Private All Things Being Equal [Sithspawn Sanctorium]

[Arlo Renard]

The arrival of new Sithspawn at the Reef always caused a stir. Their number was small, and any growth they experienced was sporadic at best. The rarity of the event meant that each new addition was met with some degree of fanfare, or at least a bit of buzz leading up to their first appearance.

According to rumor, the Sithspawn Sanctorium would have two new members today, one male and one female. The pair claimed to be refugees from the fallen Sith Empire, prisoners of war who had been mind-wiped and experimented on against their will. A trusted member of the Sanctorium had been dispatched to escort them to the Reef, where they would find safety and a warm welcome.

Kai stood in the reception area of the Reef, waiting for them. He was always eager to meet more Sithspawn, to introduce them to his world and all that he held dear within it. The mystery surrounding the newcomers only made it all the more exciting.

Sure enough, three figures emerged from the bottom of the old elevator shaft. The escort walked forward first, followed closely by one humanoid figure. Kai’s brow furrowed in momentary confusion, then relaxed as they stepped into the light.

The humanoid figure was male and quite average looking. He could have easily passed as near-human, even with his white hair and milky eyes. Sitting on his shoulders was a small furry creature with long ears—the female of the pair, presumably. She looked a lot like a Kushiban, a sentient species of rabbitlike beings with eyes and fur that could change color depending on their moods. Many Sithspawn were based on natural species, so it wasn’t much of a stretch to guess that she had been a Kushiban before she became a Sithspawn.

Of the two, only the female exuded the familiar taint of Dark Side corruption, whereas the male’s aura was utterly neutral. Kai examined him further in the Force and thought he might not even be Force sensitive.

As he stepped forward to greet the others, the male introduced himself cautiously. “My name is Petyr. This is Erictho.” He gestured to his companion, who remained seated on his shoulders. “We heard this was a safe place for Sithspawn.”

Damsy Callat Worrarg + Open​

 

[Worrarg]

Forerunner walked carefully. However, careful in this scenario was somewhat of an unclear meaning. His steps he made specifically enough noise to notice, but not so much as to try and strike fear. He could be rather quiet, especially as he could spread his weight across so many limbs, but being that quiet could actually cause more fear. And while he knew he was likely dealing with abnormals here anyway, he didn't want to risk things too much. He couldn't predict their behavior with much certainty right now. He generally, at least most of the time, also avoided stretching to his full height and length, though it didn't exactly make him seem particularly small.

As he looked ahead, walls and such meaning little, he could see the newcomers as he approached nearer to Kai, and sat down, or laid down somewhat, again to reduce his apparent size. As eager as he was to meet more of these sithspawn, watching them and their presences in the force from his spot, he didn't want to get too eager. One appeared very close to human, he could tell that, if there were oddities. The other was a more blatant example of an abnormality, at least in Forerunners eyes. The male had a neutral presence, technically Forerunner did by nature as well, though more inclined to the darkside due to their personalities.

One of the arms on his neck tested the device he'd hung around him thanks to Damsy and 'Ursula.' so that he could at least communicate with other species. He opened his long mouth letting out the Huttese that would be translated into Basic as he went. ["Hello Petyr and Erictho, I am excited to see you. I am called Forerunner."] he said. In spite of the formal wording, his friendliness wasn't entirely missable in the language. Nor would his bluntness and curiosity get missed, ["May I ask what was changed or made? I am entirely artificial in origin, but from what I understand some traits were taken from many species, or the concepts of them."] it wasn't the first time he'd asked perhaps a little more than he should, but figuring out exactly what was acceptable and what was not could be occasionally over-ridden by his simple curiosity. He was especially wandering what had happened for the human. Although he couldn't see the color of it, they did both have milky white eyes. Whether or not it had a similar result or not he wasn't sure just yet.

Arlo Renard Damsy Callat

 

[Damsy Callat]

He didn't have to even announce the arrival; she had been watching them all approach from the patchworked security array covering various angles of Veshok Terrace Apartments. Keziah jumped out of her owner's lap and moment before she herself kicked her legs off the main control console. After ducking through the plastic-draped control room doorway, Damsy vaulted herself up and over the scaffolded landing to join Arisso on the reception floor. "'ey yo, good morning," she offered as they started on the short walk out into the entryway.

