On Sharp Seas and Dusty Tides (Teynara)

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Location: Krayiss Two
Objective: Seek the Temple

It was dark when his ship landed upon the surface of the former Sith World. After their previous mission at Ashas Ree, the Eidolon had not left the Caldera in order to maintain a presence in the area for a brief time. They hadn't been accosted by Coalition forces after placing the Ranger Transceiver, so Leos hadn't been in a huge hurry to leave. Besides, he was aware that others from their company had begun to come into the Caldera on missions of their own, plus those that had gone to place the other transceivers for the monitoring of the Coalition activities in the sector.

The Eidolon would come to rest behind a forsaken crag, in its shadow in order to scatter potential radar scans from space and make it somewhat more difficult to detect. Krayiss Two was on one of the routes from Korriban to Ziost, so it wasn't unreasonable that a Coalition vessel would venture near it. In addition, with the presence of the temple and its library, it could become a target for curious Jedi.

When he left the ship behind, setting off on foot across the barren world (assumption as no data is given, but a barren planet would lead more easily to a buried temple), he didn't wear his typical robes, but a new suit of specialized armor and robes. In part this was to serve as a test run for the equipment, it having been developed by his secret corporation, Ignus Black, as a one of a kind piece just for his usage. It was also to serve the purpose of keeping his identity a secret from prying eyes should he run into anyone. As yet his identity as a Sith was unknown save to a handful of fellow Sith, and he aimed to keep it that way for now. In addition he wore his two swords, but not his lightsaber.

He traversed the terrain with ease. Though it was a barren world, it was mostly dust covered planetary surface with few rocky crags and outcroppings littering the landscape. Because of this, it was easy to spot the top of the obelisk as it pierce the ground in the distance. Having heard the stories of the unfortunate many who had ventured there and gone missing, he approached with caution and stopped a good distance away. From what he could tell, no one was around, but even he was wary of trusting that to be the truth. He could feel the power of the darkside in the temple, calling to him, and he knew spirits were at play. Rather than approach in foolish haste, he settled to a standstill, waiting, and pondering his method of approach.

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

Location: Krayiss Two
Objective: Seek the Sith Temple

There was something about this planet that really made her skin crawl, with the sort of intensity that made her want to take a long hot bath, preferably on a planet full of life and without the sense of something in the back of her mind. It was an oppressive thing, hard to escape, harder still to define, like an unspoken threat that nonetheless felt like someone had whispered it into her ear. This planet was no civilised place, and nowhere a Jedi ought to venture. But, in the spirit of never leaving well alone, I'm here anyway.

This hadn't been here idea, but several of the other Jedi had encouraged her to get away from Voss for a little while and end her long convalescence. I'm not exactly making a recovery, so maybe I'm just driving the others a little bit crazy, Teynara noted to herself with a faint touch of amusement. Or perhaps I'm driving myself nuts, and they just noticed. Her solution of visiting a Sith world wasn't exactly the sanest of moves, it was true, but it did make a change from the ever-serene planet that the Jedi had made their home.

It was said that Krayiss Two had once been home to a large contingent of Sith, and looking at it, Teynara could well believe that possible. It had all the hallmarks of a Sith world: dusty, nearly barren of life aside from a few species resistant to the rugged conditions, and having a presence in the Force that felt like a scream on the inside of your skull, subliminal, but there nonetheless. But that might be the influence of the Sith rather than the nature of the planet. Quite frankly, the blonde had never been sure which way around these things came to be.

If she'd just wanted to play with shadows, there were plenty of options within Jedi space these days: even vaunted Korriban was under their purview. The Archives had nonetheless held that Krayiss Two had once had a vast library of sorts there, and that was what she had come to find. Some things are best left alone, it's true, but a library can't harm you, can it? Even if she was wrong about that, the Sith could hardly do anything more than they had already - as it was, she couldn't even so much as take a step of her own on this planet, and had to let her hoverchair do the work for her.

Teynara nudged the controls of her chair forward, hearing the change in pitch of the repulsorlifts as they propelled her away from the solid metallic plating of the boarding ramp to her little shuttle, moving over the dry, arid ground beneath and blowing up a good bit of dust as it did so, fortunately pushing it away from her rather than upwards. She had no desire to inhale a lungful of that air, given the coughing fit that would probably result. Think I'm better off not arriving at a Sith Temple looking winded, she thought with a wry smile.

Not that she had any real sense of where this place was - the Temple might have been on the other side of the planet, for all she knew. Still...there was something about this spot, a sense of wrongness in the very rocks, and she knew that was sufficient as a warning sign that things weren't as copacetic as they should have been. And only a Sith could create that, so this seems as good a direction as any.

Luckily, this was not a world of living Sith. Only the dead resided here, and Teynara felt oddly more comforted by that thought. At least I won't have any more lightsabers to contend with.

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Ironically, her thoughts in regards to not dealing with a lightsaber would inherently be true by virtue of the fact that he hadn't brought his along. Incidentally, he probably wouldn't have made use of it even if he had. Sith or not, lightsaber were a messy business. Combat itself was a messy business that he preferred to avoid most of the time. You couldn't always avoid it. but sometimes there was the opportunity to converse.

This temple was perplexing. There was no information on what had actually caused the temple to become buried, or why there were spirits trapped there still. It almost seemed to him as if they had done it deliberately to shut out someone. That may have been the case. Perhaps there had been some at that time portraying themselves as Sith, but truthfully corrupting what that meant. Maybe they'd fought, and the true Sith had buried the complex to shut out the false ones. It was possible, but that was pure speculation.

As he stood admiring the top of the obelisk, he became aware that he wasn't alone. At first he merely felt a weird tingle in the back of his mind. It was like there was a presence that was trying to worm it's way into his mind. Initially he considered that it might be a test by the spirits that resided at the place, but as he waited it out he heard the engines of repulsive approaching. No doubt these would normally go unheard, but Krayiss was a physically quiet place since it was nigh abandoned by life.

He turned his head to watch for the source of the sound. Eventually, a repulsed chair came into view, and seated upon it was a blonde haired woman. She was making her way across the dusty surface in nearly his direction. Now he understood the feeling he had. It was a lightside presence in the Force. Though he didn't believe the Force had actual sides, users of it did illicit different feelings in it.

