Private Chains By Any Other Name

[Darth Acharon]

Dromund Kaas was already turning out to be an incredibly interesting trip, and perhaps quite a profitable one as well. He had accomplished the mission set before him by his master, and found a potentially ally in a very unexpected place. With one very long day taken care of, he had made his way back towards the Ruby Path where he would bunk down and wait for the night. He had a few more things he wanted to do, but he figured they could wait for another day. He wanted some food, rest, and after trudging through kilometers of swamp, a desperately needed shower.

Stifling a yawn, he stepped into the massive hangar that his ship was docked in, passing several Sith-Imperial soldiers, barely paying them any mind as they questioned an offworld trader. The man had apparently not received the proper forms for allowing him to do business on the capital world of the Sith Empire, and he was currently arguing with the sergeant of the small squad. Cyrus's eyes quickly passed over the man as he sensed a strong force presence nearby, one he had not detected when he had arrived. While it was entirely possible the presence belonged to a Sith; there were plenty of them around the bloody place after all, the energy he felt did not carry the familiar weight of the Dark Side.

Cyrus glanced across the hangar in the direction he felt the presence from, settling his gaze on a small freighter currently being guarded by two soldiers. If he had to guess, the freighter belonged to the man currently arguing with the sergeant. Making up his mind, Cyrus began walking towards the freighter, his stride confident as he approached the two soldiers standing guard. He certainly did not feel confident in what he was about to do, but his curiosity was driving him more than anything now. The soldiers stiffened slightly as Cyrus came to a halt before them, folding his own hands behind his back in what he hoped looked like an authoritative pose.

"Men, I have been sent to inspect this vessel. I shall let you know if I need anything." Without waiting for them to respond, Cyrus quickly brushed past them. Hopefully they would not know how to react to his sudden approach to things. The lightsaber and clothing he wore signaled him out as Sith well enough, but he doubted the authorities here would appreciate him snooping around without permission. He would have to act quickly then.

Luzeri

 

[Luzeri]

Another day of servitude, only this time, that was about the only thing that stayed the same. Alesha's handler had...changed. Abandoned the empire they were in and left, choosing to bring her with him. It wasn't like she had a choice. Whatever her actual loyalties, refusal basically meant death. And if she killed her own handler, she'd die by default. There was no changing that for her. So she obeyed.

And here they were, in territory of the sith empire. She'd never felt as many presences as she was now. Most of them were further away...except one. She stood to her feet as she felt it draw closer, right outside the ship. By instinct her own began to become shrouded, a skill she hadn't quite mastered but was usually good at. Her collapsed Lance held behind her back as she looked towards the doorway. Light or dark had their own presences, this one was dark, like many she'd sensed. Alesha herself...verged on darkness regularly. Her nature was shrouded from herself due to what she'd gone through. Whether she leaned more to one or the other she wouldn't have known. They didn't tell them enough about the force to know that the difference mattered.

She took in a breath as she watched him board. Just a woman passenger. She thought. Play a part, fake who you are. She didn't know she'd already been found out. She was too used to being the one doing the searching, hiding her presence from the start, and not doing it as a response. She looked at him as he entered, glancing at the lightsaber at his side. That was a weapon they trained her to fight. Her collapsed lance was still somewhat larger than a normal lightsaber, a little closer to that of a saberstaffs hilt. But for now it was hidden behind her back, tucked just enough into her belt to stay upright.

Alesha smiled at him, giving the appearence of nervousness as she clasped her hands together. Well, she was nervous, but that was beside the point. She could fake confidence as well as nervousness. Fronts were necessary. "Need something sir? Er, lord?"

Darth Acharon

 

[Darth Acharon]

As Cyrus climbed the small ramp into the freighters interior, he cast his senses out around him. Instinct gained from training under his master urged him to always be careful when entering a location, no matter if it was new or familiar. Paranoia was part of the Sith routine, it seemed, and Cyrus was content to play into it for now. He was still learning, still discovering his own abilities. Until he was confident in what he could and could not handle, he would play it safe. And even then, it might not hurt to look at every dark corner cautiously.

