H-Hello?

[Xavier Vi'dreya]

Bastion, it was a rather nice world to the young Umbaran that now stepped off the transport which had brought him here. Men in pristine white armor approached the passengers, blasters in hand. Fear overtaking the small boy, Xavier hid behind the leg of a rather large man. They asked simple, questions, looking for papers, ID and so on. Then they saw him.

One crouched down, a strip on his chest plate read TK-4242. Xavier shook in fear as he looked into the eyes of the man's armor, fear causing his body to quake as the man reached his free hand up to his helmet. What if he was a monster behind that mask? When the helmet came off, he found it was not a monster, but a human, with almond skin and brown eyes, and uncountable amounts of scars. "Hey 'lil guy, you have any papers?" He asked, an accent noticeable in the Fett clone's voice. Xavier shook his head in shame, but found one of 42's armored hand's on his shoulder. "It's alright, can you tell me your name 'lil Umbaran?""

Looking into the brown eyes of the trooper Xavier shakily opened his mouth, gulping as he prepared to answer. "Xavier....Vi-Vi'dreya." He said shakily, the troopers eyes widening as he heard the boys last name. A small smile formed on 42's face, who patted Xavier on the shoulder as he put on his helmet to contact none other than @[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]. "Ma'am, I know you don't like being disturbed and all, but we've got a kid down here at immigration, and if what he says is true...you two are family."

 

[Lief]

Kara had been working the Forge when her commlink blinked into life, and the authoritative voice of a Stormtrooper cascaded into her hearing. Settling down the hammer to the anvil she sighed, and listened to what was said, catching mostly the end of the sentence. Family? Certainly not, that was unfathomable, she had no living family outside of Dranok and he was certainly not eligible for "kid" status. The mask she had been working on would have to wait, with Kara hoping the break inbetween did not ruin the structure of the end product. Ensuring that everything in the forge was seen to she muttered a simple "On my way" through the commlink before cutting the channel.

Walking out from the sweltering heat of the Shadow Forge, the Knight took up a towel to wipe the perspiration from her brow, and swiftly peeled out of her sweat-sodden robes. After a very quick shower she changed into something more presentable and made her way through the Imperial Palace down through to the main hall. "Put my afternoon appointments on halt for the moment" she instructed a passing servant as she stepped out into the light of Bastion, heading straight in the direction of the Immigration centre. It is good to know that my men are doing their duties, if nothing else she concluded, as she wandered across the packed earth towards the awaiting group of individuals.

As she walked she intercepted a comm-frequency used by @[member='Thyrian Ashborn'], and opened the channel to communicate with him. "Come down to the Immigration centre, I may have need of you." she instructed him, as she finally made it to the centre herself. Stopping a few feet away from the group she turned her sights to the commanding officer, yet before she could speak she picked up on a very familiar presence, yet one she was ultimately in ignorance of. Stepping forth she formed a break inbetween the gathered individuals, which led her directly to a tiny Umbaran boy. He couldn't have been more than three or four.

Crouching down to his height she frowned subtly and inspected him, immediately noting the large gash upon his cheek. "Who is this?" she inquired, not once taking her gaze off the little boy who stood before her. She could practically taste his fear.

@[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"]

 

[Xavier Vi'dreya]

"Says his name his Xavier Vi'dreya milady." TK-4242 responded, still crouched next to the small boy with a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and his helmet off. Xavier nodded shakily in conformation, looking up at the woman before him. Who was this woman? She looked to be Umbaran, like him, she was the first he'd seen since his foster father, who he'd last seen as he struck Xavier in the face with a bottle of ale, leaving the scar on his cheek that remained there to this day. Gathering up what courage he could find, the small boy stepped away from the stormtrooper and stood tall, looking up into the blue eyes of @[member="Kära Vi'dreya"], his eyes being an identical color. Xavier was afraid, but he didn't want to let it show in front of this woman, as she seemed to be of importance. How important he had no idea, but he would soon.