Arisso clapped her on the shoulder. He agreed, "Good indeed. These days are few and far between." Damsy glanced at the Technobeast out of her peripheral vision, smile slowly growing. Arisso scoffed and shoved her away from him. "No, absolutely not."

"No?" laughed Damsy, recovering her footing and sashaying back into position. "'Cuz it's soundin' like you want me to go out on more expeditions."

Kezi ran ahead of the two jokers and hopped onto Kai's shoulder in a single, Force-aided bound. She had come to trust the Doppelganger almost as much as she did the other Shifter.

A moment after, the Sithspawn grouped at the pylon doors had gained two members, altogether more serious now, and just in time for Forerunner's question. Damsy forced herself to not roll her eyes and instead step forward and offer the humanoid a hand to shake, or fist bump, or high five. Whatever he really wanted to do with it she'd go along with as long as his fuzzier friend didn't try to lick her or something.

"We really don't need to dwell on the past," she began, denying Forerunner's open curiosity again as politely as possible. She mentally noted the need to have a private conversation with him later on; asking questions in and of itself wasn't a malpractice, but some Sithspawn didn't want to answer, so they shouldn't be put on the spot to be made to muster up something satisfactory, or else the courage to say no. "Welcome to the Reef. I'm Damsy. This is Kai, Arisso, Forerunner..." She turned her back to be able to motion at the respective Spawn, introducing Forrunner again for good measure. "My water dragon, Kezi. And, oh—but you already met Hondul." The last was the escort, still standing near the newcomers.



**
Arlo Renard | Worrarg

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai reached up a hand to pet Kezi, turning his head to nuzzle her as if she were a kitten. But his gaze remained fixed on Petyr and Erictho.

It was difficult to read emotion in Petyr’s totally white eyes. He seemed to just stand there, perhaps hesitating, as Forerunner asked his questions. Even when Damsy cut in, Petyr didn’t seem to react much.

“It’s no trouble,” he said. “If you must know, Erictho and I were prisoners of war, captured by the Sith. They wiped our memories, so we don’t remember anything from before we were made into Sithspawn.” He laid a hand against his chest. “I am a Mesinis’Kaita, or Sith Changeling. Erictho… well, there are no others like her that we know of.”

Erictho regarded the other Sithspawn, her eyes a bright, attentive orange, but she made no attempt to communicate.

“She doesn’t talk much,” Petyr said with a shrug. “I usually do most of the talking.”

Another shifter? Kai’s interest in Petyr spiked. <Do you have any cool powers?> he blurted, forgetting that Petyr didn’t appear to be Force sensitive and probably wouldn’t be receptive to telepathy.

And yet, Petyr did seem to hear him. “I can shapeshift a little. Nothing drastic. Same height and build, but different hair, eyes, skin tone, nose. That sort of thing. Hurts like hell every time I do it, though. Oh, and I have ultraviolet and infrared vision. But in exchange for that, I get the galaxy’s most breakable skeleton and the endurance of a sloth on ketamine.” He smirked. “What really sucks is that the same Sith Lord who created me made another, similar species that was much better. The Myubbukderdutr. Now, those guys were truly impressive...”

Kai shivered, looking away. <They can’t be that impressive.>

“Sure they are!” Petyr insisted. “Their shifting abilities are a lot better than mine, they can eat anything, they never get sick, they can produce poisons and medicines from their own bodies, and they can steal people’s memories. Just pluck them right out of their heads!”

<But they’re of the Dark Side,> Kai protested—and regretted it the moment the words left his brain.

Petyr raised an eyebrow, confused. “Aren’t most of us here 'tainted' by the Dark Side?”

<You aren’t.> Kai knew he was going too far, but something inside him was spurring him on. <You could pass for normal. Even a Jedi wouldn’t think there was anything wrong with you—>

Damsy Callat Worrarg​

 

[Worrarg]

Damsy Callat didn't take too long to get into things, second time she'd seemed to prevent the answer to something but she was a lot more subtle this time. Still, at least he recognized it. Didn't mean he understood why this was an issue, but he recognized the evasion. She introduced them all, including him, and they moved on. Forerunner listened intently at the explanations. Though short, he'd have to see what more he could find on such a thing later, if at all possible. "Thank you." he responded to the answer, Petyr mentioned the other ones tendency to not communicate. Which implied that she at least could, thankfully. A useful trait to have.