His head snapped around when he noticed the woman, his eyes narrowing briefly as he looked her over. She was cute, he had to admit, though he did not let his mind get stuck on that first observation. Logic told him she was likely just a passenger, the way she held herself and the nervous introduction she gave. If he had been in a bigger rush, he might have disregarded her presence. His training however, and his experience inspecting individuals for dancing talent growing up, told him a different story. He could see defined muscle across her body, and the way she held herself seemed almost too nervous. He was used to seeing performances, and this gave off all the signs of just such a thing.

That, and the presence he had been seeking had suddenly cut out as he boarded the freighter. He could sense nothing now. Perhaps his paranoia was getting to him, but something told him that the woman before him was more than she was trying to let on. He cocked his head to the side, the saberstaff at his side shifting slightly from the movement as he took a few steps towards her. "Are you the only passenger on board this freighter? Are there any others?"

Luzeri

 

[Luzeri]

She couldn't tell a change, but she saw the look. Kark it. She thought. Sometimes people caught on, sometimes not. Sometimes the right looks were indications. There were some issues with training a lot physically, and that lied in the muscles. They could give too much a way. She was by no means buff. She was built for agility, and that still required muscle enough to be noticed. And she was pretty sure he saw it.

Pretty sure wasn't good enough. Giving up just because of a hunch was a bad plan. Sometimes, people changed their minds. She looked again at the saber staff, taking a step back as he took a few asking her questions. The step back matched the nervousness, but it did have an extra purpose. Distance was her ally. She realized it might be his as well, saberstaff. Her lance had greater range but the ones using sabrestaffs tended to prefer the sort of mid-range of melee where they could move their feet a lot but be within kicking range.

"Yes sir, just me." She responded. That was something she didn't have need to lie about. There was too much risk for the man to really bring anyone else. Probably his own paranoia. He knew he could control Luzeri, but many members of the Risen Empire were more loyal than he was. Her gut told her to strike, the ingrained emotions of believing force sensitives were of brutish and arrogant mindset were hard to ignore. That was what they made her believe, at least on the surface of her thoughts. "Is uh, is there a problem...sir?" she asked taking another step back.

Each second she doubted further the amount he might believe. She was also worried for the life of the Handler. He still had the implants where if he died, she did too. "Uh, my name's Alesha...if that matters." true name, but only a first. There wouldn't be a way to track that on it's own. And if they could they probably wouldn't need her name at all.

Darth Acharon

 

[Darth Acharon]

Cyrus nodded his head, coming to a halt a few steps away from her. He could act now, he thought. Whoever she was, she was a talented individual. Force sensitive, he thought it was her anyway, a skilled performer, possibly even a fighter. For all he knew, she could be a spy for some outside faction. He had no ingrained loyalty to the Sith Empire, not yet anyway. But, a spy was still a problem that would need to be dealt with. If the man being questioned outside was part of it as well, it could be a large operation.

But, he did not technically have the authority to even be on the ship. He would have to try and figure this out quickly, and try not to get himself caught up in something that could backfire on him. "A problem? Possibly. The man outside, whom I believe owns this freighter, is causing some trouble with the local authority. Missing paperwork and all that." He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, something he himself had practiced plenty of times growing up.

He stepped past her, careful to keep his distance, as he made a show of looking through some of the attached rooms along the freighter. Nothing really stood out to him as he looked around, but he did not really know what to look for. He was out of his depth in terms of investigation skills. He would have to bluff his way through this. He turned to look back at her, the smile still lingering on his face, though it was a bit more natural now. "Well Alesha, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Cyrus, and I am an officer in the Port Authority of Kaas City. There have been reports lately of suspicious activity in this dockyard. Individuals trying to get through security for...suspect activates. Given how your friend outside is handling a rather routine inspection, you can understand we are a bit curious."

