Gray Market

[Darth Abyss]

Nar Shaddaa, Slums - Black Market

In theory there wasn't a black market on Nar Shaddaa, as the whole world was more or less one gigantic trade hub for everything despised or illegal in the more civilized places of the galaxy. Yet as on any non illicit trade world there existed hotspots where vendors sold their products in direct competition to others without any rules enforced upon them. It was true, pure capitalism, only guns or credits talked here on the smuggler moon were supply and demand were the only gods known to the people.

The Tainted Chorus, the organisation of Darth Abyss or rather the Prophet as he was known in underworld circles, had set up shop in the slums as well, pandering their drugs, slaves and weapons to their many customers, between caged wild animals, illegal scramblers and bafflers and pretty much anything else that could raise an interest in the lawless elements of the known galaxy. Behind the curtain of a tent placed right besides the wares he offered rested the metallic, hollow figure of the Prophet himself, empty eyes watching over everything happening around them. There recently had been a hit on a few of his dealers, so he had upgrade his security in the most terrifying way possible: By watching and guarding his business personally.

On the outside he suddenly sensed trouble, followed by the sound of metal falling to the ground. In a matter of seconds the twisted sith Lord rose from his secluded hideout, stepping out into the open. The eyes of the thug that had aimed his small gun at the merchant selling the products of the chorus widened when they meet the Prophet in the metal. He didn't had as much time to gasp, before a claw like hand locked on his throat, lifting the man up into the air effortlessly. The fixed grin below the wooden mask that served as replacement of a face looked almost taunting as the left, free hand reached for the man's forehead.

From one moment the eyes of the thugs became empty, the mind inside devoured by the might of the Mindeater. The body dropped to the ground, still breathing but with nothing inside to act, feel or think. There was a sound of metal teeth grinding over metal teeth in slight annoyance, while the sith lord returned to his resting place. Anyone on the market had seen what had happened, so there was little chance that someone would try something stupid anytime soon.

[member="Veryiana Greivex"]

 

[Myra]

Her eyes widen behind her cowl.. that was truly spectacular.. such incredible power. She needed it, desperately, the ability to make men crumple with a mere touch of a hand. She was originally here to purchase a Ysalmir specimen, for a special.. project, but this could be the future, this could be how she became more powerful, not through legions of mindless soldier's at her every whim but real unadulterated power..


So she goes to follow him.. still new to the criminal underground and not even knowing who he is, what power criminally he controls, just needing the strength, practically lusting after it as she follows him in, ignoring what ever guard may attempt to stop her

"Sir! Please! If only I could have a moment of your valuable time!"

Flattery, the one tactic that could get most people almost anything if used properly, and her default option for getting what she wanted when stepping into the unknown..

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

The expression of the merchant that stood close to the tent was one of fear. Threatening the operation of the Prophet was one thing, often leading to a quick death, but annoying him after he had already revealed that he wasn't in the best of moods today was an easy way to collect some first hand experience about the most exotic and painful methods of torture. For a long moment there was no reaction at all to her words, the goons working for Abyss watching as the tension began to grow. When there was no answer even a few seconds later they already mentally prepared to witness something deranged enough to make even seasoned criminals look into the other direction.

Suddenly the curtain lifted again, the small piece of cloth dancing in the air like wind had gotten hold of it. Behind it the metal figure was once more revealed to the outside, this time hoovering a few centimetres above the ground with his legs crossed to meditate. His left was raised to give form to the force, and the dark power that kept both him and the curtain up in the air polluted the area, giving of a feel of dread and unease to all those around him. The voice of the Mindeater was not forged by flesh, but instead an echo that was brought into this plane of existence by his mastery over the dark side. Otherworldly, almost ethereal, the words waved over to the girl, forming around her and not from Abyss mechanical jaw.

"Come in."

Once she would do so the curtain would close behind her. While tents weren't known for being the most secure way of locking someone in, being held between even the smallest walls together with an entity like the one Abyss had become was still not a very favorable situation for most. Again the metallic creature, with sharp features hidden below his black robe, spoke to her, while his physical presence remained absolutely motionless.

"Kneel. Tell me girl, do you know who I am?"

Asking her to kneel was nowhere as petty as it might seemed. He felt the slightest spark of darkness in her, as well as her desire, her hunger to grow into something more. The power of the darkness was never given, but claimed, either by violence or by submitting to one that stood above. Those that didn't understood these rules, or refused them in their arrogance, ended up as decaying corpses. If she would share such a fate was waiting to be seen.

[member="Veryiana Greivex"]

 

[Myra]

She was expecting something similar but it still frustrated her to no ends that she had to submit to another.. she had spent years claiming her place in the galaxy and half wanted to challenge him then and there.. but she knew his power would overtake her in a matter of seconds.. she sensed it as she entered the tent, the feel of darkness.. overwhelming and pure in it's presence, an exotic smell to her, it was appealing to her..

She didn't even notice as her knees hit the ground until they had, so many thoughts running through her head.. finally being able to see his figure from so close sending shivers down her spine.. she had tried to look intimidating, a form to fit her power, but he was on a whole new level, a husk of what he once was that brought fear to those around him.. even she, who had only a few seconds ago wanted to challenge him, now wanted to look away in fear but she locks her eyes on him before speaking, her words quick and desperate "You are a man of power... A man who glances at a man and he cowers in fear, a man who most would not even enter his tent without previous permission for they know their soul would be forfeit upon entering.. you are a god among men.." she murmurs, half to [member="Darth Abyss"] and half to herself as if confirming her suspicions. But she hopes her wide eyes and biting of her lip nervously is hidden behind her cowl.. but knowing the force, she's sure he can already sense her nervousness.. her anxiety, her hand hovering discretely near her saber-whip's handle, ready to activate the light weapon and run if he tries anything.