"Curious. I expected the likelihood of a patrol, but not an actual Jedi."

He said the words aloud, mostly to himself, though loud enough she might be able to hear if she were listening. He didn't draw a weapon, though one hand did rest near the hilt of a sword, just in case.

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

A voice interrupted her reverie for a moment, jolting her concentration back into the present and away from the thoughts resting at the back of her mind. For a moment, Teynara was sure she was hearing things, but extending her presence outwards revealed that of another. Odd that I didn't detect him before, she noted, but had to admit that was largely due to her own inattentiveness. My teachers did always say I spent too much time letting my thoughts drift off into tangents. Relevant they may have been, but it had left her proverbially flat-footed.

She relaxed her push against the control mechanism of her chair and brought it to a complete stop so she could pause for a moment and simply reach outwards, trying to ascertain a sense of her environment and pinpoint the owner of that voice. It was difficult to center herself here: the flood of energies awash with darker form were hard to push through. The Jedi were always taught that calm and control was essential to effective application of their powers, but this place was turbulent in that regard, and thus, Teynara was forced to depend on her own inner calm to part the waters and touch the Force as she had been trained to.

Though the darkness existed all around her, it was still possible to detect a being within it. Even surrounded by shadows, there are always some that are deeper and darker than others. It is to there you must look. Yes, she remembered that lesson well enough, and it was true: the shadow she had noticed nudging away at the periphery of her senses was close, very close. Not in front of her, as such: she'd have seen that. And this being wasn't behind her, otherwise it would have prompted her danger sense. That left only one place to 'hide': above.

Her eyes found him after a moment, standing on a monolith not far ahead of her, but certainly at an elevation that meant she'd have missed him on first glance. One of his hands rested close to a weapon, something she could see clearly even at a distance: something any trained warrior would do, in such circumstances. The voice had been masculine, so even with the attire he wore, it was clear enough which gender he belonged to. So far, the easiest thing to be able to say about him.

"I certainly don't constitute a patrol," she said softly, inclining her head in greeting. "And only half a Jedi, I'm afraid," the blonde woman added, gesturing down to the hoverchair she was sat in. At present, she had the cushioned supports added to the frame, such that they covered her body from the waist down - to her mind, it simply left her feeling less exposed, and gave people less reason to stare. "I apologise if I'm intruding on a private moment. I suppose we're both here to do a little exploring?", she added, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

Of course she had a sense of who - what - this person was. Few would bother running around ancient Sith ruins, and the Sith were often the only ones with sufficient gall to do so lightly. It didn't hurt to extend a few basic courtesies however. After all, if he intended to kill her, there would be very little that she could do to stop him, even though she had her lightsaber on her person. There were many worse ways to die than by attempting a conversation, as far as she was concerned. Not much else I can lose, let's be honest here...

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"You count yourself as half a person because you are bound to a chair? That makes little sense."

When she didn't immediately draw a weapon he relaxed his hand away from his. Strange. He was certain his first encounter with a real Jedi, as a practicing Sith, would begin with hostilities. Most Jedi were overly eager to do combat, from what he understood. He'd found it odd that they liked to fight as much as they did. It seemed to go against their teachings. Then again, Jedi were irrational creatures by nature, mostly espousing rhetoric of wanting Balance in the Force while trying to kill all of those that carried the dark.

"No more intruding than those inside the temple," He said before jumping down from the top of the obelisk. "They aren't very friendly, even toward me."

The calm which radiated from her was a bit unnerving. Nature was less calm. Of course there was something of an edge to her that bothered him, and the way she spoke, demeaning herself as she did, only furthered that feeling. Sort of an air of defeatist logic. It could be a ruse, of course, designed to throw him off the trail. He couldn't count out that possibility, which was why he kept his distance for the moment. Even in a chair she could be a danger.

A quick feeling of their surroundings did indicate that they were alone aside from the spirits. Annoying spirits. He longed to tell them to shut up, that he was now preoccupied and couldn't entertain their incessant prodding, but he didn't wish to anger them. After all, he did want to get into the temple library. That was why he'd come. Angering the spirits of the dead, the same spirits who could kill people and torture their spirits, would not be beneficial to him.

"I'm curious. Many have come here before to seek entry. Many Jedi even. None of themy ever returned, according to historical record. Have you come here to try what they clearly failed to do?"

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

Turns out that Teynara wasn't alone in being particularly talkative. Unusual in her experience, for a Sith: the last one she'd encountered had made a fair effort to cut her spine in several different places, and it was from this that she owed her present paralysis. Wasn't exactly how she'd expected to end up, but now to encounter another of their kind that had yet to attempt to seek her death was...well, unusual.

Not that she planned to question the opportunity. Perhaps this one simply liked to play with his food before eating it, or perhaps she was encountering a very different type of Sith. Best to be cautious either way, but there's no harm in being polite.

"I don't count myself half a person," the blonde woman remarked softly, unperturbed by the suggestion of it. "Half a Jedi, perhaps, because obviously I'm incapable of the running, jumping, climbing and other flashy displays of ability that so many like to show off to the public." A wry smile curved her lips at the thought of it. Initially it had irked her to be so physically incapable, but now it seemed as natural to her as an early-morning run once had. "I may never reach my potential in that respect, but I'll settle for being alive. Better than the alternative, isn't it?"

Watching the Sith descend from his position atop the obelisk had momentarily evoked the thought that it was something she was no longer capable of, but envy wasn't something she tended to wish to reflect on. As the Jedi had often taught, to experience your feelings freely was a gift no sentient should be denied, but to dwell overmuch on it was to push your thoughts out of equilibrium, and such thoughts could only lead to a morose self-absorption that would distract from the moment at hand.

The young man's words resonated with her for a moment, offering a pause that she hadn't thought to enjoy. Of course these Temples have their guardians. It had stood to reason, she supposed, that such places would have more than merely their lingering imprint upon the Force. But spirits? Such an odd concept. The scientist half of her brain wasn't entirely prepared to accept that without skepticism, but her Jedi training had taught her to embrace concepts that weren't easily defined with quantifiable data and rational explanations. Some things are just beyond our ability to understand. The Force is but one of them.