Lying so blatantly was perhaps not the best solution. He was swinging wide in his little talk, and he just hopped that he might be able to hit something and make it stick. Otherwise, he might be in some trouble himself. That, and he still needed to gauge the woman before him for any potential force talents and combat abilities. Goading her into striking first might be his best chance at handling whatever she could throw. He did not like the prospect of initiating any potential fight unaware of what she could do.

Luzeri

 

[Luzeri]

He stopped closing the distance, thankfully. It was true that the appearance of nervousness was a practiced act, but she still had it. She wasn't in Risen Empire territory, this was Sith. And a wrong move could cost her dearly. She was unaware of the fact Cyrus wasn't supposed to be here. Honestly, from what the Risen Empire had brought her up on, she assumed force users in other factions simply had absolute power and authority. Did what they wanted because they could. Because they were barbaric. That was what she was told anyway.

He answered her question, sort of, about missing paperwork. She looked down biting her lip and furrowing her brow, "That's uh...that's pretty bad huh." she with a concerned voice and eyes. She was, but not for his sake. Another dance-around of the issue. If he'd stepped down and let her lead the way, she'd probably have figured out all the requirements to get here. Temporary Infiltration of locations was literally her job. Not on a big or long term scale, but on this it shouldn't have been hard to do things legitimately.

As he stepped passed her, she moved further to the side out of his way, and swiveling to always keep her lance opposite him and out of sight. She hoped anyway. Bowing her head as she passed. He gave a smile, and she gave an uncertain one. Just playing the part. Holding herself within herself so the part could play itself.

She couldn't be sure he was lying. She had some skill at searching minds, but that was for the minds of regulars. People who were not prepared for the invasion of the force. He wouldn't be so easy to do that on, so she didn't. And that meant she couldn't know just how much of what he was saying was just a lie. "Well...it's uh, pleasure to meet you too Lord Cyrus." the term lord was very intentional even if it was said as if with uncertainty, appeal to pride she hoped, make him look down on her enough, and he may not care about her or her handler, "I think he's just a bit...careless. He's not the best at keeping things in order. I'm sure you could search the ship if that would solve all of this."

Dancing through stories and faces, tones and deceptions. They were both trying some form of trick. Though Cyrus had the upper hand in some of it, she had no way to know he was lying. Hers were caught much earlier. However, that didn't mean she wouldn't try and push things. She had to be specific about how she went about it.

She looked at his lightsaber for a moment, then up at him before returning her gaze down, "So uh...these inspections. Do they usually require a sith? Isn't dealing with inspections a bit bland?" she looked up again, this time towards his eyes, making it even easier to see how much one of hers was paler than the other. Scarred from torture. But they were still looking. Discerning.

Darth Acharon

 

[Darth Acharon]

Cyrus inclined his head slightly to Alesha as he went to go inspect the cockpit. He spent only a short time there before returning, his hands resting comfortably behind his back. "It certainly is not the easiest of circumstances to let slide. And please, I am no Lord. You may refer to me simply as Cyrus for now." As he spoke, hot noted how she had turned her body while he looked around the freighter. She was doing her best to make sure he never saw her back. Perhaps for propriety reasons, or, as he thought more likely, because she was likely armed.

"Yes, from what I have seen keeping things in order is...not his strongest talent." As he spoke, he poked a rather large pile of clothing on one of the nearby counters, tipping it over onto the floor. Grunting, he toed the pile out of the main walkway as he glanced around once more. "Oh, and inspection is underway already, Alesha. As we speak Sith-Imperial soldiers have begun the process of surrounding this vessel, and going through every piece of information we can find. If anything is being hidden, we will find it."

With the last statement, he turned fully to face her, his eyes narrowed. "As for why a Sith is leading such an inspection, it really depends on what is being hidden from us that determines if it is bland, don't you think?" He let the words trail off slightly as he watched her. He was not sure if she was hostile anymore. He had given her several chances to hit him from behind, when he would likely be the most vulnerable to any form of ambush. And yet, she had remained where she was. Perhaps there was something else at work here.

