A Lesson on the Mind's Speech (Amaethon)

[Minna]

Valtryx sat alone in her private quarters in a meditative position. To the ordinary eye she was merely sat still with her eyes closed, but to the trained eye she was doing much more. The Dark Side flowed through her like a winding stream, and with it came a plethora of emotions, all of which were controlled by her. It was a form of training to herself, as well as preparation for her upcoming lesson. She was to be the teacher of an Acolyte she had met at the Bilbringi Shipyards, and from what she had seen he was a capable fighter and troop leader. However, he was no expert in the force, so she had offered to teach him the ability of Telepathy.

So there she sat, awaiting her student's arrival so that the lesson could begin...

[member="Amaethon"]

 

[Amaethon]

Amaethon entered the quarters of [member="Darth Valtryx"] without announcing himself. He knew she would have sensed his approach. She wouldn't have survived long enough to assume the title of Darth had she not. The Sith had no room for the weak.

He could feel the Dark waters wind through her and see it extend outwards as he made a short bow.

 

[Minna]

Valtryx did indeed sense his approached, opening her eyes upon the Acolyte's entrance. As she stood up she gave a nod to him. "Greetings, Acolyte. I am Darht Valtryx, as you probably know, but I never did get your name?" She asked, extending her hand towards a chair to her right. "Sit, if you like." The red-head continued, taking a seat opposite the one she offered herself.

[member="Amaethon"]

 

[Amaethon]

The Acolyte sat before replying.

"Amaethon, [member="Darth Valtryx"]," came the whisper of ruined vocal cords. Though sitting, he was far from comfortable. The masked Acolyte knew there were dangers in interacting with more powerful Dark Side adherents. However, she had knowledge he desired and it was therefore worth the risk.

 

[Minna]

"So, Telepathy is what you wish to learn?" Valtryx's voice echoed not in the air, but in the man's own mind. She was already employing the technique he wished to learn. "It is not too hard, in it's basic form. Reach out with your mind, and with the help of the force, slip into that of your target's. You won't be able to delve far into their mind if they're a trained force user, but you will be able to project your voice, your thoughts, over to them." Her lips curled into a smile. "Understood?" She said, physically this time.

[member="Amaethon"]

 

[Amaethon]

[member="Darth Valtryx"]

"Yes."

The Acolyte allowed the Dark Side to flow through himself as he had countless times before. Only this time, as he reached out, he focused his mind and willed his thoughts outward. Arbitrarily, he elected to channel these thoughts through her eyes. It took some time before it happened, but his thoughts began to slowly trickle out.

'I...I am...,' he began through the voice of his mind 'I can...speak...unhindered.'

 

[Minna]

"Very good. Now let's try something slightly more advanced." Valtryx closed her eyes, and suddenly her mind would open up. Amaethon would find himself being able to enter slightly further into her mind, and therefore her memories. "Feel the force connect your mind to mine, delve deeper. From there you should be able to see my memories." Of course, the memories he would see would be selected. Glimpses of her training with the Order of the Grey, her fight with the Darksider Cult on Alderaan, and a short recollection of the battle on Prakith.

[member="Amaethon"]

 

[Amaethon]

'Of course, ' came his thoughts.

He began to go deeper, past the now and the superficial. Much of the mind of [member="Darth Valtryx"] was shrouded, dark. He suspected that this was intentional, hiding weakness, a sound policy. What he did see was conflict with what her mind told him were cultists. Further back and he saw the Grey Jedi. So, that was where she'd come from, not always a Sith like himself.

 

[Minna]

"Very good. Now, I want you to plant an idea in my head. Anything. Imprint something in my mind, like a phrase or a number, and if it works I'll somehow remember it as if it was my own thought. Of course, nothing too big. My mental defenses prevent you planting anything drastic." Valtryx focused on her mind, awaiting the man's attempting at planting something. If he could do this, he would have the foundations of a mind trick.

[member="Amaethon"]

 

[Amaethon]

Beneath his mask, Amaethon smiled.

'There is a red orb floating between us, it's the size of your fist. You see it and you know it is real.' He sent wordlessly.

In his own mind, he was quite certain the orb floated at head level. There could be no doubt of this fact.


[member="Darth Valtryx"]

 

[Minna]

Valtryx began to see the shimmer of an object in front of her, faint yet present. Her mental defenses prevented the full illusion from tricking her, but she noticed it nonetheless. "Very good. You seem to have it nailed." She smiled, leaning back in her seat, while ensuring her mental defenses were raised to their maximum again. The Acolyte would find himself pushed back to the very edge of her mind again, safe from her memories. "You have potential."

[member="Amaethon"]

 

[Amaethon]

Amaethon made a seated bow to [member="Darth Valtryx"]

'Thank you, Darth Valtryx.' He sent to her.

He blinked as he felt himself rebuffed, momentarily thrown off. It had felt almost like being physically pushed out of a room. She was clearly far more experienced, but perhaps a font of future knowledge. She seemed pleased enough, but a Sith was like a coiled viper. The venomous serpent could seem placid and yet be ready to deliver a fatal strike.

 

[Minna]

Valtryx nodded at the Acolyte. "No problem." Her smile maintained itself. "Is there anything else you need?" She asked, happy enough to teach another ability, within reason, or to part ways here. There were always other times they could meet up, and she had missions that could be undertaken with Acolyte's like Amaethon. However, she awaited to see what he wished.

[member="Amaethon"]

 

[Amaethon]

[member="Darth Valtryx"]

The Acolyte paused to consider her offer of further training. He sensed there was much more beneath the shell of the body. Much knowledge, and therefore, much power. Perhaps she knew of the Unifying Force, the greater fount of power behind existence.

'I seek,' he began to send, hesitating whilst trying to find the words 'I seek knowledge. Greater knowledge of...the Force...of existence....'