Pretend I Thought Up A Clever Title

[Sera Sadow]

Being invisible was so worth the effort.

It was exhausting, of course, and it took constant concentration to be viable - but the payoff? Go anywhere, do anything.

Like spy on Leesa, for example.

It wasn't the most ambitious scheme, admittedly, but that schutta had it coming.

Sera Sadow stood in the middle of Bastion Academy Dormitory Room 37C, and watched Leesa - a twi'lek Acolyte with whom Sera shared a combat class - bawl her fething eyes out.

She sort of watched, anyway. Detail didn't translate well to infrared, but that was alright. The microcamera in the corner of the room meant she could catch up on whatever she missed later. The dorms didn't come with those cameras, but Sera was always doing that sort of home improvement.

She was generous like that.

--

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

[member="Sera Sadow"]

Her mind twisted and turned around the Mandalorian situation. The intricacies of it, the chances and opportunities to be grasped or forsaken, they made her pace the halls at night like a ghost. Darth Ophidia's dark robed figure glided over the floor with the barest whisper of rustling fabric. Her eyes stared unblinkingly at the hall ahead as her fingers turned a gold disk between her fingers; again and again it flickered over her knuckles then disappeared into her palm, only to reappear on the knuckles again.

Then something, she could not quite put her finger on what, drew her attention to the left. The hallway was as dull and angular as any other, but it called to her in ways. So the Rattataki set to strolling down it with renewed interest in the world outside her thoughts.

The sound of sobbing echoed to her sensitive ears and she could feel the palpable waves of pain, and something else, delight. Correction: Some one else, taking perverse delight in it.

Yet, she could not see the form of this seeing-sera with her naked eye. Perhaps curiosity got the better of Ophidia as she let herself be half consumed in shadows, obscured by their caress, and set to look through the door herself.

A twi-lek, but what more?

 

[Sera Sadow]

This had been a meticulous plan. Every footstep was calculated, every movement rehearsed to achieve maximum efficiency. Every second was accounted for, down to the ten seconds the acolyte had allowed herself so that she could bask in the misery in person. In retrospect, it was probably those ten seconds that did her in. Because if the young Sera had taken flight earlier, she would have realized that she was no longer the only shadowy figure up past curfew. Had she not been so occupied with soaking up her rival's pain and suffering, she may have noticed this new presence long before it reached her. And if she hadn't been so smug, she would have realized that no plan, no matter how well thought out, went exactly as expected.

Sera, content as a Nexu with a fresh kill, spun on her heels to make her escape.

And then, with a quiet hiss, the door slid open.

The acolyte came face to face with a woman. A tiny bit taller than she, pale as snow, clad in robes of black and absolutely oozing with power and malice.

Now, Sera was a collected young woman, and it was rare indeed that she lost control of her powers, even when she simmered with rage. But a visit from a hooded figure in the middle of the night was the sort of thing that made even seasoned warriors falter.

The Acolyte's Cloak dropped, and, with a silent whimper, she returned to the realm of the visible.

--

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

"Acolyte Simzona"

Darth Ophidia's eyes rotated down to look at the now uncloaked figure of Sera standing aghast in front of her.

"And Sera Sadow" Her eyes narrowed. "I should have known."

She quickly reached out to grab Sera's ear with her left hand and pulled her out of the room with more strength than one would assume such a gaunt-looking figure could muster, then slamming her back into the far wall. Her opposite hand reached out to Leesa, whose eyes rolled back in her skull as she toppled over in her bed. The memories becoming blurry and dreamlike in her head.

"I have seen some foolish waste of power in my time, Acolyte Sadow, but that-" She turned to face the Acolyte, her dark form seemingly growing taller as she stared down at Sera "-was new."

Her face did not show anger - More than glowing eyes of hate already displayed - but something more akin to a morbid curiosity, as if she had stumbled upon some kind of amusing sea-creature whose face looked eerily humanoid.

[member="Sera Sadow"]

 

[Sera Sadow]

"Would it help If I told you that this was part of an elaborate plot to humiliate Acolyte Simzona?" Sera's entire body was shaking, - and aching, but that was less a fear response and more a 'just got slammed into a wall' response - but her voice was remarkably even. Not perfectly so, of course, but there was less sheer terror there than one might expect from an Acolyte who was just apprehended by a Lady of the Sith. The Acolyte gulped, and lifted her head so that she might meet the Lady's baleful gaze.

When she spoke again, the fear in her voice was all but gone, replaced by a steely resolve.

