Private Radical Darkness

[Khal'vyssa]

Location: Meeting Room, The Tower, Eve, Scintilla
Wearing: xXx
Equipment: Chassella's Chakrams │ Chassella's Twin Lightsaber Shotos
Tag: Valery Noble

Chassella did not find herself in the City Center often, or much less, away from the Eight Arrows Temple. Having dedicated her life to the Divine Mission, in lieu of serving in the Armada or the Wild Hunt as most variance clones chose to do, Chassella spent most of her time in training, study, or prayer. However, she always enjoyed the opportunity to explore the Scintilla and beyond. While the traditional pink vestments of her sect made her a distinct presence in public, the Eight Arrows Sect was still a relatively secretive organization, albeit to a lesser degree than it had been when Chassella was an Initiate many months before. Since she had taken her vows and become a full member, the Grand Abbess, Fàn Jia Li, had taken some steps towards establishing a public presence for the sect via charity missions and religious services to worship Discordia.

Even so, Chassella had never met anyone from outside the Scintilla who knew of her sect.

The diminutive Elzeri wondered if that would change in meeting the strange woman who had arrived at the Tower, who apparently was familiar with the Grand Abbess and certain details of her past that had been enough to raise eyebrows, warranting a meeting with a disciple of the Eight Arrows Sect, of which Chassella was assigned to administer. For her part, Chassella was aware of Jia Li’s past, chiefly that the Grand Abbess was a former Jedi Master who was extremely controversial for her “radical” views, a reputation earned when she attempted to expel a Jedi Knight who had decided to become landlord, of all things.

To say the least, having been educated in the temple to learn the evils of such things, the thought of an individual who had sworn to serve the people engaging in such a selfish pursuit disgusted her.

The Elzeri had also read most of the various texts and writings Jia Li had produced during her time in the Jedi Order, with the exception of her manuals on Force crafting, which Chassella did not think she would ever bother to learn. Nevertheless, she had been chosen to meet with the woman to vet her in order to determine whether she would be allowed to travel to the temple to see Jia Li. It would be up to her to decide if the woman was untrustworthy or honest, a responsibility which the disciple was slightly anxious over, but was nonetheless ready to carry out.

All she needed was a deep breath to center herself before she stepped into the room. As the doors slid open, the short-statured Elzeri found herself standing before a tall, brown-haired woman, bearing a distinct scar over her left eye, which possessed a distinct orange hue. Chassella made to appear undaunted by her imposing stature, but her experience in combat and martial arts told her that the woman was very much a warrior, one perhaps more seasoned than herself.

“Are you umm...Valery?” Chassella began, albeit in a tone that was more shaky than she had intended. “I apologize for the wait, miss.” She continued. ”My name is Chassella. I am a Disciple of the Eight Arrows Sect and I’ve come to speak with you about Fàn Jia Li.”

The Elzeri cleared her throat and moved to take a seat on the chair across from the couch, her chakrams rattling against her hips as she did.

“I understand that you had some questions regarding her? I will do my best to answer your inquiries, but I can not guarantee that you will receive all of the information that you seek.”

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery had spent much of her time exploring the Galaxy after her recovery from stasis. While she started learning about the Jedi, and major galactic events, it soon became time to expand her knowledge to other organizations and civilizations. She expected there to be many, but she wasn't quite expecting to find one this far out.

There wasn't much information she was able to gather about this sect she had learned about, so she arranged a meeting to get some answers to questions she had. This meant she took her ship and traveled away from the core, and deep into the unknown regions.

Soon, she would arrive at the massive space station, and go through all necessary procedures to land. In order not to alarm those inside the station, she dropped the brown robes she often wore around her tunic and had her lightsaber visibly on display, attached to her belt. If they were wanting her to remove the weapon, she would comply.

Valery then waited alone in a room, until Chassella entered.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Valery said with a calm and clear tone after she bowed her head respectfully. Even though she was in unknown territory, Valery always had a calm and professional exterior. It sometimes added to her imposing look, but her tone indicated that she wasn't one to be afraid of most of the time.

