For the Goddess

[Darth Veles]

When it came to hyperspace travels, most imagined boring, uneventful journeys that were little more than getting from planet A to planet B. For a certain Mon Calamari Sith Lord, long flights through the blue shimmering tunnels of light presented an opportunity to relax, to either spend several hours in silent meditation and immerse himself in the Force or simply sit in the cockpit and let his large eyes feast on the beautiful sight. Recently though, another reason came up - [member="Darth Zarrah"], his former teacher, had decided to occasionally leave the boring confines of her exile and get involved in Sith matters again, sensing potential in the Covenant of the Black Rose.

It’s been long since Veles had witnessed such fire in the Togruta woman’s eyes; while the amphibian desperately tried to spread Zarrah’s teachings in the One Sith and reap their knowledge and discoveries before delivering it all to the Crimson Messiah, the Sith Witch devoted much of her time to communing with the Dark Side and avoiding the spying gaze of the One Sith empire. The infidels did not want to learn from her; they wanted to drain the Sith Lady’s knowledge, leave nothing but a husk of her former self, a living tombstone of the Sith.

Indeed, despite naming themselves as Sith, the group had nothing to do with actual Sith – the actions and beliefs of these “Hands” and “Voices” of the “Dark Lord” positively revealed them to be Dark Jedi, spitting at what a Sith was supposed to be and ruthlessly warping the Sith ways to satiate their carnal needs, spouting equality to the mindless herd of sheep that followed after the promises of power. Their distasteful actions often made Avreet feel ashamed of being a Sith, right until he reminded himself only two Sith existed within the galaxy – himself and Grima Volitu. Zarrah the Wisest, as he often said and truly meant it. They have been together ever since the time they first met, not even their subsequent promotions stopped the two from appreciating each other’s company. Their bond and friendship continued to grow as the galaxy around them fell apart, bringing the duo even closer.

Opening his large orbs, blinking a few times and putting an end to grim thoughts concerning the current state of Sith, the Mon Cal found himself absent-mindedly preparing a breakfast for his old friend, one of her favourite salads. A simple recipe, really, nothing but sliced up vegetables mixed together, but the taste was surprisingly good. The cramped space of his ship did not allow for much comfort when more than one being lived aboard, thus the amphibious Sith made sure each flight was as enjoyable as possible for his companion. The deafening silence inside the stealth vessel’s insides had a certain charm to it, but nothing lasted forever; Avreet’s hands worked quickly in sure and precise motions, cutting and slashing the colourful “victims” with a sharp knife before tossing the remains into a bowl. Each cut made this sharp sound that filled the kitchen before another. The scent of the Sith Lord’s favourite black tea could be caught in the air, further adding to the welcoming atmosphere. If not for Avreet’s lightsabers hanging from his belt, visible to all as he had left his cloak in another room, one would assume this to be an ordinary morning of ordinary people.

The small room served as both a kitchen and a dining room – it was no trouble to transport two cups of black tea and the bowl full of salad to the table right behind him, where the food awaited the red-skinned Togruta to commit another vegetable genocide. The powerful Sith Witch’s presence soon grew closer and as soon as her form appeared in the door, she was welcomed by the sight of her old apprentice, smiling at her and sipping tea, one webbed hand motioning for her to join and claim the empty chair.

“Good morning, Grima,” Avreet chirped, “We’ll arrive in ten hours. As such, I have decided to prepare a little something for the wisest Sith Lady in the galaxy. It is not a meal worthy of your greatness, but all good chefs have been killed by the Dark Jedi infidels ruling the One Sith.”

Another sip of tea, this time accompanied by a gentle chuckle, and his big orange eyes followed the woman. The cheerful and warm expression on his face grew more serious, regretful even as his gaze travelled down, towards the metal table.

“I missed you.”

It's been so long.

Tears appeared in his eyes, held back by the Sith Lord's will alone. He refused to cry.

 

[Grima Volitu]

The softness and comfort of the pillow gripped in her hands as she laid in the small bunk-style bed was something she was not ready to give up. It had been years since her old bones felt the proper confines of bed. It had been years since she found a restful sleep without the concerns of being violently jerked awake to defend herself. She despised killing without cause but the galaxy was never short on fools. Thieves, thugs, short-fused inbreds, and other misguided souls with a empty tank where the fluid of their morality should keep filled was absent always seemed to cross paths with her. Only in extreme cases did she end their miserable existence but on most occasions she simply redirected them to seek either weaker victims or re-evaluate their life choices.

Grunting as she forced herself to crawl from the warm confines of the bed she quickly tossed on her cloak and took a look at the chamber that surrounded her. If not for the small vibrations of the ship she was feeling through the Force she would believe that all this was a dream. As was her tradition for as long as she recall, she began conducting mental and physical exercises. She may be getting older but her body was still in excellent shape. Fully awake and prepared to face the trials of the galaxy once more she placed her twin blades on the belt that coiled around her waist clasping the gold buckle closed.

The smells of savory vegetables made her stomach tighten and her mouth water when she stepped out of the chamber. Not only did she live the life of an exile but she also embraced the pauper lifestyle. There were times she could have manipulated others for food or credits but she was a True Sith not some usurper of the Darkside that abused the Force. She ate when she could afford to. She ate the rations she discovered after 'teaching' fools a hard life lesson. She ate vegetables raw or partially cooked when she temporary lived on jungle planets. Most times she went days without food allowing the Force to sustain her.

