Musings on Chaos

[Grace Darkson]

"This place could run without you." There was no emotion in her voice. "All the importance you hold can be stripped away in a moment. Sure, I may be slapped on the wrist for killing you." She leaned in, the quiet in her voice even. "But this place would keep on running. No games would be missed, no animals lost, and the Order wouldn't care long enough to make it more than an inconvenience." There was a quiet pause as she glared at him. There was a cold fire in her, a rage that seemed to teem forth just under her skin. A rage telling her to gut him, to feel the warmth of his blood on her skin and tear his stomach out and show it to him as he died. But she held it back. For now. He was still useful.

"As for your pets, I doubt they would even know the difference, besides maybe that mangy pile of fur you call a Nexu." She turned, walking towards the door. "And as for getting it without me, you wouldn't know where to begin looking. Kaas is a big planet, after all." As she reached it, she glanced back at him. "Spaceport in two days. If you're not there by noon I'll assume you don't want to go and leave you behind."

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

"This place would be nothing without my doing," his voice a deadly whisper, he stared up at her with blank eyes. For a moment, and only that, a flicker of a spark revealed itself among the green. It was subtle, but the green was starting to subside, turning more yellow yet maintaining their brightness. Still, they stared up at Grace behind their thick frames, unblinking, masking whatever emotions he might have. "And excuse you, Griz washes every day. Get it right." Insulting him was one thing. Turning the comments towards Griz was an unforgivable offense.

He was tempted, very tempted, to throw her back into the pits. Puff would probably enjoy the exercise. Griz would certainly enjoy snacking on the aftermath. But he really wanted that Ternentatek. Sure, he'd only heard of it moments before, but he needed to get at least one of those in his arenas. "One day you're going to regret crossing me," he said before turning his back, returning to his quarters. Time to prepare himself for the little journey to come.

[member="Lady Psyona"]​

 

[Grace Darkson]

"You're not the first to say that." Her parting shot was probably on deaf ears, but she didn't really care. She had messed that up. A lot. This was supposed to be her mending the relationship. Part of her wondered if it was even worth it. Why did she need Cairyn to be close to her? Why did she care what the boy thought of her? He was a kid with more power than he had earned and it had gone to his head. Why would she want to be near him? Why would she want him to like her?

Part of it was the same reason she hadn't killed him on Dathomir. Jack. For some reason she didn't understand, the mercenary didn't see why Grace wanted the child dead. Sentimentality? Some shred of the belief in a greater value in sentience? She didn't know. But deep down, she knew that wasn't why. She had tried to simply subdue him on Dathomir. Even only suggested keeping the orbalisks on to have an easy way to kill him. But she hadn't wanted to kill him. Why?

The question haunted her as the Sith made the long walk towards the apartment complex. It was unjustifiable. Why keep him alive? She was his guardian, but he didn't need her. Kark, he lived in better conditions than she did. The brat had an arena, three meals a day, and a luxury suite that probably was nicer than what she had at Bast. What she wouldn't give to have a good bed again.

The next day was mostly spent gathering supplies and finding a target. The tomb of Ergast was sealed by rubble, but they could get around that. As for Cairyn's creature, well, if there was one, they could try and take it down. If they could, Cairyn could have his beastie. She's have a much greater prize.

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When Cairyn did show up, the hanger bay was mostly empty, save for a handful of droids loading up cargo and workers milling about. Grace was reading, sitting on a crate with a rather bored looking man leaning on the crate. As he approached, she looked up, smiled something unusually warm, and lightly kicked the man beside her. "Right. We good to go?"

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

Cairyn didn't understand why Grace had to continuously butt into his life. He was fine on his own, better than fine. He had his arena which he ruled better than a king. It was his domain, completely under his every command. Griz was well, more than well. After a few years of the two basically living off scraps and whatever they could scavenged, he'd reached that point where they'd (hopefully) never have to worry about that again. Griz could spend her days in comfort, having midday naps, munching on remains of the death matches, having full meals outside of snacks. She was alive and well and everything was going to be a-okay for her.

