Induction

[Lassiter]

The duo walked through the courtyard of the temple. The wind’s breeze wafted at thick sense of fear and despair that seemed to be ever-present for every step that the two women took towards the grand entrance of the temple. It was here that the trials had begun and it was here that the trials had paid off.

The Ember had welcomed Sena for who she was despite the fact that she was not of a pure-blooded nature. It was one of the many things that Ameli was more than likely to have picked up over the course of their travels together. The overcompensation, the urge to constantly improve and the refusal to acknowledge that she had transcended what was expected off of her. Even as the very Sword of Vahl there was little Sena could tell herself to alleviate the burdens put on her shoulders by her mother.

Half-Corellian, half-vahla. It was a constant struggle for acceptance. It was the final remnant of her past history as a slave, a history that Ameli had not been let in on yet. Whenever (or if) the question had popped up the story remained the same: It was a training mishap.

But the reality was far from it.

Now here Sena stood in front of her second home with the one person she had come to count on more than anyone else. This was to be to Ameli what Prakith was to Sena; the part where an introduction to the Ember was made. If they could accept Sena then perhaps, just perhaps, they could accept Ameli as well.

“We’re nearly there.” Sena spoke as she marched through the courtyard. “We’re meeting one of the priestesses.”

“So, wait, actually...” She stopped before turning to her friend. “Are there any questions before we go through those gates?”

[member="Ameli Trahir"]

 

[Ameli Trahir]

Ameli, together with Sena, walked towards the large structure she only knew as a temple for the Embers of Vahl. It was a building. It held no spiritual meaning, nor did it represent anything more than that to her. Ameli wasn't much of a spiritual person, but she respected Sena enough to not criticize her for it. Obviously, she would've heard of the Embers, and she knew that Sena had been recognized as the Sword of Vahl. Beyond that, what they believed in, what gods they worshipped, Ameli didn't have the slightest clue. Themselves? Their race? This was her initial assumption.

"Uh huh.That sounds fun" Ameli said, not fully able to hide her sarcasm. Meeting one of the priestesses? She wasn't quite sure how that would go. What if they didn't like her? What if they decided she was unworthy, and had to be purged? Whose side would Sena stand on then?

Did she have any questions? Too fething many. Was she nervous? Perhaps. It was that kind of side of her that Sena wouldn't have experienced a lot. Usually, they were the ones in control. Even when they weren't, they always managed to find a way to flip it in their favour. The Force was handy that way. But this felt different. By stepping in through those gates, Ameli felt as if she was surrendering control, putting her fate in the hands of someone else. 'Religious fanatics' didn't strike her as a group that had an air of rationality about them.

"Do you trust these people?" Ameli asked, her body also coming to a full stop. "Do you trust them with your life? With mine?" Ultimately, that was what this was about. A small part of Ameli screamed at her, that if she stepped inside of that building, she would never emerge.

"Think they'll even accept me? Like... What do they believe in? And I mean..I'm not Vahla" The impression Ameli had gotten was that they were a cult of Vahla, for Vahla. Not that she really understood what that meant. She had only recently, at the age of eighteen, been introduced to the galaxy. "What if they don't accept me? What then?" was this the end of the line? A new beginning? Just another eventless day? Ameli really couldn't tell. It was upsetting.

[member="Darth Drethi"]

 

[Lassiter]

Sena was a skeptical believer. It may have seemed weird to think it, but in the end the Ember had taken her in for who she was and what she could do. In this cult she felt loved, she felt wanted and best of all she could do what she loved the most without getting in trouble. When there was a family that treasured you for the fact that you could kill without hesitation or remorse there was no way Sena would let that go.

“It will be.” Sena said as she placed her hand on Ameli’s shoulder as if it was support she needed.

With a swift tug she pulled both of them aside for a more private talk.

“Look, I wouldn’t bring here if I didn’t believe they will see what I see in you. I can trust them, you can trust them.” Sena took a deep breath and closed her eyes for only a short moment. Was now the time? No, it didn’t feel like it. “They accept non-Vahla too.” It was as close as they would get today. “I have heard of a few cases. Not many, but a few. Which isn’t really saying much considering the numbers we have.”

Hand let go off Ameli’s shoulder and slumped by Sena’s side.

“They will accept you. I will make sure they don’t doubt it.”

The walk continued up to the gates. Sena let the grand gates be opened with a push. Their screeches called out in the courtyard. Teeth gritted and grinded as the sound forced a shiver to run down the spine of the Sword. Warm air whipped the two girls in the face as they stepped inside but there was nothing about this that would indicate much warmth at all. A thick miasma seemed to shroud the two women. A darkness so near-palpable the environment could have made it hard to breathe.

“Remember, they value respect. Kneel in the presence of the priestess.” Sena urged Ameli to come along as they ventured down the wide hallways. “It is of great importance that you do not upset anyone around the temple grounds until this meeting is over.”

Which really was just a throw away remark. The couple rounded a corner and followed down an equally wide pathway. The walls around them seemingly grew darker as if the shadows were watching them. It wasn’t far from the truth, there was not a doubt that the priestesses were already acutely aware of the guests arriving at their doorsteps.

Sena and Ameli reached the end of the road. The moment of truth.

“Remember: Respect, kneel and remain quiet until spoken to.” Sena nodded at Ameli as she opened the gate.