Turned out looking that up wasn't going to be all that necessary, as Petyr would then go on to mention some of his powers, and disadvantages. So he did have a better form of eyesight in some ways, though different in design to Forerunners eyes. It turned unfortunate for him apparently, as a superior race was made afterwards. Forerunner wandered what a superior version of his race would be like. Would they be bigger? Smaller? Would there be a change in the number or positioning of limbs? What about senses? Backpeddle in place of something else or another jump forwards?

The conversation continued. Their abilities did sound rather impressive he had to admit, though hearing 'eat anything' reminded him of an older race from his own master. However, they were most definitely not the same race. These clearly had a number of additional abilities at their disposal, and intelligence. Something his creator emphasized the Shekti did not have.

Then the dark side got brought up, and Petyr's own neutrality. Forerunner decided to speak again, ["By technicality, my species aren't inherently 'tainted' by the dark side, so to speak. Though as an original I did certainly see much more of my creator, who was quite dark sided, I do not believe I have seen others of that appearance in the force. And I see the value in its capabilities and practicality, as the light side cannot be used when one loses control of oneself, as can happen in desperate times."] that wasn't the only point, ["Besides, what is wrong with any of us? Is this taint of the dark side truly so awful a disadvantage? Nor would you necessarily have total certainty that he isn't touched by the dark side, I do understand the ability to hide ones presence or alignment exists. Even if I have no experience with it. My species may not be 'tainted' by the dark side...exactly anyway, but I could argue there are things wrong with us. I can't speak basic, or freely travel without an incredible amount of attention or aid, nor do I see color. It is the same with every creation. Some lack intelligence, others strength or size, some senses. Adjustments must be made, sometimes with aid."]

Arlo Renard

 

[Damsy Callat]

<They can’t be that impressive.>

<But they’re of the Dark Side.>

<You aren’t.>

Kezi stood up from having laid down, snuggled into the crook of Kai's neck. Along with trust came empathy; she felt his emotions begin to shift and in turn began to grow agitated herself. Her little hooves knead into Kai's shoulder as she looked back at Damsy, somewhere between confused and overwhelmed.

But the Shifter had feelings she didn't quite know what to do with either. Her face was readable though, as unadulterated shock.

<You could pass for normal. Even a Jedi wouldn’t think there was anything wrong with you—>

She managed to push the brewing storm under the surface, where it surely would whirlpool and cause plenty of problems later. Problem for future me, she thought, then said aloud, "Right, thanks, Runny," nodding at him. "All Spawn are welcome here. All." The repetition wasn't angry or even harsh, but rather pressing. As if that was that, a pin being put in this conversation until it could be done alone, behind closed doors. "The only real prerequisite is not wanting to be a slave to the Sith anymore, which y'all've made clear by comin' all this way, far as I'm concerned."

Silence took over the air between the Sithspawn for a beat. "Why are we talkin' philosophy out here? Motina and her ladies have been cooking just about everything we could smuggle down here all week. C'mon, Arisso'll show you into the qabbrat* and introduce you to the others." While the Technobeast and the Sanctorium's newest members disappeared into the Reef's first room, Damsy hung back, scratching nervously at the back of her neck. As Hondul approached her nervously, she gave him a gentle nudge in the trio's steps. "Go on. Lessgo." That was meant for everyone.



**
Arlo Renard | Worrarg

Spoiler: ur-Kittât translations

* = Mother, not meant literally
** = meditation chamber, not meant literal

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai knew he had made a mistake. But he couldn’t take it back now. He wasn’t even particularly sure he wanted to.

"Besides, what is wrong with any of us?

He heard the robotic voice of Forerunner’s translator speaking somewhere to his right, just before Damsy interrupted him to announce that a special meal had been prepared for the occasion.

“I’ll reserve judgement on whether I’ll be staying here until after I’ve tasted the food,” Petyr joked, following the others. Kai thought he detected an edge in his tone, but it could’ve been his imagination. The Changeling really was difficult to read...

Soothing Kezi with strokes behind her head with his index finger, Kai headed for the qabbrat as well, though he didn’t feel very hungry. He glanced toward Damsy, more as a check to make sure she wasn’t glaring at him in disapproval or about to demand an explanation for his behavior, but she was focused on herding the flock. He was safe... for now.