She then watched Chassella sit down, and slowly lowered herself into a seat.

"That's understandable. I suppose my first question would be more about the sect itself - specifically, what they are seeking to accomplish? By extension, I assume that's what your leader's ultimate goal is as well."

After asking her question, she would sit back and turn her orange gaze to the woman in front of her. She tucked some of her hair behind her ear and offered a soft smile.

| Khal'vyssa |​

 

[Khal'vyssa]

Location: Meeting Room, The Tower, Eve, Scintilla
Wearing: xXx
Equipment: Chassella's Chakrams │ Chassella's Twin Lightsaber Shotos
Tag: Valery Noble

Chassella stared into Valery's deep, piercing orange irises as she spoke, gazing into the metaphorical soul of the taller woman as she took in more of her features. In seeing the lightsaber on her tunic, it was now obvious that the woman was not only a seasoned warrior, but also a Forceful one as well.

In a word, dangerous.

Chassella had her own lightsabers, twin shoto blades locked in place on the small of her back. However, lightsabers by nature were generally exclusive to Force wielders. They were too dangerous for all but the most well trained martial artists to use. Non-Force-sensitive warriors generally focused their skills on marksmanship, small unit tactics, and other principles of soldiery, with martial arts as a secondary skill. Had she failed her initiation trials, Chassella would have done the same, perhaps joining the Wild Hunt to become a Huntress or the Armada to train as a marine. She would have led a very different life, with different skills, social relationships, and perspectives.

She would not have been granted the privilege to use a lightsaber.

In passing her trials, she had earned that right and more. While her lightsabers were largely a secondary weapon for when her chakrams failed to dispatch the enemy, as she was more talented with them than she was with a blade, she was still a capable lightsaber duelist, regardless.

Even so, Chassella knew that she would be grotesquely outmatched if the woman proved to be violent or untrustworthy.

“A pleasure to you, as well.” Chassella answered sweetly.

“To start, the Eight Arrows Sect is in a religious order, just like your Jedi.” She began. “Only women are accepted as full members, though there are male staff who work the grounds of our temple. Unlike your Jedi, Force sensitivity is not mandatory, or else I would be...somewhere else on the Scintilla, but living a completely different life.” Chassella added with a coy smile. However, knowing with almost absolute certainty that the woman was Force-sensitive, unless the Jedi Orders had suddenly began to train non-Force-sensitive members, the Elzeri was aware that Valery would likely be able to tell that Chassella was not, on her own.

“Our goals are simple: charity and service to the people. But, we also devote our lives to Discordia and serve her mission. Unfortunately, that mission does necessitate that we fight, which is why I have these.” Chassella said, gesturing to the chakrams on her hips as she did.

Even though she had not fully answered the woman’s question, especially pertaining to the specifics of their mission as an organization, Chassella decided to move on, her finalizing tone an indication that she would not reveal more on that subject matter.

Not until she knew more about this woman.

“Did you have any other questions? I am willing and able to talk at length about Jia Li and her work.” She offered it as an olive branch.

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery quietly listened to the woman and began to analyze her, taking note of the weapons at her hips and the way she presented herself. Valery is used to handling all kinds of weapons and has faced many more during her assignments. However, the Chakrams were quite new and piqued her interest for a moment. Despite it all, her expression would remain rather neutral, and her focus was on the answers Chassella offered.

"Hmm, interesting." she hummed.

"I'd like to know more about Discordia's mission if you don't mind." she said after a moment of thinking. "Jedi, Sith, soldiers; they all fight but for very different reasons. I'd like to know why you and your people fight."

"If you can tell me more about Jia Li and her work specifically, that would be appreciated as well."

Valery then sat back in her chair a little, keeping her posture straight and her orange eyes focused on the other woman. She rested her hands in her lap, and crossed her left leg over her right.