On the other hand, Cairyn wasn't doing so hot presently. The excitement of this afternoon, with him making a show of, and being prepared, to fight Grace, had taken its toll on him. Now, he was feeling the strain, the burn in his hands giving them a mighty shake. About half way on the route to his room, his pace quickened considerably. He should've thought about this when he jumped down from the balcony, should've at least considered changing his outfit in a more careful manner at the very least. Alas, such thoughts hadn't even occurred to the boy in the moment and thus he was paying for it.

When he got to his room, the door flung open with a reckless telekinetic burst. He rushed toward one of the drawers he'd actually made an effort to keep hidden, forbidding service droids from touching that specific storage unit. Also ripping the doors open, he hastily dug though the drawer, its contents spilling out, pill bottles of various sizes and levels of contents. Finding his quarry, he gave a pained squeal as he tried opening the bottle, eventually using the force to rip it open as well, spilling the majority of its contents to the floor. He paid it no mind, downing a couple painkillers with a sense of urgency, dropping the bottle as it was no longer needed.

Waiting for the painkillers to run their course, he collapsed into his bed, biting his pillow, using it to muffle his pained shrieks. He could sometimes still see the room where it happened, the visions almost as intense as the real thing had been. He could still feel the electricity coursing through his body, though other experiences only added to that experience. Eventually, Griz prowled in, seeing the boy in his sorry state. She approached, head rubbing against his arm that hung off the bed, careful to avoid the hand itself. When he offered no reaction beyond another heave of a breath, she climbed into the bed, laying beside him, purring as if the boy were her own cub.

---​

When it came time to meet up with Chase, Cairyn had read up on the Terentatek. He was already considering names for what to call his new pet. Dairys? Illora? Vod? Such questions had kept him up at night. There was so much to prepare for, so much to get excited about, so much to dread. It wasn't until the early hours of morning that he had retired to sleep's sweet embrace, leaving a very sleepy Cairyn for Grace to deal with. Her smile was met with a blank, half-lidded stare, partially due to him not really being there at the present, but also because he didn't quite know how to react. The Chase he knew didn't smile like that. It was weird, foreign, and he didn't trust it. "Sure. Who are you and what have you done to Chase?"

[member="Lady Psyona"]​

 

[Grace Darkson]

"I don't know who Chase is." Her reply was playful, almost teasing. She knew he wouldn't call her her real name, but it was worth a try at least. The man, who had been mostly quiet, just frowned at the pair and headed to the ship. The Sith cast him a glance, and looked back to Cairyn. "You look like you didn't get any sleep last night." She was quiet then, her face seeming to display genuine concern. He didn't look like the last two days had been kind to him. Part of her wanted to put a hand on his shoulder, to comfort the kid. But she didn't know why. She had to keep him alive, and she felt like she had to care for him in the meantime.

"So, do you have a name picked out?" It was a pointed question. Maybe going too far in trying to be nice. But she had said it, so there was no going back now. Maybe she had been to cold. Maybe he needed less cruelty. Or maybe she was going soft. Time would tell.

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

He mumbled something unintelligible in reply, brow furrowing at this very un-Chase-like person that held her form. This was weird. Really weird. Like someone was trying to impersonate Chase and try to get him to give them access to his bank account. So, he gave a little shrug, shouldering the satchel he'd brought with him. "Lots to prepare for," he responded, expression still fairly dead. He wasn't lying, either. Meals had to be arranged for all his pets, Griz especially. Exercises and play times had to be scheduled, Griz especially. Grooming had to be taken care of, Griz especially. And he couldn't just leave the arena without a roster should fights have to occur while he was away. They shouldn't, of course, and he'd have the head of anyone who'd try to arrange them, but it was still good to be prepared.

He'd ditched the elaborate garb, leaving it to be cleaned and pressed while he slipped into something more natural - a dark tunic a couple sizes on the big side. His hands were burrowed in the sleeves, a nice cushion while they still healed, but also a means to hide them should they act up. In his satchel, the basics one could expect. Datapad, snacks, tranquilizers if his new friend got too rowdy before he had the chance to make a connection with them, and, hidden way in the bottom, underneath a piece of fabric meant to appear to be the actual bottom of the bag, painkillers. He had a feeling he'd need them.