Even so, the problem was fairly easy to discern. Myubbukderdutr was the Sith word for Doppelganger. What Petyr had described, complete with exact traits he claimed to envy, was Kai’s species. Both had sprung from the mind of Darth Prospero, and were so closely related on a genetic level that, according to the records Kai had managed to obtain about them, Doppelgangers who attempted to reproduce often sired or gave birth to Changelings instead.

Kai’s gaze flicked toward Petyr’s back. Maybe he should apologize. Just not right now. Not as long as he felt like this. Hopefully he wouldn’t always feel like this…

Still sitting on Petyr’s shoulders, Erictho looked down upon Kai with lowered eyelids. He met her gaze, and one of her eyelids lowered in a wink before she turned away from him, attention drawn by fragrant smells wafting toward the group from the doorway ahead of them. Even Kai had to admit it smelled good, and his stomach began to rumble despite his bad mood. One thing Petyr forgot to mention about Doppelgangers was their voracious appetites...

Damsy Callat Worrarg​

 

[Worrarg]

Damsy Callat seemed to have called an end to this discussion, it seemed his response was at least a good one though, maybe more approved of than his questions at least. A meal was also mentioned, which naturally was quite a pleasing thing to hear to Voran. Food was most definitely an important priority, plenty of it was a necessity just to survive.

They began to move towards the qabbrat, at first Forerunner was going to hang back and see if there was anything he should speak to Damsy about, but even before she prompted them further his appetite decided for him and he moved on at a light jog plenty happy to get to the food as soon as possible, without causing a problem at least.

He was most after anything primarily comprised of meats or muscles, though plants and vegetation were acceptible involvements. Just as long as they weren't going to rely on breads and sugars to get through this. That just would not go well for him, needed more than that. However, the odors were reaching him strongly, and things were looking up!

Damsy Callat Arlo Renard

 

[Damsy Callat]

Damsy took up the rear as the Sithpawn began funneling back into the Reef. Likewise, she followed them up the reception area staircase, over the short catwalk, through the control room curtain door, then into the qabbrat's kitchen.

"Damsy!" Motina's voice rang around the makeshift dining hall the a mere moment before the Shifter could have possibly been seen by the small humanoid. Maybe it was the former's shadow falling over the Durasteel, or how the latter was nearsighted in her Force Sensitivity. "Tave berniuk tapti'*!"

The laugh that wormed out of Damsy's lips was half aquatic trill. "They have names." She stopped by the long table, taking a hold of the back of one of the chairs. Everything was makeshift and mismatched—from settings to chairs to serving bowls and platters and utensils—but the occasion was still nice, ambience warm. Or, at least it was to Damsy, especially as she pushed what Kai had said further into the recesses of her mind. No need to bicker over dinner.

Such a nice one too.

Damsy's eyes gravitated to a plate of pink sewer barnacles arranged on a plate of fresh lettuce and homemade aioli. Actually, everything was as much, with vegetables and fruits and spices coming mostly out of Nineveh's garden. The pots and raised plots of land set aside down in the coolant reactor had been wildly successful since the Sanctorium had found actual, viable seeds to plant—which had proven to be quite the task on Coruscant. The meats, if you could call them all that, had been hunted in and around the Reef, but also a few things had been smuggled in from upper levels.

To the left were grilled duracrete slug skewers shucked of their hardened shells and slathered with a dark, gritty sauce. They even smelled spicy. Lemon wedges were nearby, probably for pairing.

A small bowl of yellowish pulled meat was set nearby.

Then a plate of black flatbreads with a very fine fuzzy texture. Situated in a surrounding semicircle was a selection of salsas and spreads, each vibrant in colour.

Miniature steaks over a bed of mashed potatoes and rosemary twigs, long and skinny tails still attached as a sort of garnish.

More she wasn't allowed time to survey.

"Well, stop drooling," Motina urged light-heartedly. "What are they?"

Clearing her throat, Damsy looked over at the newcomers. "Petyr, Erictho," she said, motioning to them in turn, and pulling out the chair she was stood at. She motioned the first into it. "Guests first."



**
Arlo Renard | Worrarg

Spoiler: translation

* = the children come

 

[Arlo Renard]

Petyr sat down, then held out his arm toward the chair next to him, letting Erictho hop down. She sat with her paws arranged primly until Petyr had served her dinner. Then she ate mouth to plate, sharp teeth nibbling daintily at seafood and greens.