The two stepped inside and the piercing feeling of being watched intensified to whole new levels. Six spots surrounded them, but only one was occupied. Up on a ledge stood an elderly woman. The wrinkles on her face spoke of her wisdom and her piercing gaze spoke of well-practiced scrutiny. Her meager body seemed to indicate a long life, but nothing about her said she was at the end of it. Her black hair was ragged and her skin as pale as the moon.

Sena kneeled, as did Ameli... Hopefully.

“You have returned, Drethi.” Her gaze wandered from Sena to Ameli. The curiosity seemed to shine through her. “And with a guest none the less.”

Sena said nothing but merely nodded.

“Tell me, guest, who are you? Why are you here?”

“She is-” Sena began.

“Silence!” The old woman interrupted her. Sena went quiet to let the silence linger. “I asked our guest who she was, I did not ask you. Now, [member="Ameli Trahir"]. Why are you here?”

A devious grin grew on the elderly's lips. The name drop would be a shocker, no doubt. It certainly was for Sena.

 

[Ameli Trahir]

Sena's words reassured her. This was her home, right? So she'd know what she was talking about. If Ameli couldn't trust Sena, then really, who could she trust? With a deep sigh, the blonde girl looked back the way they came. It would've been easy to turn. She remembered the way, and their path here had been unopposed. It wasn't too late to turn back. When Ameli's face once more turned to receive Sena's gaze, the other girl would find her resolve strengthen. It wasn't that she wasn't nervous still, but it had been successfully suppressed, thanks to the confidence and comfort Sena had given her. Slowly, she nodded, as if to say 'Okay.'

The two girls continued to walk into the temple grounds. Even before they reached the main gates, Ameli had felt something. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. She knew the Force, of course and it was probably her affinity for that that alerted her to the sensation... Yet it was different. Ameli wasn't religious, but she couldn't deny the presence she felt. It was like the very walls were alive, sentient somehow. She felt watched. When the gates opened and they stepped inside, the feeling was overwhelming. She could not deny the presence. The very ground she stepped upon felt alive. It was judging her, measuring the weight of feet as her sole pressed down into soft grass. Was her feet worthy to step upon this ground? She was not of this place. Ameli knew. The place knew. She was tolerated; not accepted, but also not rejected.

From the gates, Ameli let Sena guide her towards the main structure's doors. Not once did she feel relaxed, but walked with her heart beat trapped all the way within her throat. She wanted to tell Sena about it, but she couldn't speak. They would know. She didn't know how, but somehow, they would know. Every time her mouth opened, her breath felt cold. She was surrounded by the architecture of a culture completely foreign to her. There were strange statues guarding the entryway, as well as one at the very heart of the courtyard. That one stood taller than all the rest.

The main building seemed bizarre to her. The ground guided the two of them on a natural elevation up to its entrance. The structure towered above them, bending slightly, threatening to consume them whole with its shadow. She had seen curved structures before, but none this tall, and none at this angle. It seemed.... Impossible. It was as if the power of the place, or the dark currents of the Force, held the place together more than anything else. It made her feel uneasy.

Finally, Sena opened the gates. She seemed completely unaffected by the supernatural currents of the place. Was she used to it? Did she not care? Or was the presence she felt, the eye without a physical form, laid upon Ameli, but not Sena? Before she knew it, her mind was ripped back into reality by a voice. It belonged to an elderly woman. Ameli was kneeling, but she did not remember how she had gotten in this position. In the back of her mind, she also remembered that Sena had been talking to her, though she only now just noticed.

She told her about respect, told her to kneel. But Ameli didn't want to kneel. She wanted to tell Sena, it wasn't her thing. But it was too late now. Would Ameli have cared about such a thing before she met Sena? Probably not. It was an empty gesture, and meant nothing if your mind and heart wasn't in it. Now? Had Sena taught her to be prideful? Perhaps. She wasn't just an acolyte. She was special. She felt special. The priest disagreed. Her body followed the orders of the temple now, not Ameli's mind. Or was that an illusion? Regardless, the blonde did not rise to her feet. She felt like it was impossible, but truly, she never tried.

The old woman interrupted Sena, scolding her with her tone. Ameli felt a strong urge to punch her in the throat. Who was she to dare talk to Sena this way? Then the woman said Ameli's name. Ameli turned to look at Sena. Had she told them of her? The look of surprise on Sena's face told her that that was not the case. How did she know? Ameli's facial expression held no sense of subtlety, the shock obvious on her face. It took her a few moments to recover. She needed time, however, she didn't have time. The voice demanded an answer. She wasn't sure if she had one.

Why was she here? She didn't really know. She was here because Sena brought her here. To meet her 'family'. She didn't really know what she expected to find, but her perception of reality was surely being challenged. "I am here.... Because." Ameli hesitantly looked at her friend, hoping to find answer in her eyes. Of course, there would be none. Ameli was on her own. Why was she here? Because Sena wanted her here? Because she wanted her here? She didn't know. But she couldn't say that.

"You know my name. You must also know why I am here. So, tell me. Why am I here?" Kark. In her mind, she cursed herself, although she desperately tried to not let it show. Had she just challenged a priest? Karkkarkkark. Had she been disobedient? Surely not. Karkkarkkark. Out of all the things... Why couldn't she have said something else. Well. It was too late now.

[member="Darth Drethi"]

 

[Lassiter]

Sena’s eyes remained wide open. First it had been the surprise of the priestess knowing the name ‘Ameli Trahir.’ Sena had not shared that name with anyone. The paranoia of their connection being used against them was still the greatest worry on the half-Vahla’s mind. But what did that matter, the fact that the moment the question of why Ameli was here the girl had responded with a question of her own. Sean turned to look at her friend in mixed disbelief and panic. Judging by the look on Ameli’s face it was a shared feeling.

