Just a Casual Affair (Rik'Tani)

[Kamon Vondiranach]

He took her hand gently, and held it with care. After a moment, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the Force. At first she might feel nothing at all, but then a gradual warming would rise from him into her hand before it moved up her arm and to her head. There, he was intent on showing her something. He'd made a connection to her mind through bodily contact rather than through Force.

In her head, he pulled her conscious self into a world of nothingness. Everything was white. He was even wearing a white suit.

"Welcome to your subconscious. In a moment, you'll get to talk to yourself. You have Force talent. It's raw and untrained, but I aim to change that. That's why I've taken an interest in you. Well, that and you are a beautiful young Zabrak and I can't help myself. I admit, I am drawn to beautiful non-humans. Would be nice to settle down some day..."

He trailed off and then shook his head.

"Anyway. Take a look around you. What do you see here?"

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rik'Tani was a little stunned to see herself inside her own head with Maddock. She looked around for a minute. "I see white. Very bright, very boring." She looked over at him and grinned a bit. "You look nice in the suit, though."
[member="Maddock Kane"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Well, thank you. You don't look so bad yourself."

Her mind had made a set of clothing based on her deepest desires. It always did, no matter whose mind he went into. It was just part of the psychology of it all.

"It won't be boring for long. You're about to talk to yourself."

Motioning with a hand, the whiteness turned into a ship. Possible a ship she'd been on recently? Or maybe a ship she owned. He didn't know because he wasn't actually poking around her head for information, he was facilitating her self discovery. Now inside of that ship, her subconscious self manifested. Time for her to talk to herself, and find out what was really going on in her own head.

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rik'Tani's smile widened as she looked around her dream ship. This was the kind of thing she was looking for, but hadn't found yet. She let out a slow whistle, impressed. "Now this is what I'm talkin' about!" She said. Then something altogether strange happened. Out of thin air, Rikki appeared. Only, it wasn't her, because she was staring at her. Rather, a clone of herself. "Hey there, Rikki," The clone spoke. Rikki walked right up to it. The two Rikkis examined eachother closely. "This is seriously what I look like?"

"Yep. You look damn good."

"I know that. I just didn't realize how good."

"Until now. If you could, you'd sleep with yourself."

"You know what? I totally would!"

Their chit-chat went on for about ten minutes before things got a bit more interesting.

"You hate ships."

"Okay, what?"

"You hate ships. They always leave, and take everyone with them but you."

"Did you hit your head on your way in from the Nether? Ships are my life."

"Only because you don't know any other life. In that area, you're afraid."

"Okay, genius. I'll play along. What am I afraid of?"

"A cage. Being severed from the freedom your parents showed you how to have."

"That's a load of crap, and you know it."

"Settling down sounds nice at first. But then you think about how the night sky is so wide and so infinite. You feel it calling to you. A familiar feeling that you hold so dear, that if you were to lose it, you would spiral into the abyss that is your grief."

"How poetic. Next you'll be tellin' me that I'm afraid of the dark!"

"You are. You're afraid of what awaits you in it. You're afraid that you won't be able to fight it, and that it will kill you."

"Oh really? And what 'awaits me in the dark'?"

"You don't know. That's why you're scared. Because you don't know what's going to kill you."

[member="Maddock Kane"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

So, that was it. The source of her distancing herself from anything and everything. Fear. Fear was a delicious emotion; easy to feed off of. Still, he had sought to conquer his fears and that was what led him to where he was: a powerful, intelligent Sith Knight with a great ability to command himself. That was why he was here now, because he had conquered fear, tamed it, and made it his fuel.

She was afraid of how she would die. He approached the two of them, having largely been forgotten, and still wearing white.

"You know arguing with yourself is never a good thing." He smiled, trying to break the ice. "Your subconscious knows what's best for you, and what your deepest, darkest fears are. The subconscious is where they go to hide. She knows everything about you and then some. You should listen to her."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rik'Tani gritted her teeth. "Then I seriously hate myself right now." She said to Maddock. Rikki #2 glanced over at Maddock without moving her head.

"He's a handsome one. He's probably been told that a million times before. You tell yourself he's just another man, but in reality, there's somthing about him-"

"Quit trying to change the subject! If you know so much about me, then tell me: What do I want more than anything in the universe?"

Rikki #2 turned her attention back to Rikki.

"Solace. Satisfaction. Love. A place where you can be free."

For once, Rikki said nothing. She herself hadn't even known what she wanted. But it appeared that, somewhere in her head, she actually did.

"....... I guess you're right about that one."

"You detest me. Mainly because you know everything I've been saying is the nakad truth, and you were too late to realize it before I told you. You don't like being told what to think, even when your own mind is doing the telling."

"Yep. Right again."

"You're annoyed."

"With myself. Yeah, tell me something I don't know."

"You-"

"That was sarcasm, dearie."

[member="Maddock Kane"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

He couldn't help it. A smile broke out as he listened to her bicker with herself. Of course she didn't like it that she was finding out the truth of things from herself. Nobody did, but it was that talk that brought a lot of people back into reality, and it was for that reason that he used this trick altogether. Was he out to destroy people's minds? No. Quite the opposite. He was out to give them new perspective. In this case, he'd opened her up to seeing the truth of herself. Few could be so lucky.

Of course the compliment hadn't hurt things.