"As I understand it, Sith see entry to dangerous places as a test of their skills and endurance," she noted, somewhat rhetorically: the data she'd read on the Sith had been somewhat sketchy as to the true nature of their practices, often containing more supposition than she cared for. "For you, this would be an opportunity for growth, a means of testing yourself." A small shrug followed that statement. "Perhaps, in some ways, I also seek to learn more about my own capabilities."

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Suffice to say, she'd kind of set up what he was hinting at with the comment on half a person.

"I hardly think that being able to run or jump or climb are qualifications for what it means to be a Jedi. They are hardly essential life skills, after all, especially with technology as advanced as it is."

Yes, she was right; being alive was certainly better than the alternative. He couldn't argue with her logic on that one. Of course it made him curious as to how she'd come to be in the position she was in. Clearly, with the comment about being alive, something had happened to cause this. No doubt she had not been born in this situation. The logical suggestion was that she had fallen in battle, and this was the result of such. Whether that battle was against a Sith or other foe was unknown, though the nature of leaving someone handicapped would be something he'd envision a Sith doing. Though, he had to admit, it wouldn't really be a detriment to most people, so if it was a Sith, they clearly didn't think this through.

After a few moments he had to bid the spirits farewell for the time being, telling them he would return when he'd finished dealing with the Jedi. He knew that they would be watching him, and that he would likely be judged harshly if he didn't kill her, but even spirits could be narrow minded. Leos hadn't come to Krayiss to seek confrontation and battle, but to seek knowledge. That desire had to led to an interesting opportunity to pick the brain of a Jedi rather than to find out what was in the library. He could always come back to that task. The library certainly wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"Some do that, yes," he said, offering a brief nod. "Some seek tests of the body while others seek tests of the mind. Some seek no tests and proclaim themselves all powerful, only to be struck down by an unlikely foe. There are many breeds of Sith, just as there are many breeds of Jedi. To define yourself as one thing or, in your case, half of one thing, is to limit your own mind. If you are a Jedi, then you are a Jedi. Not half, even if you can't do everything the others can."

He tapped a finger to his chest.

"I am Sith because I crave knowledge and power, and because I do not seek to limit myself in the pursuit of those things. If that means I kill someone to gain what I need, or perceive that their death is needed, then so be it. It will not cause me grief. It is simply methodology. Let me ask you a simple question: when you first saw me, what did you think? What was your first reaction? And please, be truthful."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

Teynara sat back in her chair, a contemplative look crossing her features. Someone has me at a slight disadvantage here, she mused, a touch surprised and more than a little pleased by the prospect, even if she was potentially having a civil conversation with her future murderer. Still, he didn't simply tar all Jedi with the same brush - that alone felt as if it were, perhaps, unusual. Curious insight from one who really has little to gain from seeing us alive, if what the Archives says is true.

Truth be told, she'd often doubted as much: it seemed wrong for the Jedi to spend millenia fighting an ongoing battle against such a two-dimensional enemy. Power-hungry, confident in their entitlement, arrogant, violent beyond simple measure, and far too willing to kill for their own ends. The young man's words had confirmed some of that, but then such was contrasted by his manner: here was not a person confronting an enemy, or baiting a trap for his prey, but someone who seemed genuinely interested in a civil conversation. And there's nothing in the Archives about Sith of that caliber. It was an anomaly, and that was fascinating.

He was being frank with her, though, that was certain: he had not agreed with her thoughts about being half a Jedi, and rather demanded that she embrace the wholeness of it, even if she herself was not whole. Remarkable when you consider that many Jedi would have me believe that his first step would be to use that as an opportunity to confirm my weakness and seek to exploit any insecurities surrounding that, as a pathway to eroding my confidence or perhaps even to turn me. This felt like neither of the two - and that demanded honesty from her, in turn.

"You're an enigma, as much now as then," she answered softly, craning her head backwards slightly to look up at him, given that he stood taller than the blonde did. "You're armed, potentially dangerous, and yes, we are often taught that Sith would sooner kill us than speak with us," the Healer observed with quiet calm, not particularly concerned for her own safety at that moment. If he had meant to kill me, he would likely have acted sooner. "Sith are said to be brutal, violent, savage, uncaring of the sanctity of life and entirely opposed to our way of life. By that token, I imagined that you might claim my life, if my presence here offended you. And yet, you have not."

Lowering her hands to settle against the armrests of her chair, she studied him for a moment. He was calmer than she had expected: collected in a way that none of the Sith of her experience had been, certainly not boiling over with rage or anger or hatred. His expression, from what she could see of it, did not suggest that he was interrogating her prior to banishing her from existence. That intent, she felt, would have been simpler to read.

"I'm sorry to say that my opinion of who and what you are has been coloured by past experiences," she added with an apologetic twist to her smile. "I'd not be bound to this chair if a Sith hadn't decided I was an easy target among far more dangerous Jedi, though I know I've not really experienced the depth of Sith brutality." The young woman offered the slightest of shrugs as if to say she couldn't confirm or deny that either way. "You've yet to offer any, and in that, I feel I may have misjudged you."

Leaning forward, she allowed the sleeve of her tunic to slip down her slender arm to cover her wrist as she extended a hand to the young man in greeting - perhaps not something Jedi were supposed to do with Sith, but if he intended to take advantage of her, he probably could have done so long before now.

"I'm Jedi Teynara," she offered, feeling as though perhaps a proper introduction would be appropriate here. "I doubt many of us have ever had cause to say this, but it's nice to meet you."

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Frankness would go a long way with him. Honesty further. She exhibited the traits of the Jedi, and yet, she was different from them as well. The two had something in common: though each was a member of the groups they wholly identified with, they were not befitting of the stereotypes associated with such. Here presented opportunity, and Leos was always eager to grab at something beneficial. In this case, the benefit could very well be mutual for them: the gaining of knowledge about each other. Normal Sith would say this was out of the question. They'd see her weakness and exploit it. She'd be nothing but a toy to them. But was there such a thing as a normal Sith?

When she did answer his question, she confirmed his suspicion. The Jedi were just as guilty of creating the issues in the galaxy as some Sith were. Perpetuating stereotypes by teaching them as fact only contributed to the ideology of all Sith as foes to be hunted down and euthanized or imprisoned. It was an illegitimate practice that was part and parcel with the continued warfare of the galaxy, and anyone who truly took the time to think about it would see that as the truth.