The grin on the priestess’ lips was wiped away. The silence lingered and for the briefest of moments even Sena could feel the supernatural miasma that surrounded the two friends. It grew heavier. Breathing got hard, her heartbeat heavier. The tips of Sena’s fingers spread themselves across the cold surface of the ground before the weight was rapidly ripped from her shoulders.

“You have a fire to you.” The priestess announced as her grin reemerged. “Good. Our kind usually do.”

No, that didn’t sound right. Sena’s head perked up to look at her elder. Eyes interlocked, surprise met assuredness and Sena broke discipline. Her mind raced as she struggled to find the words. A finger pointed decisively at the priestess, her mouth went agape as if the first syllable was expected to drop from the tip of her tongue. She lowered her arm and hand as her head began to shake in a slow back and forth that quickly picked up in pace.

“No. No, I would have known, I would have sensed it somehow.” Sena raised her finger to point at the priestess again. “I would have- She can’t be-”

“No! It's not-” The Sword of Vahl acted in defiance for the first time ever. Her finger moving to point accusingly at [member="Ameli Trahir"]. “You-... I-...”

Her hands curled into fists and with a swing for the doors she forced them open. A deep growl and the heavy footsteps would be the last thing the two people within the room would hear before the grand gates shut once more. Sena was enraged in a cocktail of jealousy and self-contempt. Ameli was a Vahla, Sena was not. The words that had been spoken outside the temple seemed to ring ever so bitter with irony as if the woman had taunted Sena somehow, knowingly mislead her into thinking anything else to be true.

Why had she not sensed it? Why had she not noticed it? While Sena had bursted out of the room there was no real reaction from the priestess who merely continued her descent from the elevated platform above Ameli. Not once did her stare linger away from the young newly discovered Vahla beneath her and not once did she utter a single word until...

“She has not told you yet, has she?” The priestess let the blonde girl remain kneeling on the ground. “That her biggest weakness is also her greatest strength.”

“You already have what she desires but can never have.” She reaffirmed her previous statement. “Because you, Ameli Trahir, are already one of us. Today has only marked the beginning of what you will become.” The priestess let her grip over the young Miss Trahir go in order to let the young girl move freely again. A deep breath reverberated around the room as she closed her eyes. “You are Vahla. That is why you are here.”

 

[Ameli Trahir]

The expression on Sena's face had told Ameli all that she needed to know. Sena had not told the old woman her name. Then how did she know? What was up with this place? It was as if it was calling her. Was it reading her, stealing her darkest secrets and whispering it through the lips of the priestess? So far she had not felt much of that acceptance that Sena had promised her. Would her fears be realized? Someone's fears would.

The silence was unbearable. The air felt heavy, and the sound of her heartbeat rung clear in her ears. When the tension was finally broken, and the priestess spoke, Ameli was too relieved about the fact that she did not seem to have invoked the fury of the woman. When she said 'our kind usually do', she hadn't thought much of it. Did that mean she was accepted now? Was the priestess just teasing, and saying she'd fit right in? Sena seemed to disagree. There was something more to her words. Something big, something Ameli had yet to understand.

What happened next confused her utterly. The blonde girl stared at Sena with wide-open blue eyes, and an expression that spoke 'What is going on?' Why was Sena pointing at her? Was Sena mad at her? Had she done something wrong? Then Sena stormed out. Ameli had seen Sena upset before, mad even, but not like this. Never at her. She had usually been able to calm Sena, or otherwise eliminate the individual who posed a problem. But this time, that didn't seem possible... She was the problem. She couldn't eliminate herself... Would Sena even want that?

Ameli's head turned in direction of the priestess, whose steps were carrying her closer to the blonde girl. She spoke, implying there was something Sena hadn't told her. But Sena told her everything? "What... What's going on?" Ameli asked, confused and in a fragile tone. Yet the priestess paid no heed, and simply continued talking. And then truth hit her. "What? I am what? But I don't... I've never... What?" Ameli's face was the embodiment of confusion. She had no clue what was going on. Even if it was true... Why did Sena think it was a bad thing? Didn't this mean they were the same? That Ameli would be accepted like her? Why would Sena not like that? Nothing made sense.

The priestess probably expected some outburst of joy, maybe even a hug... Okay, probably not a hug. But Ameli had nothing to offer but a mouth half-open in a voiceless gasp, and the big blue eyes of someone who did not know what to believe. "That's uh... Great, miss priest woman! I uhm... I gotta... Yeah" she had awkwardly stumbled through the conversation, but now she cut it short as she hurried to her feet and out after her friend. Was it disrespectful? Maybe. She didn't know what to do honestly, the etiquette of this place and people was lost on her. But Sena had left her alone with the priestess... Why had she left her alone?

"Seenaa!" the Vahla girl shouted, after rushing out through the door Sena had stormed out through. Vahla girl. She barely knew what that meant. How was this even possible? The more thought she gave it, the less of a shock it became. Instead, she felt her anger building. It was just another truth her father had kept hidden from her. First the Force, the Sith, and now also her Vahla heritage.

