Private Delivery and Captivity

[Kayden Lind]

KORRIBAN-SITH TERRITORY

INTERACTING WITH: Lirka Ka

Outfit (No Gloves)

---

Upon the Vagrant's Pride, Kayden Lind shifted anxiously in his seat, waiting. Wouldn't be too much longer before they arrived on Korriban.

As he shifted, his hands gripped tighter onto the small package he held in his hands. An iron box sealed shut, with no mechanism of any kind on the outside to denote a way to unlock it. On the top in bold lettering was engraved into the metal, a message. Or rather, a recipient. "Lirka Ka." Underneath this moniker was a set of coordinates, which Kayden had punched into the Vagrant's navigational system. The Sith Order had given this delivery task to his master, Quinn, who had subsequently given the task to her second apprentice. Him.

The newest Sith on the block.

It was a relatively easy task, Kayden knew this well. So why did he have an anxious pit in his stomach? Was something wrong?

"Second Apprentice Lind, we are arriving on Korriban momentarily, near the coordinates requested."

Kayden jolted in his seat, startled at the sudden voice.

The ships current pilot, Polsk Tukrin had made his way out of the control center and into the common room, standing at attention. They held awkward eye contact for a moment, before Kayden realized he was likely waiting for a response.

"Thanks Polsk, I'll get ready to go."

Polsk, nodded, leaving him alone once more. Kayden sighed, and stood up.

Time to make a delivery.

---

Upon a smooth and successful landing, Kayden stepped down off the landing pad of the Vagrant, and took a deep breath of the cold, dry Korriban air. Travelling to new planets was still a fresh feeling for him, and the rocky, frigid climate of this ancient Sith planet was certainly a change of pace from Coruscant's lower levels.

He took in the horizon for a moment, before a quick turn behind him immediately revealed the destination of his coordinates. A large dull colored mountain sat behind his masters ship, casting a heavy shadow down upon it. At the mountains base sat a large, man made, cave opening. As Kayden moved closer, he could hear the distant sounds of work inside. Must be a Sith mining corporation of some sort, who had painted their emblem on the mountain out front. Kayden had no idea the Sith were in the business of hiring employees to do their monotonous, low skill jobs, but the sounds of hard work inside the cave suggested exactly that.

He supposed they had to make revenue one way or another.

He cautiously stepped forward through the mouth of the cave, package in hand. He found himself at a makeshift pulley elevator station, where the sounds of men and women on the job could be heard below. Sounds of rock breaking against metal filled the cave. At the top where he currently stood, sat doors to the left and right. One, opened, seemed to lead into a supply closet of some sort, with mining tools stacked on the walls.

The other, a much nicer entrance, but shut, had red lettering on the front.

General Lirka Ka.

He had found her.

Gathering himself, he raised his hand to the door and knocked three times in rapid succession.

 

[Lirka Ka]

Lirka did not like Korriban very much. Well…she actually didn’t like it at all. She hated history, and this planet was steeped in the ancient lore of the Sith: ancient lore that she found dreadfully uninteresting, and had been forced into dealing with many-a-Sith’s obsession with the days of yore. In fact, it was that very reason why she had ended up in “her” current operation. Slaves toiled away through rock and stone to hopefully unearth something of value lost to time.

Admittedly, Lirka didn’t particularly care if they did. The weak could toil and die till the stars grew cold for all she cared, there were more pressing things at hand. Politicking.

Slavery was a contentious issue in the Galaxy, and the Sith Order. The emperor had banned the practice, much to Lirka’s chagrin, though thankfully by the will of her dark master Carnifex had allowed Lirka to continue in the profession she had deemed to be of holy significance under the shadow of the Kainate. A shadow Lirka intended to grow, draw faces into the fold and mold who or what she could into forms most suitable for her continued existence.

A simple package had been requested to help fulfill that purpose. A lesson. Something for Lirka to curate her way through the order in the guise of service to the Eternal Father. Such was the grim deception of politics, after all. Hearing the knock on the door, Lirka quickly reattached her blank-faced helmet over her head with the hiss of pressurization. Letting her thunderous, distorted, voice ring out through the earth around them - casual, with that hint of anticipation in it.

“Enter.”

Kayden Lind would be met with the hulking metallic form of Lirka Ka once he entered. A massive…something…clad in a powersuit that shined with glimmering dark iron and plundered Beskar from tasks most cruel. Lirka was thankful her helmet hid her face, for the disappointment that flashed across it would have made for a rather awkward meeting. She had expected the master, not the apprentice.

But disappointment quickly transformed to glee. A fresh Sithling. Unburdened by the biases that plagued the Order, unburdened by the weight of long and arduous duty. Something she deemed…moldable. She quickly spoke, letting the distortion from her helm lower so that the thick alien accent of her words could shine.

