End of the Line

[Siara Vorru]

Studying the other woman for a moment Siara considered the offer. Whatever she felt she was worth was quite a tempting proposal, she was just imagining all the things she always wanted but couldn't afford. She knew better however, for all her best intentions she knew whatever she was paid that it would just be spent on cheap thrills and likely gambled away but she was ok with that.

Siara finally lit her cigarette and took a drag as she gestured for Crystal to leave the book on the chair. "I will leaf through it, just take me to this temple of yours, if I decide I want out I will simply get passage from there. I am not entirely sure I want you knowing where I end up if I turn down the offer.

In truth Siara wanted to see and evaluate this cult first hand, if they were like some of the others she had seen and heard of then it would be dangerous to work for them without believing in their rhetoric. She had no intention of converting so if that was a requirement of employment she would simply move on somehow.

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Siara Vorru"]

Crystal tossed the book onto the chair that Siara gestured to. "As you wish.. um.. what shall I call you?"

She waited for a response to that inquiry before speaking again. "If you'll notice, I called myself a follower, not a believer." The Sith Master leaned back and crossed her legs. "If I can fake it, so can you."

"If you'd like me to leave you to reading, that's fine. If you have any questions, ask."

 

[Siara Vorru]

"Siara Vorru." She took another drag of her cigarette, this woman was too chatty for her liking and clearly thought she could read the Kiffar woman.

Taking her rifle off her back Siara leaned it up against the chair as she took a seat in the chair beside the chair with the book her free hand resting against her rifle just in case, she still didn't know what to make of this woman.

Siara glanced at the book and then back to the other woman. "I do tend to read best when I am left alone to do so." She finished her cigarette and put it out on the arm of the chair she was sitting in her cold gaze remaining fixed on the other woman waiting for her to leave.

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Siara Vorru"]

Crystal narrowed her eyes at the woman as she put out her cigarette on the arm of her chair. It was just a chair. No reason to get bent out of shape about it. For the moment, anyway. A warning would suffice.

"If you do that again, I will tear your skin off your body." The Sith Master was deathly serious. She called an ashtray to her hand from a nearby compartment and levitated it to the table in front of her.

And, she stood up and moved to her quarters to let the woman read.

 

[Siara Vorru]

As the other woman reacted to Siara’s destruction of her property she smirked a bit. She enjoyed pressing this woman’s buttons. She leaned back into the seat picked up the book and started leafing through it idly, if nothing else it passed the time.

After a while of reading Siara started to feel comfortable enough to fall asleep in the chair so she draped her leg over the arm and leaned back closing her eyes. It took her a couple minutes but once she was out her head dipped back and she started snoring quietly.

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Siara Vorru"]

Exocron, after a long hypertrip...

The Luxury Yacht landed at the spaceport on Exocron. The Sith Princess waited for Siara at the ramp of the ship. Upon exiting the ship, Siara would note beings wearing different colored robes to indicate the God that they worshipped. Crystal had changed into her robes, purple with pink and yellow accents, indicating that she followed the Goddess Hali, the indulgent.

As the women walked, she pointed out the different colored robes to Siara. "There is a few days of orientation and educational activities to get through when you arrive at the Temple. If you can make it through, you'll be smooth sailing."

When they exited the spaceport, the Temple was visible. It was a short walk from the spaceport to the Temple. "Do you have any questions for me?"

 

[Siara Vorru]

Waking from her long nap as the ship hit the atmosphere Siara wiped a bit of drool off her cheek and rose stretching her muscles for a moment. She strapped her rifle back onto her back and looked out the window at the planet as they closed on its surface.

As they settled down on the ground Siara moved to the ramp of the ship down it, she looked at Crystal and then around to the indicated robes as they passed. Inside she was laughing at all the fools in their robes, worshipping ‘living gods’ as the book she had read described them. She couldn’t believe this organization had duped so many people, she had to believe at least some of them were like her but it certainly didn’t look that way.

“Oh goody, a couple days of brainwashing and indoctrination into this cult? Am I going to come out a vegetable?” Siara asked in a quiet voice so none of the other pod people would hear her. “These living gods of yours force users as well? Must be either that or people with a massive bank roll hiding behind little curtains pulling the strings.”