[member="Darth Drethi"]

 

[Lassiter]

The priestess merely grinned again as if the girl in front of her was the most fun she’d have in a long time. The way she struggled to find words, the way she got up from the ground and doubly so as the young [member="Ameli Trahir"] made for the door. It was, of course, quickly wiped from the woman’s features as she heard the outcry for the Sword. It was as if for a brief moment the delight was replaced by revolt or even disgust, but for what reason was not clear. Perhaps it could have been the outright disrespect shown, or perhaps the obvious connection between the two women she had just met. In any case it would be the last visible sign Ameli would be provided before the gates shut behind her in a bang.

Meanwhile the fake-Vahla, the shifty Corellian, was outside the temple pacing back and forth as the cold air burned at the corner of her eye. To admit she was crying would be a lie, but to say she wasn’t riddled with painful questions would be a lie as well. It wasn’t fair, nothing was, but the moment she had known what the priestess would bring up with her friend there had been nothing on Sena’s mind other than the searing burn of envy and she had stormed out as a result. Sena had effectively turned something that would mean a great deal to Ameli into something that would be all about her. If the burn within her heart wasn’t shame then she didn’t know what it was.

She could hear the other woman call for her and for a second she paused. Her attention set for the grand gate of the temple as if Sena had been caught by surprise but the surprise quickly faded for anger. At the world, at herself, at Ameli and at the goddess. Was it all a test? Let the inadequates gather all the real ones and watch the bridges burn. It wasn’t too late, Sena could still get out of here and pretend it had never happened. But to what cost or purpose? Just as much as it could have been the goddess’ will to find Ameli for the Ember it could have been a reward for her service.

But Ameli was her own person, and so was Sena. To think...

No, it wasn’t too late. If Sena just made way towards the platform on the other side of the snowy courtyard there was nothing to keep her from running away. But could she run away? What would happen if she did? What kind of message would that send? She had to stay. No, she didn’t. She most certainly had to. Or...

Sena began walking away. Ameli would have to catch up if it was important. Something she undoubtedly would do.

“I do not want to talk.” Sena muttered. “I do not deserve it.”

 

[Ameli Trahir]

Finally, the blonde came upon her redhead. "Seeenaaa!" she called out again, but Sena was still walking away. Ameli stopped, looking puzzled at Sena's back, that was slowly fading away into the distance. Why didn't she stop? Why wouldn't she listen? What had Ameli done wrong? Nothing made sense to the girl. She wasn't sure what would happen if she approached Sena now, something was clearly wrong. At the same time, however, she couldn't just let it rest. Something had to be done. She just had to know.


Ameli picked up pace, and started running towards Sena, regardless of how many judging eyes were upon her for disturbing the peace. Eventually, she would catch up. A soft left-hand landed on Sena's right shoulder, and gently tried to pull her to a halt and turn her around. "Hey. What's wrong? Did I behave bad?" the priestess had seemed pleased with her. Was Sena mad because she had partially challenged the priestess? Did she think Ameli was being rude? There were so many questions that needed answering.

[member="Lassiter"]

 

[Lassiter]

[member="Ameli Trahir"]

Sena felt the hand before it tapped at her shoulder. The errant touch that would cause her entire arm to twitch into a solid state before she turned around. Eyes interlocking for just a brief moment before she forced herself to divert them elsewhere. For the first time in a long time Sena’s eyes were jittering again as if Ameli herself was one of the most terrifying sights she possibly could have seen. Perhaps it wasn’t too far from the truth, it certainly felt like it.

It was what she could do as her mind began jumping to conclusions. Would Ameli leave her after this too? Everyone Sena had come to care for had one way or the other left her, Ameli could be no different from them. Mothers and fathers deserted her. The slaves in the pit had all left and forgotten her after the escape. Her cousin who had found her in a prison cell several years later had also left her. Even after the brief reunion with Velda -- her sister -- she’d found herself abandoned once more.

Everyone Sena had come to care for had one way or the other left her.

Yet that wasn’t the only reason for her sudden outburst. Ameli had the whole deal. The bloodline of someone Sena would forever try to pretend to be. It wasn’t known to anyone, but the Sword of Vahl had never felt her such worthy of being called as such. Wouldn’t that be the package available only to those who had the full package and not just the one half like her? How could she ever hope to truly be of the utmost importance to the goddess if she wasn’t what the goddess herself would have wanted her to be?

Sena’s eyebrows would furrow as her jaw gently shifted around in thought. She was by all means still staring at Ameli. Her mind didn’t register that she was, but she was. Ameli would feel it. That tinge of panic and anxiety all mixed into one. Sena’s mouth opened. She tried to speak but there were no words.

The struggle was pointless. Sena turned away to lead Ameli away from the prying eyes of everyone else. A shaky hand rose by her side as she waved it in front of herself. They needed a place of quiet far from the others.

“I’m not vahla.” Sena stopped and looked at Ameli as if she dropped the worst bomb she had. “I’m not. For all I can do, being that which I desire is not one of them.”

“But you are, and it’s just-... It’s not-...”

“It’s just not fair! I do nothing but sacrifice literally everything I have for the goddess. I think that just this once, just this freaking once, I get some sort of reward for it all. I find the greatest woman I have ever met, yet in the end she takes even that from me just like everyone else does.” Sena was just about containing that inner turmoil. The sense of self-hatred for what she was saying and the need to get it off her chest. The parts that Ameli had to know and the part she didn’t want anyone to know.

“You are vahla, and I am not. No matter how hard I try to be one, I will never be. I will never be your equal and I will never be able to see myself as one.” Sena stepped away from Ameli. “I found a perfect woman, only to find out she was too perfect.”

The panic grew more and more apparent.

“It’s only a matter of time before you leave me just like everyone else.”