Darth Zarrah entered the culinary section of the shuttle to see a plate with both steamed and cooked vegetables. She slid one of her hands across the shoulder of her old Apprentice on her way to the empty seat and the waiting plate of delicious looking food. Comfortably in the chair she took a sip of hot tea and grabbed a pink looking vegetable with a name she could not recall. Her taste buds couldn't recollect the name either but they knew enough of the pink veggie to remember how well it tasted.

"And good morning to you sweet Avreet." Her pointy teeth bit into the vegetable and a wave of pleasure from the taste overwhelmed her senses. "It would seem the misguided have not killed all the great chefs."

The pink veggie and two others were quickly consumed by her. The food granted a reprieve from her rebellious stomach when she heard Avreet speak again. It warmed her to know that not all she once stood with, fought with, and rebelled with had not forgotten her. She thought of the others in her life. Names and faces Avreet did not know and would never know. At the time of the Great Collapse there were five others that fled into exile together. Of the six in total she was the only one left.

"Yes, I miss you too. So tell me dear Avreet. Is the galaxy as bad as it feels?"


[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Everyone likes a compliment. Being no cook, the Mon Cal truly appreciated Grima enjoyed the few meals he had learned how to prepare, only for her. It was the least he could do. With her mansion’s destruction as the Mandalorians and the Republic swept over the old Sith Empire, razing it to the ground, and the subsequent loss of all of her servants, Avreet had no other choice but to learn how to make meals both of them could enjoy – just like the Sith duo used to back when Grima’s home still stood. Zarrah’s flattery curled his lips into a smile and the Sith Lord lost himself in the Togruta’s gaze. These moments of kindness and each other’s presence were the ones Avreet appreciated – of course, these romantic dinners were nothing but an excuse to spend more time together. During such rare occasions, the Sith Lord cast all worry away, letting nothing and nobody disturb him and his beloved Master. All the galaxy’s problems ceased to exist, all the plotting and careful planning could wait for a bit.

He was her Hand, her weapon, her apostle, her Chosen One, an extension of her will, his duty to serve her, to guard her, to spread her message. He was her Avreet, the only apprentice to survive the harsh training. He had succeeded where others had not, proving his worth as a Sith.

She was his lady, his muse, his inspiration, his idol, his teacher, his guide, his mistress, his queen, his empress, his goddess. Zarrah the Wisest, the greatest of all Sith, the Crimson Messiah destined to make everyone hear her wisdom, the true way of the Sith. And those who failed to heed her words would face the wrath of her Hand.

Even since his acquisition of the title, it has become something more than just a simple duty for the Mon Calamari. Avreet could not imagine his life without the wise Togruta - the Sith Lord loved his old teacher, willing to do anything to please her, conjure a smile on her face. Every time the two met, Avreet was reminded of how much she means to him. The very thought of either of them losing the other was unbearable for his heart, immediately producing a stabbing pain in his chest the moment Avreet pondered about the real possibility of one of them perishing in this war-torn galaxy. Truth to be told, the Mon Cal could not even imagine what his beloved mentor had to go through when he died. The shock at the sudden realization their bond’s suddenly been severed – and then nothing! Were it not for the mysterious whim of fate returning life to his dead body and bringing his soul from the Void…

Needless to say, the experience made him appreciate his friend’s presence even more.

As such, Avreet briefly hesitated before answering Grima’s question. They had much to discuss, and even though he didn’t want to ruin this magical moment with bad news, his voice broke the silence before it settled.

“It is just as bad, I am afraid,” he shakes his head and all whiskers wriggle in response to the sudden motion, a slight frown crosses over his expression, “Psychopathic Dark Jedi who have surrendered their sanity and ability to reason to the Dark Side combined with Vong technology and worship of pain and destruction is quite a problem. The Republic loses more and more territory every day, their Jedi guardians are few in numbers. Sith worthy of the name are even fewer…”

Two, to be exact. The amphibious Sith Lord knew of no more than two Sith, both currently having a breakfast in Darth Veles’ ship.

Raising the cup, the male Sith swallowed a few gulps of his favourite tea before more words left his mouth.

“But do not worry about the One Sith, my lady, please," he said reassuringly, smooth and calm voice working like a balm to all fears, "As is common with all foolish Dark Jedi, they have interpreted the Sith Code in a way that says to burn the galaxy down, eternally engulf it in suffering and chaos. Such ideology will be their downfall! The amount of terror they inflict upon their subjects is so great the situation is bound to escalate sooner or later. Those Dark Jedi murder, execute, torture, and maim their own citizens for any reason or no reason at all. Anyone without the ability to use the Force, no matter how loyal, can become their involuntary test subject.” Avreet sighs and shrugs, unable to understand their cruel ways.

His amber gaze locked with the Togruta’s eyes, almost as if he wanted to tell her something by that look. No telepathic message formed within her head, no words left his mouth in that moment, yet both understood; the gentle and caring stare of his big bulbous orbs coupled with their feelings shared through the bond that ran between them said more than a thousand words. Once Avreet spoke again, his eyes burned with determination, no trace of the gentleness that was there just a moment ago.