 

[Lief]

Her brows furrowed in disdain for a brief moment, before she extended a hand out towards the boy who stepped closer to her. When she did so she attempted to take his small hand into her own, waiting to see how he would react to the physical contact she showed. Hello, Xavier she communicated into his mind. Were he a true Umbaran the chances were that he would not be frightened by the mental communication, May I search for a memory? Why she was being considerate she was not sure, but maybe the tiny boy reminded her of herself when she was his age, a little lost and without any real guidance. If they were siblings then it would make sense, Demia was a useless Mother, all in all. Her eyes never once left the little boy before her, and even without seeing any memories, should he refuse to part with them, Kara felt some sort of intrinsic connection to him. If this were true, what would she do? It was a difficult situation, truth be told.

@[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"]

 

[Xavier Vi'dreya]

He didn't resist, allowing her to grasp his hand within her's. He wanted to pull back at first, but the feeling would ease. O-okay. He responded to @[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]. She wanted to search his memories, see who he was, but he was still curious as to who she was. But he didn't ask, if she wished to find things out about him first that was fine, he felt he was in no position to ask any questions, the young Vi'dreya only wanted to stay as far away from Taris as he could, at least on the surface it was, if someone looked deeper into his mind, they'd find a little part of him that wanted to watch the world burn, his abuser on it as flames consumed him.

 

[Lief]

The wonders of the mind were that while the young boy would not remember the earlier years of his life, despite only being four himself, his mind had stored them and suppressed them. That meant Kara could simply ease them out of his mind and claim them for herself, which she proceeded to do. The boy was definitely from Umbara, in fact she was able to witness some of his very first memories. Definitely born a Vi'dreya, and the name Demia was mentioned somewhat infrequently in the earlier phase of his life, mostly through arguments which ensued between his 'parents'. When she had found all the evidence she needed she opened her eyes and pulled away her hand, pursing her lips for a moment. Then her gaze settled down at the boy, and she gave him a knowing look. "Does the boy have papers? If not, I will sort them. See to the others." With that she kept a tight, almost vice-like grip of the boy's hand to keep him from fleeing as she began to wander away from everyone. She did not see the need in remaining for too long, instead she began to walk him towards the large Imperial Palace which would in effect become his new home, for the time being at least.

@[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"]

 

[Xavier Vi'dreya]

"No ma'am, no papers." 42 stated in response, standing up and donning his helmet.

He walked with her in silence, afraid to say or ask anything. Xavier saw the palace and suddenly felt the fear be replaced with awe, the place was fantastic, and with this awe came some courage. Who are you? He questioned through their mental link, looking up at the woman with curiosity. She seemed familiar, not familiar like he'd seen her before, but like something in her eerily reminded him of himself. He remembered that his 'parents' had mentioned that he hadn't been his birth mothers firstborn, but that was all he ever gotten. Was she family?

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Having spent all day in meditative trance, the Ashborn felt weary and unwell - a foreign thing for him to feel - finally snapping out of his troubled mind upon hearing the voice of his master leaving a message for him. Immidietly he stood up, though once up he felt nauseous at first, having trouble keeping his balance somewhat as he stumbled towards his armour, sat on the floor and resting against the wall. Perhaps his master could set his mind at ease, if only for a moment. A nagging feeling in the back of his head served as a constant reminder that he was not well; he could feel his sanity steadily decline, only managing to pull through for his Queen so as to not show weakness. She was his everything, after all, and keeping her pleased was his one desire in life, if that is what one could call his existence.

Once fully clad, he set off to the Immigration Centre as instructed. What need of him she had was unimportant; so long as she wished to see him he would be there for her. As he drew closer, however, an odd sensation made itself known through the Force: there were two very similar Force-sensitive beings at his destination; similar in the Force, as well as in genes. He had spent over a decade learning her signature through the Force, so that he would never be unaware of her whereabouts and would always be able to sense her. It granted him a peace of sorts, and her words - however harsh or malevolent - brought him serenity. As he arrived at Kära's coordinates, he saw her speaking with a little boy. Sin? No, this was not his little brother, but another child, even younger. Their presence in the Force was remarkably similar, as if...

