A Remnant Of The Empire

[Lief]

Mae paced the tiny cell which had been her home for at least the past 30 hours.

None of the guards would speak so much as a word to her. She had been given one small skin of water in that time, and nothing in the way of food. Was this the way that the Imperials treated their prisoners? As though they were little more than animals, or a pretty little flower who needed naught save a sprinkling of water to survive?

She was tired, but there was nowhere to lay. And besides, her pride had gotten the better of her. She would not let these steel faced soliders see her in a weakened state. She was a warrior! Not a coward. Not a wimp. And she had faced worse conditions than these!

Still she found her eyes heavy, her lips parched, her stomach empty and grumbling. Were they seeking to demoralize her? Or simply starve her to death? Or maybe the answer was something else all together.

Perhaps they have no authority over prisoners. An absent commanding officer, perhaps?

She had seen it before during her training years. Most soliders were fearful of their superior's reaction should they overstep their mark. Dealing with a stowaway on so vast and ancient a vessel as this likely went above the average soldier's duty. Had someone pulled rank?

Who knew?

It was a fine ship though, a juggernaut from a forgotten era. The Empire was long since gone, forgotten amidst a cacophony of failed reboots. Mae hadn't had a place within the Galaxy to call hers in some time now. The Sith who had taken her into his fold, who had refused her request to be little more than fodder - as he had referred to the ground troops - was gone.

Who could blame her for wanting to find out more about a ship was mighty as this one?

Those who inhabited it, apparently.

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Heavy footsteps would be heard from the outside hallways, getting louder with each step until coming to a stop presumably right by the young woman's cell, followed by muffled voices. The newly arrived captain of this mighty vessel conversed briefly with the guard stationed outside the cell moments before the metal door would shoot open with a snap-hiss.

Into the tiny room stepped a hulking figure, clad largely in black and with a thick fur wrapped over his shoulders. "So, this is our stow-away," the deep voice spoke just as he pulled back his hood, which was sprinkled with the faintest bit of snow. The brief trip by shuttle from Tháinbroek up to the Judgement sitting in orbit over Midvinter had allowed most of it to melt away, but traces of it yet remained. Eyes filled with fire and brimstone fixed themselves on the raven-haired stranger.

"I am the Captain of the Judgement, and you are not supposed to be on it," he told her while shedding himself of the furs draped across his shoulders, letting them drop to the floor behind him just as he stepped toward the woman, not caring whether she felt he invaded her personal space or no. Standing over a foot taller than her, Thyrian looked down into her eyes as a hand was placed beneath her chin to tilt her head up to meet his gaze. In her eyes he saw what he had seen in so many other before her, above all in his former self.

"Angry, confused, lost," he listed the emotions associated with such a gaze. "Why did you come here, girl? What did you hope to find?"

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]​

 

[Lief]

She had been met with silence for what had to have been hours now, enough to send anyone stir-crazy, even when her daily flask of water arrived there was no sound... Were the guards walking around in slippers? So it was that when the sound of heavy boots and muffled voices raised into the air Mae's attention snapped toward the door of her cell.

If she had been half asleep before, now she was wide awake and alert.

Outside the door she could sense the presence of several beings, most of them were dull and uninspiring but one of them rang out stronger than the rest. A pure burning strength that far surpassed the rest, the way Adekos had come across when surrounded by the fools on Coruscant.

The snap hiss of the door was almost comforting, reminding her of the saber which had been taken from her upon her capture. When the hulking figure stepped into the cell with her, taking up every single bit of spare space there was. The fire she had felt was seen burning in his eyes.

Taking a very slight step backward, her attention fell upon the giant. As he spoke his accusations she began to shake her head, before realizing that technically she was a stowaway... Even if it was unintentional. For now she knew better than to speak her mind, the soldier in her taking over. She simply stood and listened until his statements turned to questions.

"I thought that this was an Imperial Vessel, Captai-- Sir," she began, unable to lower her gaze even though she very much wished she could. "I was seeking..." What? Direction? Adekos? Adekos was gone, she had felt that some time ago. "I did not mean to intrude, Sir. I did not realize that these vessels had been repurposed..."