“Just as a few others, I have tried to reform the One Sith – unsuccessfully. Therefore,” standing up, the Mon Calamari made one long stride and grabbed a teapot, “I am leaving their ranks plagued by insanity and madness. Not only that; I will oppose the One Sith. It is time to have the galaxy know where the true Sith stand.”

Pouring more tea to his own and his lady’s cups, refilling both, the amphibious Sith assassin put the kettle down and seated himself again.

[member="Darth Zarrah"]

 

[Grima Volitu]

Zarrah continued to indulge in food and drink whilst listening to her old Apprentice and only real friend. In her younger days she would have grown angry at some of words she was hearing. Now as an older and more wiser lady she knew when to rely on her anger and when to let it just sleep peacefully. What Avreet was saying did put a small frown on her face. In her travels she only caught little pieces of information here and there of how the galaxy was being torn apart. Guilt seeped into her knowing she did nothing to fight back the encroaching apocalypse. She had become a fool whilst in exile.

"How did I let let this happen?"

Her words were spoken quietly enough but loud enough that dear Avreet would pick them up. She was not to blame for all the shortcomings and wars that ravaged her beloved galaxy. She was to blame for standing idle. Doing nothing. This pained her more than anything. Now Avreet was speaking of waging war against the One Sith. She knew little of this Order other than they had risen from the ashes of the fallen Sith Empire. Before her exile she had tried to join this lot in rebuilding the Sith Order but what she witnessed made her feel separated from them.

"I will not talk you out of your crusade, sweet Avreet. I will like to ask that you hold back from driving the blade of justice through their hearts until it is time we can do so together."

She was not ready to strike back in the name of the galaxy and the True Sith teachings. She was far from weak and further away from being fearful of failing. She didn't know enough about these Sith to properly address them. It was not her way to go brazenly into the mouth of enemies without learning about them.

"I understand this is a sore subject for you, old friend. But I need to understand more about these One Sith. Other than their warmongering they must have some sense of what it means to be Sith. Surely there is some that seek to understand the nature of the True Sith. Or is it as you say. They are lost?"

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

His eyes questioningly shifted towards the red-skinned Togruta when the whisper-like question escaped her lips. Lifting his cup as if he wanted to drink, the Sith Lord froze and asked himself similar questions, the still steaming tea carrying its sweet scent towards his nostrils, yet it went completely unnoticed. A frown spread over his thoughtful expression as he delved into the problem, the amber gaze of his glaring into the dark liquid as if he hoped to find all the answers there.

How did he let this happen?

How did they let this happen?

In this moment of deep introspection, the Mon Cal desperately attempted to find what they could have done differently in hopes of discovering a crucial mistake or two they have made, yet found nothing. The problem was rooted deep within the very core of the One Sith, its supposed "equality" - killing weak and insane students was not allowed, the true Sith could not effectively separate promising Acolytes from the flood of psychopaths, making any training a fruitless task as the two real Sith could re-educate the hundreds of beasts thirsting for blood and slaughter. Not only that, the true Sith would have to eliminate the One Sith empire’s leaders, the Dark Lord and his Hands, Voices. No matter how much Avreet believed his former teacher to be the greatest Sith of all time, the amphibian and his former Master just stood no chance against the impossible odds.

The One Sith could not be changed, it could not be controlled, it had to be destroyed. After riding a tiger for so long, Darth Veles had finally mustered up enough courage to dismount, face the monster he had helped to create in the invasion of Coruscant. Whatever road awaited the Mon Cal, wherever the path would take him, he was ready to face it. Grima’s kind words of support made him smile and he finally took a sip of the tea he had been holding, ready to share more information about the Dark Jedi shamelessly using the name of a vastly more dignified group.

“Unfortunately, there are very few willing to walk the same path as us, dearest Grima. Culling is forbidden, therefore weaklings grow in power and numbers. These are not devoted to the Sith idea as they are devoted to themselves – utterly and completely driven by their lust for wealth, power, carnal pleasures, pain, chaos, destruction. ” Avreet grinned wryly, “I dare to say they are slaves to their urges. The Sith Code serves as nothing but an excuse for them to do whatever they please. There is no higher principle or ideology behind their words and actions – only pure selfishness.”

Pausing, he drank more tea, an act which erased the worried frown from his face and replaced it with the usual, unreadable expression so commonly found on him.

“Their Dark Lord officially rules the One Sith, but the reality is all of his Hands and Voices do whatever they wish, possessing unlimited authority and power over their sector. In my opinion, they are all weak – they rely on something other than their own abilities to be the formidable force they are. That can be personal guards, other Hands and Voices protecting them, and most notably, Vong technology. These… amphistaffs spitting poison, coiling around lightsaber blades, and Vonduun crab armour – almost indestructible. Without such toys, the One Sith would finally taste defeat in battle.”

Sighing, the Mon Cal’s gaze wet right through his former Master, then suddenly grew focused again, staring right at the woman, a roguish smirk playing in the corners of his lips.

“My heavenly Grima,” he started playfully, reaching across the table and giving one of the Togruta’s head tails a gentle stroke with his webbed hand, a passing touch that lasted just a moment, “Do you remember the times when skill and wit mattered more than equipment?”