“Ah, welcome Acolyte. I see you have brought what I requested. The Eternal Father will be pleased.”

Well. It was time for Lirka to wear that veneer of a good Sith-Imperial for now. No point revealing all her cards to the boy just yet.

 

[Kayden Lind]

KORRIBAN-SITH TERRITORY

INTERACTING WITH: Lirka Ka

Outfit (No Mask)

---

---

"Enter."

The voice from behind the door was booming and intimidating, but the tone of speaking casual. Kayden took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

Inside he saw Lirka Ka, clad in a powersuit of glimmering dark iron and Beskar. Her presence was intimidating, and the suit itself impressive to behold. He reeled back a step or two upon entering, then quickly steeled himself. Best to not prove himself a coward on the first meeting.

"Ah, welcome Acolyte. I see you have brought what I requested. The Eternal Father will be pleased."

Eternal Father? Who the hell is that?

Kayden realized he was standing there awkwardly, still taking in Lirkas hulking form. What was the proper conduct here? Was he to kneel out of respect? To bow or salute? What was the proper way to address this general?

Better safe than sorry he supposed, as he went to one knee, his head bowed before her.

"General Ka, I have brought you the package you have requested."

He sat in that position for a moment, before standing, and placing the parcel on a small table sitting in the center of the room. His curiosity burned furiously inside of him to rip it open, reveal what was inside. He suppressed the urge, and turned back to Lirka.

"I wasn't aware the Sith Order was in the business of excavating and mining operations. I saw the emblem painted on the front of the cave, and heard them working down below. I wouldn't have though to the Sith to be so... monetarily savvy."

Kayden looked at the parcel again, eyes questioning it once more, before looking back up.

"Is there anything else you need General? Before I depart?”

 

[Lirka Ka]

That ever so brief moment of shock, of horror, that dribble of terror at the sight of a monolith of steel. Lirka relished it - she chased it at every moment, perhaps that is why she had been spending so much time tormenting acolytes. They lacked that crucial information about Lirka, her triumphs, her failures. To them, how could she be anything but another odd monster in the menagerie?

The awkwardness hung in the air for a moment, oh how humorous the youth were. As the Sithling fell to one knee in respect, the cold glowing lenses of her helmet looked down upon her form. Lirka did not speak, letting the awkwardness dangle for a few moments longer - relishing in the little torments she could inflict upon these would-be-darths - before speaking again, her voice softer though lacking none of its razor edge.

"Get up, boy. If I wanted you to kneel, I would bid it so."

In truth, Lirka didn't mind the gesture one bit. But Lirka Ka was a woman built upon a myriad of personas and manipulations - today she had decided upon a more casual one. There was enough bowing and kneeling in the Empire, and especially upon Korriban where many a dark lord decided to dwell. Let this moment be one of two "loyal" souls.

As he placed this package upon the table, Lirka acknowledged it none. Instead seemingly far more interested with the arrival of this newcomer, fresh meat in a predator's lair. She spoke, calmly, with the slightest hint of amusement at his naivity.

"Oh most certainly. This is Korriban after all, a dust ball littered with all sorts of ancient meaningless relics. I've been cursed with watching over the whelps crack their way from earth and rock in hopes of finding some dusty old ruins - a miserable thing. Really. Though I fail to see how the toil of meat has anything to do with the economic prowess of the Sith."

He must not have realized what was going on here. That these miserable souls were slave workers, even lower than the underpaid masses that worked and toiled in the Order's domain. Humorous, very humorous.

"Yes. I think I do need something from you Acolyte - a few moments of your time. You are a new face to me, and I believe rather heavily in the power of knowledge. I'm sure you can understand. Now tell me, Sithling. Do you know who we are?"

The ever crucial bit. Just how much does someone know about the Kainate, and their many dark dealings?

 

[Kayden Lind]

KORRIBAN-SITH TERRITORY

INTERACTING WITH: Lirka Ka

Outfit (No Mask)

---

---

Kayden face flushed ever so slightly as the General critiqued his reverent kneel, but bowed his head to keep it concealed. Upon his emergence into the Sith Order, he had quickly learned just how easy it was for someone unfamiliar with their customs to embarrass themselves. He re-adjusted his black cloak as Lirka continued to speak, her low, mechanically filtered voice unsettling him. Though he dare not show it.

"Though I fail to see how the toil of meat has anything to do with the economic prowess of the Sith."

Kayden grimaced at her harsh wording, but recollected himself. Adjusting to the harsh nature of the Sith mentality was still something he was still learning. The toil of meat? Some boss Lirka was, Sith or not, if she spoke of her employees in that manner. He imagined the working conditions under her rule couldn't be very pleasant.

