Private In a Nest of Vipers [Naivia]

[Darth Carnifex]

The journey was uneventful. With Bryn'adûl hegemony all but quashed, traveling through former Hutt Space was far less dangerous than it had been several months ago. This allowed the survivors of the Bryn'adûl's genocidal ambitions to emerge from every nook and crevasse, all scrambling to gobble up as much power and influence as they could muster. In this mad dash for control, the Sith had made concerted efforts to spread their own influence among the criminal syndicates that had re-emerged in this harrowing time.

Chief among the survivors of the Bryn'adûl Scouring were the Hutt Clans, although they had dwindled to a handful of families in recent decades. Their homeworld had been spared the cruelty of the Bryn'adûl, but now chafed under the stringent control of the Silver Jedi Order. Lesser Clans, once under the bootheel of their more powerful brethren, struck out to stake new claims and plunder new wealth.

It was the head of one of these kajidics that the Dark Lord Carnifex had the pleasure of being entertained by. The evening had started fairly ordinary, the pleasantries observed, and the proper respect deferred. For several hours they dined at the Hutt's palace but had moved onto their luxurious sail barge so that not only could they continue the eating and drinking of the past few hours, but also showcase the renewed chemical plants that the kajidic had put back into working order.

"Adrenals are only a small part of my interest in Quesh, Exalted Skask. I have something far more ambitious in mind."

"Such as?" The Hutt's voice was translated into Basic from his native Huttese by an accompanying protocol droid. The Dark Lord did not require the translation, as He could speak and understand Huttese easily enough, but He had strung Lord Skask along believing that his words could be masked from the Dark Lord.

What wonders were revealed when someone believed that no one else could understand them.

"Some time ago I came into possession of a chemical formula that would create a potent toxin. This toxin would be non-lethal in the correct dose and would cause immeasurable suffering in those who ingested it. I want your facilities on Quesh to manufacture this toxin for me, with ample compensation for your Exalted estate."

As the Hutt pondered over this, the Dark Lord's left eye turned slightly to look back at the reveling crowd. Something was drawing His attention, but He couldn't quite isolate what it was.

Whatever it was, it was doing very well at concealing itself from Him.

And that was cause for concern.

Naivia Neryn ​

 

[Naivia Neryn]

In the midst of the vast number of people, Neryn tried to be quite secretive. She dreaded not the fact that there were famous powerful figures in front of everyone whose names she did not know,
but rather the fact that she was unlike most of the faces that surrounded her.
The dark robe with the hood and the colourful signs and symbols on its back had helped the girl for the past six hours to poke around all the ruins and heal those she could. She did not ask for anything in return, but wished her long life and happiness.
The planet was filled with toxic waste and it was rather uncomfortable to breathe, but thank God for the Singing Fire, her lungs soon adapted to the terrible chemical emissions and now, in the middle of the market,
the girl emitted her unique aura more faintly and looked as if she had purposely emitted it. But in reality she wasn't even thinking about it, she was just doing what she thought was normal, like saving life on a planet with a poisonous atmosphere.
Neryn had heard much about the survivors and their plans to save personal business and monopoly after Bryn'adûl fell, but didn't think they would reach a certain form of cooperation between the Sith Lords and other members of the
dark force, though the girl was happy for any movement in the direction of survival of the species

Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"A bargain with the Sith is a dangerous investment, Dark Lord. The galaxy is hunting for you, and if we are discovered to have collaborated..." The Hutt's meaty brow knit in concern, "They will destroy us."

The Dark Lord's eyes turned back to look squarely at Lord Skask. Few beings could withstand such a withering gaze, and even the mighty Hutt Lord averted his eyes after a few seconds. "Then it would do you well to ensure that our enemies do not discover your actions, Skask." By any other, the abandonment of a Hutt's honorable titles would have seen them fed to a beast of ill repute, but Lord Skask could only bristle in silence when the Dark Lord of the Sith was within arm's reach.

"But you fear too greatly," assured the Dark Lord after a few seconds of silence, "The Sith have the means of hiding undetected in plain sight. They will never discover our operations on Quesh so long as you keep your people compliant." It was a two-fold statement; the Sith could keep a secret but could the Hutts? Skask's pride had been struck, and to rectify this injury he would have to prove that he could uphold his end of the agreement without issue.

"You make a fair point, Dark Lord." Skask plopped one of the many meaty hors d'oeuvre that were being shared about the party into his gluttonous maw. "Provide the capital, and we will deliver you what you desire."