Of course, he referred to when Korriban belonged to the Sith and not some Dark Jedi cult – back then, no Sith dared to mask their weakness behind enchanted trinkets and armour resistant to lightsabers. These acts seen as cowardice have become a norm, unfortunately.

[member="Darth Zarrah"]

 

[Grima Volitu]

"Slaves to their urges. Slaves are bound in chains. Chains restrict." Zarrah closed her eyes feeling the sighs of dead Sith Lords that fought and died to create an Order that who believed chains were meant to be broken. The very concept was in the Code. "Since when was it a crime to cull the weak in the Sith? The strong are meant to rule while the weak meant to serve. My former Master's words to me where 'As a strong Sith it is your duty to cull the weak Sith to ensure a powerful Order of strength.' Much has changed it seems." Naturally she changed too. Killing was no longer a desire or job that had to be done without emotions. Killing was a by-product of self-preservation.

Zarrah continued to eat her food whilst listening to Avreet. The more he spoke the more she could sense the galaxy's troubles. The corrupted influence of the One Sith was drawing Dark Siders to flock in great numbers. With a promise to a quick path of ascension. Forget proper teachings. Forget the philosophies of the Sith. Just grab a lightsaber and kill everything in sight. Zarrah sighed herself.

"This Dark Lord appears to be nothing more than a paper appointed ruler. Does the fool not see what is happening around him?" She pushed her plate away from her feeling no longer hungry. "This Dark Lord is weak! Killing him will not serve a purpose other than placing one soiled ruler with another. Vong technology. I've seen the results of such technology. Appalling!"

Zarrah could recall the time when skill meant everything. Zarrah couldn't fault those that wanted to create items to enhance their strengths. Zarrah could fault them for relying on them over the Force and their talents. Tightening her grip on Avreet's hands she said, "We need to save the galaxy."


[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The Sith Lord only nodded in agreement – Darth Zarrah was completely right about the Dark Lord, so much in fact that the Mon Calamari found himself doubting the man’s very existence. It differed little though – a weakling sitting on the golden throne, too powerless or too insane to stop the madness unleashed on the galaxy, or no actual ruler at all. Whatever the case, his Hands and Voices still presented the greatest threat, it was them who ruled the One Sith and held the reins over the vast Empire that continued to grow while simultaneously undermining its own foundations. If only Veles could put Darth Zarrah on the throne, make her the Dark Lady of the Sith! If not for the group of vongformed Dark Jedi, he would have already done so. The One Sith needed a tight, short leash, the kind only a wise and powerful ruler could provide. Someone like the red-skinned woman sitting in front of him, enjoying her meal. Avreet’s eyes feasted on the sigh, imagining her rule over the galaxy – a grip which would be firm and unforgiving, yet just and fair.

The very same grip tightened on his own hands in this exact moment as Zarrah pushed the plate aside and took her old apprentice’s webbed claws. The touch earned itself a brief glance before the man looked into his former teacher’s eyes and locked their gaze. Veles returned the gesture and held Zarrah’s hands firmly, yet gently, unwilling to let go, now or ever. He did not want to be without her again, to live without the spark in her eyes when she smiled, to continue on this dark path without her wisdom acting as a beacon. The last two Sith in the galaxy needed each other more than ever before. The silence within the vessel’s insides only highlighted this as one of their most private and intimate moments. No words were necessary for one to understand the other, yet the Mon Cal still tried.

“I…,” the Sith Lord started, no words rolling off his tongue like they usually did. The look in the Togruta’s eyes robbed him of everything he wanted to say, prolonging the silent moment. All the memories of their time together poured back, and Avreet made no attempt to stop the flood, letting it overwhelm him. Whatever he felt, it took over his body and mind, cracking the Sith Lord’s impenetrable shell or codes and mantras, letting it all out, leaving not a Sith, but a man. Only after the bulbous amber orbs of his shut closed, escaping the Sith Witch’s gaze, he sighed and managed to speak.

“Yes. We will save the galaxy, my mistress,” he nodded decisively, “We are true Sith, and together, we cannot be defeated. Together, my dearest Grima! Together now… and forever!”

Fires of passion burned in his heart and sparkled within his eyes as the Sith Lord spoke, the Dark Side under his command more than ever and waiting to be unleashed on the false Sith and Dark Jedi. Swiftly, the amphibious assassin stood up, Zarrah’s hands still within his own.

“Ah, my lady, I may be a Sith Lord myself, but there is still so much I can learn from you,” the Sith Lord smiled at the woman, “Just like the old times, Master Volitu! Bless me with your wisdom to increase our chance of success! Your knowledge of the Force is vast, and I am certain there are spells and powers in your possession that I do not know yet. Tell me, my lady, do you know how one separates the Force from another’s body?”

Needless to say, the Mon Cal fully trusted the woman’s knowledge. He knew the power surely existed – Avreet himself had felt its effects once as an Acolyte. Strands of the Dark Side itself ensnared his body, stealing his strength as well as the ability to use the Force.

[member="Darth Zarrah"]

 

[Grima Volitu]

Zarrah stared into his beautiful eyes. His eyes spoke words that could fill a thousand books. His eyes flamed with passion. His eyes showed tinges of worry. His eyes showed love. From somewhere deep in the darkest parts of her existence she too began to feel love for him. Love had never been an emotion she believed in. Everything she had loved had been taken from her when she was a young girl back on Shili. Where love once existed had been replaced with raging hate. If she openly confessed her love to him now would he too be taken from her?