"Acolyte Simzona is weak, my lady, in all the ways that matter. She is not the only acolyte to miss her family, or her friends, or the comforts of her old life - we all do." Sera sneered, her voice taking on a distinctly contemptuous tone. "But instead of turning her pain and grief to constructive ends, Simzona blubbers like a child whenever she thinks herself alone." The acolyte's voice had begun trembling again, but not with fear. No, this time, it sounded like she was stifling a laugh. "And since she lacks the courage to admit her weakness, so that it might be culled, I've taken that first step for her. In twelve galactic standard hours, an associate of mine will upload a holovid of dear Simzona's night-time catharsis session to the Academy's local holonetwork."

--

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

[member="Sera Sadow"]

What a vicious little thing.

Granted, she was correct in her reasoning and almost perfect in her execution. Had it not been Ophidia strolling past, then she would probably have gotten away with it too. However, such were the twists and turns of fate.

"I see." She glanced over her shoulder, but there was no sense of her not watching Sera still. "You are not wrong. She is weak."

A disk of gold flickered over her ashen knuckles and back, then stopped between her finger and thumb. Ophidia's eyes turned back to Sera, looking down at her from the corner of her eyes as they narrowed.

"But answer me this, acolyte Sadow-"

She took a step back, once more squaring herself up to tower over Sera.

"What makes a Sith? What makes you worthy?"

What did set Sera Sadow above all the others? What would make her climb higher than anyone else in her classes, and one day, perhaps touch the pinnacle of the dark side of the Force. And, more importantly, what made her worthy of the Pale Assassin's attention?

 

[Sera Sadow]

Sera opened her mouth to respond - and then closed it quickly, realizing that she had no idea how to answer that question.

What made her worthy?

Her parents might have said it was her lineage, but she had never placed much stock in that idea. She respected her heritage, of course, but legacy was not synonymous with worth. It wasn't to do with Sera's aptitude with the Force, either. True, she was certainly no slouch in that area, but there were plenty of students who could outclass her in terms of raw power. Ambition? No, every Acolyte had ambition. It was a prerequisite.

There were a few agonizingly long seconds of silence, and then...

"Restraint. I control my passions and my impulses - they do not control me. No one is truly free, least of all an Acolyte, but I have one less Master than my brothers and sisters here at the Academy."

--

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

[member="Sera Sadow"]

She listened intently, her head as still as a statue and her eyes unwavering like some judgemental psychopomp deciding whether Sera's soul should pass safely into the Nether or if it should be skewered on a spiritual poker and fed to some terrible cosmic beast as a midnight snack. The usual look.

Restraint - That was a new answer to this riddle.

A ship travels through the void, but it may also be consumed by it. It was a good answer, but Sera did not need to know that just yet. it was easy to say such things, but how well did she enforce it?

"Restraint, you sound almost like a Jedi."

There was such nonchalant poison in her words. Sternness entered her voice next. Her mouth turned into a terrible frown, made even more noticeable by the tattoos running down from the corners of her mouth.

"Acolyte Sadow, recite me the Sith Code."

As a warning for what would happen if she should dare not to, Ophidia brushed open one side of her cloak to reveal one of the two curved lightsabres she carried.

 

[Sera Sadow]

"You sound almost like a Jedi."

A low but audible hiss escaped Sera when the Sith Lady uttered those words, and the young acolyte clenched her fists so tightly that blood pooled in her palms.

"Acolyte Sadow, recite to me the Sith Code."

And now this woman doubted Sera's knowledge of the most basic of Sith Texts? Had she not known the Code by now, she would have been expelled at the very least. Still, the acolyte complied with the request, more out of spite than anything else - although the flash of a lightsaber hilt certainly helped to motivate her. Through gritted teeth and with venomous tongue, the recitation began:

"Peace is a lie - there is only Passion." Sera may have prided herself on self-control, but that didn't mean she lacked passions and desires.

"Through Passion, I gain Strength." She just saw them as they really were - useful. Fear kept you alive. Rage made you stronger. Friendship meant that other people would kill and die for you.

"Through Strength, I gain Power." More importantly, passions motivated people to do great things.

"Through Power, I gain Victory." By channeling their emotions, by shaping them like a smith shapes steel and directing them like a warrior directs a blade, ordinary people achieved the incredible.

"Through Victory, my chains are broken." Ordinary people rose to greatness, becoming heroes and villains.

"The Force shall free Me." By tapping into the Force, you blurred the lines between the mental and the physical. Intent became action. Fantasy became reality. Hate was no longer simply a motivation to kill, but a weapon in and of itself. Determination could actually make one's body more resistant to damage.

But just like anyone else, a Dark Sider could easily burn themselves out. Whether it was a Marauder blinded by her own rage and slain by a more level headed opponent or a Sorcerer's body broken and deformed by the power they channeled through themselves, there were countless examples of Sith being destroyed by the very things which gave them their strength.

Sera spoke once more, and her voice - instead of dripping with the rage she actually felt - was exceedingly demure and polite.