 

[Ameli Trahir]

The look in Sena's eyes scared her for a moment, but she remained by her side. If she was being rejected, hard as that reality might be to face, she would stay here to hear the reason. On the inside, Sena was a torrent of emotions, emotions she never showed to anyone. She always seemed so confidence, always knowing what to do. Not know. Perhaps Ameli really was getting rejected... At least on the plus side, it wasn't an easy thing to do for Sena, but... She was so confused. Ameli really didn't understand anything of what was going on.

When she started to speak, Ameli felt a wave of relief wash over her. She was not ending their friendship. Right? It felt as if the source of her discomfort came from within, and not Ameli. Although Ameli may have triggered it. She felt like laughing, but she kept it in. I'm not Vahla - was that all? If only Sena knew how absolutely insignificant that detail was to Ameli. Up until two minutes ago, she hadn't been one either. Kind of.

"What is the difference?" Ameli asked, though with a frail voice. She felt vulnerable, and with the mood Sena was in, she was worried she'd come and verbally crush. She held that power. "I wasn't born on Coruscant. But when I first arrived there, someone said I should say that's my nationality, because it was the first planet I set foot on" at the ages of 18. Poor girl.

Sena's words sent Ameli into an emotional rollercoaster. She had called her the greatest woman she had ever met, yet in the very next sentence she had said she was taking something away from her, hurting her. Ameli had never meant to hurt anyone. Or, well... Anyone but Sena. "I'm not perfect" now, apparently staring at the back of Sena. "Perfect would mean my race not hurting you. But if by virtue of being born I push you away, that's not perfection." that was a tragedy if she ever heard one. "That's a curse." in this moment, she didn't want to be Vahla. Up until recently, she didn't even know that she was or what that meant. She'd take it all away, and offer it to Sena if she could. It was so frustrating and sad, that something Ameli cared so little about, became a wall that kept them apart.

"I won't leave you. Just promise that you won't abandon me." she said finally, trying to muster a calm voice, to not reveal her inner turmoil. This was not gonna turn into another crying session, she told herself. "I don't care if you're Vahla or not. Just be Sena"

[member="Lassiter"]

 

[Lassiter]

That really was all. Sena wasn’t perfect either, but to her that was the greatest crime she had ever committed. She always strove for perfection, to be merely half of something when the majority were more than that put her at a disadvantage. The Ember accepted non-Vahla too, sure, but Sena was part of both worlds and for all of her life she had considered herself part of the uninitiated until her ancestry had been revealed.

Now she had found herself someone that she at first hadn’t thought of as even remotely one of them only to have that prove itself false as well. It was like a game of eugenics. Let the unwashed remain unwashed and the pure retain the stature that is rightfully theirs. She had no place in the upper echelon of the Ember, but she still set out to prove her worth to them. At this point it was hard to tell who it was that she was trying to impress, but Sena still kept on going. Her master had taken her in as one of their own, yet even then there was no doubt in Sena’s mind that it was all out of pity.

And now, to later see that the woman that she loved was one of them was terrifying. The creeping sensation of having her inadequacies looked upon by Ameli was the worst thing she could ever imagine. There was nobody else that she had respect for, nobody else she actually had. The Ember was her family, but none of them were as close. None of them were Ameli.

Her eyes had long since set for the floor in shame, in confusion. Yet she for some reason she felt like she wasn’t the only one. The slight tremor in Ameli’s voice. The way she talked, the way she looked, the way she felt. It almost made it seem like Ameli was just about as uncertain as Sena was. The knight continued to stare at the floor. On occasion her eyes wandered up as if to catch a brief second of eye contact before setting on the floor again.

“I would never abandon you, Ameli.” The Sword whispered for only her friend to hear. “You are the only one I have. You are the only one I need.”

“I can be Sena, but...” She looked around. A hand raised to motion at her friend to follow. “Who is Sena? To you, who is Sena?”

The duo approached a small transport platform. Transportation was called for. The wait had begun.

“What if I can’t be the Sena you want me to be?”

[member="Ameli Trahir"]

 

[Ameli Trahir]

It was such a bizarre situation, the air filled with insecurities. Sena, about her race, which Ameli did not matter at all to her. While Ameli, was uncertain that Sena was mad at her, or wouldn't want to be her very good friend anymore, and that thought was likely far from Sena's mind. But when Sena spoke again she put to rest many of Ameli's doubts, which in turn allowed her to speak with more confidence. The fear of rejection lessened, making the blonde braver.

She was a Sith, sure. A murderer. A cold blooded one at that, she often cared not for the tears and pleading of her victims. Yet with Sena she was a different person entirely. Or perhaps it was simply that Ameli only had the capacity to care for herself, and by extension; Sena. Beyond that, the rest of the galaxy were numerous walking tools to be used to whatever purpose suited her that day. They lives didn't matter. Sena's life mattered. Ameli's life mattered. All else was inconsequential.

Sena brought to surface just what a lovely psychopath Ameli was. And when she told her she would never abandon her, there was little the blonde girl could do but smile. Her eyes did not break away, nor seek the silent comfort of her shoes. Ameli didn't speak at first. Instead, she took one step closer and embraced the other girl in a tight hug. Even then she held her tongue, allowing the moment to take focus, allowing it to freeze in time and last. The planet could continue spinning. They would be standing right there.

