Private Enjoy the Silence

[Amani Serys]

Amani had not slept the night before. Or the night before that. In fact she couldn’t even remember when she last slept at all. The days and nights blurred together. Any hint of rest was terrorized by a nightmare that seemed too real to dream, thrusting her back into consciousness, wondering how much more she could take.

Immersing oneself in the dark was no easy task. Especially not for one who had followed the light as devoutly as she. The weaning process had begun abrupt, and still she struggled between each aspect. Two mutually exclusive addictions, tearing mind, body, and soul in opposite directions. Amani was at times certain she would go insane.

She awoke from another night terror, drenched in a cold sweat, her head feeling as though it was splitting apart. Her body rejected the dark side, as if trying to flush a life-threatening toxin from its system. The result was agony. Amani cried and screamed into her pillow until her voice was broken. Scratched and pulled at her hair until strands of it clumped in her hands. Choked and heaved until her stomach ached with every movement.

It had reached a point that she could not take it any longer.

"I can feel your anger. Your hatred burns. But not bright enough child. Remember this moment. Comprehend the enormity of your failure, your worthlessness. She will die a thousand deaths before the end because of you. Remember me and when your hatred burns true, come find me. If you survive."

She had remembered what he said. She had remembered every last word, syllable, and inflection. Amani would not deny herself this anymore. It was time to face fears. Face herself. Face him.

Her anger acted like a tether, linking the girl to the Sith Lord whether he cared to notice it or not. But she did. And she followed it to Dromund Kaas. Becoming accustomed to life in the Sith Empire made things no easier. Here, and everywhere she went, prying eyes felt as though they watched her every move. Amani had once been an enemy of the Sith. Now she was a traitor to her own kind. That did not mean she had made friends with the former, not in the slightest. Living in a galaxy where everyone treats you with antipathy and scorn left little room for comfort. But her resolve had not faded. She would see to it that her mission be done, or she die trying.

He was closer now. She would find him.

Because she had to.

Darth Prazutis​

 

[Darth Prazutis]

The Kaas Spaceport Complex was the nexus for all space and air traffic within the Grand Capital of the Sith Empire. It was a bustling city in its own right, nestled within the continent spanning capital. Sidious Spaceport was one of the largest that serviced the city and it was perpetually crowded. Yet the sith prized order in all things and it was a place devoid of chaos that operated like a well regulated, well oiled machine. There was a series of sounds that could be heard over the bustling crowds the first of which were announcements as automated voices told of arrival and departure times of transit, as well as other important information for those within. The second were announcements curated and released by the Organization for the Defense of Imperial Supremacy (ORDIS), and the last were broadcasts on distant holofeeds and video projections by the Sith News Network.

It wasn't anything like she could've possibly expected given the stories, and the encounters she might've had. It was a bastion of order. The crowds that moved about were a mix of two distinct varieties. The first wore uniforms of various colorations that denoted their branch of service, rank insignias were pinned to their shoulders and collars. The second wore clothing of distinctly imperial influence. They were all united by the presence of armbands on their left forearms. These were worn by all and each was honorary, depicting ones loyalty, devotion, and just how much they had done in faithful service to the empire. Most of those who milled about were between two varieties: Stalwart, and Vigilant. Every single person she saw wore them as far as she could tell, it was to such an extent that she stuck out like a sore thumb without one. Passerbys gave her looks but otherwise she was left to her own devices, until...

"Amani."

A tall, broad shouldered, clean shaven man had approached from behind her. He wore a crimson uniform of red with white down the middle and a pair of black gloves, and black boots, a blaster sat holstered at his side. The rank insignia he wore was that of a diamond and stripe, identifying him as a Senior Squad Leader of the Inquisition. Around him were six men in a similar crimson only they wore armor of gammaplast and helmets hid their faces, weapons clasped in their hands. They already began to move around and behind her. It was quite clear from the reaction of the crowds that this was out of the ordinary, and definitely not normal. They all gave the party a wide berth even in the crowded area. There were no gawking faces and almost as if rehearsed the loyal imperial citizens went about their business.

"Inquisition. Come with us please."

It was stern. But the man was being respectful. Still the unfolding events made it very clear that it wasn't a request. She was being detained. The Inquisition never took chances and if she was paricularly perceptive the youth might even see men posted at the obvious exits she could see. They wore different uniforms but they were still sentinels.

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

The crowded, bustling spaceport did little to ease her state of mind. The sea of voices and peoples further fueling her sleep-deprived paranoia. The sights and sounds including a sensory overload that left her shaking with every step forward. It felt like chaos. And yet, it was order. The perfection of it only amplified the solitude she felt within it.

Amani would have stuck out like a sore thumb most anywhere in her current state, but here it was even more blatant. Every wandering pair of eyes was a potential threat that she guarded against with matching suspicion. It took all of her willpower to keep pushing forward, to make it through the spaceport and closer to her goal.

“Amani.”

The voice cut through the din of the crowds. On command she swung around to face the source with a wild-eyed stare. Amani immediately took notice of the crimson-clad figures that was now beginning to surround her, her line of sight darting back and forth between each of them. “...What do you want?” she swallowed thickly.

“Inquisition. Come with us please.”

A pregnant pause hung in the air. There was no way out of it, she realized. Amani made no efforts to resist, ready to do as they commanded but remaining as tense as before, “I-I need to see someone! Please-” The mirialan took a single step forward before stopping herself, “I need to speak to Lord Prazutis.”

Darth Prazutis​