"Of course, if you have questions for me, I'm willing to answer those as well."

| Khal'vyssa |​

 

[Khal'vyssa]

Location: Meeting Room, The Tower, Eve, Scintilla
Wearing: xXx
Equipment: Chassella's Chakrams │ Chassella's Twin Lightsaber Shotos
Tag: Valery Noble

Chassella paused for a short moment, her full lips pursing together as she contemplated how to answer the Jedi’s question. She was surprised that the Jedi was not familiar with the Agents of Chaos already, but her ignorance did not rouse suspicion. While the Agents of Chaos had been a prominent actor on the galactic stage for some time, much of that power had faded since the end of war the Agent Wars. Since then, the military and combat forces of Discordia had continued to operate, albeit at a slightly diminished scale as efforts were focused on recovery in the Scintilla.

“Of course.” Chassella began, clearing her throat before picking up. “In brief, Discordia’s mission is an anti-authoritarian movement. We fight for a concept that we refer to as Chaotic Peace, which to be blunt, demands the toppling of authoritarian intersystem states.”

The Elzeri paused.

“In short, the overthrow of all major galactic powers.”

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery only slightly narrowed her eyes as the question was answered, clearly taking a moment to let the information sink in. After a moment, she had gathered her thoughts and began to speak.

"To my knowledge, not all Major galactic powers are authoritarian - so are you truly on a quest to overthrow all of them?" she asked, after which she gave Chassella a moment before continuing with her second question. She cared about the nuances when it came to these topics, so she did not want to overwhelm the woman.

"Overthrowing or replacing any ruling body, regardless of how it functions, is typically a slow process as well. A sudden removal can lead to incredible chaos, and not one that's going to bring peace. But one other question remains with that, what is going to replace the ruling bodies you overthrow?"

"Are you going to overthrow those galactic powers that suppress the people, and allow them to form more democratic civilizations? Or will you replace them with your own authorities enforcing your rules and moral codes?"

Valery's tone, while she spoke, would be professional, with a sincere interest in the answers to her questions. As a Jedi, she wasn't one who believed in conquest for the sake of ruling over others, but Jedi do believe in liberating those in need. Whether this Discordia's mission was about liberation or conquest with equally terrible results for the people, is what she hoped to find out.

| Khal'vyssa |​

 

[Khal'vyssa]

Location: Meeting Room, The Tower, Eve, Scintilla
Wearing: xXx
Equipment: Chassella's Chakrams │ Chassella's Twin Lightsaber Shotos
Tag: Valery Noble

“Yes.”

The response to Valery’s first question was simple and to the point, leaving no room for misinterpretation or confusion. From there, Chassella listened as the Jedi gave her opinion, questioning words which made the diminutive Elzeri red with fiery passion. To hear an individual question Discordia’s wisdom in such a bold and brazen manner almost made the assassin respect her, but the woman’s challenge to the ideals that she had devoted her life to could not go unanswered.

“Nothing.” Chassella began simply. “After a major power is overthrown or discharged, we leave the people to their own devices to figure out a government of their own, albeit one that isn’t a stellar empire." The Elzeri's mismatched eyes narrowed into an intense glare. "Galactic governments by their nature are undemocratic institutions. Many of the major powers, even those that are ‘democratic’, add 15,000 light-years to their territory a month. Within an area of that size, there are on average, hundreds of worlds that were once free and independent, that now must pay tithe to a distant throne which regards them as little more than statistics.”

The assassin took a deep breath, her tone strong and impassioned in answer to the Jedi’s challenge.

“No, we are not conquerors, because we do not extract from the people and the planets that are rightfully theirs. In fact, we are liberators, in the purest form.”

“In other words, Agents of Chaos.”

 

[Valery Noble]

After Valery had asked her questions, she noticed the woman turning somewhat red from passion. The empathic Master didn't need to use the Force to understand what Chassella was feeling. Her intentions were not to anger the woman, or create too much friction, so she quietly listened and nodded along.

"As I'm sure you've noticed, I'm a Jedi myself." she said after Chassella had explained more about their mission.