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Siara Vorru"]

Crystal chuckled. "I survived the initiation, so can you." She considered whether or not to voice her opinions of the religious aspects of the Crusade. "The living Gods are powerful beings, yes." It was a vague response, but confirmed nothing.

"Keep an open mind, that is all I ask. While it may be difficult to believe, faith is comforting to most beings. Faith drives. Faith is a powerful force."

She continued to the temple. "Any other questions?"

 

[Siara Vorru]

As Crystal dodged her question it did nothing but confirm Siara's opinion though it didn't identify which one it was though she suspected with at least one force user in the ranks it more likely the former and clearly this force user was not a Jedi or else she would not have taken her side on Corellia. She had recognized the pleasure the other woman experienced when killing those men, she couldn't claim to have felt any different but that was another matter entirely. The fact that there were so many of these subjugated pod people here suggested the influence of other force users, she had read enough history of the galaxy to know that there was rarely a major government or organization that wasn't influenced by the Jedi or the Sith in some way.

"Faith in your self and your abilities drives, faith in another or a 'god' is the surest way to losing your right to self-determination. If you let someone else make choices for you because your faith demands it you may as well be dead." Siara would listen to anything these people said but she was here to collect a cheque nothing more. "No, no more questions, I shall go join the pod people in my brainwashing sessions."

With that Siara moved towards the temple prepared to tune out a great deal of what she was about to hear without giving the appearance of doing so.

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Siara Vorru"]

Crystal smiled. "Do I seem to be of the people that has lost the ability to make my own choices?" It was a rhetorical question. The answer very obviously no. "In every organization there are leaders and followers. I follow when it suits me to do so, but not blindly. My faith is in my own abilities." And those were many, as Siara had already guessed.

As they walked, she offered information to Siara that she rarely shared. "Until recently I ruled in the Tapani sector, for over four hundred years directly and indirectly through my descendants. Leading is boring and exhausting. It's refreshing to follow for a while, like resting after a long battle."

The two reached the Temple, and as she'd done before, she looked for a handy helper greeter and turned Siara over for her touring and educating and what not. "When you're oriented, come and find me." It would be a couple of days at least.

 

[Siara Vorru]

@[member="Crystal"]

After a few days of orientation Siara stepped out of the temple having learned very little, it had been tedious. She shielded her eyes from the natural light of this planet’s star as she moved forward with the crowd of the newly indoctrinated. She wondered idly how she would go about finding Crystal. She pushed her way out of the crowd and went seeking the other woman.

It didn’t take long for Siara to track Crystal down, the pod people were very helpful in that regard, she found her in the mess hall. She took a seat across from Crystal yawned.

“Well that was quite a trial, when do I get my secret decoder ring?” Siara smirked. “What now then?”

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Siara Vorru"]

Crystal smirked at the woman as she sat down. "Do you want a ring? Buy one." She laughed. "Now, you choose a God to follow and collect your pay." She offered the woman some of the candy she was eating.

"We take on missions as requested, unless you want to sit around here in robes with the others." She grinned.

 

[Siara Vorru]

@[member="Crystal"]

Declining the offered candy Siara glanced around to ensure no one was within earshot, she leaned in close to Crystal and whispered. “I did the research, if I have to pick one of these gods then Kalee the Sword would be my choice, seems she appreciates the most. As for a mission, get me one as soon as possible, I want off this planet as soon as possible, the pod people are starting to freak me out.”

Siara glanced around again and then looked back at Crystal. “And when will I see the credits start flowing? I have big plans that include a great deal of gambling and stimulants. Not to mention I will need to invest in new blasters, these ones are hot, don't need to get picked up on charges from Corellia because someone there has half a brain."

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Siara Vorru"]

Crystal had to laugh a little at Siara. "I'm sure Kalee will be pleased to meet you. He is one of the three living Gods." The freaking out thing she wasn't alone on, but Crystal never showed it. The pod people as Siara referred to them as, were deeply religious and completely devoted. That wasn't a bad thing, but it was a little uncomfortable to be around at time.