"This is Sena." the very same girl she was holding onto right now. "That's all you need to be. Here. You need no other qualification than that. As long as you're that, I'm here too" it was perhaps not the answer Sena was looking for, but it was the one that came to Ameli's mind. Hopefully the more discrete spot by the transportation that Sena had taken them to kept them out of sight. She knew how Sena could get sometimes with public affection, considering the appearances they were supposed to maintain. Ameli was usually the one to let such actions slip through her guard. Finally, however, she would let Sena go and take a step back. Provided that Sena was fine. If not, she would just had to stay in a little while longer. Ameli hugs cured all.

[member="Lassiter"]

 

[Lassiter]

There it was again. That mushiness that Sena had feared at first. Some sort of sign that she was growing soft or even out of her role as the Sword of Vahl. Around Ameli there wasn’t any sense of duty or obligations, only the slow passing of time in the presence of someone who Sena had held onto the dreams of meeting. Someone who didn’t see the maniac within, or if they did they didn’t judge. She had someone who would see her at her weakest without turning away, who would know everything about her without judging.

These were all speculations and ideas within the young Lassiter’s mind, of course. For all she knew Ameli was actually judging her, but realities such as that felt far-fetched and distant. And even then, what did it matter? In a selfish kind of self-service it was Sena who decided which reality she agreed with, and in this one she was doing the right thing for all the wrong reasons.

How that made sense, nobody knew. Affection could play you like that sometimes.

“I have no idea what I did to deserve you.” Sena whispered into her companion’s ear as they separated from the warm embrace.

A pair of guards passed into view and gave the two girls a suspicious look. The two women were standing far too close compared to the average chest-to-chest distance between most master-apprentice pairings. Obviously in the in the end it didn’t matter and they thought nothing of it. The taller man nudged the fat one to move along and they promptly did.

The transportation arrived. The droid by the controls waved at Sena and Ameli to get in and they did.

“Level One-Twenty-Five-B. Row Five-Nine-Seven at platform Zero-Two-Four-Three” It wasn’t an address Sena brought up very often. If at all. Her home wasn’t one of those places where people had a tendency to be welcome. At least not unless they were her present company.

“I have something I’ve wanted to show you for a long time.” The half-Vahla whispered as she reached out for Ameli’s hand. Soft skin slid upon soft skin, imperfection upon perfection. If she was okay with Sena for who she was, then by all means it was time for her to meet Sena with a gentle tug and the contact of a full pair of lips.

The two parted. Sena opened her eyes again.

“Hold on to this for me.” She handed Ameli a keycard. “We’ll need it later.”

The transport soared through the cityscape. Outside the signs of clubs and restaurants began to flood the interior of the cab with the pastel neon light. Pink, orange and blue whipping at both of the women’s faces. It didn’t take long for the cab to stop at the insignificant landing platform Sena had brought them to. From the first step outside the transport Ameli would realize just exactly where she was.

Below them was the same street where the two had met. The bar where both of them had been drugged and the subsequent deathbed of their first mutual victim. Behind them was a narrow walkway leading to a door. One of the last few doors before Ameli would be getting her surprise, but before then Sena would allow her friend to let the view soak in.

Sena certainly was.

[member="Ameli Trahir"]

 

[Ameli Trahir]

Ameli returned with a kind smile and a whisper of "You don't have to do anything". A bit ironic, perhaps, as had Sena truly done nothing, would they have even gotten this far? What she really meant was something closer to 'you don't have to prove anything'. Sena wasn't on one of those reality Holonet shows. She wasn't about to be voted off. She had already won.

Ameli paid little mind to the guards that stopped to take a look at them. They had certainly done nothing to deserve her attention, and as such received none. The side Ameli showed to Sena was quite different than the one she showed other people. The list of people Ameli got along with, aside from Sena, was fairly short. That being said, she imagined it'd be longer than Sena's list.

"Where are we going?" she asked, as Sena gave an address. It didn't sound familiar to her at all. Content with the answer Sena gave, made complacent with the touch of her lips, the blonde entered into the vehicle with no further questions.

When they finally reached their destination, Ameli's jaw hit the ground. "This is... Is it?" memories were vague and blurry; she had been drugged after all. But it would take a lot more for her to forget this place, to forget that night. She had killed that night. Sena had not stopped her. Come to think of, she may have placed the knife in her hand. Many a life had been claimed since then.

When she was given the keycard, it was dawning on Ameli what was happening. Was she going to see where Sena lived? For so long, they had moved from ship to ship, or otherwise acquiring accommodations wherever they traveled. Home owners were forced to vacate both their homes and the realm of the living. To come across something one of them owned was a new experience entirely. But maybe... Maybe the keycard was for something else? Perhaps it opened the door to a storage room.

"Do you live here? Or... What do you want to show me?" she asked, knowing she would receive the answer regardless. Yet her impatience was showing. She craved them spoilers.

[member="Lassiter"]

 

[Lassiter]

It wouldn’t be a lie to say that perhaps Sena was trying way too hard to move on from her fiasco by the temple. But perhaps the mere idea of having accused her friend, her Ameli, of something as petty as her race to be a thing that would get in their way was embarrassing enough to warrant measures this drastic. It was for certain that the young mudblood was with her faults, but she had never thought herself as much of a drastic-measure-taking-person. Times changed, perhaps, or maybe it was Sena herself. It had been ages since the voice in her head had taken over, even longer since it had made her do something outrageously stupid.