Stepping over to her, he waved his hand at her subconscious and they were alone in the whiteness once again. Maddock was not a master of the mind by any means, but he knew enough to be passable, and it was much easier when physical contact was maintained.

"The hardest battle one ever fights is the battle with oneself. You are angry because you thought you knew yourself, but you didn't because you hid yourself away, adopting a new persona in order to protect yourself." He put his hands on her shoulders. "This is not abnormal, but I have provided you with notice because I see potential for great things within you. You are a beauty with dangerous talents, my dear Rik'Tani. I'm here to help you understand them."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rik'Tani sighed. "You could've warned me about how much of a schutta I and/or she was gonna to be," She grumbled. She looked Maddock in the eyes. "So I've got some sort of hidden potential, hm? Just what are you planning to do with me now that I know I have it?"
[member="Maddock Kane"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Well, it's less effective when warnings are given."

He stared back into her eyes as she looked at his. Maddock was not shy. If asked he would divulge information about himself because doing so only bred trust. Trust improved relationships, and good relationships were essential to leading a long and successful life. That was something he very much intended to do, along with the goal of hopefully having a few younglings of his own to look after at some point, but he wasn't old enough to really worry about that just yet.

"What happens now is entirely up to you. I've only opened your eyes. The next step is in your hands. What is it that you wish to do?"

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rik'Tani thought for a moment. "Huh. Well... I guess I wouldn't mind learning a bit more about what you just opened my eyes to." She said. She looked him over, smirking. "And maybe a few more things you could open my eyes to."
[member="Maddock Kane"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Maddock tilted his head a little bit and moved closer to her.

"Thinly veiled, Rik'Tani. Not that I don't approve. I've always preferred women that weren't human. My species is rather droll and self-absorbed. I detest it."

Offering his hand to her, he smiled and waited, but spoke with clear intent and cold truth.

"Become my apprentice. If you accept, take my hand and we will return to the real world. If you decline, I'll leave you trapped inside your own head. A fate worse than death."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rik'Tani raised her eyebrows. "You certainly know how to get results," She said coyly, taking his hand. "And how to keep a girl on her toes," She added with a grin.
[member="Maddock Kane"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

[member="Rik'Tani"]

"One of my many talents."

He smirked a bit as he held her hand, even offering a gentle caress before they transitioned back into the real world. Then they were sitting at the booth again, and he was holding her real hand. Suffice to say, he was in no hurry to let go. Not that he wouldn't if she tried to withdraw.

"It is a good choice you have made. Your future will be grand for it."

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rik'Tani shrugged. "As long as I go out with a bang, I'm looking forward to it." She said. She didn't move her hand from Maddock's. "So, what were you reading before all of the commotion?"
[member="Maddock Kane"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

She didn't withdraw her hand, so he didn't release it. Thumb brushed over it as he watched her. Her comment about going out with a bang got a chuckle in response. There were several ways to interpret that remark, and his mine ran through several almost instantly. Then she asked about the book.

"I was reading about Force cults and their various methods of practicing the Force. There are many of them, and they have so many different methodologies."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rik'tani nodded. "My old crew ran into a cult a few years back. Nasty sight in combat. Called themselves 'Nightsisters'," She mused. They were vicious fighters. Her parents admired their brutality.
[member="Maddock Kane"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Ahhh. Dathomirians. Still exist, too. Nasty bunch. Very much too twisted for my liking."

His face bunched up in a look of disgust as he shook his head. No, that was not something he was interested in dealing with. Though he'd gladly kill them if they crossed him. He had no problem with that. Killing people was something of a joy for him. Generally he avoided it. That way, when he killed someone, it was a delicious treat. And of course they always deserved it. That was his motto: kill those who deserve to die. Considering he was the judge, there were many who did.

"I have a particular interest in one that's nigh impossible to get to, unfortunately. That's a matter we can look into further into your training if you'd like. First, though, I'd like to know what, if anything, you know of the Force."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

"I ran into Force-users a lot when I was a kid. Finally, I decided to look up some info on the Force, just to gather what I was up against. As I understand it, The Force is the basis for all life. It is everything, and nothing. All things have mediclorians in their cells. Some things, like yourself and me I guess, have more mediclorians than others. This allows us to communicate with and harness pure Force energy." Rik'Tani said.
[member="Maddock Kane"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Very good. That's correct. I'm glad you already are aware of this. Makes things easier."

He took a sip of his glass of wine and watched her for a moment. This was probably going to be the easiest time of training someone he'd ever had simply because she was easy on the eyes. He wouldn't have to worry about getting bored with her. And if he was lucky, well, they might be more than master and apprentice. Though he would feel that out slowly.

"So you studied it somewhat. The Force is definitely in all things, but I subscribe to the teaching that there is only one side to the Force and that is simply the Force. When we use the Force, how it is available to us is based on who we are, not what the Force is. There is no light or dark, only the Force. I am a Sith, this is true. I use the Force for things that aren't always good. Generally aren't. However, there is no side of the Force that lets me do this. I am simply dark myself. Understand?"

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rikki nodded. "So that's why those icy blue eyes of yours got so cold," She purred. "I don't think of myself as dark or light though. I just do what I feel like doing. Whether that's good or bad is up to the people around me." She said, taking a last sip of her drink. She sat the mug down beside her and began tracing her index finger along the rim.
[member="Maddock Kane"]