"Now tell me, Sithling. Do you know who we are?"

His wariness of Lirka began to fade as she engaged him in conversation. She seemed like a helpful person to know. And judging by her title, a powerful one as well.

"I apologize General, but I'm afraid that I'm not familiar with this organization. I'm rather new to the ways of the Sith in general as a matter of fact. My master, Quinn Varanin entrusted me with this mission, but didn't provide me many details on the nature of the recipient."

He shifted, uncomfortable. Did that sound rude?

"Not her fault of course!" He quickly clarified, as he steeled himself, his back straightening.

"It was a spur of the moment assignment, and goodness knows that she is busy with her work in the Order. I am curious however, so please inform me. What group is behind these operations? Clearly an efficient and tactful one."

He hoped his positive recognition wouldn't go unnoticed. Lirka did not seem to be someone he would want to cross.

 

[Lirka Ka]

Youth were such an odd thing; at times, they bemused Lirka, and other times, they annoyed her in ways so deep and so pure it caused her near physical pain, Kayden Lind was a very lucky acolyte in that his mannerisms had currently landed himself in the former. He had the awkwardness that came with fresh meat, but such things could easily be fixed. Yet his embarrassment at stumbling through unfamiliar customs was a curse he would be forced to bear when dealing with Lirka Ka. The Once-Sephi was so far removed from her Sith fellows, their traditions were all but foreign to her own.

Such as her cruelty even being higher than that of many of her Sith peers. Lirka had taught herself much on the distant world of Rhand, a place of boundless, and endless, cruelty: a world of people who venerated the annihilation of all things. To say it had an affect on Lirka's demeanor would have been an understatement. Life was viewed in two ways - those whom were useful to Lirka, and those who were nothing but meat.

A noise garbled out of Lirka's helmet, perhaps a scoff at the Acolyte's naivety.

"What are they teaching Acolytes these days?"

She stated both rhetorically and unseriously. A sly grin beneath her helmet meant only for herself. If only poor Kayden knew that Lirka was just as much of a liability to know as a possible help. Lirka was a user of people at the end of the day, after all.

"I am aware of your master, Acolyte. Do give the princess my best regards."

And Lirka certainly wished the royal was here. But, such was the way of things. Lirka noted his words, the corrections. He certainly seemed to lakc that killers edge that she had seen in many of the Sithlings, but time would tell. He was apart of the foundation upon with the order was built, after all. It paid to pay attention to his lot, perhaps even more so than potential heirs like the good princess. Besides, what better a person to preach the good word of her master?

"I note your eagerness, Acolyte. The "tactful and efficient" organization you see before you is the Kainate. Servants of Darth Carnifex, the Eternal Father, Tyrant King, former Emperor, and a myriad of other titles I could list till the sun sets."

She started simple, no need to overload the boy just yet.

 

[Kayden Lind]

KORRIBAN-SITH TERRITORY

INTERACTING WITH: Lirka Ka

Outfit (No Mask)

---

---

The Kainate.

Kayden would make sure to remember that name.

As Lirka began to spell out the nature of the faction she served, he could feel the passion and zeal drip from her words. She spoke about this man, this Darth Carnifex, as if he were some sort of dark god. Perhaps he was. With the Sith, Kayden had come to the understanding that the most wild and nefarious option was usually the correct one.

Lirka knew of his master as well. It was likely best to continue holding an air of respect then, he didn't need a bad report returned to Quinn. As for the topic at hand, this Darth Carnifex, he was interested. He decided he would pry further into the operations here.

"Though I admit I've only been apart of the Order for a short time, the name Carnifex has never come up. The way you speak of him however General, intrigues me. What actions might one have committed to earn the mantra Eternal Father?"

He shifted his weight uncomfortably, a shiver slinking down his spine. Even as he spoke the name he felt it had a strange power to it. The Dark Side was wrapped around this Carnifex, he could sense it.

"Forgive me if I overstep General, but the Sith seem to rarely wish themselves subordinate to another. It is interesting to me that one as fearsome as yourself would bend their head to orders from above. Why do you do so?"

He watched Lirka intently, eager for further information.

 

[Lirka Ka]

If Lirka could impart something upon the youth, it would be something memorable - be it a name, or a scar.

Lirka’s true affections for Carnifex were a bizarre thing. Many a Kainite believed him a godly thing, and worshipped him as such. The Sith’ari, they said. Lirka did not believe in such tales. Nay, Carnifex was freedom. For the Tyrant-King demanded platitudes, and good service, and with those two things came a leash long enough for Lirka to indulge in every selfish foulness she could image. It allowed her to continue her “holy work” as a slaver, and to plot and scheme under the noses of the Sith. It was elation.