She turned to Ameli and smiled. Had it been from way back that would have seemed like an impossibility as well. This was exactly where they had met a few months ago. Maybe not this exact spot, but they had met at one of the bars down below and something so incredible had happened because of it. Had Sena been more of a poet or a philosopher she could have drawn the parallels between some sort of symbolism of the act she was about to perform and the ways the two had gone about to get where were. Many of the roads had been travelled together and very few of them alone.

At least for Sena. Ameli was always there, physically or mentally. It had been a As much of a hazard as anything else in her life at this point.

The guilt from before still nagged insistently at the back of Sena’s mind. Joy at one point, envy at another which moved on to jealousy and then guilt. Here they were back on a technical square one and Sena performing an induction of her own. The hasty induction for Ameli Trahir to join the Ember had been just that. It felt like a mere five minutes almost and an equal amount of time since Sena had so bluntly changed her view on the matter and now here they were on their way to Sena’s apartment, as Ameli had without doubt figured out at this point. It was a mere couple of steps away followed by the call of an elevator, a smooth turn to the right and ten meter walk. Simplicity itself as some of the wise men would have called it.

Sena had remained quiet for the duration of the walk. Part of her was laughing inside by the impatience shown by her friend, another was merely trying to not ruin the ‘surprise’ that was in store. The smiling like a crazy person didn’t help. That smirk or grin that had kept going since they arrived on the platform. Panic was almost evident in the young girl’s eyes, almost. She had prepared herself for this for a long time. Physically and mentally. As was evident by the duplicated keycard in Ameli’s hand.

Moment of truth. Sena took a deep breath.

“Do you still have that keycard I gave you?” Sena asked her friend as they finally stepped in front of a very insignificant door. “I am going to need you to swipe it through that card slot there.” She said and pointed at a tiny black spring by the side of the door panel. “Well, go on, do it already!”

Sena nodded, her eyes opened wide in childish joy. Here it came! The second induction!

The doors opened and exposed...

A big, sterile, empty room. After taking the first step inside the duo would be further exposed to the echoes of not just one empty room, but four of them. In one of them there was a bed and a small connected walk-in closet which was just about as empty as the rest of the apartment. Yet there was that one thing about the apartment that would seem off. There was no dust, not a single particle seemed to defile the floors or surfaces of the home.

There was a story behind that, but Ameli wasn’t let in on it. Not yet.

It was, after all, related to the 'training incidents' that had covered her back with scars.

“Welcome to my home.” Sena announced. Her voice echoing throughout the entire ‘home.’ “It’s not much, but it’s my home. Time permitting, it will... Uh,” She chuckled for a second. “Maybe it will be yours too.”

“My home is yours. I mean, it’s bare and some even dared call it ‘spartanic,’ but if you want... Well, I wouldn’t mind.”

[member="Ameli Trahir"]

 

[Ameli Trahir]

"Uhh" she hesitated. Then began a frantic search through pockets, until her shoulders finally lowered. She found it. "Yeah" she said, trying to let it come off casual as if there had never been any doubt in the first place. "O-okay" she said, moving towards the card slot. Uneasy eyes went between that and Sena. What was she planning? She couldn't quite figure out what she had in store for her, but clearly she was excited about it.

Ameli walked in, looking around with curious eyes. This was no storage facility. It looked more like a... Home. She was too distracted by all her new surroundings to notice the lack of dust. Ameli had never really had a place to her own before, and so the removal of dust was a process unknown to her.

And then Sena revealed the truth. This was her home! She lived here! She had a place! A thing! That she went to! And slept and stuff. Ameli's mind was buzzing, and her eyes quickly locked on Sena now. She was tempted to yell out 'AHA!', as if she had just discovered a big secret. Of course, she hadn't done much discovering. It was mostly listening. But such details were irrelevant to her innocent mind.

"I love it!" she quickly chimed in after Sena said 'it wasn't much'. Ameli's experience with people's homes was quite low. Her knowledge lay more in the general area of hotels and the like. She had not yet been dazzled by the extravaganza some people surrounded themselves in. Ameli had a greater need for stuff than most Jedi or even Sith, though she was not fully aware of it yet.

Then Ameli paused, looking at Sena with a half-gasp and almost empty ask. Did she just..? "Are you asking me to move in with you? Orsomethin'" she asked, still a little puzzled. The surprise turned away into excitement. Were they gonna become roomies now? Master and apprentice, friends and...Well. Closer friends. "You don't know the chaos you're about to invite in to your clean place." she teased, her hand affectionately tracing a path down Sena's side as she stepped past her. Ameli stopped in front of the walk-in closet. "And that" she pointed, waving her hand in its general direction. "Will have to be filled up" it was at this point it'd be appropriate to start thinking "Oh Force, what have I done?"


[member="Lassiter"]

 

[Lassiter]

The process of discovering, coming to terms with and reacting all came within a few seconds. Sena looked at the way Ameli handled herself. The wonder, the excitement and the question: Was Sena asking someone to move in with her. The Sith Knight’s head slowly nodded in approval. She was. They had spent so many nights on a ship, seen one of the most far-reaching swamps of the galaxy and yet the one landscape, or perhaps cityscape, in which they had first met would have remained a mystery to both of them. Perhaps not as much for Sena as Ameli, but Sena being the ever loyal worker that she was had spent a lot of her time running errands for the Ember. Even before her promotion.

A hand slid against her waist as Ameli slipped past her.

“It will.” Sena agreed, not knowing the full extent of pain she was inviting to her home. “All these rooms need filling up. We may lack the means right now, but uh, we have our ways to acquire the credits needed, right?” A sinister look went out the window and down towards the clubs where they had first met. “Yeah, we do.”