"I suspected as much, and take no offense to your initial reactions. I don't believe you had any other choice but to feel that way."

He moved towards a nearby rock and took a seat, indicating his comfort with the situation and a lack of need for readiness. He, at least, did not intend for combat to become necessary in this situation. Sitting down allowed him to feel more comfortable and relaxed. Besides, standing for a long period of time would only lead to him growing weary sooner, and he felt that would be detrimental to the task at hand. Waste not, want not. Once settled, he rested his hands in his lap with his fingertips touching each other. A pose of thought rather than a pose that indicated his capability so strike even as he rested.

"You may call me Ignus, Teynara. I am equally pleased to meet you, and offer apologies for what my brethren have done to you. It shows a distinct cowardice that they would choose to target someone of lesser threat, and a lack of foresight that they would target you at all."

No doubt she'd never heard a Sith apologize for the actions of his fellows.

"It does sadden me to here that you've become a victim to Jedi rhetoric, however. The purveyance of the stigma that we are all what you have described only furthers conflict in this galaxy. It's unnecessary teaching such thoughts. Stereotyping of individuals is a dangerous path for all beings to take."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

An apology was indeed the last thing she had expected, but in so thinking that, she also had to admit that it wasn't Ignus' to provide: he, thus far, had done nothing offensive to her, and to apologise on behalf of his brethren would ultimately have both of them apologising for things that neither of them had witnessed and likely had only heard about from ancient records. Looking back with regret serves little more purpose than looking forward with anticipation, she thought privately. Better to focus on what exists in the here and now, and upon our own actions.

It was mildly surreal to be sat here having a civil conversation with a Sith - one that had even gone as far as to reciprocate a courtesy in offering his own name. That was a strange thing indeed. Certainly not what I'd imagined doing with my day when I woke up this morning. It felt like something in a holonovel: the odd unintended meeting of two strangers that sit with a cup of stimcaf, discussing philosophy and the nature of the Universe. And on a Sith world, too.

"You needn't apologise for your brothers and sisters, Ignus," the blonde observed, tilting her head slightly to the right as she observed him, noting that he'd sat so as to allow her to look forward at him, rather than uncomfortably having to tilt her head backwards. "Even an amateur can make a lucky strike and take down someone far stronger than them. It made sense to target me first: it left my attacker the opportunity to focus all of his power on someone he'd need all of it to meet effectively." She shrugged once more, as she so often did, as if to say it was of no consequence.

She'd worked past denial and anger. Bargaining hadn't come into it: there was no way out of this particular trap, and she knew it. Bacta treatments, healing trances, spinal surgery, all of it had done much to repair her feelings of sensation, but none of it had returned motor function to her legs. Acceptance had been the hard part, that was true, but she'd reached that a good while ago, and found herself better for it. Best to face the circumstances life presents you than remain angry and resentful because they weren't what you'd envisioned.

"I don't think of myself as a victim, either of a Sith blade or of Jedi rhetoric," she added with a faint smile, moving her hand to brush away a stray lock of blonde hair that had broken away to try and obscure a little of her face. "I chose the path I'm on, and it led me to where I am now. Broken, in some ways, but we'd not be having this conversation otherwise."

He was quite correct in that she had been taught stereotypes: hard to imagine that he had escaped the same, perhaps hearing of the Jedi as peace-loving and naive, a danger to the Galaxy because they sought to cushion it rather than expose it to the harsher realities that life might mete out upon it. To some extent, perhaps there was a point in there, but as with the Sith values as understood by the Jedi, there were also undoubtedly some problems with those philosophies that neither side had actually bothered to sit down and discuss. Easier to solve your problems with a lightsaber: by making the problem go away.

"I suppose, in truth, we have little understanding of the Sith because we do not share with each other," the Healer remarked, noting that most of her knowledge of them came from battlefield accounts and apocrypha. "And what we learn of each other is almost immediately disdained by virtue of being 'of the enemy'. Hard to get an objective understanding of either our philosophies when such labels are so quickly applied." A soft chuckle escaped her at that. "Harder still when those in a position to clear up any misunderstandings tend to try and kill the other rather than explain."

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Yes, that is true, but the real folly was in falling so eagerly into battle. That is where they showed a lack of foresight. It is common among both sides of this endless struggle, I think."

Not speaking from experience meant he was speculating on the matter, but historical records indicated that the conflict between Sith and Jedi had been going on for thousands of years and wasn't likely to end ever. At least, not with the current rhetoric being espoused by both sides of the conflict. Though the basic rhetoric had changed over the years, as originally the Sith indeed made a concerted effort to destroy their Jedi counterparts and not hear them out, it was inevitably a perpetuation of the same thing, just as she said. Neither side could talk to one another without decrying everything the other said as the 'perversion of the dark' or the 'petulance of the light.' Childish, really.

This woman interested him. Confined to a chair, she didn't wallow in self-pity or loathing, both of which he would have chastised her for. Instead she seemed content. He did consider her misguided for choosing to follow the ways of the Jedi, but she did also seem quite open and forthcoming, which did not fit the description of the Jedi as he knew it. No doubt this was the working of the Force.

"Truthfully your understanding of the Sith is accurate in most cases, just as I believe my understanding of the Jedi is the same. That is, after all, why stereotypes exist. The problem lies not in the individuals that fit these stereotypes, but in those that teach them as a way of living. If ever the galaxy is to change and become different, all must reflect on the nature of their being and develop their own sense of self-purpose outside of the guiding bounds of an order or group of people. Until this becomes commonplace, neither your side or mine will ever be able to coexist with one another in harmony."

Opportunity lies in chance. Simple encounters with individuals one would not normally meet. Here were two counterparts of different galactic alignments meeting on a barren world. It wasn't as if they had bumped into each other on Coruscant, where meeting individuals of interest would be highly probable. No, they'd both been drawn to the inhospitable in order to facilitate a meeting that would not be interrupted by outside manipulation. At least not from the living. He was more than aware that the darkside spirits which resided in the place were paying a high level of interest towards them. He knew better than to take that lightly. These were the types that perpetuated reality in their day. No doubt he would offend them now.