"With all due respect, my Lady - I am no Jedi."

Passion may have been the secret to power, but it was Restraint that kept you alive long enough to enjoy it.

--

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

[member="Sera Sadow"]

The Sith Code was of utmost importance to all Sith, from the lowliest Acolyte to the highest Lord. To know it was important, but not enough. One had to completely understand it, and one had to apply it to every part of their lives.

"Acceptable."

Again, nonchalance.

"Now, inform me please, how does restraint make you a better Sith?"

Her face adopted a mask of inquisitiveness from the previous deep frown, cocking her head to the side.

"Isn't restraint contrary to passion?"

Oh she knew the answers to her questions, but she wanted to dig out more of Sera's knowledge. With one of her arms, she gestured for Sera to walk with her. In fact, she would pull her along if she had to. Thoughts moved best when the body did too, she found.

"And what ways have you shown restraint in the case of Acolyte Simzona?"

One could perhaps project a level of judgement on her words, but her voice spun an angle on it that made this look much more like assessment than judgement. She was testing the foundations of Sera's work and thought progress to see if this was simply the cruel whim of group-thinking, or if she actually had put thought into the consequences of Leesa Simzona's exposure and public ridicule.

 

[Sera Sadow]

"A Sith ruled by her passions is predictable. Powerful, yes, for the Dark Side rewards those who give themselves over to it - but predictable all the same. When she feels anger, she will strike. When she hungers, she will eat. When she lusts, she will kark. Understand her motives and her desires, and you can not only predict her goals, but the means by which she will most likely attempt to achieve them. But a Sith who has mastered her passions - who uses them like a soldier uses a weapon or a painter uses a brush - is anything but predictable." Sera smiled to herself, and pulled up the hood on her robe, looking back at the slowly shrinking outline of Acolyte Simzona's dorm door.

"Simzona is weak – she is prey. And so like any predator, I felt the urge to pounce. But what good would beating or killing her do? Proving my strength? I know I am superior to her. I gain nothing except a brief moment of satisfaction." The acolyte stopped speaking for a brief second, collecting her thoughts. "Instead, I channeled that urge, that desire to dominate, into something useful. Acolyte Simzona will be humiliated, and I will be satisfied – but more importantly than that, there’s a chance here for Simzona to learn. A chance for her to be made stronger by her suffering, and so become something useful to the Empire."

--

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Her self reflection was considerable. That made all the difference to Darth Ophidia when she considered the merits of someone she had just met; not just their ability to do, but to understand and explain why they are doing it. She had seen Sera perform the most rudimentary, but still functional, form of personal cloaking. For someone so untrained, that was a considerable matter in and of itself. And further, she did so with purpose, not just perverse voyeurism.

"Who is your overseer, Acolyte Sadow?"

She could have looked it up, but one of the benefits of having acolytes around was to ask them questions and maybe make them feel embarrassed if they got the answer wrong. She wanted to know if she had been well taught, or if she just taught herself. Having some knowledge of the overseers in place and the apprentices they had wrought, she could make certain deductions.

But in the end, there was one thing she could not get away from: Being caught.

"You should pack your bags tonight, say goodbyes if you have any."

All the while they walked, the Rattataki was turning the gold disk over and over between her fingers. However, suddenly, it was a steel-grey disk instead. It was lingan ore, to be precise, and it held a small enchantment within the fine engraving: Two serpents chasing each other's tails on one side - A skull on a bed of bones on the other. Between the bones, the lines made runes that kept the enchantment going. It was a tracking beacon of sorts.

[member="Sera Sadow"]

 

[Sera Sadow]

"You should pack your bags tonight, say goodbyes if you have any."


For the very briefest of seconds, the rational part of Sera's brain shut down, and she considered bolting in the opposite direction - a Lady of the Sith had, after all, just told her to say her goodbyes. Except, wait, no. That was a terrible idea. For one thing, she couldn't outrun the Force.

But more importantly, you didn't tell someone to pack their bags if you were about to kill them.

Terror subsided. Relief took its place. And, in the half second it took Sera to put two and two together, that too was swept aside, replaced by a barely containable excitement.

She was getting out of the academy.

Of course, for Sera, the natural manifestation of ‘barely containable excitement’ was ‘a smile with teeth showing.’

“No goodbyes, no, and I can be packed in...” The acolyte paused mid-sentence, doing a short calculation in her head. “Ten, fifteen minutes at most. Oh! And my Overseer is a twi’lek woman going by the moniker of Darth Valdis.”

--

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

"Valdis." One of her hairless brows arced. "No wonder you got caught."

Valdis had her talents - The most prominent of which was big talk - but few skills that would serve Sera's abilities or anyone wishing to accomplish more than moving rocks and holding grandiose monologues during a fight.

