Private I prayed it was just a nightmare..

[Samara]

Within the ever so expansive mass that was space, a ship owned by Iris Arani would be moving along at a brisk pace away from the foulness of 1313. Throughout the hassle of hauling Samara from the tower to her ship, one would notice that Sam tended to jitter around a lot, kicking and weakly thrashing about. Even now in the seat behind Iris, the young Sith still shivered. Common signs of a terrible nightmare, one that seemed to plague the apprentice.

The mind of the Sith agent was filled with fear, she would swear he was right there, ready to strike her down for such a pathetic failure. Finding herself back on the cold metal ground, no attire, no warmth. The massive figure stood over her, saber ignited. Currents of lightning start to melt the very skin off her face as she screamed for mercy, but shouldn't she just accept death? Wouldn't her dark lord give out the fitting and just punishment? Her memories recall to all the other wombs.. She may not have been anything special, but she didn't want to die. At least that is what half of her thought, the other most definitely wanted death. Being hand picked, trained, created to serve a purpose.. And all for what? Samara had failed him, failed herself even.

Or did she? Was this all just a bad dream? Would she wake up at home? Did she even ever meet a Mandalorian named Tayl.. Or a Jedi named Iris? It was time to wake up right? Get away from the terror and just WAKE UP, JUST WAKE UP!

And within that moment, her corrupted amber eye shoots open. Gazing around in a frenzy, unsure why her other eye wasn't working... Then it all hit Samara like a train, the weight of what happened smashing into her chest. She did not move much, merely rolling her head over to gaze out at the empty void around them. Samara's expression was blank, hardly any life would be found in her unblinded eye. And under these eyes were streaks of smudged makeup, black smears adorning a dead face. She had wished for it all to just be a nightmare, but like most things in life it wasn't. She had indeed failed, there would be no praise from her lord, no further studies, no home...

The area had been dead silent, only broken as the young Sith spoke in a defeated tone.

"Why?"

It was a simple question, but one that covered a whole list of things. Why did she fail? Why didn't the Jedi kill her? Why did the Jedi patch her up?

"I wanted to kill you, take your saber with me as a prize.. Yet you put me to sleep instead of ending me, it baffles my mind.. I only meant to fight you anyway, didn't mean for the Mandalorian to get involved. But war is war right? Things happen.. I guess.."

Samara grumbles to herself before just going back to looking at the void, speaking once more before returning to silence.

"So am I to be your prisoner now? A little trophy? I see you took all my gear, I feel anxious out of my armor."


​

​

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

The very first thing Samara would wake up to see? A small, paint covered BD unit watching her. It seemed inactive at first, but a surge of emotion from it signaled it was actually aware. Complex emotions, singing through the Force. Almost a language. A language Iris could understand, at least. She didn't turn to look back, not yet. The colors of hyperspace were going to be the only thing in sight for a while.

"Did you see him?"

It wasn't hard to tell she was having a nightmare. Even if she didn't toss and turn, the colors alone showed how twisted the dreams had to be. The nightmares.

"He seems to like nightmares the most. Goading you to kill yourself."

Samara

 

[Samara]

Her question remained unanswered, agitating Samara some. But it would be then that she understands what the Jedi was speaking of, she sighs, paying little mind to the painted BD unit.

"You didn't answer my question, Jedi."

At first it seems like that was all the young Sith wanted to say, meaning to stay silent out of pure spite. Yet, the silence would be broken after a moment as she spoke again.

"Yes, but I am unsure if it was just my vivid dreams or if he was really there.. I was punished for my failure, my skin melting off as current surged through my body. I-"

She pauses again, growling to herself.

"I don't know why I cling to life in such a half attempted manner, one moment I wish my saber would have landed... And the other I scramble and clutch onto life like some sort of frightened animal.. A coward."

Her corrupted amber eyes stare at her mostly missing arm.. What an alien sight it was to Samara. She wanted to get angry, she really did. But the anger had been suppressed by an intense wave of apathetic depression, Iris could no doubt see it in the Sith agent's colors.

"Again I ask why, answer the question."​

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris listened in silence for the most part. She didn't answer. No, she was more interested in what Sam had to say than answer her questions. No violence in the colors, no anger. Just.. Sadness. She could understand that at it's deepest level. The hopelessness that came from a connection with Carnifex.