"An opportunity presents itself here for the type of conversation you have mentioned. Indeed I believe that the Force has brought us together for purpose, not to merely bandy words and go our separate ways. I do not dare to dream that the two of us can resolve the issues of our orders, but perhaps we can learn from each other, and spark others to learn from us. That is, if you will take the words of a Sith Acolyte at value. I will certainly take your words as such, Teynara. You are no enemy to me and I am no enemy to you. Your words, feelings, and thoughts have meaning and I would like to hear them."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

An Acolyte? This was an interesting development indeed - as Teynara understood it, such beings were the students of the Sith, equivalent to Padawans among the Jedi, and often more bloodthirsty and volatile than their teachers, having had a taste of their gifts but encouraged into ruthless competition to prove themselves stronger. You'd think such a being would be more than willing to shed my blood as evidence of growing capability, Teynara mused, despite clear evidence to the contrary. A Jedi probably isn't a common enemy, even by their standards.

All the more surprising that he should simply wish to open a dialogue, then.

He was correct, though: this was all based on consideration of stereotypes she had learned. Perhaps he expected her to engage in violence just as she might have expected it from Ignus: the history of the two factions was known to be absurdly bloody, a long near-endless string of wars and insurgencies, conflict shaped in many different ways but that had pulled the Galaxy into it like some sort of massive gravity well. The lives that had been lost because of a few small philosophical differences was impossible to calculate.

"I've often wondered what our ancestors would say of us, if they could see us now," she said, reflecting not on familial ancestors, but those of common bond, both among Sith and Jedi, and those that had lived before those names had even come into being. "Do you think the first philosophers that gathered together on Tython would ever have envisioned that their practices might lead to a war that's lasted thousands of years?"

Teynara had very fond memories of Tython: it was the planet she had been sent to for her initial Jedi training, hidden away in the Deep Core where only a Force User might find it, concealed as it was by shifting hyperspace routes and dangerous core anomalies. The Jedi Order had first been born there, but legend also suggested that the Sith had their origin there, too, followers of Bogan, that which was now known by another name: the Dark Side.

She had her doubts whether the two would ever co-exist as they once had done, when their core beliefs had been so similar, even if their methodology had differed. That gap had become a gulf between them, and the bloodshed and violence that had followed perhaps marred any potential for reunification. Most meetings between us end the same way. Perhaps, even now, she was holding a more recent record for cordial engagement of a Sith by a Jedi. Something to go in the Archives, the blonde thought with amusement.

"It's like this place: even the Force exemplifies our conflict," she offered reflectively. Perhaps he could not sense what she felt, but this world had been tainted by that Sith penchance for violence, and even though the Force flowed strongly here, there was that sense of a gaping void, an echo of atrocity and horror, causing by lives extinguished in pain and anguish, rather than simply reaching the end of their time in peaceful measure. "What remains here is dangerous to us both, as you have said. Bound here by what Jedi refer to as 'darkness'. Could the Galaxy come back from something like that, when our conflict is bound into the very essence of worlds?"

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Probably not. Back then they were open to all study of the Force to learn every aspect of it. It was only when some took exception to the study of the darker side of it that a rift formed. It wasn't necessary, but people are people and will always find something to squabble over."

He could only shrug. It was a history of many wars, of great violence, of atrocities committed in the name of growing powerful or supposedly protecting the populace. The Jedi had dipped into their own pit of hell for a time during the latter days of the Old Republic, becoming Generals in the military and leading battles to force people to subjugate themselves to the Republic. The Separatists, after all, should have the right to leave the Republic if they so chose. Forcing them into battle had not been the best course of action and the Jedi had only served as facilitators of those battles. Granted most of the lives lost on the side of the Separatists had been droids, at least.

Still, the Sith had become marred by their living among the Sith species. The brutal nature of those beings had driven itself into the very core of what it meant to be Sith now. In reality, the original Sith were mere Dark Jedi, only wishing to study all aspects of the Force rather than just one part of it. The desire for power and knowledge at any cost had not been a goal of theirs until the Sith species had impressed it upon them.

"Yes, the past is rather palpable here, isn't it?"

He glanced towards the Obelisk then, wondering of the full history of this place. The only way to find out the truth would be to get inside of the temple and seek the knowledge that was locked away within the library inside of it. The problem with that was, there was no way to get inside unless the spirits that dwelt in the place allowed it. As it were, many had tried in vain over the years to gain admittance, and he half-expected that he was now on the path to the same. There was a growing murmur of discontent inside of his head with each moment that passed between him and Teynara where she remained alive. Typical Sith mindsets of times past could not easily be broken.

"The galaxy is a living, breathing organism. If a single being can bounce back from having tremendous horror and hurt placed on them, then surely the galaxy itself is more resilient than that. You, for example, have had use of your legs taken from you, and yet you remain in high spirits and willing to speak with a Sith rather than simply wishing to fight me. Your past is still there, ever present in your daily life, and yet you continue, do you not?

"Can the Sith and Jedi live in harmony? Likely not. The Sith have had their nature corrupted by contact with another entity and it has pushed them away from what their original intent was. The Jedi have become ever more deeply steeped in the idea that only one side, and I use side loosely, of the Force should be used or studied, while still preaching the ideas of balance. I don't believe that as long as either order exists there can ever be balance in the galaxy. No, the only way to achieve that would be to abolish both orders, and make a return of the Je'daii, I think."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

"To do that, I'd imagine most of us would need to be dead," Teynara remarked tartly, sincere in her suspicions that most members of both groups would never be able to push the past behind them - no matter what their teachings required of them - in order to join forces with their former enemies. Somehow it seemed an insurmountable obstacle that few of them would ever likely overcome. Perhaps true even of the two of us: we are but the products of our pasts and our training. "I also don't know that the rest of the Galaxy would allow either of us to go quietly."

That much had been seen before: when the Galaxy had thought the Sith absent, they had relegated the Jedi to the status of de facto protectors, and had depended upon them to the point of surrendering their own independence. Which placed us at risk when war came, and they had only the Order to turn to. Later still, when the memories of two Galactic Civil Wars had been fresh, the absence of Sith had been cause for the government to turn against the Jedi, seeking to remove the influence of both. And that failed spectacularly, as I recall.