Zarrah broke the spell that locked their gazes together just as he stood up. Getting her emotions under control she said, "You speak of Odojinya. Yes I will teach that spell to you. But not here. We need to find a planet filled with scum and villains who long since forfeited their lives. Odojinya can affect those untouched by the Force as well and that my prince is where we will begin the lesson."

Zarrah stood up moving to the makeshift kitchen's exit. She needed to get ready mentally. It had been to long since she taught anyone anything. Zarrah stopped in the middle of the exit. "Together and forever. Nothing will ever come between us. Not even death. Now find us a suitable planet my prince." Zarrah headed for her quarters and in her mind she spoke those three deadly words that could haunt anyone. I love you.


[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

“For you, my queen.”

For you, my love.

The Sith Lord smiled and offered a courtly nod before Zarrah left the kitchen to prepare herself. She moved with such grace and elegance that Avreet could not force his eyes to tear away from the beautiful sight until she disappeared within the ship’s belly. The realization his love and devotion bordered on obsession was there, but he wouldn’t change a thing about it even if he could. Cleaning the dishes first, the amphibious Sith Lord had to silently chuckle at the truth in his beloved master’s words – not even death would come between them. Whether she realized it or not, she was completely right – after dying once, the Sith Lord finally knew what came after death.

The Void wasn’t a place of vast emptiness as he once believed; it was filled with endless streams of souls that continued to exist in some form after their physical shell no longer breathed. Unfortunately, the trauma Veles had suffered upon killing himself was too great for his mind to deal with, and thus much of his memories of the place remained shrouded in mystery and cold fingers of death. Pools of blood, ruined buildings, a great river… he remembered just enough to know he and Zarrah would never be separated one day. Still, there was no rush towards that – knowing they were going to be together for all eternity did not mean the Sith wanted either of them to die.

After returning to the cockpit came the task of finding a suitable world fit for their training, yet on their original route as well. That immediately ruled out the planet notorious for being overrun by crime – all too far away to be used as their testing grounds. Going through the starmap that displayed their route as well, drawing dots and lines on a small display along a series of numbers and names. One quick glance over the planet names while doing his best to track down more information about each within his memory and Avreet discovered the best candidates. One secured connection to the HoloNet later and Your Deathbed’s course changed with its pilot now wielding the desired name; Cerea, the homeworld of the Cereans. This minor departure would cause a slight delay in their arrival to the original destination, yet the Sith actually welcomed it, as it meant more time with the Togruta.

The hyperspace tunnel vanished, the ship’s stealth systems engaged as Your Deathbed cut through the planet’s atmosphere like a flaming spear from the gods, bringing swift end to the wicked. The planet’s picturesque green pastures and mountains appeared to be the embodiment of the strange place Jedi supposedly went upon death – though Avreet knew they went in the same place as everyone else, much to his amusement – the only speck ruining the overall beauty being the Outsider Citadels, massive cities filled with pollution and crime brough in by off-worlders. One such Citadel towered right in front of the Phasma-class infiltrator Veles piloted, almost begging the Sith to land there. And so he did, bringing the ship down and descending upon the first free landing pad his large orbs spotted.

Rising from the seat, the amphibious assassin found his mistress and together they left Your Deathbed, like master and student again.

[member="Darth Zarrah"]

 

[Grima Volitu]

Sitting in her quarters she allowed the ship's internal vibrations relax her. The training session with her old Apprentice could open the doors to many possibilities. One such possibility was the ever presence of a romantic relationship. She didn't know where or how that began. Was she lonely after spending so many years in exile? Was the relationship always there but she had failed to see the signs early on? The Force had always been her one true love but if her heart was telling her what her mind was agreeing to then Avreet should have always been her true love. She felt cold inside for going into exile and leaving Avreet alone to deal with his feelings for her. She knew he held strong feelings for her and she had betrayed him for leaving.

The trip was over and the duo had arrived to the planet of his choosing. The city spread out before her was beautiful. In her travels she had never visited this planet or city. She wished she had because if she could do this all over again she would settle a life her with Avreet. Together they would be free of the galaxy's turmoils and the One Sith's crusade to conquer everything. Zarrah knew that was a false reality that both could never have in their lives. The galaxy needed them to save it. Settling down to a quiet life would never be in the pazak deck for them.

"Remarkable place," Zarrah said placing her hand on his forearm. The sensations of pleasure and yearning to be loved flooded through her senses. She pulled her hand way adding, "You have done well my love." Zarrah was shocked that she let the four letter word slip from her mouth but there was no use denying this any longer.

"Before we start the training you and I need to address these feelings between us." For one of the first times in her life she had no words to speak. Zarrah hoped he would be the one to get this conversation going.


[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The descent of Your Deathbed’s platform had the company of a mechanical hum that’s been silenced as soon as the ramp touched the landing pad with a thud. Just as the Sith duo walked down and the city welcomed them with a fairly nice sight that masked all the corruption lying underneath, Avreet nodded in agreement with his old Master’s comment. Before the lesson itself could start though, his former mentor’s touch froze his body, stopping the amphibious assassin in motion and making his head turn in the woman’s direction, a slight surprise displayed in his gentle and caring gaze. The touch only reinforced his calmness, as if his body wished to prepare for things to come the very next moment. The connection parted soon, replaced by words that made the entire world spin and burn in passion. Shivers of excitement ran down his spine as he stood there, paralyzed by the spell of love when flames of desire flared up.