"Do you want it in your hands or in your account?" She inquired with her head tilted. The Sith Princess had more than enough credits to pay the woman indefinitely. She tossed the woman a small drawstring bag of credit chits. It was more than enough for her to piss away gambling. "I'll need your account number of course." Crystal tossed a data pad at her to provide the information she required.

 

[Siara Vorru]

@[member="Crystal"]

“Account, did you forget what happened on Corellia? I guarantee any credits I did have would have been seized, in my hands will be fine.”

Siara caught the drawstring bag of credit chits as she replied and opened it taking one out. She caught the datapad and used it to check the value on the chit. She smirked, the value suggested this bag of chits was worth quite a bit. She liked the idea of being paid for having done nothing so far.

The Kiffar woman looked at the other woman and handed the datapad back as she continued to reply. “I will look into getting an account for you to fill with mountains of credits when I find a banking establishment I can trust not to turn over my earnings to whatever government agency comes knocking first.”

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Siara Vorru"]

"Open an account in Tapani. Your funds are safe enough there." Crystal said, knowing that she could control it still if she desired.

"So. Now that you're paid, and initiated, do you have any questions?"

 

[Siara Vorru]

@[member="Crystal"]

Siara smirked at the suggestion that she open an account on Tapani, she couldn't think of anything more foolish then allowing your employer any kind of access to your account other then the ability to deposit funds. "Credit chits will do fine for now, I will investigate a banking situation later, no offense but I barely know you and as you may have gathered I was rather recently screwed by an employer."

Giving the rest of the inquiry some thought Siara couldn't think of any questions so she simply shook her head. "I will need to figure out some form of shelter that grants me some measure of privacy. Given I know nearly nothing about this planet or even the sector I should probably get on that."

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Siara Vorru"] @[member="Vascious Relens"]

Crystal raised an eyebrow. "Seriously. Do you think I would even waste my time screwing you over? I would simply kill you. You need not worry about me screwing you over. I certainly don't need access to money I've given you."

Hopefully, the woman would trust her eventually. While she might be a self serving Princess, she certainly wasn't out to deceive her. But, it was still early. "Now, as for finding shelter, why don't we check out the planet together? I haven't seen much of it myself."

She got up from her seat and headed for the door of the room, and then through the halls to the main entrance. The outside air was at least partially refreshing, since the walls of the temple offered some relief to her senses now that she could block out more beings. It was a short walk to the street, and she aimed to move toward the city and not the space port as usual.

As she walked, she spotted a large crowd in what appeared to be a town square. As she neared, she could see that it was an organized unit. But what was happening? She'd have to get closer to find out.

 

[Piraiba]

Soldiers in polished armor were marching and falling in and out of various formations in the town square as Crystal and Siara approached. The two women didn't get far before something large suddenly blocked their path.

That large thing turned out to be a ten foot tall Togorian. Crystal had worked with Piraiba on Demonsgate not long before, but this would have been her first time running into him while he was not loaded down with weapons and armor. Today the 800 pound cat must have been on vacation as he only wore simple cloth pants and a sleeveless shirt with no weapons in sight. The scars and slavers mark that had been branded into his biceps were displayed proudly like tattoos.

The creature smiled to the Sith Princess before giving Siara an appraising look.

"This one is happy to see you, Little Sister. Where can Piraiba find such a pretty Kiffar kitten?"

@[member="Crystal"] @[member="Siara Vorru"]

 

[Crystal]

@[member="Piraiba"] @[member="Siara Vorru"]

Crystal tilted her head way back to look up at the familiar Togorian. "Happy to see you too, Piraiba. I found this one near the core. You'd probably have better luck on Kiffar though." She grinned. "How are you? You look as though you've healed up nicely." The Sith Princess was speaking of the injuries from their mining expedition on Demonsgate. He'd taken quite a beating from the environment.

She gestured to Siara without moving her head. "That one is called Siara Vorru. She has recently been accepted to the Crusade and will follow Kalee. I thought I recognized some presences over here. And I was curious about the crowd."