"I have a few in mind." Not any he was about to share. The real Chase wouldn't care about names. Why, he was surprised when she bothered to learn Griz's. Unless, of course, he hadn't been dealing with the real Chase in quite some time. "Aren't you typically not so, uh, talkative?"

[member="Lady Psyona"]​

 

[Grace Darkson]

"You're going to hunt and attempt to tame one of the deadliest creatures in the galaxy, and you didn't get a full night's sleep before hand?" There was an incredulous tone in her voice, almost as if she didn't believe he was that stupid. Still, she simply walked to the ship. There was little else to be said, besides the answer to his question. Was she being more talkative? Yes. Was she trying too hard to be polite? Probably. Did she care? Not really. She was going to try and be there for him, no matter what. Even if it put herself at risk.

"Yes, I am." She responded, smiling again. "Is that a problem?" As she walked up the ramp to the ship, a sigh escaped her. "We'll have twelve hours before reaching Kaas. I'd suggest getting some rest in the meantime, then making whatever last-minute preparations you have left." With that, she made her way to her room.

Most of the time in hyperspace, at least for Grace, was spent working on final studies on Kaas and the tomb. Very few mentions of it exist, and those that did were vague. Not many dared venture in, apparently. Something about being unable to find it... She wasn't sure. Either way, they would have their work cut out for them when they got there.

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

"Uh, no. You obviously underestimate my abilities." Wait, why was she judging his methods? Geez, this was why he lived mostly alone. The droids didn't judge him for how he ran his life, only obeyed his every whim. The creatures, well, they did their own things and that was okay, Cairyn could respect that. Some of them enjoyed cuddles and head scratches, others enjoyed mauling people. This may not have been an entirely organized system, but it was a system that works. Having Chase here trying to judge all of this was just unnatural. Was this really coming from the same person that had threatened to cut off his head and mount it as an example to others?

Cairyn plopped down in the ship's sitting area. "It's weird," he admitted, making himself comfortable, laying back on the seats and letting his feet dangle off the edge. "Like, normally I'm the one doing all the talking but suddenly, woah, you just won't shut up." He lifted his head at that, large eyes observing Chase's face, checking to see if he'd offended her. He didn't particularly care if he did, of course, but it wasn't exactly his intention.

He didn't bother heading off and claiming any sort of quarters as his own. Nor did he touch any datapads or anything else to further prepare him for this little adventure. He just laid there, vacantly staring at the ceiling in all its harsh lighting. He stared without much a thought pass through his head, as if he'd forgotten the world around him. Eventually, he nodded off, still laying in that sitting area, completely vulnerable.

[member="Lady Psyona"]​

 

[Grace Darkson]

As slow steps carried the Vahla across the ship, she spotted the boy, simply splayed out on the floor. He seemed exhausted, and for a brief moment, Grace wanted to simply sneak by. But the kid was lying against Durasteel, and the hull was cold against the furious calamity of hyperspace. Yellow eyes glanced around the room, checking to see if anyone much cared about the kid. They had all simply avoided him. She would have carried him to a bed. but she neither knew if she could lift him, or if he would wake when she tried. So, Grace did the only reasonable thing. Quiet steps carried her to the dorms, where the stash of warm, cozy blankets sat in their incubator. It was effortless to grab one, and only slightly less work to lay it over the child's sleeping form. With that, she left him to rest. He needed it.

As they arrived in the Dromund System, it became clear that this would be an interesting endeavor. The Jedi were restricting access to the planet. Luckily, she had a plan. Quietly, she slipped a pair of small, golden bracelets out of her satchel, and slid one of them up onto her arm, past the hem of her cloak. That done, she went to find Cairyn. Assuming he was awake, she would hand him the amulet. "Put this on. It'll mask your Force Signature so we can make planetfall."

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

Cairyn was far from conscious enough to really be aware of when he got the blanket, let alone who put it there. His unconscious form simply accepted the sudden warmth, fingers grasping at the blanket's edges, pulling it closer to himself. His legs, having grown in the short months since the Dominion's fall, dangled off the edge of the seat, the blanket not quite reaching them with the way Cairyn had pulled it to him. Outside of that, his sleep was relatively peaceful, making him look both his age and younger than he already looked in some twisted manner. In this dreamless slumber, his face relaxed from the overly expressive or unnaturally blank, warping into a more neutral frown of sorts. His hair in its typical mess fell over his eyes. For once, he looked to be at complete peace.