Admittedly, she knew the master of Cassian Vornis not very well at all, they had shared pleasantries once - and Lirka had only learned of her existence not too long before that. Yet, a Sephi lived a long time. To be fascinated with the future came with such a thing, a pulse on the shape of things to come. Perhaps that is why she had become so fascinated with burgeoning Acolytes as of late.

She spoke again, keeping an air of casualness - though it pained her to do so.

“I am not surprised. Carnifex has many an ally, and many a foe. It comes with a long, storied, life. You simply must visit the right places, I recommend a pilgrimage to Dromund Kaas. Many of my fellow Kainites call that holy world home. Yet I am glad my Lord has caught your intrigue…”

She paused for a moment, as if strumming over her words to consider how to respond to his question.

“I believe it is two-fold, from a philosophical standpoint Carnifex is much like a father’s guiding hand pointing the Kainate and its Sith Kabal in a direction most suitable in furthering the goals of the Dark Side, and nurturing the strength and darkness within his fellows. From a more…literal…standpoint, the bloodline of Carnifex runs deep, and wide.”

She had pondered the title more than a few times herself, but well, Sith called themselves the damndest things didn’t they?

A mechanical noise growled out of her helmet as Lirka leaned forwarded just enough so that the two could be eye level. Perhaps he had chosen his words poorly, perhaps she was merely testing the waters. It was hard to tell.

“Be wise with your words, little Sithling. For I am no lickspittle.”

As quickly as her venom flared, it disappeared like the flipping of a coin as she leaned back. Returning to casualness as if the bout had never even happened.

“I am not a Sith. I exist outside the bounds of your order, you need but feel the void of my being to understand why. I serve Carnifex because Carnifex is power, a dark font of cruel legacy upon which we can find succor in the shadow of his achievements. Relics of great power. Ancient lore. My personal forte of weapons, warships, and warriors. Carnifex rewards those who serve him greatly so long as they offer him loyalty and platitudes when the time comes.”

 

[Kayden Lind]

//:Korriban-Sith Territory:\\

//:Attire:\\

//:Current Theme:\\

( Lirka Ka )

​

Kayden nodded his head fervently as Lirka continued to speak on Carnifex's great

ideology, attempting to portray a keen interest in the topic at hand. When it was all said and done however, he would never bow to this "Tyrant-King" in actuality unless he could present one of two things before him: Proof of divinity, or freedom from the terror in his head. And it was there,as his thoughts rested on Carnifex,that The Voice returned.

Inside of his mind sounded a dull, guttural whisper, savage and hungry.

"Carnifex? Caaaaaaaarnifex. A name that reeks of such dreadful power... Caaaaaaarnifeeeeeex."​

As The Voice inside of him rang the name a third time, Kayden felt an all too familiar white hot pain. For this specific instance however, it felt like a cascade of magma running down his back, scalding him from the inside out. He closed his eyes, grimacing, sweat beading upon his brow as he desperately tried to blink away the pain. His vision blurred, before it refocused on Lirka.

​

"Be wise with your words, little Sithling. For I am no lickspittle."

He was being scolded. As quickly as it had come, the pain vanished from his body, leaving him standing there, panting to regain his breath before her. As she finished her berating, Kayden straightened himself, hoping to hide any signs of his discomfort.

"I am not a Sith. I exist outside the bounds of your order, you need but feel the void of my being to understand why."

Kayden's nose scrunched in confusion before he understood the truth of what she was saying. Closing his eyes, he reached out with The Force, feeling for a response for Lirkas person.

Nothing. Lirka Ka was force dead.

Though her lack of force ability clearly did not equate to a lack of cunning.She had struck a deal with a mighty being in return for status and influence. Her devotion to Carnifex in return for great power. Perhaps power that Kayden could find use of as well.

"General I apologize if I made any poor impression upon you with my statement. I merely meant to question how a person as noble as yourself could let their raw might be pledged to another. I see clearly now that this question was misguided. I find your allegiance to this Carnifex to be admirable, and by all metrics a wise decision."

Although admirable was thrown in simply to sweeten his approach, he did find Lirka's allegiance to the Kainate to be an extremely valuable choice. One that Kayden might be able to hop in on for his own personal benefit...

"General, this Darth Carnifex. You speak of him as if he wields power unimaginable! What would you happen to know about his proficiency in powers of healing? Is that something he can do? And just out of curiosity,say that someone wanted to win favor with these Kainates such as yourself. What is the process?"

As he spoke his words grew hungry. Desperate.

​

 

[Lirka Ka]

His fascinations only spurred Lirka further on, the prospects of power had that affect on the people Lirka kept interest in. People cut from a similar cloth to herself, who understood that the path of power sometimes began in the shadows of dreadful, evil, things. Perhaps after their little meeting today this Kayden Lind would see the foul strength the Butcher King gifted upon his servants, like the ichor that burned through Lirka's veins.