Slowing his pace as he came into view for the pair so as not to scare the small child. No doubt his appearance, armoured or not, would seem menacing to one so young with little knowledge of the world. There were few who stood as tall as the Ashborn on Bastion, or anywhere else, and as such he tried controlling his voice as much as possible. "I AM HERE ON YOUR BIDDING, MY MASTER." The glowing eyes of his mask set upon the boy. "WHO IS THIS LITTLE ONE BESIDE YOU?"

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

Softly guiding the little boy away she wandered instead towards the Palace and was met half way by her Apprentice, @[member='Thyrian Ashborn']. With a subtle inclination of her head she greeted him and gestured for him to fall into step alongside them. While the boy had asked a question using the open telepathic link they presently shared she was slow to give him any information or indication of a response. Instead she spoke to Thyrian as they made their way inside, leading the young boy up the outer steps and through the main entrance of the grand Imperial Palace. Inside their feet echoed against the marble which lined the floor. "His name if Xavier." She said, purposely omitting his surname for now.

Rather than taking the boy through to a lounge, or somewhere to be cleaned up, she instead made a wayline through the Palace and into the sublevels where a lab had been set up for medical procedures and experiments. While it would have been an intimidating sight to the boy her grip of his hand remained tight and steadfast; but she was not trying to be mean, she merely had to know the truth about his heritage. She knew that Thyrian would not be happy if the boy gave up too much of a fight, not because he disliked children but because he would likely want her to stop and let him wait until he felt ready. But that could not happen. My name is Kara she finally said to the boy, although depending on how things go, you may end up referring to me as Master. Yes, if he was her brother, she would have no qualms with making him her subservient as she had done so many others, it would mean a life of power when he aged enough and earnt his place within the Empire as a Knight; to Kara there was no greater honour, and she hoped he would see it similarly.

When they finally reached the lab the woman took the boy by the waist and hoisted him up onto a medical gurney, before looking to her left to Thyrian to ensure he would not stand in her way. "Sit still and it won't hurt." She instructed the boy, aloud so Thyrian could hear too. Then she took out a blood reader and made to prick the boy's finger. It would not hurt too badly, and the results would indicate whether they were indeed related, as well as giving off an estimated midi-chlorian count. Should the boy try to resist then Kara would find a new way to make it work. She had to find the answer.

@[member="Thyrian Ashborn"] @[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"]

 

[Xavier Vi'dreya]

Xavier literally quaked in fear as @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"] approached. The man was a titan, and he had a voice to match his stature. But he held in his fear as @[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] introduced him to the titanic man. He took note that she hadn't given his last name, which left the boy curious, but he would hold his tongue. After all, she didn't tell her surname, so why should he? It made sense he guessed.

Silent as ever he nodded and sat on the gurney, clenching up as the needle pricked his finger. In doing so, he caused the needle to be squeezed tighter, causing more pain for the four year old. Enough that he got a bit angry, and pushed, with the force. It would simply knock the reader back a bit, with his blood still on it and being analyzed. But his actions there had erased any doubt of his force sensitivity. And that was a good thing he supposed.

 

[Lief]

Kära blinked when the little boy thought it best to assert himself and his potency in the Force, whether purposely or otherwise. Then her gaze settled down upon his, icy blue eyes meeting their likeness. Resisting the urge to frown she instead held his gaze up until the reader flashed and made a slight beep to show that the analysis had been registered. As had been shown, his midi-chlorian level was high enough to render him Force sensitive. “Keep him in place” she murmured to Thyrian, her words aimed at the fiery man and thus heard by him alone and not the child. Stepping across to the side she took out a fresh needle and replaced it with the used one, before pricking her own finger. As the blood was analysed it was also set to check for DNA patterns between her blood and that of the boy who sat mere metres away. Should this not be a coincidence, should this boy be of her own blood, her kin’, it would mean that Demia was still living somewhere. Kära was not sure how that made her feel.


Finally the reader finished its analysis and she stared down at the results. At first she thought there had to be a mistake, before realising it was her own prejudices in play. She had wanted Demia dead already, rotting in some unmarked grave alongside the man she had once deemed her abusive Father, but it was not so; no, Demia was out there somewhere, and Kära would find her. “Vi’dreya” she said aloud, to Thyrian and the boy, specifically aimed at the former. “His name is Xavier Vi’dreya. He is my blood brother.” She added the latter as she turned around to face the pair of them, a rather stoic and unreadable expression upon her face.