Luzeri

 

[Luzeri]

She nodded her head again, "Ah, sorry, thank you...Cyrus." she said smiling slightly. He agreed on the issue of cleanliness. She felt a bit of pain inside her as he said inspection was already underway, the vessel surrounded and looking up anything. If they had the right information they would eventually see it came from the Risen Empire, who didn't exactly have high regards for force users in high rank. So there was fair chances that if that was something they were able to discover, they'd be on worse terms. And she'd be in danger. Traitors or not, that didn't mean the Sith would believe it. Course, she still didn't know that not all of what was said was true.

He prompted a question in response to her own. He knew something was up. But she couldn't tell by how much. Was he just suspicious? Had he caught on to her already? Or was it only that they came from the Risen empire, which was it's own issue. Her mind began to move faster trying to process the best option. She couldn't stealth her way out of this. Were she alone, and in this kind of situation, the best option for her was probably to hide her presence and hide her appearance. Disappearing and escaping.

That was not an option here. If she did that, her handler could get killed. Same with if she tried to start a fight in here. Force sensitives had a habit of sometimes at least surviving the first hit, and if they heard a fight start inside, another might start outside. So she continued the act, few other options. Maybe, even if he did suspect something, he'd grow bored. "Well naturally lor-I mean Cyrus"

"Is there anything I can do to help speed things up? Or assure you we are genuine?" She asked raising her head a bit, "Or perhaps offer some help with something?"

Darth Acharon

 

[Darth Acharon]

He felt a sudden shift in the conversation, and a new avenue opened up in his mind for what could be happening here. For some, learning to appear nervous and submissive was a way of life. He turned his head, glancing at the wall of the freighter, beyond which, though neither of them could physically see, was the man still arguing outside. Fury boiled within him as he thought, and a brief wave of barely controlled wrath flowed from him before he regained his control. He turned to look back at Alesha, his face softening slightly.

"Alesha...what is that man to you?" His words were soft as he spoke, and he almost dreaded what the answer might be. Slavery was legal within the Sith Empire, a practice that he himself could not stand to see. If this man was fleeing from wherever he was from, and had taken this woman as a captive, or even a slave, he might have come hoping to find leniency, or possibility even profit within the Sith Empire. Neither was entirely impossible, and if it was not for the fact that he was causing a scene, he might have gotten away with it. It still did not explain everything that was going on, and he was still wary around the woman, but he did not try and prod now.

"Tell me truthfully, and that will be more than enough help." Cyrus tilted he head to the side slightly, trying to gauge any possible reaction she might give, willing or otherwise.

Luzeri

 

[Luzeri]

She saw the face soften, unsure if it was real or not. And then heard his question. Kark it. She thought. She looked to the wall as if she could see him. She knew where he was. She knew slavery was legal here. She couldn't pass for his wife, even if he'd thought to come up with that idea he lacked the acting skill to pull it off. She wasn't given the time or information to come up with an excuse for being here as an only passenger.

The simplest and most believable answer was the one close to the truth. She heard his prompt and shut her eyes for moment. He could see the muscles on her face relax. Not to a state of relaxation emotionally, merely one of letting go. She looked back up, this time less nervous in appearance. Just still quiet. She wasn't aggressive or trying to intimidate, it was still submissive, but it was less fearful of him specifically.

"He's my owner." She said quietly. Yes, the word they used was handler. But the Sith Empire would view it as slavery. And so did her Handler, essentially. She decided, it would be best to speak again, "And there's nothing I can do about it. If he dies, so do I. And if he chooses to kill me, he can."

She stopped hiding her presence. There was no further point in that failed deceit. "Will you...let us pass?" she asked. She didn't consider any help even plausible. She didn't think anyone would help her, nor that they could if they had the urge to. She'd resigned herself a long time ago.