From fascination to pain? Well, that certainly piqued Lirka's interested. Her head cocked ever so slightly, and despite her helmet being an emotionless thing - the look she gave Kayden was evidently a quizzical one. These Sithlings, such a colorful bunch.

Something ails you, Acolyte?"

From some, such a question may have come from a place of concern, empathy for a fellow sentient in pain. Not Lirka. She cared little for her fellows, and only cared ever so slightly more for those who flew the same flag as her. Nay, she asked the question with a scientist's curiosity. As if she was prodding at one of her foul experiments. There was no greater thing in this Galaxy than knowledge, after all.

Like always, Lirka's expressions flipped rapidly. For questioning soon turned to a dull, humorless, laugh at his words. Perhaps she relished in his attempts to cover up for poor wording, only to unfortunately stumble into those he never could've expected. He was a lucky Acolyte, he had made a good first impression all in all.

"It is a shame then, Acolyte. Nobility is against my religion."

Was she serious? Or just a way to torment his naivety? Lirka would never tell.

"I believe in the path of power, and the freedom of strength. Carnifex offers it. It is as simple as that, there is a saying among my Lord and his kindred: "the strong will do as they do, the weak will suffer as they must". Simple, yet poignant. That is true freedom."

Lirka noted the Acolyte's desperations. Healing? How very interesting indeed. For a moment Lirka pondered offering to put him under the knife in one of her labs, she was sure she could move a few bits and bobs around and graft a few new sections and he'd be proper "healed" just like herself. Yet, she answered him truthfully - a grimness in her tone.

"With my own two eyes, I watched him reknit his own flesh by will alone. The specifics are lost on me, my body does not operate as most of your lots' does. But, he is capable of it. Will he teach it to you? Maybe one day, Acolyte. But the Butcher King does not grant audience to any and all, you will prove yourself first. That is favor, yet platitudes work just as well. Follow our way, Eternal Rule, declare the Eternal-Father the Sith'ari, walk the shadowed path the Dyarchs have set out. Kill. Destroy. Dominate. Prove yourself to do as the Strong do, not suffer what the weak must."

 

[Kayden Lind]

//:Korriban-Sith Territory:\\

//:Attire:\\

//:Current Theme:\\

( Lirka Ka )

​

He felt as if Lirka was always one step ahead. And that he was always two behind, and usually just itching to say the wrong thing. As Lirka inquired on his instance of pain, he shook his head dismissively.

"My apologies General. I- I'm just having difficulty adjusting to Korribans atmosphere. Significantly more pressure than my homeworld."

He straightened himself out once more, ready to listen, making sure to keep attentive.

Kayden's eyes widened as Lirka described, in glorious detail, the healing and restoration powers of Carnifex. It was exactly what he had wanted to hear. Perhaps he could get his situation sorted out soon after all, if he could find an audience with this man. Though the way Lirka described it, an audience with Carnifex was not an easy one to attain.

No matter. He was more than willing to work for it. Life had never handed him anything free, and it certainly wasn't going to start now. Not when he was among the Sith.

While he did find use in the hope of healing for his corrupted conscience, the ideology that she presented him with did not sit quite right with his reasoning.

"The strong will do as they do... the weak will suffer as they must?"

He echoed Lirka's statement, but not with the zeal and confidence that she had. He posed it more as a question, not a abruptly forward one, but curious, toying with the idea. He supposed it made sense. In his exceedingly short time in the Order, he had learned one thing to be certain: these Sith were opportunistic and power hungry. A good trait to have,he supposed, as long as it was in moderation.

While he wasn't all too keen quite yet on the idea of ruthless killing, especially against those with no means of defense, he figured it'd likely be best to appease and appeal to Lirka and her Emperor. He needed a means to his end.

He needed healing.

"The strong will do as they do. The weak will suffer as they must."

As he spoke the words again, he did so with a firm vigor. Time to show that he meant business.

"It is an honor to receive such guidance from one who sits in such an esteemed station under our Emperors rule. There is no overstating my eagerness to receive an audience before Carnifex, and to declare his divinity as Sith'ari in his presence. However, there is a piece of truth I am hesitant to share. I am no killer General. Truly I am not. To kill is not in my nature, and I would hate for this to estrange me from the Butcher Kings good graces."


He focused, and steeled himself to gaze on Lirka head on.


"Though I don't wish to kill, I wish to serve in any manner I can. I hate to be overbold General, but is there any pressing Kainate task that you know needs accomplishing? A launching pad onto the path towards Carnifex, so to speak."


He bowed his head in respect, his tone lowering.