@[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"] @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Hearing the name of Vi'dreya being uttered so readily by she who would never let it slip past her lips otherwise, Thyrian paused in his movements, as if locked into place. A moment later, however, he felt the need to greet the brother of his Queen. "MY LORD VI'DREYA, IT IS AN HONOUR TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE." His words echoed as he bowed in the direction of young Xaiver, both with a bit more formality than was called for, perhaps. But if this tiny boy truly was of Vi'dreya blood, he was his to protect and worthy of all respect. "MY MASTER, I WAS NOT AWARE YOU HAD SIBLINGS. FORGIVE MY IGNORANCE." With that said he held out his armoured hand for the tiny one to meet with his own, should he wish to. It would be easy to think him afraid to do so, yet Thyrian thought it rude not to give him the option. "IF I MAY ASK, MY QUEEN, WHY HAVE I BEEN SUMMONED? DO YOU REQUIRE MY AID WITH ANYTHING?"

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"]

 

[Xavier Vi'dreya]

He froze up. He was her what? She was his what? The booming voice of Thyrian added to the confusion in his mind, and the fear building up inside him. Slowly he pulled his knees to his chest and looked at Kära. "He told my I didn't have a family, he said it was stupid thing to ask so he hit me. Are you going to hit me too?" The boy managed to ask, shaking in fear. They would likely have noticed the scar across his check, just one of the many abuses he had endured under his cruel foster family.

His emotions were a mix of fear, confusion, anger, and just the slightest bit of hope. Largely anger overtook him, his eyes narrowed and he began to huff and puff, some of the medical instruments around him floating slightly, he was angry that not only had he been hurt by the man who was supposed to care for him, but also lied to. Why would anyone do that? What had he done to deserve that?

@[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

@[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

Nodding her head just once to her Ashborn she thought for a moment, before simply shrugging. "I had one, now I have two" was all she said on the matter, before retorting "do I require a reason to want you present, Thyrian?" Perking a brow she questioned him before turning her gaze down to the little boy. The scar upon his cheek was foul, it hadn't been tended to properly when it was an open wound. She would see to that, but the scar itself would not be removed; it would make him stronger in the future. The scars which lined her entire body were evidence of such, once she had gotten over the panic she felt over having them revealed.

"I will not strike you lest you give me reason to." Her tone was a very odd mixture, both soft and harsh all in one, she did not know how to react if truth be told. Stepping towards her brother on the medical gurney she took up a surgical knife, a small one, and said, "I need to clean that wound, it is infected. This will hurt, but it's for the best. Trust me." She knew it would be difficult for him to do so, and while she wasn't one to show mercy or weakness she also didn't want to destroy this boy... Not yet. One day he would learn to hate her. Before he could say anything she slid the knife across the infected scar and allowed the nastiness to be drawn from it. Focusing through the Force she began to draw upon it, force-ably removing it from his system with her detoxifying methods.

The moment all of the nastiness was gone she settled down the knife and swiped the very edge of the cut with a disinfectant wipe. Then she took up a vibroneedle and thread, holding onto his shoulder with one hand, and steadily began to sew up the wound, clearly making it so the scarring would remain. The pain would be awful but the result would be that he didn't run the risk of septicaemia. He was her brother, and soon her Apprentice; he couldn't be dying on her, not yet at least.

@[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"]

 

[Xavier Vi'dreya]

As his sister, spoke to @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"], Xavier wanted to shrink into a little ball and never be seen again. That was when she responded, clarifying she wouldn't hit him unless she had to, which was more reasonable than what his previous agreement with his foster father, who'd hit him for no reason other than he was bored. Then she addressed his scar, and before he could react, a blade cut off the scar and disinfectant slid onto the already fresh wound.

He couldn't hold it back.

Tear welled up in the child's eyes as he began to cry out in pain, he had a slight understanding of why she was doing this, but that didn't change that it hurt immensely. Wailing now, he looked to @[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] with confusion in his eyes, she'd said this was for the best, but how could anything that hurt so much be for the best? It didn't make sense!