As the journey drew to a close, the boy was brought back to awareness as conversations picked up. With the end in sight, people began congregating in the waiting area. Still, he didn't stir until he could sense someone approaching him directly. Still groggy from the little nap, he curled up further into the blanket's warmth, tucking his legs in, half hiding his face in the blanket. He stared at the amulet for a long moment before begrudgingly freeing a hand to grab it. "Why do we gotta hide?" He mumbled, burying his face back under the covers. "Five more minutes."

[member="Lady Psyona"]​

 

[Grace Darkson]

"We have to hide because the Jedi control the planet, and if we look like Darksiders, we won't be able to get down there." Her words were simple, explaining the situation without the typical sarcasm or talking down. "And I can't give you five more minutes. We've got to get to the tomb before nightfall." The woman turned, heading towards one of the gathered groups. "Mara, do we have the landing permits secured? We're going to need them transmitted soon." The affirmation rang in her ears, and soon enough, they were planetside. The barren land was going to make navigation difficult. By her calculations, the valley they needed was a solid half hour away. If they were lucky, they would find it right away. If not, they would have to search. That would be fun.

"You know how to pilot a speeder, right?" The question was pointed at Cairyn, although she didn't turn to him. The woman simply studied the landscape. "There. That ridge is where we need to go." Her eyes turned to the group, a small team meant to help the two sith get inside. It would be difficult to unseal it, or so she figured. Officially, they were here for the Onderon University on an archeological dig. A likely cover story supported only by Grace's old seat in the college. Emphasis on old.

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

"Can't someone just carry me then?" he groaned, rolling over and promptly falling off the seat, on to the durasteel floor below. A simple 'ow' could be heard from the pile of limbs and blanket that was Cairyn as he laid there for several minutes, lacking the will to force himself up. There had been a bit of an unspoken rule at the arena, one both droids and the occasional non-droid staff was quick to learn. When it was nap time, one simply didn't just barge in and wake either Cairyn or Griz up. The staff had always been under the impression it was because Griz was particularly grumpy when woken and Cairyn was just sadistic enough to not stop her from gnawing a perpetrator's face off. No, if any staff had been present today, they'd discover that while their theories weren't wrong, just not entirely correct. It seemed when tired, after just being woken up, Cairyn was just about useless.

When he did manage to pull himself to his feet, still groggy and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he seemed content to just follow unquestioningly. By the time he was addressed once more, he'd managed to wake up a bit. That didn't stop him from taking a moment before bothering to respond. "Well, there was one time with Jackie..." Beyond that, his experience with speeders was minimal. After all, giving his position, he didn't exactly have much of a need to transport himself anywhere.

[member="Lady Psyona"]​

 

[Grace Darkson]

There was a quiet stare from the woman as Cairyn spoke. One time with Jackie? That... Assuming that was Jack, she didn't trust his skills. "Right. Pick a speeder and climb on the back." There was little of the commanding tone of her voice, more the quiet edge of a 'Mother knows best.' As she mounted, another phrase, fully authoritative, used to this sort of thing. The experienced half was kicking in. "Alright, pilots, we have until sundown to reach the entrance, so let's get moving!" Her voice seemed to split the quiet of the world, and as she mounted her speeder, there was an excited energy building up in some of the others as the four speeders dashed towards the unknown tomb.

We should have set down closer. The thought flashed as yellow eyes noted the sun's perpetually lower height in the sky. Still, the nagging voice that played in her brain around Cairyn was quiet for a brief moment in the thrill of discovery. It was... Intoxicating.

The entrance was, surprisingly, left open. Perhaps simply being hidden had saved it the damage and looters? From what she understood lay inside, no one had made a sell like what she knew was inside. How had it been missed? Ah, well. Undaunted, bold footsteps carried her over the threshold, a fusion lantern held high. "The Tomb of Ergast, found once more!" Or at least I hope.