 

[Darth Abyss]

"I am no man at all.

The metal husk looked down a the girl kneeling before him, his voice terrifying but with an odd glimpse of humor in it. He hadr heard it all, the words, the flattery and the misuse of "god" by limited minds unable to comprehend what he truly was. The cowl couldn't hide her feelings, even if she did her best to do so. Her aura was filled with nervousness, with slight fear. A quite appropriate reaction to meeting the Mindeater face to face.

"Neither am I a god. Gods are only petty lies created by the weak to feel powerful."

No one with his power would believe in something so foolish then gods. There was only one power waiting in the great beyond, the power he called upon, the power that had granted him his greatness. The force, and in his particular case the twisted flow of the dark side. He extend his metal left towards her, his claw like fingers almost touching her skin, while darkness gathered around him once again. The sense of dread would become greatly amplified, the corrupting touch of Abyss reaching for both her body and mind.

"Now enough with this hollow flattery girl. Why are you here, why did you request to talk to me?"

The dark tendrils of his mind would wrap around her head, slowly, calm and almost gently as his thoughts locked onto hers, trying to see even the smallest hint of a lie the second it would come into her mind.

[member="Veryiana Greivex"]

 

[Myra]

Lies? Oh her mind is racing with them, as if trying to figure out a way to appease him further in a less obvious way. Her mind resembles the chaos of the battle field, independent ideas clashing here and there, and general confusion but one small speck of logic prevails and she decides to tell the truth, for once in her life.

"Power. Your power.. I need it, I need you to train me."

She states, sounding like an idiot and her mind lets her know. Her mechanical arm's finger's drum once on her leg as they rest at her side, nearly touching the ground in her kneeling position. But, did she believe in gods? She knew she didn't now, but she didn't know about her past, the unreachable destroyed memories of childhood. All that mattered now was the present, the ability to grow and devour as the rest of the universe did. And he was her next step in order to grow, and he'll certainly give her the ability to devour.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

Abyss remained silent for a long moment, leaving her to her thoughts just long enough to grasp that he was displeased by her answer. Anyone wanted power, even those that claimed they didn't. The question wasn't power itself, but for which purposes she desired it. Before his voice resounded in the tent another time, his left claw descend down to touch her skin, cold, unforgiving metal slightly scrapping over the small bits of non cybernetic body he could see.

"Power without purpose is no power."

Suddenly the darkness of his mind would reach for her, this time not gently but with the full force of the empty void inside of him. If she wouldn't be strong enough to resist, reality around her would be shattered, until nothing but black was left. The tent was gone, all that was around her was disorienting darkness with no walls, no roof and no ground. Even where the entity had been only seconds before was no pure nothingness.

In a unclear distance two dots, glowing in crimson red, would burn through the dark, corrupted eyes watching her from afar. Below them fire would rise, forming a twisted, mocking grin, giving form to the taunting visage of the Abyss. His voice blasted through the emptiness all around her and all devouring.

"Why do you desire power?"

 

[Myra]

She watches as her world shatters and is consumed around her.. the force truly isn't her strong point, mainly due to the lack of training in it, and the fact that 40% of her body consists of implants and replacements. And for once, she gives an audible response to her current emotional state, a quiet whimper followed by a quick glance around.. Fear.. something she didn't feel often and that fact terrified her even more. And it takes her a good five minutes to compose herself, well.. compose herself enough to give a coherent sentence, which is only after she gives a few more whimpers and murmurs.

"P-Power is the only coinage that.. any race recognizes.. what use do Celestials have for credits? B-But no.. Th-They have power.. a much more rare, and valuable.. substance.." Is the sentence she finally gets out, taking a deep breaths, trying to control her racing thoughts.. growing steadily confident in her words again. "A-And just like any man or woman.. I-I want to get rich.. but unlike them.. I-I know what coinage to chase after.. the kind that allows me to protect myself and those I love.. and to seize what is mine.."


[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

The cold silence was broken by a deranged laugh, the grin of fire and chaos opening into a terrifying maelstrom threatening to rip apart what was left of her reality. It wasn't her reason that had provoked his dark amusement, but her words concerning money. There was some truth in it, but it also told him that her vision was still fairly limited. Money was power, and so was everything else as long as you had the tools, the methods and the amount needed to make it so. He was a being residing on the edges of the physical plain, and yet many of his ventures had one simple goal: To earn a profit that he could spend on his operations, often to make even more money.

"Power is a far more complex matter than you can see girl. Money, weapons, the force, each of these things can protect you once you understand how."

It was her luck that she was no sith, and neither had the personality nor desire to become one. She had asked him to be her master, and yet she told him that she wanted to defend those she loved. To any apprentice on the path of the sith the next task would've been clear: Kill what attachment was left. There was another laugh.

Then reality returned, she would find herself once again sitting in front of the true form of the sith lord, the metal husk still hovering unmoved in front of her. What took minutes in her mind had merely been a handful moments in reality. Waking up from his mental grip was often described like reaching the surface only moments before drowning in the depths of a black, dark sea.

"Leave now, I will find you when it is the time for your first lesson."

[member="Veryiana Greivex"]

OOC

Spoiler

I will throw you a new, more atmospheric training thread soon. You can make a post about her leaving, but we can also leave this as end if you want to lol

 

[Myra]

Her face is blank, trying to process everything that just happened before she attempts to stand, only to fall onto her knees again due to the fact that her knees are shaking.. She takes a few deep breaths, trying again and this time succeeding before hurriedly leaving the tent.. she had to get home, Geonosis was safe.. And so she went, and fortified herself in the depths of her fortress.

(END)

[member="Darth Abyss"]