"I do not believe in Jedi holding territory or ruling over people - no Jedi should. My stance is that Jedi should be protecting peace, freedom and they should be defending those who need it."

"But you mentioned that your leader is a former Jedi herself, so I'm curious. What is her stance towards the Jedi specifically? Perhaps the Jedi now, to some extent, differ from how I believe they should be, but I'd like to know what your people's stance is towards them."

| Khal'vyssa |​

 

[Khal'vyssa]

Location: Meeting Room, The Tower, Eve, Scintilla
Wearing: xXx
Equipment: Chassella's Chakrams │ Chassella's Twin Lightsaber Shotos
Tag: Valery Noble

Chassella let her shoulders relax, her once tense expression shifting into a more calm demeanor upon sensing that the Jedi had decided not to press the issue. It was a tense topic, which Chassella doubted that they would ever find mutual agreement on. Fortunately, the shift to discussing the Jedi and by implication, the Sith, would be easier for her to discuss, as the diminutive assassin had no stake in the eternal conflict between Light and Dark.

“Of course! I’m glad to hear that.” Chassella replied in answer to Valery’s initial statement, before pausing to let the woman continue.

“Jia Li had some...misgivings, at least with the Jedi Order that she was a part of, due largely to the fact that they turned a blind eye to the Jedi who used the Force to enrich themselves. In a sense, abusing their natural gifts to become prominent business people, politicians, and rulers. However, we do not hate the Jedi or have any war with them. In fact, many Jedi have joined the Agents of Chaos and supported our mission in the past, as have many Sith. Our organization is one driven by ideology and faith, but not faith in one side of the dichotomy over the other. But rather, faith that our vision of the galaxy will eventually come to pass and faith in Discordia.”

“Does that answer your question?”

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery was glad to see the woman relaxing - she understood well that her earlier questions sparked an argument that could have gotten far more heated if she had continued. This next topic seemed to be better, although Chassella's words did make Valery frown for just a moment. Hearing that some Jedi abused their connection to the Force.. it wasn't something that sat well with her.

"It saddens me to hear that some abuse their connection like that. A Jedi who uses the Force as a stool for personal gain, in my respectful opinion, is no Jedi at all. It directly goes against our views." she said before moving on, understanding that wasn't Chassella's main point.

"But you did answer my question, thank you. I think you've given me quite a good idea of what you and your people are about." she said with a soft smile.

"I don't believe I have any more questions unless there is something specific you believe would be good for me to know? If not, feel free to ask me questions as well, if there is something you'd like to know."

| Khal'vyssa |​

 

[Khal'vyssa]

Location: Meeting Room, The Tower, Eve, Scintilla
Wearing: xXx
Equipment: Chassella's Chakrams │ Chassella's Twin Lightsaber Shotos
Tag: Valery Noble

Chassella smiled, her pointed ears twitching with relief as she stood up from her chair, before moving to the food synthesizer within the room as Valery spoke. Taking a pair of disposable cups from the nearby drawer, Chassella placed one under a liquid dispenser and selected the option for water, before placing the other under the dispenser next to it, turning to Valery as she did.

“I think there are still some things that I would like you to know.” The Elzeri began. “That said, I believe Jia Li will want to speak with you personally, in which case, I will take you to the temple. It’ll be a long trip, but if you’re ready we can go after we're finished here.” Chassella took a deep, calming breath, now feeling more at ease around the Jedi than earlier. The woman, though tall and physically imposing relative to her, had shown herself to be a gentle spirit in spite of her philosophical differences. Chassella turned to look at her, only just now realizing how strongly she was drawn into her piercing orange orbs, the trio of scars over her left eye lending the Jedi an air of mystery. The strong, toned biceps her tunic left on display spoke of a woman of prodigious strength, a stark contrast to Chassella’s own lithe form.

Blinking out of her reverie, Chassella awkwardly cleared her throat and turned away from Valery to take her cup of water out from under the liquid dispenser. Then, she bent down to pull out a plate from the cabinet below.