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

He felt a twinge of annoyance when he was told to ride with someone. He was basically adult. He had every right to drive his own speeder, even if he didn't know his way with the transport beyond basic turning and maybe acceleration. That was all he needed to know right? With an annoyed huff, he climbed on to a speeder, leaning on the steering mechanism, daring anyone to tell him to do otherwise.

When the speeder's intended pilot was dismissed to begin the journey, Cairyn stared up at him with a raised brow, challenging the man to make him move.The man had to be either stupid or really needed a nap, giving that he roughly pulled Cairyn toward the back of the speeder by his collar before taking his own place at the front of the speeder. Who did he think he was, pulling the boy around like that? Cairyn was Sith, basically a master for all intents and purposes, and he deserved to be respected just as such.

Oh, well, Grace never said anything about these guys having to survive this little journey. Cairyn new exactly what he was going to do when he got his new pet and this guy would make the perfect present. A nice little snack for a nice little Terentatek. He couldn't wait.

On the ride over, he once again felt the lull of sleep call to him. After all, he wasn't driving. He didn't have to memorize the route. Nor could he hold a conversation with the dead man that was his chauffeur. No, it was too loud for that. Instead, he rested his head on the man's bag, catching a bit of a snooze over the journey. When they did draw close to their target, it seemed he had woken up enough to return to his typical state of talkative, with the boy chatting the ear off his chauffeur, giving the man a name when he'd refused to share his own, asking all sorts of rhetorical questions. Just Cairyn things, really.

"Chase, Chase, you wouldn't believe this awesome conversation I've been having with good ol' Daryl right here," he said, skipping right up to Grace, back to his typical demented chipper of an attitude.

​

[member="Lady Psyona"]​

 

[Grace Darkson]

The gaping maw of the tomb swallowed them as the team descended further into the cave, the only noise being echoes of footsteps along the halls. It was too quiet for her likes, and something made the hair on her neck stand up. Of course, Cairyn's voice cut through that, the excitement of the boy and his new friend, Daryl. Had he gotten the name right, or was it a lucky guess? She wasn't sure. Either way, she could see that Daryl was about as happy with the kid as Cairyn was with him beneath the joyful demeanor. That is to say, not much. Still, Grace forced a tired smile. "Well, I'm sure it was enlightening." She fought to keep her voice controlled, to hold back the sarcasm. "You ready for this? We'll probably have a fight on our hands." The man called Daryl seemed to look up with worry.

Almost as she spoke, another noise seemed to rumble from deeper in the tomb. Almost like a roar.

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

"Oh, you bet it was," the venom in his voice was almost nonexistent, being disguised by the typical sing-song that claimed his usual tone. Daryl seemed quite content to be done with the child, at least as far as he was aware of. He blended in with the rest of the non-important party, fading into the back of Cairyn's mind though never completely forgotten. Daryl could think he was safe all he wanted, but he had another thing headed his way. He walked right up to Grace, making a show of also observing the entrance. He didn't know what exactly they were looking for. It looked like your regular, run of the mill tomb complete with dust and dead things. Nothing interesting whatsoever.

Had he not been promised a lovely addition to his collection, Cairyn would've complained. Instead, he shuffled about, anxious to get going. The longer they spent talking about this, the longer it'd be before he'd get to get his new addition all settled in at the arenas. Cairyn marched right up to the edge of the tomb, listening to the roar. "Hello!" He called, shouting into the tomb's entrance. "Grace, c'mon, I gotta meet 'em!"

[member="Lady Psyona"]​

 

[Grace Darkson]

As the rumbling grew louder, the Vahla seemed to smile. It was here after all. She paused, listening for a moment. That... was bigger than she had expected. The woman fiddled with the ring on her finger. This would be interesting, to say the least. They would press on, at least in the Sith's mind. "Cairyn, be careful. This thing is stronger than any rancor." Her voice carried notes, subtle though they were, of concern. He was reckless, wanting the beast without thought of the danger. It would get him killed one day.

Her confident stride was enough to lure the rest of the team in, and one of them handed her a stun rifle. They'd need to take the beast down, and quick. There wouldn't be much time once it began to attack, and Grace's powers would do little to slow the creature. It would come down to knocking it out before it could kill them. Or, if needed, they could kill it to save their own skin. As she walked, the thought crossed her that this was a horrible idea. After all, what if they succeeded? There was no way Cairyn could control the thing! It would go on a rampage, killing everything in its path. She'd have to find some way to stop it. But how?