True, the absence of the Sith had always been greeted with less issue, but then, it was questionable as to whether the Sith had ever been truly absent. They may not have had an army or a public face, but had nonetheless managed to guide the fates of many worlds from the shadows. It was a romanticism to imagine both groups gone: the Galaxy had not seen such an event for nearly thirty-thousand years, and even then, Force Users had always risen to be dominant on the galactic stage. Whether as protectors or oppressors, it seems that the Force simply won't allow us to take a back seat.

Still, Ignus had a point in that the galaxy and those within it were resilient, to say the least. Perhaps the Galaxy would indeed survive without us, but would the Force ever allow such a thing to come to pass? On all occasions where one or the other is presumed gone, the Force finds a way to redress the balance, and returns us to the stage. It was an odd thing, and perhaps the Sith would have different thoughts on it, particularly if they did not, as it was rumoured, believe in the idea that the Force itself was sentient in some fashion, reflective of the thoughts, feelings and desires of all those that constituted it.

"Balance is an odd concept, isn't it? We all feel we know what it looks like, but that is the fish that feels that it comprehends the essence of an ocean," she remarked, knowing that they were probably all clueless as to the truth beyond their own perceptions. "Perhaps the conflicts between us simply represent the larger ones present in the nature of the galaxy itself: structure and peace versus chaos and constant trial."

She offered as much of a shrug as she was capable of, reflective of her thoughts on that simple truth: they would probably never know for sure. Perhaps it's all a conceit, arrogance with which we dare to view ourselves as tools of some universal power, when truthfully we are just misguided beings of extraordinary abilities. To Teynara's mind, that would come as little surprise.

"The question that confronts us now is perhaps the one that confronts us all: do we go back, or do we go forward?", she asked, perhaps somewhat rhetorically. Ignus' eyes were on the Temple now, perhaps reflecting on what might be contained within, were they to gain access, and what answers might be wrought from such knowledge. And what trials we might have to endure to obtain it. "Perhaps the others failed to enter because they went alone, representing their own interests and no more. Perhaps two Force Users opposingly aligned might have more success?"

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

He nodded.

"Many must die. It is the cost of necessity. To do nothing sees this cycle continue forever. Many more will die as new warsite rage and the Force will ever be out of balance."

It would be clear to her that the prospect of killing was not something that bothered him. He had no qualms with it. It wasn't that he relished the idea of wanton slaughter, or was filled with bloodless, but that he understood the necessity of the cause and was willing to undertake the endeavor. Death had no hold over him; it was simply one facet of life. He felt nothing for those he killed because he didn't need to feel anything for them. They were all a means to an end.

"The problem will always exist of war being waged. The Emperor was foolhardy in his efforts but the one thing he did understand correctly was that it would take a large galactic entity controlling the galaxy to actually end conflict. That entity need not be oppressive in nature, though. Thinking beings are incapable of living without conflict. In its absence they will create it out of nothing."

She'd caught him looking at the temple, but hadn't accurately judged the reason as to why. No, he was worried now. The spirits were agitated enough when he arrived. The continued presence of a being that they viewed as a lamb to be slaughtered was angering them. The fact that he refused to harm her furthered that. He knew that this was dangerous ground they tread upon by remaining there, but this was where they came together. Leaving would be folly.

Still he was wary of them. They would do something soon enough and it would cause them issue. He was as certain of that as he was that unification efforts between the Jedi and Sith would always fail.

"No, it's the spirits of the dead Sith residing here that are the reason people fail to enter. They are of a time long past and incapable of viewing the Force in any light other than the one perpetuated today. They've been trying to get me to kill you since you arrived."

The incessant pounding of their will within his mind was giving him a headache.

"They are meddlesome and dangerous. This discussion of ours is only making that worse. Still, I have no intentions of letting them impose their will upon me."

He continued to remain seated, his head turned towards her. She had asked a question, though, which he hadn't immediately answered. It was a simple answer to give, and yet it held a grave meaning which he'd already hinted at. People were going to die. A lot of them. Sith and Jedi both. Those who could not see that unity was the only way to balance would never be able to live in the galaxy he sought to mold. Death was inevitable.

"To answer your question, we move forward by going back. We moved forward in the past and that led to our division because someone sought to change the rules of study. If we negate those changes, and go back to what was before, we restore balance in a state that can be sustained as long as we remain committed to it. The only other alternative is the removal of the Force from the galaxy itself."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

Ah, of course. Expecting the energies of this place to leave us alone to have our conversation is, perhaps, too much to ask. Teynara knew she ought to have expected as much - she wasn't entirely convinced at the idea of 'spirits', but Ignus was clearly convinced of it, and spoke with sufficient sincerity that she wasn't about to reject it out of hand. The idea of a being using their own passions to sustain their life force beyond the death of their physical self is hard to comprehend, though. Nor could she imagine any particular reason for wanting to.

As for her unusual companion...it was clear enough now that not all the Jedi understanding of Sith was misguided or flawed. He spoke with a civil tongue, but his casual acceptance of death that was not his own disturbed her, offered a clear divide between them that she was not sure was so simple to bridge. Jedi believe life to be sacred, even if they must sometimes take it. Such a blatant disregard for that simple sanctity is beyond us. At least, she hoped it was. To speak of the deaths of so many others as though it was necessary and even desireable... No, there was no way she would be okay with that. It simply wasn't her way.

There had to be an alternative - a means of achieving some restoration to civility that did not require that many from both sides had to die. Perhaps it was true that they did, but she would not condone nor encourage such actions. It would go against her own beliefs, both as a Jedi and as a human being. We Healers know well how precious each life is, and how much is lost when one finally ends. It went against her every principle to think to even verbally sanction an action which would lead to so many lives being lost.

Yet how to communicate that to one who considers such a thing natural, and necessary?

"If the Force departed our Galaxy, everything living within it would die. Not a sentient being, not a blade of grass, nothing would remain. Just what we left behind." The young woman shook her head gently, her long blonde hair swaying softly as she did so, her expression one clearly disturbed by such a thought. "That's just not worth thinking about, even were it ever a possibility." She hoped for the sake of the galaxy that it was not.