Kai continued to sulk, nibbling disinterestedly and then nudging his food around his plate with his fork rather than devouring it like he usually did. He leaned his head on his other hand, occasionally stealing vague, glossed-over glances around the table.

“Hey? Hello? Kai? Spider-boy? Dagon Kaze Junior?”

Kai looked up at Nineveh, who sat across the table from him. She pointed to her chrono.

“You’re late.”

<For what?>

“Flinging food at me.” She spooned a glob of mashed potato. “You know, like at every other meal?”

She pulled her spoon back like a catapult and let it go. The lobbed potatoes hit Kai square in the face. He jumped up, sudden fury written across his features, grabbed his plate and threw it at her.

She ducked.

The plate cracked against the metal wall behind her, splattering food everywhere.

Silence fell over what had been a bustling meal. Nineveh slowly sat up straight, her expression shocked and perturbed. She quickly tossed her head, shaking it off as if it were nothing. “Well, that was a stupid thing to do. What a waste.”

Kai forced his clenched fists to relax. He dropped back into his chair, but that didn’t stop them from staring. Finally he stood up again and left the dining area in a hurry.

Damsy Callat Worrarg​

 

[Worrarg]

Worrarg looked over all the food, very much ready to eat, though he was smelling it in the air more than anything. Naturally for him it'd be mostly meat, though he almost wandered if they even had enough to satisfy his stomach. Especially when it came to making food well, it tended to be made in smaller quantities. He'd try to hold back if he saw that there wouldn't be enough. However, he hesitated as Damsy Callat said guests first. He didn't necessarily think that made any sense but he stopped himself from going ahead.

Once he did get his turn, he started taking pieces of meat or anything else that could be counted as being taken out of an animal, from each of the different options, and there was certainly quite a few. He wasn't even sure he knew what all of them were, but meat was meat and he was going to eat it! He'd add on vegetable or fruits but mostly avoided any pastries if they had them.

There wasn't exactly a chair that would work for him but that was fine, it was far easier for him to stand or sit without one given the length of his body. He could mostly sit with all of his legs while keeping his arms and head up just fine, and could eat that way. Something however began to interrupt the meal, he looked over as Nineveh started speaking to Kai. To his dismay she threw food at him, and he threw an entire plate, with far less jovial of a nature to it.

Worrarg let out a hum as he watched Kai get up and leave. It was clearly not typical nature. However, what to do about it he wasn't quite sure. He took in a breath taking in more food before speaking, ["Wait or engage?"] He asked, almost as if Kai was a target, before elaborating, ["Assume it's got to do with Petyr right?"] it wasn't meant as offense to Petyr, just to confirm the matter. He was pretty sure about it but somewhat wanted confirmation about that. Subtleties were fine and all but there was no reason trying to beat around the bush here in his opinion.

Damsy Callat Arlo Renard

 

[Damsy Callat]

Damsy almost tripped over herself, or else the legs of her chair, as she stood to watch Kai's meal splatter all over the ground. Her ocean eyes stayed staring at the wasted food for a beat or two, only gravitated towards him and falling on his back as he excused himself from the room. She nodded very vaguely at Forerunner's word—engage it was—and held an apologetic hand out towards Petyr. "He's not normally...like this," Damsy said, tripping over a hole in her vocabulary. The last time the Doppelganger had left her at a loss for words was back when they first met and he had showed her his true, pre-Alchemized form. That seemed like so long ago; the emotional context was also about 180 degrees different.

She was angry now, not awed.

Though she was feeling concerned too, and was trying to prioritize the feeling. <Kai!> she called telepathically to him before all but running in the direction he had stormed.

Remaining at the table, Arisso cleared his throat. He spoke up after a mere moment, trying to salvage the joyous occasion that was meant to be: "We all apologize for that."



**
Arlo Renard | Worrarg

 

[Arlo Renard]

Petyr seemed less shocked and more puzzled by Kai’s outburst. “It’s okay,” he replied to Arisso’s apology. "I admit, I don't really understand it. Did I say something wrong?"

Having polished off her plate, Erictho sat back and licked her chops, flashing sharp teeth. Her mood fur shifted in tone from neutral gray to mulberry red, then she hopped down from her seat and slunk out of the room. Nobody seemed to notice her departure.