“Would you like something to eat or drink? The synthesizer here can prepare anything you need. It’ll be a long trip, so I’d recommend a meal before we leave.” She offered with an affectionate smile. “There are flavoring options on the interface if you’d like to choose for yourself.” Chassella added, oblivious to the fact that the woman was technically thousands of years old and might be unfamiliar with such advanced technology.

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery watched Chassella get up, offered a smile in return while she ran a hand through her long hair, tucking some of it behind an ear. She then stood up herself and walked over, looking at the technology that luckily was familiar to her. Food dispensers were around during her time as well, but she normally preferred to cook a meal for herself, leaving their use for when she wanted something quick and simple.

With a long trip ahead of them, grabbing something to eat and drink sounded like a good plan to her. She was on a fairly strict diet and ate quite a bit alongside her training to stay in good physical shape. So whenever she went without food too long, she'd notice. The last thing she wanted was her stomach grumbling during her meeting with Jia Li.

"I'd love to meet her, and learn more from her." she said in response as she selected water from the liquid dispenser as well. She smiled and turned her attention to the food dispenser for a moment, where she selected a meal fitting for her size.

Valery then turned back to Chassella and took a better look at the shorter woman in the pink outfit. She figured it was typical attire for her people, but not something she would see herself wearing too quickly. There were times where she wore dresses or more showy clothing, but she was quite picky in those cases. With a smile, she took note of the Chakrams as well, which naturally drew her attention.

"Before I meet with Jia Li, should I prepare in any way? I've met many different cultures, and don't wish to unintentionally do something that she'll perceive as rude or inappropriate." she said.

"Oh and while we travel, I'd love to learn more about those as well, if you don't mind my curiosity." she said, gesturing for the Chakrams at Chassella's hips. She figured it would be an interesting topic unless there was something more important to talk about.

| Khal'vyssa |​

 

[Khal'vyssa]

Location: Meeting Room, The Tower, Eve, Scintilla
Wearing: xXx
Equipment: Chassella's Chakrams │ Chassella's Twin Lightsaber Shotos
Tag: Valery Noble

Like Valery, Chassella kept active as well. Daily physical and martial training meant that she needed to eat in order to maintain her physique. Lacking sensitivity to the Force made it doubly important, as her body and the weapons that she carried were often her only tools in a fight.

“Oh yes! I was going to mention that.” Chassella replied as she sat down on her chair, setting her plate of food down on the table in front of her. “Jia Li was a Jedi of the Atrisian tradition. I would ask that you bow when we meet any Prioresses and Abbesses, including Jia Li herself. Just follow my lead when we get inside the temple.” The Elzeri added, her ears twitching as she waited for Valery to choose her meal and sit down, before beginning to eat.

“Oh! My chakrams?” Chassella’s mismatched eyes went wide, her pale features flushed a deep shade of crimson when the woman mentioned them. Nevertheless, with a nervous smile, she took one of the circular weapons from its place on her hips and handed it to Valery. While the weapon was fitted for Chassella’s hands, which were considerably smaller than Valery’s, the Jedi would find that they were well balanced and extremely light.

“You’ll notice that it’s very, very light.” She began with a soft smile. “But, if you tap this tiny button here on the frame, it will deactivate the integrated gravitational field disruptor and...” Chassella reached over to do exactly that, pressing a single manicured finger on an inconspicuous looking button, which was only made apparent when a blue light flashed on the frame. Then, the chakram would slowly begin to feel heavier in Valery’s hands, to the point where it would be very difficult, if not impossible to throw very far if the wielder did not have twice the strength of a Wookiee.

“It gets heavier!” Chassella said with girlish glee. “See, the chakrams are actually quite heavy, so that they impart kinetic force when they hit, but the gravitational field disruptor makes them light enough to throw, so…” The assassin paused, a wicked smile coming across her features as she did.

“Imagine getting hit by a five pound dumbbell that is moving at say...roughly half the speed of a slug.”