[member="Thyrian Hearthfire"]

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

A curious "hmm" escaped his lips as he scanned the room for the nearest chair. When he didn't find one he simply found a seat on the floor where he stood, crossing his legs with his hands casually resting on his knees. He gestured for the woman to join him, if she so wished. "The Empire is gone. The One Sith are gone. This has not been a Sith vessel for many years, and I intend to keep it that way," Thyrian spoke very matter-of-fact. "You won't find what you seek here, I'm afraid."

He began to inspect the cell they were in, looking around him in every direction. "These cells haven't seen use in some time. I don't believe I've even set foot inside them until now." Just an observation, is all. A moment of somewhat awkward silence followed before Thyrian reached behind him and grabbed the fur cloak off the floor, tossing it over to the young woman. "Here. You must be cold." Becoming a father changes you in many ways, it seemed; compassion was usually a virtue reserved for the people close to him.

"You're Sith, are you not?" He suspected as much the moment he laid eyes on her, but figured it prudent to ask before drawing conclusions.

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]​

 

[Lief]

No chairs, no bunk, the room was pretty much an empty - tiny - space which was almost entirely taken up by the giant with flames in his eyes. Her head tilted the other way, and for a moment recognition passed over her expression.

I know who you are, flamemeister...

He had settled upon the ground, and had even invited her to do the same, but Mae found it far more prudent to remain standing. Her hands settled at her back, her expression became almost unreadable, and her gaze fixed upon him.

Deep inside a respect was brewing. If this was who she thought it was, if the stories could be true, then the man who sat before her yet still towered over her was a General of high esteem... He had wrought chaos on countless battlefields, fighting for and alongside Adekos' own Apprentice.

But he died... Numerous times. And his body was engulfed in fire.

The man before her certainly had a dangerous air about him. And the look in his eye... That told more than a disignited body ever could.

Without warning her thoughts were snapped back to the present when the giant's hand moved. Lightning fast she caught the cloak from the air before it even came close to landing, and gave a very slight nod of appreciation to the man.

Before she could respond with words of gratitude, however, his question made itself heard. Her gaze did not lower from his, if anything it steeled just a touch.

"I was, once." She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, before exhaling. "But so were you, Lord Ashborn."

[member="Thyrian Hearthfire"]

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

The mention of a name long dead to him had Thyrian's expression turn to stone, and slowly he rose to full height once more. The fire in his eyes flickered as he held up his left hand and balled it into a fist. Embers sparked to life from within his fist and soon it was engulfed in flames, lighting up the room further. His face would then soften as he laid eyes on the ring upon his finger, and the flames died out as his hand opened.

"That name no longer holds any meaning to me, Acolyte. I am... reborn from the ashes of my sins." His gaze found hers, and the sheer look of determination in her eyes was enough to make him respect her. "I cannot change what I am; the Sith forged me into a weapon of destruction. But my destiny is still my own, and only I control who I am."

He caressed the ring upon his finger using his thumb. "My name is Thyrian Hearthfire. I am the son of kings. I am husband to a loving wife, father to a newborn son. That is who I am now. Let the past remain buried in ashes, where it belongs."

Thyrian took a step forward. "Now tell me, who are you?"

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]​

 

[Lief]

She did not have to wait long to discover that she was wholly correct where his name was concerned. The man who stood before her was indeed the great General Ashborn of the Sith Empire, Captain of the Judgement - this very vessel, no less! - He who had fought over multiple lives at the side of the Lady in White. Who had died and risen again. The awe upon her expression was impossible to wipe clear, even when he rose back to his behemoth height and towered over her eyes ablaze.

Apparently she had caused great disrespect. How strange...

He was open enough with the reasoning. As he spoke and glared and ignited his fist Mae did naught but listen, hanging on his every word. A Sith no longer, it seemed... By choice or necessity? And where was the Lady in White? Was her absence the cause of it? Who knew.

"Forgive my boldness, Lord Hearthfire, I meant no disrespect."

She refused to move, she simply stared at him as he took one firm step forward. Her name? It was...

"Maelasi, Sir... Maelasi Eramar; I am -- was -- just a humble soldier of the Fallen Empire..."

Only now did she look away, to her feet in a show of respect. Perhaps this would be a great mistake, revealing all her cards, but in her mind he was still high ranked and well... Everybody outranked her.

[member="Thyrian Hearthfire"]