"You have thirty minutes. from" A pause. "Now."

Ophidia stared at Sera expectantly.

She had not mentioned where they would meet again, nor where they were going. Did she care? Did she have the foresight to ask? These were all interesting questions that would soon be answered. The academy's own landing pads were all the way across on the other side of the academy, designed so for health and safety reasons. Right now, they were situated in the middle of the dorms, some way from where they had originally walked. Had Sera paid attention to their route? Did she know where to go from there?

[member="Sera Sadow"]

 

[Sera Sadow]

Sera had questions. She didn't, unfortunately, have the time to ask them all - not on a thirty minute timer. So instead, she only asked the most pressing one.

"We're meeting at the landing pad, I suppose?" She'd wait fifteen seconds for a response, then just assume she was correct if she hadn't gotten an answer. There was the off-chance that this Lady had landed on the roof, but, logically speaking, it was probably the landing pad.

Whether an answer was given or Sera had to wait, she started sneaking back to her room in short order; after six months at the academy, she certainly knew her way around the place. And that meant that, instead of focusing on finding her way back, she could plan. Whilst walking, she set a timer on her datapad; Twenty-Nine Minutes, Thirty Seconds. Tick Tock.

Approximately five minutes to get back to her dormitory. Ten minutes (she'd give herself the benefit of the doubt there) to pack her things. Then, fifteen minutes to get all the way to the landing pad. She'd never make it - if she had a straight path, and ran at full tilt the entire way? Sure. With a little help from the Force, that would be easy. But with all the twists and turns and arbitrary security measures that took far too long to slice through, no. Not going to happen. If she were going to make it in time, she'd need to cheat just a little. And after a few seconds, she knew just how to do it, too: the emergency exit, at the end of her hallway. It led directly outside, and from there, Sera could just leap to the rooftops and make her way from above.

With a smug grin on her face, the young Sithling swung open her dorm's door and glanced down at her datapad. Four minutes fifteen seconds. Sometimes she even impressed herself.

Eight minutes forty five seconds to pack her clothes – luckily, all of Sera’s outfits were the same, so she could leave a few things – and then she was out in the hallway again, checking her datapad. Sixteen minutes left. Not enough time to waste deactivating the alarms. The Sithling cursed to herself; it wasn’t as if she was going to be inside when the alarms triggered, but still. She’d been hoping to get out without alerting anyone. It was a pride thing.

The emergency door opened, and not a second later, the alarms started blaring, undoubtedly waking up every student and overseer in the wing – if not the entire academy. Sera wasn’t sure whether the warning system was localized to each section, or if it spread across the entire academy. Not that it mattered to her at this point.

Sera performed what should have been no more than a gentle hop, and suddenly she was on the roof, with a clear path to the landing pad. The acolyte took a deep breath, slung her pack over her shoulder, and ran, with all the power of the Force that she could muster.

Five minutes later, and she was indeed at the landing pad, gasping for breath and dry heaving as she looked around for the Sith Lady who’d challenged her.

–

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Within the fifteen seconds, Sera would receive a simple nod. - She had asked, and asking received answers. One day, she would begin to deprive Sera of answers, but in the beginning it was paramount that the Acolyte knew to be inquisitive. Questions awarded knowledge, and knowledge was vital. As Sera ran off, Ophidia casually continued down the path she had been taking. One step, two, three steps, a light flickered and she was gone.

Ophidia had the keys and clearance to walk through any door she wanted in this academy, so hers was the simplest path. She set a momentary blip in the alarm and walked through, the door closing behind her with a subtle click.

"Darling, get the shuttle warmed up and ready. We have a guest for our return trip." "Oh and remind me to send a message to the Overseers."

She released her com. One positive part of having a droid pilot like Darling was that he could watch the ship perpetually. It was good for quick getaways or spontaneous trips.She could hear the alarms blear and smiled just a little bit as she thought about the fury Overseer Valdis would have.

-

As Sera looked around, there was a moment of tense silence. Suddenly, with a loud thump, flood lights were turned on and pointed in her direction. The alarms were still blaring in the distance, people had woken up and were looking for the problem. Discipline droids were hovering in the distance, chattering in imperial code with Overseer Valdis in following right behind. The floodlights pointed right at Sera and in-between them, the silhouette of Darth Ophidia manifested, standing on the nose of the ship with her hands folded behind her back.

It was a rather dramatic and extravagant image.

"I have one last task for you"

As Sera's eyes adjusted to the light, she would be able to see the open ramp on the side of the shuttle, waiting a last passenger. This was the acolyte's last chance to turn back, maybe they would be merciful to a student out of bed. Perhaps she could claim having sleep-walked? Night terrors? it could all be back to what it was before - Maybe.

"Cut off your own arm."

[member="Sera Sadow"]