It hadn't escaped her notice that he had said only that he would not allow his will to be bent by the 'spirits' that apparently assailed him without her notice. He had said nothing of not killing her by his own intent, and that did leave her feeling somewhat more cautious than before. A man who lowers his guard might still raise it again, or even direct himself towards the attack. She didn't wish to fight this particular enigma, and hoped he would not now disappoint her perceptions of him. So civilised a being should not devolve to the level of a whimsical attack.

"I don't fear your spirits: if they attack your thoughts with the intention of turning you towards my death, they likely lack the ability to kill me themselves," she added sternly, waving a hand in the direction of the young man. "Let them make their threats: it is your choice which determines your actions here, not theirs. The remnants of the long-dead should know better than to bother with the living. They had their chance, and failed to take it."

True, she knew little about those beings that had left their essence upon the Force here, so close to the Temple, left ethereal and full of malice, if Ignus' words were to be trusted in this respect. That they would want her dead suggested that they lacked all the subtlety that the Jedi Archives had suggested: offering their rage in the direction of the Jedi with a view to ending them over their allegiances alone. Perhaps the disembodiment of death generated a level of trauma that left their anger the only sensation they might experience that connects them to the lives they lost, she thought reflectively. Lacking fresh sensation, they must hold onto old-remembered feelings, or be truly lost. Perhaps madness was all that remained to them now.

"Have your teachers not taught you how to block out unwanted mental contact?", she asked softly, her pale-blue eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at the Sith with fresh eyes. It hadn't occured to her that he might not be immune to the sensations of this place. Truth be told, neither was she, but the Jedi had always sought a calm inner centre that would remain assailable - you might kill a Jedi, but only one unsure of themselves would ever be psychologically vulnerable enough to allow external influence to gain a strong foothold. "Or is this all part of your training? Are you expected to figure it out for yourself?"

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Not necessarily. I believe it's possible to remove the Force without everything dying off. Based on the existence of the Yuuzhan Vong it seems entirely plausible that a method for such could be discovered. Not likely in our lifetimes, but in the future. It is, however, as you say, an unfeasible plan for the foreseeable future."

It was a possibility that he'd thought about for some time. The removal of the Force. Such objects as voidstones and ysalimiri existed in the galaxy. The Yuuzhan Vong seemingly lived apart from the Force to a great degree. The probability that the removal of the Force from the galaxy could be achieved without the complete ruination of all life was significant enough that it was something he had people at Ignus Black researching. They would, as he said, not likely find a methodology for this in his lifetime, but if nobody started the necessary research, it would certainly never be discovered. He had every intention of having future offspring to carry on the work, after all.

And she was probably right about the spirits for the time being. They seemed confined to the temple itself, which meant that it was unlikely they could harm them outside of it. But he knew all too well that underestimating any aspect of the Force could lead to bad things happening. She might dismiss them, but he was quite wary of them, which was why he was allowing them to pester him. It meant their attention was focused and he could keep tabs on them better. There were, after all, other ways to harm the two of them.

She had begun to grow wary of him again. At first he wasn't sure what he'd said that would cause such a reaction, but when he thought about it, it was probably the comments about killing. He'd been rather casual about it. Despite the fact that he had no problem killing people, it wasn't as if he went about doing it for no reason. The last time Leos had killed someone had been when he'd killed off the original owners of his ship. Those particular savages had deserved the actions greatly, and he felt no shred of remorse for their deaths. But that had been quite a long time ago now. He wasn't a killer. He could kill, but he didn't seek to do it.

"I know how to keep them out. I'm choosing not to. It's the only way to keep tabs on them."

In other words, even he was worried about them. These were beings of immense power if they were capable of staying around as spirits. Even confined to the temple they weren't something to merely be dismissed. In fact, when they suddenly went silent he felt a great doubt well within him. It caused him to sit forward and reach out to them, as if probing to see if they were testing him, or if they'd truly turned their attention elsewhere. As far as he could tell, they were alone on the world, which was why their sudden silence was cause for concern to him. Something was dreadfully wrong now.

"They've gone silent," he said as he moved to stand. "Strange."

For a few moments he didn't say anything else. He reached out through the Force, searching around them for anyone else, just in case he'd missed something. Finding nothing, he was still certain that the two of them were alone, not about to be disturbed by other Sith or Jedi. So why did he have the feeling that they were in grave peril? His eyes swept the area around them through the cover of the helmet. He saw nothing. Empty crags and dusty dunes. But something was there. He could feel the hunger. It was gnawing at him. Not physically, but in his mind he could feel it. Beasts. He knew that feeling. It took a moment for him to recognize the light swirls of dust as it rose almost imperceptibly from the ground. Several trails, and all moving towards her.

"Teynara you need to come to me. Now. I need you to trust me."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

Allowing a thing to continue bothering you lets you keep track of it? That was an interesting concept - Teynara couldn't honestly say that she'd thought of it that way before. Clearly Ignus was more of a strategist than she was, but then again, his pet womp-rat was probably a better tactician. She was a Healer, a counsellor, a scientist. And a person can only wear so many hats before their heads start to struggle with carrying the weight, she thought in amusement. It didn't bother her that she had never considered such an idea before - just enlightening that Ignus had thought to share it with her.

Perhaps it was a Sith trait, that submission to masochism. He could stop the 'spirits' from being a bother, but chose not to. To her mind, that seemed very strange, but it seemed almost everything Sith did was a test in some fashion: a means of pushing their limits, challenging themselves, perhaps forcing themselves to endure suffering that they might walk out the other side stronger. There was merit to that, perhaps, but unnecessary misery of such a form was simply something that went against her better judgment. A person who volunteers to suffer must either be certain of the rewards, or very lacking in self-esteem.
Suffice it to say, she had absolutely no intention of sharing that latter thought with the Sith in front of her.

His urgent tone brought her thoughts back to more immediate concerns. Her gaze sharpened slightly, and she had to admit to a touch of suspicion grazing the back of her mind, wondering what it was that he intended for her. Their dialogue thus far had been frank and engaging, but could she trust him as he asked her to do? The trust that existed between them thus far constituted entirely of neither one killing the other. Beyond that...was it sensible to do as he asked?