"Capital is no issue, Honored Skask." The return of the Hutt's honorifics alleviated some of the tension, although the sudden intensity on the Dark Lord's face as He whipped His head to the side took the Hutt off-guard. Suddenly, the back of the sail barge erupted into bright orange flames. Explosions rippled through the lower decks, the entire barge shifting violently to the right as the revelers were tossed to the floor. Some were too close to the edge and tumbled off into the noxious abyss.

The Dark Lord was unmoved by the sudden shift in balance, His feet fixed to the floor as if by magnetism. However, He was forced to brace Himself as the sail barge careened into a quarry of an old mine and crashed.

As the dust settled, the Dark Lord still stood next to the dazed and bleeding form of Lord Skask.

"It appears that we have uninvited company."

Several skiffs and other small aircraft could be seen in the distance, circling the quarry on the lookout for survivors. While this was going on, the Dark Lord had moved away from the recovering Hutt to stand by a small girl that had caught His attention. His eyes narrowed looking down at her, trying to figure out why He was drawn towards her out of everyone else.

"Who are you?"

Naivia Neryn ​

 

[Naivia Neryn]

Neryn could sense what was happening not only in the past but also in the future and so as soon as the explosion started the girl made her way quickly towards the possible ship, with a high degree of probability that local negotiations had moved indefinitely and many important figures were now being helped. But when she felt a dark force behind her, it confused her a little and turning around she saw Dark Lord who was standing in front of her almost unscratched and wounded. Fiery eyes met red-dark ones girl calmly looked at them without any weak emotion. She stood silently for a park of seconds while her dark cloak developed against the burning buildings in the wind

"I'm Naivia Neryn, do you need shelter too? "

And without getting an answer the girl decided on her own to take this person's life into her own hands and without question took it with her hand causing the Sith to sense the girl's unique aura, she was a mixture of two different but beautiful intelligent beings. The girl ran forward in a flash, her white hair floating slightly in the wind. Soon the girl reached the broken ship where there was a small base and sighed immediately began to prepare food, especially not expecting a positive reaction from the dark Lord.

Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Naivia Neryn.

The Dark Lord filed that name away in His mind, for it was not a name He had heard of before. She bounded off to aid the other survivors of the crash, not even waiting for the Dark Lord to give her an answer. Intrigued by the girl's eccentric nature, the Dark Lord slowly followed her and observed her actions.

Others had begun to congregate around the most defendable section of the crash, including Lord Skask and his own entourage. At the sign of life, the skiffs that had been circling like hungry nexu began to descend through the air. Some of the assailants, whether they were pirates or assassins, leaned over the side and began to fire their weapons down towards the crowd. Several individuals were struck by blaster bolts, causing the entire group to scatter into the wreckage for cover.

The Dark Lord turned His eyes up and watched impassively as the skiffs approached. There was a gleam in both of His eyes as He fixated on one of the craft, appearing to focus on it every ounce of His attention. A brief flash of light was the only precaution as the nearest skiff detonated and burst into flames, sending smoldering wreckage and bodies tumbling down to the noxious earth.

The other skiffs backed away at the sudden destruction of their ally, moving erratically to avoid whatever projectile had destroyed them. The Dark Lord could sense the confusion among them, none of them had seen what exactly had destroyed the other skiff and that unbalanced them. An unbalanced foe was an exploitable one, and the Dark Lord would take full advantage of that. He reached out through the Force and destroyed the other skiffs, one after the other, until none remained but ruin and death.

A respite had been taken, and the others breathed easier knowing that those who attempted to kill them had been in turn destroyed.

The Dark Lord turned back to find the young woman. "Where do you come from?" He asked, watching the young girl closely as she performed her tasks.

Naivia Neryn ​

 

[Naivia Neryn]

At this point Neryn was not at her best. She looked carefully at what ingredients she was putting in, how much and how long to keep them on the fire before pouring in the special additives and delicious fruit extra. The girl's hands, though fine, were unafraid of dirt and dust and worked like an automated high-tech machine. At a free moment the girl returned her gaze to Dark Lord and replied

"Bentaal IV , what is your name and where are you from yourself?"

The girl asked in such a way as to let the Sith Lord know that she was completely uninterested in what title he was, how many worlds he had enslaved and more . She was interested in survival at the moment, not in talking about how many solar systems the side had and how many the other had. For once the food was ready she quickly put out the fire the plates in which the girl poured the delicious soup were very hot.
Placing one in front of the man she added with a calm smile

"Two or three minutes and then we can start eating."

Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

He had never been to Brentaal IV, though He had heard of it. It was located deep in the Core Worlds, now the heart of Galactic Alliance territory. Once it had served the cause of the Sith, a powerful trade world that had ensured the Sith's coffers remained filled. The Dark Lord still maintained contacts on Brentaal IV, lesser sons of the Brentaal Houses who had pledged themselves in exchange for instruction in Sith Magic.

"I am known by many names, known by many faces. You may call me Daeva."

The Dark Lord often referred to Himself as Daeva when operating unknown in the galaxy. This codename was derived from ancient mythology and old forgotten teachings. Daeva was primarily associated with a supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics, divinities that promoted chaos and disorder. What better pseudonym for one who would see the galaxy stumble and falter, plunged into death and destruction so that it could be reborn by Sith hand.

"I hail from the darkness of all being's hearts."

A false and rather melodramatic claim, but perhaps not as metaphorical as one might expect. The Dark Lord drew His strength from the galaxy's darker impulses, the shadow that resided with all creatures that only came to the surface in moments of hatred, anger, greed, and fear. As the galaxy was thrust further and further into rampant bloodshed, the greater His power was as He fed upon the suffering experienced by all who fought with anger in their hearts.

"You bemuse me, Naivia Neryn. I do not believe that I have encountered someone like you." He accepted the bowl she offered, bringing the rim to His lips and downing half of it in a single gulp. Like most food He consumed these days it tasted of ash and soot, the curse of the power He grappled with.

"You are not like the others."

Naivia Neryn ​

 

[Naivia Neryn]

"Please forgive me that even my food you can't feel and enjoy, Daeva."

Neryn replied and holding warm mugs of fruit tea with her hands one held out to the Sith Lord with a sweet smile.

"Well maybe I am different in some ways, but you need to eat and drink or it will get cold. And in order for us to survive on an alien planet, we need to support each other."

The girl laughed sweetly and holding the glass herself with both hands began to drink, studying Daeva's appearance and in an instant she touched her hand to the Sith Lord's arm thus giving her energy, which in no way hurt the dark side power helped to calm her down.

"It should help, don't be afraid. I am not a Jedi and in no way do I wish you harm. Most of my power has to do with creation, but if need be, I can also destroy something or someone. I hope I won't need to use such sort of ability, Daeva"

She smiled at the man

Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"A Sith has no fear," replied the Dark Lord, a statement so casually given as if He were speaking of something infinitely mundane like the weather. Fear was to be a tool wielded by the Sith, not something the Sith experienced. Their strength came from their hatred and their anger, fueling their desire to destroy those that would stand in their path to bringing about a galaxy worthy of existence.

The Dark Lord watched the young girl as He slowly consumed what she had provided Him, regardless of its acrid taste on His tongue. The other survivors were too frightened of the Dark Lord to venture any closer, even the Hutt Lord kept his distance and mainly consorted with those of his personal entourage that survived.

"Creation and destruction are powerful tools," the Dark Lord continued, "I have discovered that pain is the catalyst for creation, the genesis of change and evolution. The more a being suffers, the closer they come to crossing the barrier separating them and a higher stage of existence. Pain can also be used to destroy. Suffering of the body, suffering of the mind, suffering of the spirit. Strike a being where they are most vulnerable and they will crumble, becoming less than a sentient creature; less than the worms that writhe just now beneath our feet."

He looked down at her, studying her carefully.

"What has your power created? What has it destroyed?"

Naivia Neryn ​

 

[Naivia Neryn]

Neryn looked at the man and answered easily and simply

"The desire to love and create, and destroyed the narrow view of the world around them and of themselves."

Then the girl sat down attentively beside him and, taking the man's hand, she carefully studied it, she touched the fingers with her hand,
which caused her to feel a luminous, soothing power. But it was not a Jedi power, but Naivia's special healing ability. The girl sighed and said

"Very beautiful words really, but you need to take more care of your own body, so that both your hands are not so dry and your body as a whole breathes. You can't do that! And as for your philosophy,
I don't entirely agree with it, but please don't forget that you and I are on a very unpleasant planet and we're trying to figure out how to escape."

All the while Neryn was mulling over a travel plan in her head to reach the nearest spaceport, which was about 20 kilometres away from them. Physically the girl was not very strong, but with
She was not physically strong, but she could cover such a distance in 1-2 days with food and strength. As a result of various calculations, the girl picked out a minimum route and looked at the Sith Lord and asked

"I've roughly worked out the path, are you ready to go or should I still examine your body completely?"

Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

He did not understand why He felt the compulsory need to entertain this young woman. Had He been inclined, a ship could have come and delivered Himself and those He would use to benefit Himself to safety within a short period of time. Even if that option had been impossible, He could have made the journey on His own in a fraction of the time. He had faced far more inhospitable environments than Quesh.

Even so, He rose and stared out where the girl had indicated with her finger.

"That is not necessary, tarrying any longer does nothing to favor us."

The others nearby were spurred to approach as the Dark Lord moved, the Hutt Lord slithering up closer than the others.

"Is help on the way, Dark Lord?"

"One who possesses strength does not need to rely on others to help themselves, Honorable Skask. We will journey towards sanctuary by our own merits, and when we arrive word will spread of what the Mighty Lord Skask has experienced and endured in the hostile wastes of Quesh. Then you will discover the perpetrators behind this brazen attack and ensure that they trouble us no longer."

The Hutt Lord retreated into his own thoughts for a moment before answering, "Very well."

The Dark Lord then turned to look at Naivia.

"Let us be on our way."

Naivia Neryn ​

 

[Naivia Neryn]

Neryn nodded and calmly stepped out of the ancient ruins, heading through many metres of slop and rotten soil towards the nearest spaceport. The girl's golden orange gaze contrasted strongly with the strong hues of hunger, toxic substances and death. The girl didn't want to think about the possible thousands of dead children and their fates, their aspirations and desires. She understood that not everyone could be born into a Great Family, with innate talents and not the most typical character to survive almost anywhere. So as they walked in complete silence, Naivia did say aloud.

"So many clever and grandiose speeches. You drive me crazy, to be honest. You seem like a Sith Lord, you seem like I should be on my knees wandering around you, but in reality the feeling is completely different. I want to help you as an equal in ambition, basic needs and capabilities myself. Add a couple thousand other stars in there, mix it up, and you've got an infusion on how to survive on a dead planet in the company of a keeper of the force and a nice Sith lord. May I have the chance to see your powers? Just don't blow up entire countries, just since I haven't seen a great Sith in a while. But no dueling, no physical weapons on me. Though I'm a pretty original person as it is."

The girl laughed and continued walking while her cloak, painted in different colours and meanings, floated in the wind.

Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Where the other members of their party might have struggled through the fetid wastes of the smog fields and chemical bogs, the Dark Lord of the Sith moved without difficulty over hazardous terrain and impassible obstacles. When a lake of sludge obstructed their path the Dark Lord merely walked across the surface of the cesspool, when rusted scrap blocked the way forward He tossed it aside with a flick of His fingers. If there was an animal that preyed upon them, lightning crackled forth from the Dark Lord's fingers to burn the offending cretin to a smoking crisp.

And as they walked, the girl frequently spoke to the Dark Lord even though He would rarely offer His own reply. When she spoke of her desire to see Him display His power, the Dark Lord considered the request in silence before answering. "Destroying a country would be a far too vulgar display of power indeed, young Neryn. In light of our recent conversation, I believe I shall show you an act of creation."

Stopping in their journey, the Dark Lord knelt down near a mud-pit just off to the side of their narrow trail. Extending His hand, the Dark Lord caused the mud to well up into a meter-and-a-half pillar. The pillar shifted in accordance with the Dark Lord's will, taking on a vaguely humanoid silhouette with two arms, two legs, and a discernable head. Then, with a flick of the wrist, the mud instantly hardened into dull brown clay. Another flick and crude features appeared in the clay; two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. With the tip of His index finger, the Dark Lord carved a runic symbol in the clay forehead.

Rising up and taking a single step back, the Dark Lord thrust His hand forward towards the clay. With a start, the clay man jumped up into the air and landed down on the solid ground. It moved clumsily at first, sauntering about like a drunken wastrel around the Dark Lord, but with each second it lived its actions grew more and more natural and smooth. Eventually, it could move just as well as any of their party, and its features had improved to near lifelike quality.

"And an act of destruction."

The Dark Lord flexed His fingers and the clay man contorted into itself as if squished by a massive invisible hand. All that remained was a clump of ruined clay, slowly leaking rivers of coagulated mud from where the clay had been broken.

Naivia Neryn ​

 

[Naivia Neryn]

"This hand is indeed unusual. But it's still a hand."