“So, what do you say about a bar round later?” Sena perked her brows. “I hear people get their paychecks right around now. Would mean an awful lot of through traffic around the neighbourhood.” She got closer to Ameli, wry smile spreading on her lips. “Dark alleys,” Hopefully Ameli was getting the same wonderful imagery as her Master was. “Sirens in the night,” What kind of sirens Sena meant was, of course, left for anyone’s interpretation. “Cold crimson running down the drains.”


“I like to call it a hostile takeover.” Sena paused for a second before she ever so dramatically nodded again. “Or well, murder, really. Whatever you want to call it is fine.”

“You still have that knife I gave you?”

[member="Ameli Trahir"]

 

[Ameli Trahir]

Ameli met Sena's sinister look with one of her own. Oh they had means to acquire wealth alright, and Ameli had no qualms about taking it. The look in Ameli's eyes, her eagerness, was all the information Sena needed.

"Bar round? I'm in" she smirked, having a pretty clear mind about what it would lead to. Blood and credits. Blood and credits. "It doesn't have to have a name. It just needs to happen" she said, barely able to contain her excitement. She hungered for the hunt, hungered for the kill. It was quite the pretty little killer that Sena had created.

"Yeah, I do" Ameli confirmed, reaching underneath layers of clothing to pull the blade out. It was a little strange, perhaps, that she kept it. It was primitive. But perhaps for those very reasons, she loved it. Though she frequently used her lightsaber, in fact relied on it, she still kept the knife. The lightsaber was business, the knife was pleasure. "I was thinking of getting it decorated. Some carvings on the blade. A tattoo for the dagger, if you will" she mused, holding up the knife against the light, moving it slowly about in the air.

"It's just a knife" she said, but the way she let the last word hang proved there was more to be said about it than simply that. "But even so... It matters. You know? It's symbolic. You gave it to me. First night we met, you gave it to me" she followed up with. Looking up, she smiled. There wasn't much else she needed. Someone to understand her, someone to carry all her burdens with her. It kept her conscious clean. It allowed her become a ruthless killer with no remorse, because in their reality, it was just another day.

[member="Lassiter"]

 

[Lassiter]

It was just a knife. Sena wasn’t going to pretend to herself that it was much more or less a knife that anyone could find at a local hunting store. Yet with all her impartialness to it, this was indeed the knife that she had handed to Ameli. It wasn’t hard to see why the woman in front of her would find it ideal to get that moment memorialized, but for Sena it had in all honesty just been yet another knife. Whatever reason Ameli had to immortalise her knife was in the end not really something that mattered to her. What mattered to Sena was Ameli, and she would hardly ask of Ameli to engrave something upon her body simply because Sena held her within the deepest reaches of her heart.

Which speaking of Ameli’s body...

Sena let her attention run up and down along the complementing shapes of her partner before a careful hand placed itself on top of the hands that covered the knife’s handle. She let her fingers slide along the surface of Ameli’s hand and with a gentle grabbing motion she pried it out of her hands.

“It’s not the moment that mattered.” Sena whispered as she got closer. “It was what happened after it.”

Like a repetition of the moment when they had realised what it was that they had, Sena got even closer to Ameli. The two coming to a soft yet abrupt end as lips collided one upon another in a kiss as wickedly delightful as back then. A hand swept up Ameli’s back, holding her in place while pulling her even closer to Sena. She carelessly opened the hand in which she held Ameli’s to toss the knife aside. A harsh crack reverberated around the empty apartment as the blade pierced the wooden panels of the floor and remained upright. The duo swept further and further away from ground zero until eventually Sena eased her grip on around Ameli.

“The pub crawl can wait.” She grinned before latching her entire body onto Ameli’s. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

The voices in Sena’s mind cried out in delight. This was exactly what she should have done ages ago. At long last, she was listening again.

[member="Ameli Trahir"]

 

[Ameli Trahir]

[member="Lassiter"]

Sena's hands placed themselves on top of Ameli's. She stopped talking. Sena's attention was a sure way of doing that, and the pathways of her eyes was not lost on the blonde. Despite the value she said she placed in the knife, the act of prying it out of her hands was a rather simple one. It's unlikely Ameli would be equally cooperative towards anyone else in their attempts to disarm her. The dark red-haired girl required very little effort, in fact, to disarm her.

"Yes" Ameli muttered in agreement. It was as if the close proximity to Sena somehow impaired her ability to string together full sentences, forcing her to resort to one-word responses. Memories flashed by, and it brought a smile on her lips. She remembered what happened after. Lots of tears, and lots of hugging. But they were good tears. Bonding tears.

Now, staring straight into the eyes of the girl ahead of her, she was reminded of those first moments they had shared. This was before Sena took the role of teacher, travelling partner. Back when she had just been a girl in a bar, who shared Ameli's view on justice and karma.

Their lips connected, and Ameli forgot all about the knife, the business at the temple, or why they were even there. Those were irrelevant details. The present was far too entertaining to divert even a fraction of her attention towards anything else. Her breathing increased.

"I agree" Ameli returned, with a wicked grin. It would appear they were of the same mind, confirmed with a firm grip on Sena's rear. It was a damned fine rear. The next sequences of actions seemed to pick up pace considerably, as if the blonde could barely contain herself. She threw herself at the other girl, with hungry hands and eager lips. Never before had Ameli been in such a rush to get out of an otherwise perfectly stylish outfit. The pub crawl could most certainly wait.