"And of course, any opportunity to assist or serve you is an honor in itself."

​

 

[Lirka Ka]

Old age gave many a boon to a Sephi. Perception was merely one such thing. She studied him, noted the little words and expressions. For in old age had also come madness, and with madness came Lirka’s immense paranoia: it paid to keep an eye on your fellows sometime, you never knew who had a knife waiting.

Yet, evidently it seemed that Kayden Lind would most certainly not be another blade in the dark pointed for Lirka’s throat. She looked at him for a few silent moments, letting his answer hang in the air before answering herself.

“Ah, but of course Acolyte.”

She felt no reason to pry, not yet. Acolytes had a high mortality rate, getting overly invested in the boy had a good chance of disappointment when some myriad of things could reduce him to another corpse. As he repeated the Mantra, Lirka gave him a nod of her helmeted head in agreement.

“Correct, Acolyte. You will come to understand, if you become old like myself, that is a fundamental tenant of power.”

A fundamental tenant if you followed the cruel path of tyrants, warlords, and dictators. A path that it seemed dear Kayden was far from, his lack of desire to kill reached Lirka’s ears. Her frown was immediate. Her disgust was palpable. The boy spoke weakness, he spoke pure heresy under Primordial Darkness. He had been wise to be hesitant.

In an instant, from some compartment on her armor, there was a snap of her machete unfurling and revealing itself. The whistle of songsteel through the air and the roar of the weapon’s energy coming to life. She swung at his neck, though stopped moment’s before she took his head off. Letting the weapon hang there, the crackling heat of electo-plasma filament far too close for comfort.

“Are you a Sith, or are you a whelp?”

Her words hissed out, the venom had returned. She didn’t wait for him to answer.

“We are the strong, we are killers, we are tyrants, we are what the Dark Side bids for us. Fragile, weak, morality has no place on the path to power Acolyte. I am the Slavemaster General, I reached my station by the misery of a dying world and the deaths of millions. Yet all I see before me today is a boy groveling at my feet out of desperation.”

She leaned forward, her blade deathly still. The glowing lenses of her eyes burned with wicked intent despite their plainness.

“I should kill you on the spot, just to make a point. Luckily for you, Acolyte, Primordial Darkness bids transience as a fundamental aspect of our reality.”

More prattling. Lirka had some…interesting ideas about how the Galaxy works.

“You want a launch pad? I will give you one.”

Her weapon went cold, finally leaving his neck. She turned, walking to the package he had brought with no fear of attack. She thought little of him now, but Lirka knew there was still something there to be molded into greatness.

With a few clicks, the thing opened and in her claws appeared a simple tracking fob. Beeping ever so slightly as it attempted to herald the pair off into the sands of Korriban.

“One of the slaves toiling here has escaped. You want favor? You will come with me, we will find this runaway meat. And I will see just how worthy you are.”

 

[Kayden Lind]

//:Korriban-Sith Territory:\\

//:Attire:\\

//:Current Theme:\\

( Lirka Ka )

​

Lirka was terrifyingly swift in movement as she brandished her machete, halting it mere inches from Kayden's neck. He closed his eyes, bracing for the worst as the white hot heat of the electro-plasma surging through the blade threatened to sear his throat. He could've reached for Heritage, but knew that the moment he reached for a weapon his head was coming clean off. Not to mention the paralyzing fear that coursed through him preventing any kind of movement.

"Are you a Sith, or are you a whelp?"

His eyes shot open, locking onto hers. Or at least his best guess of where they would be through her mask. Though standing in an all too precarious position, his eyes blazed with defiance.

"I may not be a killer General, but a welp is something I will never be."

His eyes shifted from defiant to struck with horror as Lirka explained the true nature of her title and operations on this planet. She was a Slavemaster, and the sounds of toiling he had heard down the elevator below were slaves! The very thought of it repulsed him. He had witnessed displays of cruelty among the order, but Lirka Ka was a different kind of cruel. She was sadistic. He remembered when Norroku told him tales of slavery, and her experience as an ex slave to the Hutts. Somehow, even after surviving such a horrific experience, she imparted him with wisdom on the subject.

"The one who enslaves another is just as much a slave as the one they own."

Though the thought of her occupation cause bile to stir in his throat, he forced himself to remember he was subscribed to a different kind of life now. He had to blend in. The path to healing required no less.

Thus, against his better moral judgement, he held his tongue.

"One of the slaves toiling here has escaped. You want favor? You will come with me, we will find this runaway meat. And I will see just how worthy you are."

As she removed the blade from his throat, he exhaled a subtle sigh of relief. Lirka was unpredictable. He could've been gone right there, had she wished it so. Now however, another problem was presented before him. He was to hunt down a slave by Lirka's side? Once more he held himself from declaring his true thoughts. Introspective questions seared through him. Would him agreeing to help her put them on the same plane of evil?