"You're not a coward for wanting to live. You're a survivor. .. Don't forget that."

Samara

 

[Samara]

"You flatter me, but that is very subjective. Within the line of duty one must know when it is wise to save their own skin, or to sacrifice themself to protect something else. Fearing my punishment makes me a coward, by all rights I should be executed by my lord for failing my task. I am nothing special, just one of perhaps thousands that dream within the amber. All I have ever known was his voice, between it and the training it was all I could ever hear. But I suppose even with all my training and genetics I still couldn't hide at the edge of my web for too long, prey landed within my web when I did not expect it. And now I pay the price, sentenced to rot in some Jedi prison. Caged away like an animal... I can't decide if I would rather find a way to end my suffering within the cell or if I want to find out how to get out and kill you all."

Samara grumbles and growls more to herself, her position makes her out to be a wounded yet aggressive animal, just waiting to lash out.

"What more do you plan to do with me anyway? My arm, eye, and will to live not enough? What more could be taken from me?"​

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Nothing. You've already lost more than enough." What did she want to do, though? Her eyes narrowed just a little as she thought about it. Truly thought about it. Honestly, all she heard was Carnifex and made her choice then. This was someone plagued by that Sith Lord. If she could be saved, couldn't others? But at the same time, wasn't that just her projecting? She clicked on her com then, reaching out to the Jedi. To the Masters.

They'd know what to do.

:: This is Padawan Arani. I'm bringing a captured Sith agent to Coruscant. I'm.. Not sure what to do. I need guidance. ::

She was too close to this to have the answer.

Samara | Yenna

 

[Samara]

The words of the Jedi surprised her, yet what else surprised the Sith agent was a feeling in her mind.. He was here, watching.


"Maybe I won't have to kill everyone in the prison after all.."

No doubt at all that Iris could feel the tyrant watching through the still working eye of Samara, leaving the looming threat of other Sith agents coming to retrieve the young Sith. Darth Carnifex could feel within her mind that she feared a retrieval as it would most certainly lead to horrid punishment to atone for her failure, while the other half of her seemed content with it, content with the punishment that she deserved.​

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris blinked.

Then frowned. She at least made sure Samara wasn't going to know where they were, at least for moment. Were they in danger, now?

".. He's here, then?"

Samara

 

[Samara]

Deep down, some part of her knew his hands would come for her. Most likely they were already on their way, but would she talk about it? Did she want to talk about it? No.. Even ignoring the urge not to answer the Jedi's question merely out of spite, her main reason was fear.

"How do you think peace can happen? I am curious, to me.. Peace is a lie. If I sat somewhere and wished for peace then wouldn't I grow weak? Strife is what makes us stronger.. If I ever did find someone or something I cared for, wouldn't my passion guide me? My passion to protect them, my passion to keep myself strong for them. Else they be torn away from me, a good example is the Mandalorians we had both helped clean up that tower. They used their hate and pain for a good cause did they not? Despite feeling glee while cutting down the traitors to their kind.. Well is that really such a bad thing? Peace did not get Tayl her mother back, passion did."

Surprisingly, Samara wasn't trying to piss off Iris with this conversation. That little flawed light broke free, giving Samara the curiosity to ask these questions and have a civil enough debate.​

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Being a Jedi isn't about not having emotions. It's about trying to do the right thing regardless of how you feel. Selflessness, not selfishness. I beat you without taking your life because I believe there's a chance you can see that you can protect people without needing to be Sith."

Samara

 

[Samara]

"Mm..You wish for me to be Jedi? My veins run with corruption, this will be interesting to watch."

Samara scoffs at the idea, it was hard for her to not think in a selfish manner, manipulation flowed with Sam like smooth bread and butter. The fact she took pride in her web of lies, even calling herself a spider.. It would take a will of steel to go head to head with the young Sith, to try and get her to change. Controlling anger is one thing, but amplified selfishness was a whole other game.