Her expression shifted to a more distant one as she pushed aside sensory concerns to focus on the Force around her - something had served to alarm her companion, and she had not felt anything amiss, given that she had been doing her best to block out the foreboding influence of the energies around her. But shielding of that nature was a double-edged sword: as it blinded the darkness to her, so too did it blind her to the Force.

Insight came flooding back as her shields lowered, her sense of surroundings and of the being in front of her sharpening into greater clarify with each second that passed. Ignus felt similarly engaged: his senses felt spread out, disparate, though his attention was very clearly on the moment. The emotions she felt from him were mixed: there was that sense of urgency again, coupled with something darker, less defined. Anger, perhaps? Fear? Without seeing his facial expressions, she had no real way to tell which way his emotions were leaning. All I know is that something provokes him, and it isn't me.

That decided the issue, at least for the moment. If he had focused aggression or darker intent upon her, it would have provoked her danger sense, that touch of the Force that served to warn those sensitive to it that they were under threat. She sensed no such thing with respects to him, so it was probably safe, at least for the moment. Whether that continues remains to be seen, she thought, but nudged her hoverchair closer to the young Sith even so. Hard to extend trust if I offer no indication of it.

"What is it?", she asked, clearly uncertain as to what it was he sensed that had evidently eluded her own perceptions. Something certainly wasn't right, but she was damned if she knew what it was.

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"Danger. Unseen danger, worst of all."

She moved closer and he took steps to meet her. The feeling she'd felt from him, the emotion, was a mixture of fear and of anger. Neither of which were directed at her. The anger was directed at the spirits that dwelt within the temple. The fools had unleashed something in their haste to do away with Teynara and bring his attention back to them. Or perhaps they'd done it to kill both of them, but wanted to make an example of her first. He couldn't presume to know how the demented minds of the dead worked. All he could know was that, indeed, an invisible threat was making its way towards her with the intent to strike. And he knew what it was.

As he drew close to her, he leaned over her and extended a hand beside her before unleashing a wave of the Force that blasted outwards from the palm of his hand to her left side. It clearly impacted with something and kicked up a cloud of dust that came to rest several meters away. The sounds of hissing could be clearly heard coming from the cloud and his thoughts were confirmed on the matter. Much like on Korriban and the other Sith worlds, the spirits here were guarded by Hssiss.

"Hssiss. They are invisible to the naked eye save for the trails they leave on the ground. There are at least three here, probably more."

The other two had seemingly paused for the moment. No trails of feet could be seen moving, and the little clouds of dust he'd been tracking had all but stopped. He stepped around her then, positioning himself in a way that, unless they circled around, meant they would have to go through him before they could get to her. He lifted both of his hands towards them and drew upon the Force. A tether. He could feel it between their minds and the temple. These were thralls. They'd already been mastered by the spirits. If he couldn't sever those chords and install his own will upon them, then he'd be forced to fight them, and their poison would be just as deadly to him as it would be to her.

"They move silently, concealing themselves from sight, and their presence is being minimized by their masters, the spirits of the dead. Watch around you. When they move their feet live imprints on the ground and tiny bits of dust swirly in their wake. Watch for others. I will try and break these."

Though he spoke to her, he didn't look at her, and his back was thoroughly turned to her. She could easily run him through, but he didn't believe she would. It was his sign of trusting her, as he put himself into the line of fire to keep her safe.

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

Hssiss? She'd never heard of them, which was mildly surprising, considering her role as a Xenobiologist. It had been a particular point of interest to study those creatures known to have a sensitivity to the Force - after all, they were often very distinct from the biological makeup of the known sentient species of the Galaxy, and it had often been a question of trying to determine what it was that made them different. But I've never heard of these. That was a distinct void that might need to be corrected, provided they survived.

Perhaps they were a creature that only inhabited Sith worlds, which would explain that gap in her knowledge. She wasn't sufficiently familiar with the native wildlife of their worlds - understandable, given that she didn't normally make a habit of visiting them! The fact that they were invisible to the naked eye, and even to her senses in the Force...that was interesting indeed. No doubt it made them very dangerous predators, but she had to wonder what had prompted such evolution. Provided they are even natural, and not some product of experiments with the Dark Side. That wouldn't have surprised her either.

The Healer reached down with one arm, clicking a concealed button built into her chair, releasing the opening to a hidden container that had been added for her convenience. Reaching down, her slender fingers grasped at a cylindrical object that was housed within, pulling it out until it rested comfortably against the palm of her hand.

It had been a while since she had thought to draw her weapon. When she had walked, it had simply been a feature of the belt she wore around her waist, much as her commlink, datapad and mediscanner were: tools that might be needed on occasion, but weren't to be given much thought to. She had a more intimate connection to the lightsaber, of course, having constructed it herself over the space of several months, but that was a ritual she had gone through as part of her training, rather than something she had wanted to do.

The lightsaber looked as though it were a well-polished silvery surface, crafted as it was from Agrinium, though the inset of the hilt was bound with a softened leather grip, a single long piece of light teal-coloured Corellian Leather that had been carefully treated and inscribed with Emori patterning. The emitter was hooded with a gently-sloping cover that was longer on one side, the activation studs a few centimeters below left appointed in black, so as to stand out sufficiently to be seen. The crystal within had been harvested from the crystal caves on Tython, and shone with a silvery-green light, as did the blade it would produce when energised.

"Something tells me that a sword might not be very effective against a predatory hunter," she remarked, her grey-blue eyes focusing on the sand below her feet across a distance of several meters, watching for the imprints Ignus had spoken of. "I can fight only poorly in my chair, so this will serve you better than it will serve me," Teynara continued, flipping the hilt around so that the pommel faced outwards.

The blonde woman extended her hand towards the Sith, offering her lightsaber to him as a matter of practicality, rather than in any of the ritual fashions in which one Jedi might grant use of their weapon to another. She did not know what they were up against, but seeing him armed with swords rather than a true Jedi weapon ultimately suggested that he might be at a disadvantage. The least she could do in return for his protection was offer what little of hers she might be able to grant.

"Don't die, please," she said firmly, surprised at the sadness that thought provoked. Perhaps today's a day of breaking stereotypes. "We have more to talk about."