by the young adept as it slowly drew back into focus albeit slowly. "Once you've reached the level of a master I can instruct you in such an ability. All the more reason for you to buckle down and actually try." Silas gave a final dig as he knew the fowl was capable of far more than she had currently been able to display.

[Kressara Thryn]

“Oh? I’m sure you would. Heh, it wouldn’t be for any sort of command, but I could always just jump out and surprise attack you every now and then. Keep ya on your toes before you get all soft.” She offered with a wink before a rather insulting term was used to describe his own apprentice. Recalling the hint of a feeling from her own experiences under another’s tutelage (outside of the help she’d been receiving from the academic Neti), Kress’s citrine golds narrowed on the man before her and a wry grin pulled her lips back to reveal shimmering teeth and ever so slightly pointed canines. “I do hope you aren’t being an insufferable elitist to that girl. She’s actually willing to learn from you…best take care not to crush that. It’s not easily regained.”

Her words of caution were bold enough to earn a nervous squeak from Jasper who’d been listening in the cockpit while he steered the ship, still afraid that his mouthy boss might incur his wrath. Rolling her eyes, Kress chortled and noted, “Jasper’s better than money can buy. Never seen a pilot with such raw talent. Given the chance, he proved to be quite the prodigy…” Leaning over the table, she whispered just between them. “But he’s got nerves of cotton candy and legs like jelly. I’ve never known anyone so anxious! Still, even he’d jump between us if we started fighting. Loyalty can be won in many ways, but once you lose it, it’s likely gone forever. Cherish those who’d face their fears for you, Silas. Including your apprentice, eh?”

But her advice was only from a cartel upstart leader to a true royal. Whether he meant to take it or not, she didn’t much care either way. He could simply do with loyal connections rather than a citadel full of enemies kept in check.

“Oh? Alright then, but don’t make me do anything stupid now. I’m not the biggest fan of having my free will tampered with, even for a moment…and the force is kinda rough on my head.” Admitting an uneasiness about the exercise, especially after what she’d already been through without rest, the ashen assassin still didn’t back down from the challenge. Rather, she knocked back a few more deep swigs of alcohol for good measure and set down the bottle before sitting up straight in her seat. Glowing garnet glinted from her earlobe, an aura of crackling energy straining to form around her before finally completing something of a barrier within the force. Though they lacked the infernal yellow of the darkside, her natural golds were sunstruck in the effort as though backlit by tiny stars shining on the glimmer embedded within her eyes. “Ready.” Breathing deep through her nose, she observed Silas as he summoned forth his own manifestation of power. Curious, a tilt of her head subconsciously revealed an interest that she liked to pretend didn’t exist when it came to the force. For a moment, she almost appeared capable of understanding…that was until it felt like someone had slammed a cabinet door in her head.

“FRACKING, #*$%#!!” She spat curses, squeezing her eyes shut and dropping the barrier instantly to mash her palm against the side of her head. The thunderclap headache that followed him robbing her suddenly of the force wasn’t entirely normal. In that moment she felt a strange sensation, like she was suddenly aware of a bullet wound in her brain only because she got shot in the same spot a second time. Like all these years she’d been carrying a weight between her eyes that’d only doubled the moment something similar overcame her. The sudden loss of what little force connection she could manage truly did feel like a slammed door.

Silas relinquished his influence over her, but it’d take a while for the effects to wear off. Kress leaned over the table and laid her head down on her arm with a groan. “...That really sucked, dude.” But surely, things did return to normal as soon as her limited presence in the force returned. Lifting her head she sighed hard, looking up to see every member of her crew standing still, eyes on the table and hands ready for a fight. Squinting, she moaned, “Easy there, boys. We’re all good here. Sith business just looks funny…go on, get back to whatever you were doing.”

Eyes fell back on Silas. “I don’t think my gray matter works the same as yours, my friend.”

[Silas Karn]

"Heh, at some point I do need to show exactly why you need more training. Though such sneak attacks would certainly bide my time." Silas offered as meekly as he knew how. That was before his mentioning of Aliclair brought a fire back to Kressara's eyes. "In truth I am a harsh mentor. It is difficult to instruct that which comes natural to oneself. My own journey was that of a prodigy, yet still eclipsed by a once in an era level talent so as not to draw as much attention as it would have in any other circumstance."

The Sovereign gave pause a moment to consider his words. "I understand that the Sith are in need at the moment and thus any talent must be preserved, however, I am quiet centered in my assertions. Born Echani it is difficult enough to see those outside my own species as equals let alone having spent cycles within the Galactic Empire. At least there I learned to respect the human spirit." Looking the crow in the eyes he continued, "Words must certainly be preferred to chains. Forget not the manner to which Tormentous found her. Or the manner to which she was kept. Instruction, however fierce, must seem like a vacation by comparison." After a parting word on the matter Silas took to a demonstration that left the crow reeling.

"I doubt anyone's mind works as mine does," Silas replied to Kressara's final quip. "Yet if you can detect the loss you should be able to recall the sensation of its return as well. In fact, has anyone ever sat down and told you how this all works? Detailed what exactly you should be searching for and how? It seems that while the truly great did rise those without such aspirations floundered during Tormentous's reign. That or the academy was never mandated for the lot of you and you have all suffered for it."