Answered Neryn , taking the man's hand and gently running her fingers over it, trying to feel the power of the Sith, once she felt it she chuckled pleasantly, and taking her hand away she went on to add with the words

"Imagine destroying a country. Oh no! You scared the hell out of me. I guess I'm too used to the powers that Poerrrul and I'm not one hundred percent meat, bones, nerves and fluids myself. Anyway, I hope the act of creation is more for you than destruction. I respect everyone, regardless of their outlook on life, I even enjoy trying to look at the galaxy through their morals, their conscience, their body and through their experiences. But anyway, like you said, as long as I'm young while I have time, I'll do different things. Sometimes bizzare, sometimes beauty. By the way, do you like dancing? What style suits your physique best? What are you afraid of when you dance, hmm? "

The girl did a couple of dance moves right on the move, and with the help of force easily gathered a whole ballroom of 100 metres in all directions from the local dirt and just as instantly it fell over.

"That's the way life is, Carnifex. And you and I, we too will die and leave this world and it doesn't matter who you are. A mad archaeologist, a book lover, a strange girl like me or a Sith Lord like you. We are all flawed in our own way, even when we are pure. You know... "

Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Your vision is flawed, Naivia Neryn. Death is not the end, it is a gateway to something greater. Only through the baptism of death and rebirth can one fully experience existence." He walked ahead of her, the outskirts of their destiny seen in the distant horizon. They were close to the city now, within an hour they would be within its walls. Then the Dark Lord's business on Quesh could be concluded and He could return to His seat of power and continue exerting His will upon the galaxy.

He did not know what would happen to the young woman who follow Him on this journey, but His instincts told Him that she would follow the gales of fate to wherever her next destination would be. She intrigued Him, yes, but He only envisioned her as a curiosity rather than an asset to be coveted.

Nonetheless, He would impart what wisdom He could within the time that was left. "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. Through it, one can achieve a power greater than any Jedi could ever hope to dream of. That power is the birthright of my Order, we will seize it through the providence of our own strength."

"You would do well to remember that as you travel across the galaxy, Naivia Neryn."

Naivia Neryn ​

 

[Naivia Neryn]

"A lesson for the young can be a picture for the experienced. A picture of the fearless cycles of life and death, the rebirth and annihilation of living matter into dead matter. All our views are far from perfect. Even as we leave the chambers of brief life and enter the chambers of nothingness, the very idea of being somewhere will separate us from emptiness itself. Power takes its own, and gives a piece of itself as light in the tunnel of knowledge, light in the tunnel of pain, and vice versa the fire of blood amidst the marble scenery of life. I don't consider myself to be anything but perhaps a keeper of force. But at the same time, the only thing I can teach you and yet not turn from the little squeak of a lonely mouse in the night into something more, is to see in pain and in dreams, in every action and inaction, the very foundation of your very existence. Without your intelligent creation, the fullness of the galaxy will continue on its way. You cannot only change the environment around you or give it control over yourself. One must love it as your heart as the principle of your life. "

At that moment the girl stopped and became silent and looked around at the man, the great Sith Lord was in her eyes a little jewel of cosmic unity and chaos. She had admired billions of lives from the moment of her own advent until the present hour. She smiled as she was pleased to have someone to talk to.

"And don't be a fool please. I believe in you."

The girl hugged Carnifex gently and placed a small steel amulet with fire circles in his hand.

"As a token of our meeting."

And with a sweet laugh, she waved her hand at him and ran towards the ships.

Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Dark Lord stared at the memento placed in His hand, studying the circlets that comprised its creation. Then He closed His fingers around it and slipped it inside His cloak. Then she was gone, running off towards the distant spaceport and leaving the Dark Lord and His entourage behind. Carnifex was quiet for a few moments until He turned at the approach of Lord Skask, the Hutt's disposition far less anxious than it had been in the wild.

"Who was that child, my Lord?"

"A vagrant, nothing more. Put her from your mind, Honorable Skask. The hour has come for my departure, I have other priorities that require my attention. Begin your operations while I am gone, my people will come and pass along all that I require."

The Hutt inclined respectfully, subservient to the Dark Lord. He would do what was required of him, and the Dark Lord would look favorably upon his efforts. His business concluded, the Dark Lord boarded one of His ships and departed from Quesh.

His mind was ablaze with thoughts, the trinket placed upon the table at His side as He thought back to that strange girl.

"Naivia Neryn..." He whispered. Yes, He would very much like to know more.

Naivia Neryn ​