My love.

She truly said these fateful words that made him want to cry in happiness, his body shook and trembled slightly under the surge of emotions.

Such a strong reaction surprised him though; Zarrah only said what he always knew deep inside, a realization he came to now. The strong bond between them revealed all secrets, no feeling remained hidden. Even his love for the ageing Sith Lady; the woman he had adored to the point of almost worshipping her like a real goddess, the perfect heavenly being that still served as an idol to him. Darth Veles’ devotion to her knew no bounds – he’d do anything to please the red-skinned Togruta Sith Witch.

My love.

Zarrah caught him off guard, unprepared. At loss of words, all Avreet managed to do for a while was just his stare, but not the calm one he usually employed. Passion danced within his amber orbs’ pupils as these fell upon the Sith Lady’s perfect form. The majestic horns and cape made her look like the highest of all queens in the galaxy. She was an empress of all true Sith. Their messiah. Amazing in every way. Beautiful. Wise. Powerful. His goddess. Before he drowned in that embodiment of perfection, Veles blinked twice, recovering the lost focus.

“Oh, heavenly,” he finally sighed, reclaiming full control over his own body, snatching it from passion. He had not imagined his declaration to be like this – nor did he think [member="Darth Zarrah"] would be the one to address it first. The ramp behind them closed, yet not even the clicking sound broke the moment. The Sith Lord offered his disarming smile before finally continuing. Gently taking her hand into his strong cybernetic replacement while the real one touched the tip of Zarrah’s montral. Webbed claws travelled down and stroked the horn’s length before sliding onto her head tail and venturing further down before ultimately parting as the head tail ended.

“If what both of us feel needs to be said by words, I’d suggest to wait for a better moment, my queen – how would the goddess like her favourite steak for dinner, followed by a glass of something stronger and a nice back massage, hmm? ” the amphibious Sith suggested gently, smiling still, “And we will say what needs to be said!”

 

[Grima Volitu]

Zarrah had had always been the one to spellbound others. Breaking wills and manipulating minds. Sending shivers of faux emotions through them. When Veles touched her and stroked her tails gently she shivered. She was spellbound by feelings she never knew existed. A younger Grima Volitu would have reacted violently - destroying this sensation as one destroyed planets. An older Zarrah basked in it - accepting the sensation as one accepted learning something for the first time.

"You're right, dear Avreet," Zarrah agreed looking at the area around them. Zarrah might have chosen the wrong time and place to bring up the subject. She was knew to this. She - in her own mind - felt like a teenage Togruta all over again. That was wrong. She never knew a real life that Togruta teenage females felt or desired. Her youth had been stolen from her. She - in her own mind - suspected this how teenage Togrutas felt. Zarrah placed her own hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. She was giddy. She was in love.

"Steak! Sweet Avreet you know I don't eat meat." A back massage would be a welcoming change - and ale. "Veggies. Veggies has always been the source of this perfect figure," she said doing a one revolution spin. Then she felt her cheeks blush. She was pleased that her skin was red or that little colour change on her cheeks would have been embarrassing.

Deep down a door was opening up. What waited behind it was unknown. Zarrah was willing to step through to discover what awaited her and Avreet.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

It presented no challenge to see the difference, even an untrained eye spotted the change, more so if the orange orb belonged to the Mon Calamari who had spent the last fifteen years by her side. The brooding traditionalist fully in control of every single feeling burning in her heart has been replaced by an ordinary woman, one able to let her emotions flow free and unchecked. Passion and desire radiated off the red-skinned beauty’s form, something her former apprentice had never felt through the Force before. It amazed Avreet to see his old mentor like this – just a woman full of desire to love and be loved, not the cold and ruthlessly efficient Sith Witch who let all only no closee than the length of her blades allowed. The bond only increased the warm sensation drawing the two closer to each other, and when the woman laughed and spun to show her perfect figure – which she seemed to be quite aware of – Veles found it impossible to tear his gaze away from her. Zarrah was in her early fifties, yet perfect in every single way, capable of easily making much younger women jealous. How desperately the Sith Assassin wanted to fall to his knees and declare his utter devotion to the Togruta goddess!

“Yes…,” the Sith Lord muttered in response to Grima’s statement concerning vegetables, words leaving his mouth sub-consciously, “I see… that is… excellent.” His heart raced at an incredible speed, beating inside the chest as if it wanted the Togruta to hear it. Sentences turned into gibberish.

Reminding himself of the task at hand, the Sith Lord’s gaze abandoned admiring the goddess’ form and shifted towards the city, finally. Much had to be done before the promised dinner and massage, Veles preferred not to get distracted like this. Fortunately enough, breaking the sight of her proved to be a wise choice of action, as if a cloud’s been lifted from his mind, if only temporarily. The city sprawled in front of the two Sith appeared calm and peaceful on the outside, but the Dark Side gave away what lied hidden within its bowels. Hives of scum and villainy calling out through the Force, beckoning the two Sith to approach.