No, he decided. This was a necessary evil he was required to commit. And perhaps if he was there, he could spare the slave any furthering suffering brought by Lirka's dreadful wrath.

"My deepest apologies General. The weight of your reprimand is not lost on me I assure you. I will help you hunt down this slave, and return him to his post. Please, forgive my display of weakness, as I am still new to this way of life. I will reflect upon my shortcomings in my nightly meditations."

As the two of them made their way out of the mine shaft and onto the frigid Korriban sands, the sun was beginning to set over the horizon. Kayden pulled his hood over his head, and rubbed his hands together to keep warm, following behind Lirka’s lead. It was a moment before he spoke again.

"General, I must admit I have further questions about your belief system. You stated earlier that nobility goes against your religion. So this Carnifex, to you he is a deity? The Kainate, do they function as a sort of church?"

 

[Lirka Ka]

And there it was, defiance. That was all Lirka needed to see. Defiance was everything, defiance was life. To defy Primordial Darkness was to be worthy of existing under its purview. Lirka defied with her very existence, the very status of herself as a still-living being was a form of defiance. Her disconnection from the force, defiance. The way she remolded herself time, and time, and time again into something unrecognizable. Pure defiance of the natural order.

Her words spat out, dismissive. She was goading him.

"I see little difference between a Sith that will not kill and another pitiful whelp. Boy."

Yet, she was interrupted by his horror. Lirka was far from surprised, it seemed most Sith were disgusted by her line of work. Another prattling about broken chains she could only assume. Idiots. They could never truly grasp the depths of what she did, the true misery of it all, the holy work. Yet Kayden Lind surprised her, no venomous words spilled from his lips. For a moment, she considered trying to coax them out of the Acolyte - it would make for a good excuse to give the boy a wound to remember her by. But she let her better self win over the petty cruelty this time around.

Now if only poor poor Kayden knew the true depths of evil that lived within that powersuit. Slaving was, arguably, one of the less horrible things Lirka had gotten herself involved in during the long tenure of her life. Perhaps it would have helped him to know, Kayden still had plenty of pit to fall down till he reached the level of foulness that lived within Lirka Ka.

"We shall see just how true your words are in due time then, won't we acolyte?"

With that, Lirka made her way for the sand. Letting deathly silence linger in the air, a reminder that not a few moments before she had nearly taken the Acolyte's head off. Where he had begun to chill, the armored form of Lirka showed no such discomforts. She didn't really show much at all to actually make her well...a person...besides her foul temper, of course. The fob beeped, heralding the duo along to Lirka's quarry.

More questions. For a moment, Lirka considered lying to him. Yet in a rare change of heart, Lirka spoke at least somewhat honestly about the deranged religion that dictated her life.

"I am my own. Many would declare the Butcher King a deity, many would worship the Sith'ari. There are many a group within the Kainate that functions as a religious cult. I do neither. You see, Acolyte. In the distant void, far in the unknown regions there exists a world of unimaginable cruelty. They call it...Rhand."

Holy Rhand. It still called to her, distantly. The place where Lirka had found her dark enlightenment.

"Foul sorcerers live among the world and the Nihil Retreat that it calls home. These Sorcerers, Rhandites as they are sometimes known, discovered an aspect of a foul truth in this galaxy. Primordial Darkness. The End-of-all-Things. The beginning and the end of reality, entropy. The Dark commands our reality, Acolyte. It bids who and what is worthy to survive, and who shall be clawed back into primeval oblivion. Though he may not know it, and may even deny it - Carnifex pushes the Galaxy closer to the will of Primordial Darkness, where only the worthy shall survive. Till the day comes it is two souls, at the end of the universe, throttling each other to be the last living thing."

A dismal view, to say the least.

 

[Kayden Lind]

//:Korriban-Sith Territory:\\

//:Attire:\\

//:Current Theme:\\

( Lirka Ka )

​

Kayden stayed silent, listening intently as Lirka pulled back the layers of Kainate ideology before him. The raw zealotry of those who served Carnifex astounded him. Raw power and in turn, raw belief held so much sway over the lives of the Sith. In some ways, he found their devotion to their ideologies admirable, and even agreed with many of their concepts.

In other ways, he found them foolish.

As they crested over a dune of chilly sand, Kayden spoke in return.

"I find your autonomy admirable General. Many different people I have met in the order seem to be a servant of something, whether it be a person or an ideal. Your stance is refreshing."

"Carnifex pushes the Galaxy closer to the will of Primordial Darkness, where only the worthy shall survive."

Kayden's brow furrowed. He spoke with hesitation.