 

[Valery Noble]

After the food dispenser had prepared her food, she would take the plate and turn her gaze to Chassela again, "I'm very much used to bowing as a sign of respect myself, so that will not be an issue." she smiled warmly and sat down before setting the plate down on the table. She then reached for her water and looked at the Elzeri, who blushed at her question regarding the Chakrams. Valery hoped she didn't catch her off-guard with it or made her uncomfortable.

"A Chakram, hm?" she said softly as she took the offered weapon and held it in her hand. She rotated her wrist a few times while she looked at it and noted how light it was. With excellent cutting capabilities, a weapon such as this would be fast and comfortable to use and even carry around.

But then Chassella piqued her interest again, as she began to explain a little more about the weapon and reached over to hit the little button on its frame. In her hand, she felt it slowly growing heavier and blinked, clearly a bit surprised despite the explanation. Much like a dumbbell, she lifted it up and down a few times to gauge how heavy it had become, and a faint grin briefly appeared on her face. Despite her strength, it likely wasn't a weapon she would throw now - only with additional strength from Force augmentation, she likely could. But she'd likely keep it close and use its weight to her advantage.

"This is definitely an interesting and elegant weapon. Very fitting for you and your people, I assume." she smiled and looked back at Chassella now. The weapon, as expected, fascinated the Jedi. "Thank you for showing me. I'm always quite fond of learning about different weapons." she said with a bit of a smirk.

Valery then handed the weapon back and made sure her long hair was out of her face before she reached for her food, and began to eat a little.

| Khal'vyssa |​

 

[Khal'vyssa]

Location: Meeting Room, The Tower, Eve, Scintilla
Wearing: xXx
Equipment: Chassella's Chakrams │ Chassella's Twin Lightsaber Shotos
Tag: Valery Noble

Chassella gazed in an almost longing fashion as she watched Valery lift the chakram like a dumbbell, the toned musculature in her arm flexing to emphasize her prodigious strength in a display that the diminutive Elzeri could not help but to feel enraptured by. She almost did not notice when Valery handed the chakram back, a brief pause passing between the two women before Chassella blinked and took her weapon, clearing her throat as she did.

Placing the weapon back in its place on her hip, Chassella smiled, then picked up her fork as Valery began to eat.

“We actually don’t really have a...signature weapon, like the Jedi and the Sith do as related to the lightsaber. If we did, it probably wouldn’t be the chakram since I and only one other person in the sect really use it.” She clarified. “However, after we talk to Jia Li at the temple, I can show you how to use them!” The Elzeri offered with a soft smile, before taking a couple of bites of food from her plate.

“The trip is gonna be four hours. Unfortunately, the Scintilla is huge so the tram network between the spheres isn’t exactly fast. Also, the sphere where the temple is located doesn’t have a spaceport, so we’ll have to take it.” Chassella said after a short pause. “Did you have any bags or personal effects you were planning to bring? It might be...” The Elzeri's ears twitched. “Kind of a sleepover.”

“That said, I get first class tickets with a complementary passenger as a part of my benefits, so it’ll be a comfy ride for both of us.” She added.

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery looked up from her plate and seemed interested in the offer Chassella made. She smiled and made sure to swallow her food before she responded. "If there is time, I would love to learn how to use them. Even if it's only the basics." she said. "I imagine that there is a lot to it."

Valery then took a sip from her water and began finishing up her meal while she listened to the Elzeri's explanation of their journey to the Temple. Valery nodded her head in understanding and seemed to be thinking for a moment, her eyes shifting from the woman to the door of the room.

"I'm currently traveling still, so I have a bedroll and some equipment in a backpack that I keep in my ship. I can get it before we depart if you believe it could be useful." she said, offering a smile.

When traveling to this massive place, she figured it would all take longer than a single day, which didn't bother her. The thought of learning more about the sect, its leader, and even a new weapon was quite exciting. Valery was ready to get going as soon as they had finished their meals.

"I'm looking forward to it all." she said finally before she finished up her meal.

| Khal'vyssa |​