"Come, heavenly. Let us find some volunteers."

His large head rotated to look in [member="Darth Zarrah"]’s direction, a glance long enough only for a nod he gave to the mistress before strolling down into the city, pace relaxed and yet perfectly coordinated with the woman. Nobody paid the duo any mind on the main street – all went on with their lives. All those who wanted no trouble and just barely scraped by to survive, at least. For those who preyed on the weak, the duo of ‘tourists’ presented an opportunity to get rich fast.

One sharp turn into a dark, dirty alleyway, the Mon Calamari and the Togruta disappeared in shadows. A group of men, all humans, who had followed them for a while showed no fear or hesitation in disappearing from the main street too, going after their prey. Not even in their wildest dreams would they imagine what was going to follow.

 

[Grima Volitu]

"Volunteers," she said in agreement. "We are above the belief of just taking." Zarrah walked through the city looking for the appropriate volunteers to properly demonstrate Odojinya. Innocent citizens would be spared from the spell - thugs and criminals would not. Zarrah held true to her code of killing - but it didn't always apply to those that preyed on the innocent. "We should move to the more darker areas of the city. We want criminal minds."

It taken them long to find their first set of volunteers. Two thugs were standing over a battered Bith woman searching through her purse. Zarrah looked over at Avreet then at the thugs. Guided by the wisdom of the Force she knocked both thugs into the wall stunning them slightly. "This belongs to you," Zarrah told them Bith handing her back her possessions. "And you belong to us," she told the thugs.

Whispering the spell summoning word a web of darkened energy wrapped around the nearest thug - pinning him to the ground. The thug struggled to break free and discovered rather quickly that he could not. The web tightened and began to sap his energy until his body collapsed from exhaustion. "Envision the web in your mind sweet Avreet. Then when you have a clear design in mind speak the word 'Nedazij' and release the pent up energy."


[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Like always, Zarrah displayed such grace and elegance, even when dispatching a group of thugs. Her heavenly beauty was in stark contrast with the terrifying power in her grasp. Once the two humans have been taken care of by nothing but a gesture of the Togruta’s hand, the Bith’s belongings returned and the woman swiftly disappeared from the alleyway, Veles paid close attention to his beloved mistress’ actions, observing her moves closely to unlock the secret of Odojinya. Shadows and darkness safely hid their actions from the world outside of this place that’s been reserved for nobody but the two Sith and those who have volunteered to be their subjects. It did help he was no longer an Acolyte or Knight learning the very basics of the Force – no longer Zarrah’s apprentice, but an experienced Sith Lord in his own right, one devoted to controlling the Force and bending it to his will. Having suffered the effects of the power in the past, the Mon Cal had a very decent idea of what they dealt with. That – and the strong bond between himself and his goddess made it easier for him to feel how it was being done.

As the net entangled Zarrah’s victim and his body grew still, losing the strength to fight for escape, Veles telekinetically ‘took’ the other man from the red-skinned Togruta and held him in place. The fear and anger alike radiating from the thug only strengthened the power of the Dark Side of the Force. The Mon Cal was only required to focus and as soon as Grima’s angelic voice gave the instructions, he took a deep breath and poured his concentration onto the task at hand, building up energy and moulding it into the most suitable of forms. The lack of experience with this sort of application of the Force worked against him, prompting the Mon Cal to truly devote himself to mentally preparing for the task as well as imagining a web that was to be wrapped around his struggling target. The word of ancient Sith magic rang through his ears when he repeated after the woman.

“N̴̄͂e̮̭͇̊̒̔d̪̹̈́͐̈́̍͌a̻z̧͖̺̮͎͙̪̍i̓̓ͨj̴̻͔̬̫ͭ̀͆̓̏̀.”

The spell robbed the one who had uttered the fateful word through his lips of a portion of his energy, taking it away like a thief and using it to do his bidding. Green, otherworldly strands of energy wrapped themselves around the second thug and Veles soon felt as the human’s strength started to waver, unable to resist the power of Sith magic. As if an invisible connection’s been cut between the thug and the Force, the man’s face turned pale, the green illumination giving it a deadly hue. Few more violent attempts to free himself from the chains of the Dark Side, but to no avail. Just as his brother in crime, the human’s strength left him, leaving nothing but a husk of a man for as long as the spell was bound to their bodies.

“Quite impressive,” the Sith Lord mused, turning his head towards the Goddess of all Sith, “A bit of practice and I’ll be confident enough to use it against the One Sith.”

One last glance towards the limp bodies that appeared dead at first glance, only a closer look revealing the men still breathed, and Veles turning his attention towards [member="Darth Zarrah"] again. Hard not to; with the recent revelation of her feelings towards him, her presence occupied the Mon Cal’s mind. How much he wished to declare his feelings as well – after all, his time in the One Sith was very reminiscent of the woman’s exile in terms of loneliness. Avreet’s romantic heart yearned for love and the strong connection between the Sith Lord and his former Master let him know the Togruta felt the same way. Saying the words in a dirty alley would not have the same effect as doing so during a nice dinner with a glass filled with strong alcohol. A celebration was in order.

“Thank you for your wisdom, dearest heavenly,” the Sith purred softly, eyes never leaving the Togruta’s jewel-like orbs adorning her face, “More volunteers will be encountered on my travels, so I suppose skipping more of them in favour of the main event of this evening is a reasonable course of action.”