Eventually the pain would subside, and the the sobbing would cease. He felt embarrassed, he looked around at the two people in the room, both were titans in comparison to him. How could he survive? Things only got more confusing when he spotted the lightsabers on them. But unlike other children, who automatically assumed that anyone with a saber was Jedi, but Xavier was a smart child, he knew what these two were.

They were Sith, and something told him he would be one as well in time.

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

The Ashborn looked at his Queen and hanged his head in shame, somewhat. "NO, MY QUEEN..." His gaze then shifted down towards the boy, much younger than his "brother", Sin. A foul scar marked his left cheek, infected by the looks of it, and recently aquired; why anyone would ever harm someone unable to defend themselves greatly irritated the armoured titan, who clenched his fist at the sight of it. It made him frustrated to look on as his master then proceeded to "operate" on him, quickly yet painfully removing the filth festering on the outside. It was something the Ashborn could not stand to watch, and so turned his head to the side with eyes closed. The cries of utter agony filled the room, and it made him feel light-headed. Without a word he stepped outside, and then proceeded to pace back and forth, as if unsure of what to do, which would be correct to assume; he did not know how to cope with the sight of children in pain, truly, and he never had been. When he had hurt his beloved master back when she subjugated him and brought him back from the brink of death, he was distraught with remorse and disgust of himself. He had wished for a quick end of his existence right there and then, but his master had other plans for him, plans that had brought them where they are now.

Once the screams subsided, he regained focus and returned inside. It was safe for anyone to assume he had been shaken by the ordeal, perhaps more so than the little boy himself. It was something deep, hidden inside of him, resonating throughout his entire being; little ones cannot suffer, it isn't the way. He had always felt very protective of children and creatures of tiny size and stature. This includes his Queen, above all others.

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

@[member="Xaiver Vi'dreya"] @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

Despite usually despising weakness the Sith allowed her little brother a moment to cry as she settled a small bandage across his cheek to keep it covered from possible infection again. When it was finally in place she did something odd, at least for Kara. The usually cold, emotionless woman ran a hand through the hair of her little brother and pulled him close, settling a hand to his good cheek. "Worry not, little one, none shall cause you needless harm anymore." The sight of his face had awoken within her a fury like no other, and through the memories she had taken from him she had deduced who his 'parents' were. Leaning in close to his ear she whispered to him, away from the hearing of Thyrian who had just returned. "I will find those who did this to you, Xavier, and you may do with them as you please." Then she wrapped her arms around his petite form and lifted him up, cradling him against her to lead him away from the medical centre. Passing the first servant she found she simply said "Have one of my personal guest rooms fitted, and order some children's clothes and items." With that she led him and the Ashborn away.

 

[Xavier Vi'dreya]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

Perhaps it was just childish naïvety, or perhaps it was actual and meaningful trust, but when Kära embraced Xavier, he hugged her tightly, desperate to be close to someone that might actually care. He nestled his head into her shoulder and listened to her words as he held into her.

She said she'd bring his 'parents' to him, then he would do with them as he wished, the proposition interested him to say the least, even at such a young age he still yearned to make them pay for all they'd done to him. His innocence was all but lost in the four short years of life he'd endured through some kind of miracle work.

His icy blue eyes looked to the titan who referred to Kära as his queen, Thyrian was what Xavier believed to be his name. Was his sister a queen for real? Was this man the faithful knight that served and protected her just like in the stories he'd been told by an elderly street urchin on Taris who'd been his lifeline for so many years? No, those stories were just stories, Xavier felt a tear well up as he remembered the kindly old Arkanian woman being dragged away by two men, screaming in agony one horrid day. She never had returned. It was at that point his life became blindingly miserable and hopeless, until today.

While Thyrian wasn't some heroic knight from the stories, Xavier had felt something from him when the infection had been removed, he didn't know how to describe it, but Xavier had sensed what Thyrian had felt sort of. It had been pain, sympathy even. He raised up his head and looked at Ashborn, and smiled meekly. He wasn't so scary.