"Selfishness is how we evolved, dominate the other species to rise to the top. Call it primal and outdated if you will, but no matter how hard we try, we are all victims of our inner animalistic nature. Every day this dogma of life is followed, the strong eat the weak so that they live on. I am simply this dogma personified, along with the rest of my kind. You will find no companionship among Sith, it's a kill or be killed life. Why would I help another Sith when I could kill them and take what they had? Why would a stranger walking the sands dare to share water with another when there are no towns in sight? He would be better off killing the other stranger, they are a threat to his survival. As cruel as it all sounds, this is just a fact. Look at how the Hutts live, they get things done through any means, they, much like I, understand that in order to thrive we must focus on ourselves and what we care about. In return we grow in strength or die trying, the weak such as myself are killed.. Hrggg I loath that I lost, but such is the dogma of life. A dogma that you are trying to avoid it seems, turn me to whatever you call a noble cause."

If it was one thing Samara could not argue with, it was results. Her rage had gotten her beaten, unlike the Jedi who kept a calm mind to focus on the fight. If Iris could detect such things, she would sense that a little crack had formed upon the Sith's hard shell. Anxiety was clear within the depressive colors, not that Samara would want to speak about it though.​

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris just frowned. Kept her gaze forward. Kept her emotions in check. Samara said quite a bit that she just listened to for the most part. Processing her mindset, processing where she came from. What she learned.

"I never said I was trying to make you a Jedi. I just.. I want you to see there's more to life than what Carnifex made you believe."

Samara

 

[Samara]

"He granted me life, I would not exist now if it wasn't for him. I owe my life to him, what knowledge I do have is all thanks to him, and the home I had was all thanks to him... Why do you care so much for me Jedi? How am I so special out of the thousands like me? The only difference between me and my slumbering brothers and sisters is that I was hand-picked by our dark father to carry out his will, I was blessed by his touch. It is said that the ritual he bestowed upon me was enough to send a disturbance in the force all through the galaxy, though it seems his time was wasted upon the likes of me."

Seems the young Sith was rather fervent about her dark father, part of it could be even down to her loyalty genetics, even the mere thought of speaking ill about him never once crosses her mind.​

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"I.. Don't know a lot about what you just said. I'm not sure what he did for you, did to you. But if I can, I'll save all of your brothers and sisters from him and his cruelty." That, that she did know. Carnifex, his followers. All those willing, they needed to be stopped. And more importantly, those that could be needed to be saved. She closed her eyes for a moment. Frowned.

"You're not a waste of time."

Samara

 

[Samara]

She couldn't help herself but burst out in mocking laughter, trying to cover her mouth with the single hand she had left.

"I couldn't help myself! Ahh I am sorry!"

Samara wasn't really.

"Well I do hate to rain on your little parade Jedi but I highly doubt you can 'save' the massive horde of strand casts that lie within slumber, only a select few like me are ever woken. You will only ever find beings such as myself, trained and ready to serve. The rest that fail training or fail to obey are fed to beasts, we slumber for who knows how long, hearing his voice as we dream... Once we are ripped from this dream, all we know is his voice."​

"You're not a waste of time."​

This minor statement would only make the young Sith question the sanity of her Jedi captor, yet deep down it added just a smidge more to that crack in the shell, part of her wanted to ask "Really?" but her bitterness would drown the more sensitive reply, the reply that would imply that Samara had been touched if only slightly by the comment...

"Mm.."

A far more simple response, less than she wanted to say for sure. Perhaps the Jedi could tell that little comment had tapped into something...



​

​

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"There is a life outside his voice. .. I hope you can see that some day."

In the end, that's all she could do. There was no saving her, no redemption. Not unless Sam wanted it for herself. Iris glanced back for once, back towards teh girl as she fell silent. Just watching her for a moment. Watching the colors. Here in space they were practically the easiest she could read them as. Yeah. That was the part she was looking for. Something worth redeeming.

Hopefully she wasn't just projecting.

"We'll be there soon."

Samara

 

[Yenna]

:: Padawan Arani, this is Alliance Naval Vessel Defender. Be advised, we have received your hail and are patching it through to the Temple. Stand by for further instructions. :: The call came back through her commlink. A few minutes passed as calls were exchanged and people organised.

Finally the call came back.

:: Padawan Arani. Master Yenna, this is. To the Defender, bring your prisoner, could you please? Sent to you, coordinates have been. Meet you there, I shall. :: The calm, gentle voice of the Jedi Master answered.