"So this Carnifex, he is a herald of fate so to speak? A herald of the will of the Dark Side of the Force?"

He scanned the horizon, keeping his admittedly untrained eye out for any signs of footprints that hadn't yet been washed away by more sand.

"I always found the concept of fate to be a cruel thing. For instance, this slave that we hunt, is it the will of the Dark that he is to be recaptured instead of being allowed to go free? If we were to turn back now, would we in turn be denying the will of this "Primordial Darkness"?"


He gazed out at the setting Korriban sun, as his thoughts began to linger on Norroku. He missed her so. She would have much to say on this topic, Kayden imagined.

He spoke almost absentmindedly to Lirka, thinking out loud.

"The closest thing I ever had to a mother was a slave. When she was being transported across Hutt Space, she escaped in the chaos of a slave revolt. She was the only one who lived to run free. I wonder what made her so worthy in the eyes of this Primordial Darkness, in the eyes of the Force, that it granted her alone life and freedom. If this Darkness truly does command our lives, it seems that we're all slaves, one way or another."

In a moment he realized that Lirka Ka was likely not the best person for him to word vomit in front of. He quickly shut his mouth, and kept his eye out for any signs of the deserter.

"Forgive me General. It's not within my station to question our ideologies in such a manner. Any signs of the runaway?"

 

[Lirka Ka]

Belief was the foundation of Empires. In many ways the Sith were a rather pious people, fractured into their many different deities. Some worshipped dark lords, some worshipped themselves, some worshipped the Dark Side, and others - like Lirka - worshipped something else entirely.

Lirka spoke plainly, with ideology born from her long years walking among the lands of Sithdom.

“We all serve something. It is merely a matter of how many others walk the path with you.”

In Lirka’s case, she served a religion with a single madwoman as its believer.

She ponder the words that came from the Acolyte, Lirka was a rather theologically inclined Sephi and these matters were always something she gave careful consideration. Finally, she responded to Kayden Lind

“I believe that fate, to some extent, has a degree of predetermination. I would not consider him fate manifest, he does not make us dance like stringed puppets. Some would certainly consider him the Dark Side’s herald, though under Rhandite theology their “Dark”, Primordial Darkness as I dub it, is beyond the force. The force, being primarily connected to living things, goes against the entropic destruction of the Primordial Dark, which represents the end of things.”

She continued on, a preachers ramblings.

“The Dark rules our reality in much a similar way any natural law does. It is simply the most paramount among them. I will work under the assumption you have seen an ocean before, Acolyte. Consider, if you will, reality is an ocean: the Dark is the water of that ocean. All things exist in the water, people, empires, worlds, so on and so forth. Primordial Darkness judges are worth, but it does not make us worthy. That is a matter of the self. It is strength that begets worth, in the supremely cold cruelty of this metaphorical ocean. Because many will simply let themselves lazily float till the day comes and they are subsumed into nothingness. But the strong? The worthy? They will swim. And they will keep swimming, no matter what. No matter who they must drag down to keep going. Yet, how does one know to swim? My research has led me to believe it is born of great suffering, that is the focal point upon which the path of strength can begun to be walked.”

Lirka was an odd creature, to say the least of it.

“Is it the will of the Dark that we hunt this slave? No. It is my will. To turn back would be to deny my will, and deny this fellow the chance to prove himself on the Path. Even if we let him run free, he would be tested again, as we are always tested. If he is worthy, he will survive. He is unworthy, oblivion will take him. A simple litmus test that the whole of reality exists in.”

It was a simplified version of her beliefs, ultimately. Yet a rarely shared one. Kayden Lind was lucky - Lirka didn’t consider him much of a threat. She was plenty willing to be open about her…moderately heretical beliefs.

She listened to his history with fascination, he was indeed correct - Lirka was the worst person to share those things with. His story was categorized into her brain, and kept in her back pocket now. It was an interesting tale for sure, yet she would not prod for more detail. There was a patience needed for eking out such information.

Yet, she did try to answer his wondering.

“The Dark rewards cunning as much as it rewards brutality. The suffering of a slave is already a jumpstart for the path of power, perhaps she merely dodged her test though. It is certainly a possible outcome, to dance around the Dark’s tests and consign yourself to merely float. Is she still alive, Acolyte?”

It was an odd thing to delve into her theological studies so openly, it beget Lirka for once in her long life not to lie. It was an odder thing to ponder mothers, Lirka had long since forgotten “her” mother. Some may have mourned that fact, but Lirka did not mourn the weak.

“Question all you like, Acolyte. If you offend me dearly I’ll merely slit your throat and leave you to the bugs. It is the nature of the Order, after all.”

She waved the tracking fob, it’s beeps getting louder.

“We’re close. Push on.”