His lips curled into the Sith Lord’s typical disarming smile.

“Now, how about we go to the market and buy ourselves fresh vegetables, goddess?”

 

[Grima Volitu]

Zarrah always enjoyed teaching Avreet. He was a quick learner that avoided asking her pesky questions or whining about not understanding what was being asked of him to do. Avreet would do - never try. If he failed he would do it again. His mastery of grasping new teachings was impressive. His devoted mantra of never giving into frustrations was a lesson that all Sith - old and new - should learn from him. Avreet had taken the long road to gain his power, wisdom, and knowledge where most she came to understand took the easy route - the road less traveled. The easy route had always been a terrible side effect for those that chose the path of the Dark Side.

Zarrah stared down at the two limp forms and said, "It saddens me that those two would never learn their lesson after today. In a few days once they fully recover they'll stalk the streets looking for marks." To prevent such an event from happening - it would be thought upon as common sense to just erase them now in order to prevent future troubles for the locals. If Zarrah and Avreet were that type of Sith then the criminals lives would end today. Killing the weak was beneath her. There was nothing to be gained positively by murdering them - which it would be murder not just killing. "The galaxy is just filled with volunteers. To many it seems these days," came Zarrah's reply.

"Agreed! I can use some nourishment after dispensing back alley justice." Zarrah pointed to the two men and added, "If we cross paths with whomever is the law in this city, we should report them." Hopefully the law would apprehend these two and dispense their brand of justice.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

She was right, of course. Would the two street rats rethink their lives, grasping the generous offer of changing their ways after encountering two Sith Lords and living to tell the tale? One could only hope, but both Veles and his former teacher were realists and knew better. The thugs might take some time to lick their wounds, yet would they stop their criminal ways and take the chance of living differently? Unlikely. Still, Veles had no reason to send them scream to the Void for all eternity. All it would take was a flick of his wrist… Slaying the two would be pointless though, it served no purpose to him or the cause he followed. The planet did not even belong to the Covenant of the Black Rose, further proving murder to be useless. There used to be times when both Sith would have killed their downed opponents – if the miserable thugs could even be called that way – but older and wiser, the duo allowed them to live, the only reminder of the encounter being the memories forever imprinted within the two thugs’ minds.

“Indeed. Too many throw their future away,” the Sith Lord sighed softly with a nod in agreement as the duo emerged into the light again, “We will inform local security to collect the ruffians.” With the dark alley and all that happened in there left behind, the Mon Cal and his Togruta mentor were free to visit the local markets and buy whatever veggies Zarrah’s stomach desired. It was most unusual for two Sith Lords to do something as ordinary as this, yet Veles loved these ordinary moments he got to spend with Lady Zarrah. Nothing to worry about, nothing to fear, the galaxy’s problems diminished into nothing. Even such a simple activity as shopping brought joy to his heart, especially when armed with knowledge that Lady Zarrah obviously enjoyed herself. The ageing Togruta seemed more alive somehow; not the usual brooding Sith Lady she was when teaching others within the Sith Temple. Right now, the exotic Sith Lady was a woman more than anything, an ordinary woman enjoying the day with one being close to her. It was good to get away from the Sith-y matters and nothing brought more happiness to the amphibious Sith Lord than seeing his beloved Master immediately try out some of the colorful vegetables. This activity caused a bit of confustion among some vendors; seeing a Togruta eat vegetables with such joy was an unusual thing.

Once all’s been bought and done, the duo informed the local authorities of the thugs lying in in the alley still and returned to the Mon Cal’s ship resting where it’s been left to sleep. The good old kitchen welcomed its friends with its cleanliness and bright, warm colours reminding both of home as much as this ship could evoke such feelings. Unlike the last time, the ship’s lifeless interior was filled with slow, calming tunes of music Veles had turned on. The atmosphere improved greatly, further letting the Sith know they could relax and enjoy the moment for as much as they wished. After the groceries found themselves sitting on the kitchen unit, ready to be turned into tasty salads, a mischievous smile spread over the amphibian’s face as he found a pair of glasses instead of chopping the vegetables. Before moving to make another batch of salad for the Togruta, Veles set the glasses down on the table. Although he had revealed his intentions before, Avreet revealed a bit about the special drink.

“After Corellia’s destruction, the famed Corellian whiskey became a rare sight. The drink’s rarity and price make it hard to obtain. Someone as great as my Heavenly deserves to taste the famed drink before it disappears from the galaxy though!” his smile grew even wider as his hand pulled a bottle out of nowhere, opened it and poured the amber gold into both glasses, the colour slightly reminiscent of the hue found in his large eyes, “Something special for us to celebrate our reunion!” One glass was handed to the Togruta, the other remained trapped in the Mon Cal’s webbed fingers. The Sith Lord’s joy and cheerfulness could be felt even without the Force, and he hoped [member="Darth Zarrah"] would too be infected with his mood. The lights around appeared to dim a bit, almost as if the ship understood their need to improve the setting a bit – in reality nothing more than Veles’ tricks with his mastery over bending light waves.

“To us!” the former apprentice of Grima Volitu called out, raising the glass, eyes fixed at the red-skinned woman still. This day was devoted to them.