Darth Acharon

 

[Darth Acharon]

Cyrus let out a restrained breath of air, reaching up with his right hand to run it through his already disheveled hair. He stopped when he got a whiff of what was in his hair though, and lowered his hand to rest it on the counter where the clothing had been. It was as he suspected, and evidently much worse. His initial thought was to simply order the man outside to be taken away, but whether or not he had the actual authority to do so was only one of the problems he faced. If what she said was true, such separation might be her death.

The Sith were trained to be heartless, cold, and ruthless killing machines. But they were also told to connect with their emotions, and let them guide their actions. In the end, Cyrus let his emotions win out. Grunting, he sat down in a nearby alcove, watching Alesha cautiously as he spoke. "I will not let you pass. I may be Sith, but I do not condone the kind of servitude and threat he forces you to live under." Leaning back in the alcove, Cyrus rested his head against the wall for a few seconds while he thought, his mind racing through all the possibilities.

Without opening his eyes, he spoke to her again, his voice quite. "If I were to offer you the chance to be free of him, what would you do with it?"

Luzeri

 

[Luzeri]

This was not simple slavery where the way out was either murder or run. It was a lot more difficult than that. She furrowed her brow, thinking on moving a hand to the weapon at her back as he said he wouldn't let her pass. And then he finished what he was saying. She looked up uncertain, almost in disbelief at what he just said. "What." she said quietly in response.

He had his eyes closed as he spoke. He was suggesting an out. She still wasn't sure that was possible but...just maybe. Just maybe there was a way, she wasn't sure what it was, but, "If that were a thing that could happen. I would take it." she said her voice had a hint of hope, and yet still fear in it. If she stepped out of line, if anything went wrong. She'd wind up dead.

But...if there was a chance. A real chance. Then she wasn't sure she had the strength to refuse. The strength to live with not doing whatever was necessary to release her from her handler. She didn't know what freedom was like. Maybe she wouldn't be free. But at least if she wasn't bound to the arguing man outside the freighter, than she could find some joy.

Darth Acharon

 

[Darth Acharon]

Cyrus shrugged his shoulders, leaning forward. He folded his hands together and rested his chin on them, his elbows balanced on his legs. "I am an idealist, Alesha. I have not been part of this world for long, and a Sith for even less time, but there are things I have come to understand. The Sith creed calls for survival of the fittest. Being forced to submit to another through technology, when you have not been given the chance to prove your own ability is a waste of potential."

Rising to his feet, Cyrus walked towards Alesha. Halting a few steps away, he pointed towards the ramp of the freighter. The smile on his face was real this time as he spoke, a slight glitter in his eyes. "That, and it would be a shame to see a lovely lady like yourself held captive by that man outside." He started walking towards the ramp then, an almost cheery skip to it.

"Come on, I know someone who is really good with knives. Lets knock the guy outside unconscious and see what we can do about giving you a chance to escape this life." Halting at the top of the ramp, Cyrus turned to look at Alesha, tilting his head slightly. "That is, if you are willing to fight for it."

Luzeri

 

[Luzeri]

Alesha listened intently as he spoke about being sith and their creed. Survival of the fittest. Apparently that did not consider technology a sufficient measure of superiority, and therefor, her inferiority. That brought another blip of hope to her again. That there was just another way of life to the one she'd had to live. Anything outside of where she was felt like an upward step though.

He smiled, legitimately, with an added compliment. She hesitated, she didn't know how to react to that bit. Those things were only used by people who didn't know what she was, and when that was the case she was 'in character' so to speak. They did not happen often and never to the actual her. She just paused for a moment, "...thank you."

And he was out with a cheery step telling her to follow. A plan given, but only if she was willing to work to make it happen. She took in a deep breath shutting her eyes for a moment to remind her that things were actually changing, "Ok. I will do what it takes." she said smiling. She was stressed, absolutely none of this was familiar.

But that was hopefully going to be a good thing.

Darth Acharon