The question filled her mind as she entered the antechamber. On the far side stood a set of doors, and in the middle...

A very angry Terenterek. The beast roared, the noise shattering the quiet and sending the small team into a rout. The scattered, trying to find a way out as the door slammed shut behind them. A retreat was not an option here. As she studied the room, the woman began to pour the Force into her body. She'd need to be fast.

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

"Stronger than a rancor? Good, I'm short on those!" There was just a hint of venom in that little jab. After all, who's fault was it that he had a vacant spot to fill? But no, his tone was less focussed on the bitter and more so on an anxiousness to get going. He wanted to meet this potential new pet and fast. He was excited at the prospect of having a new friend to spell out destruction with.

His pace was a back and forth thing of running ahead of the group and waiting for them to catch up. They were going entirely too slow, fiddling with weapons. Like they'd need any of that. For one reason or another, animals just seemed to like him. It was strange and not exactly something to rely on, sure, but after so many times of animals just liking him, he had proven more reliable than other means. He ran an arena, after all. He, in the company of just droids and the occasional servant. Practically by himself.

And people still dared to treat him like he was some sort of child. Not today, though. No, today he was going to show all of them and get a new pet in the process. He'd show Chase and Daryl and all the others that were probably doubting him.

He wasn't scared by the fearsome roar that interrupted the silence. While the others freaked out, a manic grin spread across his face, a crazed look overtaking his eyes. "Well aren't you just a beauty!" He drawled, taking in the Terentatek in all its glory. He reached, perhaps with the force, perhaps only metaphorically (he couldn't tell the difference), urging the creature to look at him, to open up to the boy.

[member="Lady Psyona"]​

 

[Grace Darkson]

The Sith's first action was to move, with a kind of speed that she rarely employed. A speed she rarely needed. She had to keep her distance, had to knock it out before it could kill them. She dashed around the edge of the room, trying to get behind it. Daryl and Mara had their jobs. She had hers. Distract it. She raised the rifle, aiming at the creature. As Cairyn reached out in the Force, she watched the beast turn towards him. Something leaped up in her, something she didn't understand. She still needed time to get into position. She still needed to get to a spot where she could have some room to breathe. But it didn't matter. She squeezed the trigger, a red haze falling over her vision.

The creature roared, beginning to stop towards Cairyn before it spun, clawed arms lashing out. She bolted out of the way, the beast knocking down a stone pillar on the way. Daryl began to run forward, the beast seeming to be right before him. The man yelled something, she couldn't hear it. The thing swung around, a massive hand slamming into the man, sending him through the wall to her left. This was all going wrong. "Cairyn!" She called. "Think you can hold its attention?"

[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Cairyn Midore]

"We woke you up from your nap, didn't we? Oh, I'm sorry, honey. It's okay, you can go back to sleep, we'll find a way to carry you." Cairyn, oblivious to the very real danger he was in, continued speaking to the beast as if it could understand him. And for the moment, it seemed to be working. He had the Terentatek's attention, the creature looking down at him as the others scrambled. He couldn't imagine what Chase had been so worried about, this was going great. His brief moment was interrupted when some idiot shot at the poor creature, sending it into a frenzy that had even Cairyn ducking and flipping out of the way/

"What are you doing?!" If Cairyn was capable of anything akin to a roar, that was it. His voice cracked, cutting off the very end of his sentence, making the question go from intense to, well, not nearly as such in the course of maybe a second. He glared daggers at Chase. Even if he hadn't seen the shooter, he blamed her. She was the one who hired these people, after all. And here they went, ruining his quality time with the beast. As much as he wanted to ignore Chase's request, now wasn't the time. He had to get the creature under control if he was going to get to keep them.

Running back out in the open, making note of a now broken Daryl's position, he planted his feet on the ground, reaching out to both the creature and Daryl's form. This wouldn't be easy, Daryl was a big guy. However, Cairyn did resolve that Daryl would be his little gift to the creature. "Over here, honey!" He called out, drawing on the force to claim the beast's attention once more.

[member="Lady Psyona"]​