Nineveh stared at her plate for a few seconds, indecisive, before she pushed away from the table and headed in the same direction Kai and Damsy had gone—though she had to take a more disabled-friendly route to get there.

Kai’s presence in the Force had slipped into deliberate obscurity, tamped down by his own doing. He didn’t want to be bothered. Part of him feared punishment as well. So far Damsy had never tried to discipline him, but then he had never done anything that might warrant it before.

“Hey, silly putty!”

Nineveh’s voice and the telltale hum of her approaching repulsor chair breached the silence. She didn’t need to sense him with the Force; she already knew where he would be hiding. Kai winced.

<Go away. Please.>

“Not until I get an apology.”

Catching up with Damsy, Nineveh indicated with a gesture of her hand where Kai was: somewhere in the Labyrinth, hanging from the rafters. His shapeshifting powers allowed him to blend in with the environment like a chameleon, making him invisible to the naked eye, but his telepathy acted almost like a beacon, helping to narrow down his location.

“It wasn’t just me throwing mashed potatoes at you, was it?” Nineveh asked. "I didn't do anything to you. You just took out your anger or whatever you happened to be feeling on me. So guess what? You owe me an apology, dude."

At first, Kai didn't answer. Then, in a "voice" so quiet that it felt more like an impulse than a thought, he replied, <I'm sorry.>

Damsy Callat Worrarg​

 

[Worrarg]

Worrarg took in more food as Damsy Callat apologized to the others and Nineveh moved away to follow after. He wasn't sure yet what he should do. He figured it had something to do with Petyr, and wandered if his own presence could actually help any. Kai had the dark side but could appear like a common species, Worrarg however could probably go to either of the force, but he'd never fit in in appearance.

However, there was also Petyr himself, who Worrarg thought maybe he should stay behind with since everyone else ran off. He wasn't sure. Social navigations were still somewhat new, he never had this issues with his creator and their people. Though, they likely were expecting what was in his nature to act.

He looked to Petyr and spoke, ["I do not think apologies makes sense since we didn't all do that. But it is very unfortunate that this occurred." he said, ["Especially at a meal...anyway. Anything you might want to ask, say? Also, Where has your friend run off to? Erictho? She seems to have dashed off. Would be very unfortunate if she got lost. I imagine we could find her if she did, but I can't imagine it'd be very pleasant loosing oneself at that size. She's just so very small."] he looked at his hands trying to remember the comparison of size.

Arlo Renard

 

[Damsy Callat]

Arisso was inclined to agree with Forerunner to a point: than individual apologies were perhaps not needed, but one on behalf of the entire group surely was. Hosting involved a great deal of humility after all.

"I don't either, not really," he then admitted back to Peytr. But he was certain Damsy would; if not exactly, her understanding would be much clearer than his. "Kai is normally the happiest out of all of us when a newcomer arrives..." The Technobeast was more or less musing now but then Forerunner's comment about Peytr's companion caught his attention. He looked over to where she had been sitting and sure enough, she was gone.

In the mazelike hallways, Damsy had come to a stop to look up at the ceiling. Nothing looked to be at the other end of her gaze but felt like it instead. Her head buzzed with an aura of familiarity. "C'mon, Kai, can't we chat with a person rather than pipes in our own goddamn home?"



**
Arlo Renard | Worrarg

 

[Arlo Renard]

"Where has your friend run off to? Erictho? She seems to have dashed off. Would be very unfortunate if she got lost. I imagine we could find her if she did, but I can't imagine it'd be very pleasant losing oneself at that size. She's just so very small."

“Oh, probably just to use the ‘fresher,” Petyr replied, picking up his fork again and stabbing into a piece of fried barnacle. “I wouldn’t worry. She can find her own way around, and she’s a lot more… resourceful than she looks.”

"C'mon, Kai, can't we chat with a person rather than pipes in our own goddamn home?"

No response. “What’s your problem, anyway?” Nineveh asked.

<Myubbukderdutr.>

“Huh?” Her brow furrowed. “Speak Basic, please.”

<Sith for Doppelganger. He was talking about me.>

Nineveh blinked in sudden understanding, then quickly shook her head. “He was practically singing your praises, and you got mad at him for it? Do you hate yourself that much?”

Kai didn’t answer. She sighed. “Okay, so maybe he didn’t compliment you so much as what you are. So what?”