Yenna quickly organized a shuttle to transport her to the star destroyer orbiting Coruscant. Bringing the prisoner directly to the temple would have been problematic, depending on who it was and what they were capable of. She wouldn't have minded personally, but security was there for a reason.

Finally her shuttle reached the ship and the little green Jedi patiently awaited their arrival along with a squad of marines. She felt it unnecessary, but the captain of the ship insisted. Once the ship arrived, Yenna greeted the two occupants with a warm smile. Her wooden cane lightly tapped on the durasteel floor as she approached them with a limp to her step.

"Padawan Arani. To meet you finally, a great pleasure, it is." She gave a light bow before her golden eyes shifted to her companion. "Good day. Master Yenna, of the Jedi Order, I am. Your name, what is?" She asked with a warm voice as she looked up at the wounded girl. "Injured, you are. A hand, one could say, you need?" She giggled lightly at her terrible joke as she turned to face the soldiers.

"To a room, could you escort her, please?" She asked them before facing Iris again. "Padawan Arani, a moment, do you have?" She asked her.

Once the soldiers took Samara away, Yenna looked up at Iris with both hands resting on her cane. "Tell me, what can you? What happened, the situation, like that, some things. Help her, we can, if we understand." She asked her.

Iris Arani Samara

 

[Samara]

As the call came on, Samara would listen in... Confirming that she was indeed a prisoner. She sits back and keeps silent for the rest of the ride, only turning her head to look at the figures that waited for them. As Iris hops out of the fighter, so does Samara. The little one named Yenna had agitated the young Sith with the joke made at her expense.

"Samara."

Her eyes remained dull, almost lifeless in a way. Under her eyes still lay dried tears and smudged makeup, along with the missing arm and blinded eye gave the young Sith a very battered appearance. Soon she is taken away to whatever room the Jedi master had in mind, being sure that no guard touched her, choosing to walk along peacefully without the need for touching... By the force, she hated being touched.


​

​

Iris Arani Yenna​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Master Yenna." When they arrived, Iris simply bowed her head to the little green woman. Any other time and she might've smiled. Right now? All she had was the ever conflicted frown. Her gaze shifted as Samara was escorted away, simply watching her leave in some silence. Some worry. At least she went peacefully. This was the right thing to do, right? No, it had to be. The Jedi would be able to help.

"She's an agent of Carnifex. I think he can see through her eyes, er, eye. She infiltrated out group on a mission against some other agents of Carnifex to report on why they went AWOL. I found her during one of the reports, a fight broke out, I captured her. She.. Is a Strandcast, I think. Brainwashed completely by Carnifex."

Yenna | Samara

 

[Yenna]

Yenna listened to Iris as a hand came up to grasp at her chin. She mulled over her words and thought the situation over, finally giving a nod. "Tricky, this situation is. True, if it is, that Carnifex can see us... crucial, it is, to help her. But, regardless of it all, a chance to redeem a lost soul, we have." She thought aloud as she looked off for a moment. The prospect of Darth Carnifex watching them through Samara was unsettling to say the least. The memories of what he did to her were still prevalent. Not so strong anymore, and certainly not having an effect on her, but still something that would always sit in the back of her mind.

"Very well... go see her, let us." She looked back at Iris with a smile and gestured to the doorway of the hangar. Yenna patiently walked with Iris to the holding cell, where Samara was detained. "For the wait, I apologize." She spoke up as she entered the cell and the ray shield went up behind her. The little green Jedi hopped onto one of the chairs, then onto the table. "Your eyes, could you close, please?" She asked gently. The thought of Carnifex was irrelevant with what she had in mind.

She had something far different in mind.

If Samara did as she was asked, Yenna would place a hand over her injured eye and focus the Force. Her eyes closed and a soft sigh escaped her as she channelled her power into the wound. Slowly, the damage done by Iris began to reverse, and any pain dissipated entirely. When Yenna's eyes opened and she pulled back, Samara's eyes would be in perfect condition once more. "Better, is that?" She asked with a smile as she moved back and stood on one of the chairs. Her cane was set aside as she rested her hands on the table.

"Some refreshments, would you two like?" She asked as she glanced between Samara and Iris.

Iris Arani Samara