Nothing. Nineveh crossed her arms over her chest.

“Enough with the angst. We’re all Sithspawn here. At least you can walk!”

Slowly, a shape emerged from the rafters. Kai was hanging upside down, his body swathed in a fleshy wrapping. Only his eyes, keenly staring, and his shock of white hair were visible, peeking out from behind thin folded wings.

“You look like a giant hawkbat,” Nineveh said, glaring up at him.

A blue forked tongue darted out from between rows of jagged shark teeth as Kai pulled the most grotesque face he could manage. Then, his mouth closing, he turned toward Damsy.

<Am I grounded?>

He seemed just a little too enthusiastic at the prospect of being put away by himself without any supper.

Damsy Callat Worrarg​

 

[Worrarg]

The technobeast seemed to have some agreement with Forerunner on a matter, though no answers on the little person. Petyr did, if only somewhat, he didn't seem particularly worried. Worrarg certainly hoped there was more to her than just being a small fluffy creature, he couldn't see that being the biggest of advantages long term. Unless perhaps they intended them to be seen as a potential house pet. He simply nodded as he continued happily with the food, looking out into the distance as the situation with Kai, Damsy, and Nineveh moved on.

He thought a little longer, but his curiosity was not yet sated. Again turning to Petyr, "Would you want to be here? Or somewhere like what you thought here might be? Or perhaps were you coming just out of curiosity? Or for Erictho?" he inquired, wanting to see how that might play out. Certainly they were friends and he spoke for her it seemed, but then if he was the speaker would he also be the one achieving their goals? Certainly alone many feats are much harder for those not passable of near humans. Even for someone far less apparent like Erictho.

He realized he might need to inform Damsy of her disappearance. He didn't know them well enough to be certain of their choices or desires. Though, he wasn't sure how to do so discreetly. If the concern was undue, it might merely be taken as offense.

Arlo Renard Damsy Callat

 

[Damsy Callat]

Damsy went uncharacteristically quiet as Kai and Claudia conversed. Then, she choked out, "No. You're not grounded."

A beat passed, teetering on the back of her heels, hands shoved into the pockets of her cropped jacket like she was the child here. At the end of the long moment, it seemed like she was about to turn away, but she twisted her torso back and planted both feet steadily on the ground.

<You could pass for normal. Even a Jedi wouldn’t think there was anything wrong with you—>

"For what it's worth, I can pass as normal too."

Damsy bit her lip. Was Kai mad at her too?



**
Arlo Renard | Worrarg

 

[Arlo Renard]

"Would you want to be here? Or somewhere like what you thought here might be? Or perhaps were you coming just out of curiosity? Or for Erictho?"

Petyr’s brow furrowed, slightly puzzled by this new line of inquiry.

“As I said,” he began, stabbing a grilled barnacle with his fork. “Erictho and I came here because we heard it was safe for our kind. If it turns out that it isn’t safe, or we decide to leave for any other reason, it’s no great loss to you or to us. We would like to make the Reef our home, if we can.” He raised the fork halfway to his mouth, pausing to add, “Isn’t that what everyone else here wants—a home?” before taking a bite.

A pattering of paws across the floor announced the return of Erictho to the table, only a few minutes after her unannounced departure. “Ah, there she is,” Petyr remarked as his companion hopped back up into her chair. “Just a ‘fresher break, hm?”

The creature nodded her head, rabbit ears flopping, and began drinking water from a glass—by sticking her head into it and lapping up the liquid with her tongue. Someone seated nearby carefully disguised a giggle as a cough.

Meanwhile, back in the Labyrinth, Kai stared at Damsy upside-down.

"For what it's worth, I can pass as normal too."

<I know. But I can’t.>

It wasn’t just Jedi that made him feel like an outsider. It was people in general. Before he was a Sithspawn, he wasn’t human or near-human or alien. He was Bamarri. Ever since his guardian died, there had been no one else in all the galaxy quite like him—and there probably wouldn’t be for the next few hundred years or so, at the very least. That was such a long time to be alone.

The outpouring of loneliness from Kai left Nineveh blinking, her lips parted in shock. Kai clenched his jaw as though biting back tears, an almost pleading look in his eyes as he turned back to Damsy.

<I think I’d rather be grounded, if you don’t mind.>

Damsy Callat Worrarg​