Private Returning to Home Base

[Eira Dyn]

Location: Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Vibro-daggers, vibro-sword, blaster pistol
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Quinn Varanin

The storms crackled and danced in the skies above Eira. The blood red eyes of the young woman stared up, feeling the rain upon her skin as she studied the bolts of lightning crackling. She had always found storms and lightning curious, beautiful and destructive. However, she had only been to Dromund Kaas once. Before Quinn had become her Master, when she was still learning the very beginning steps of the Sith. Now she was returning, but this time it was not a personal trip, not one based on education or learning. Eira was returning with the credits she had earned during her missions, the success of her hunting. Not the amount she had hoped to garner to impress her Master but something to prove that the fledgling acolyte that Eira had once been was something more. Her skills were taking the steps forward that Eira had promised to make.

She had also garnered a reputation for being outspoken, brash, aggressive with her words. Eira was cold, and refusal to budge on her stances, so Eira had not made friends. If anything, she was growing powerful enemies. It was something that made her grin, she relished the challenges that life was flinging her way. It was an evolve or die mentality that Eira viewed life as, either she evolved and grew stronger from the opponents she was curating, or she died.

But that was not the reasoning for her presence on the ancient Sith world, she was here to see Quinn. Here to apologise and explain for her absence in the recent months, and to show that she had not wasted her time away but grown, learned new skills so that she could be more than worthy of the honours that Quinn was bestowing Eira. She couldn't be a simple farmer's daughter who luckily got trained by the future ruler of the Sith. Eira needed to show she was a threat all of her own. To become the nightmare in the shadows. The blade that could only be found too late when it was hunting you.

Entering the academy, Eira was soaked, the clothes and her wild raven hair clinging to her as she stormed her way through the academy. Nerves had kept Eira away for too long, she had been ashamed that she kept Quinn at a distance, that she did not feel worthy. Eira knew that she did not look put together or the clean appearances that Quinn desired in a person that was attached to her, but Eira had spent so long overanalysing things and she knew that if she took the time to dress herself more appropriately, to tidy her appearance, excuses would leak into her mind and dwell long enough to ensure more time was wasted. She needed to just rip the bandage off and appear as she was. The mess, the feral beast that Eira allowed herself to appear as when she was not around Quinn.

Perhaps there was a reason for it. Perhaps Eira was conveying more than just a feral version of herself to her Master. Subconsciously, Eira could have seen this as a way to show how much she needed Quinn, how rough and wild she would allow herself to get without her Master's presence in her life. That only Quinn could tame the wildness that burned deep within Eira.

Standing at the door to Quinn's office, it reminded Eira of when she first met her Master. A professor's office on Jutrand, now it was Dromund Kaas. However, this was an academy with Quinn's name attached to it. A heritage that Eira had only scratched the surface in attempting to learn more about. There was a deep intake of breath, her hand hovered over the button to open the door but she hesitated. Lingered for a moment. Exhaling softly, she sighed, there was no doubt that Quinn knew she was here but politeness, respect, that took precedent.

Eira knocked on the door, waiting to be allowed into the room.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Eira Dyn //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn always carried a gentler hand with Eira. Perhaps it was a mistake, but she knew the girl needed to face her demons head-on. Forcing her to bury them would only ensure rebellion.

Sometimes, you had to let them run wild, burn through the frenzy and when they finally returned, that was when the real work began.

She had already felt the feral girl's arrival planetside. The moment Eira crossed into Sith space, Quinn's lips curved into a knowing smile. Now she would become pliable, moldable — ready to be shaped into the apprentice and Sith she was meant to be.

Paperwork still lay scattered before her. Alliances and treaties, all the political knots Quinn had been focused on untangling. But this — teaching — came more naturally to her. Like her Master before her, Quinn would always be a teacher.

Sensing Eira's approach, Quinn shuffled her documents aside and stood, leaning against the front of the desk with arms crossed. A wry thought flickered — would the girl bother to clean herself up first, or come to her Master still disheveled? Either way, they had much to discuss.

"Come in," Quinn called, her voice firm but measured. "And leave whatever filth you've dragged in at the door. Then tell me where you've been — and why you've been gone so long."

Her tone was stern, not angry. The words carried weight, but her gaze held no cruelty as it settled on the girl who was — for better or worse — her first apprentice.

 

[Eira Dyn]

Location: Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Vibro-daggers, vibro-sword, blaster pistol
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Quinn Varanin

There was a hesitation from Eira, did she need to remove her clothing? Strip nude to enter? Looking down at herself, Eira wouldn't have called her outfit particularly filthy, it was dishevelled and a bit dirty with a fair amount of blood stains... But was it filthy? Was it filthy by the standards set by Quinn was the more important question. That was a yes but she also didn't think entering nude would be considered correct behaviour by her Master either. It was a difficult puzzle that the Sith Lord had set the acolyte. Does she obey the instruction given to the letter or does she attempt to demonstrate decency in her actions?

First thing first, there were items of clothing that could be removed, her boots were definitely going to be considered filthy, even if they looked clean externally, internally Eira made no attempts to keep those clean. So the socks could be removed as well. Her gloves, gone, another simple item of clothing that would be considered filthy as well. The trousers came off as well, Eira was fine with that since she still had underwear underneath that made sure she was still decent. The weapons were placed on top of all of these as well. Then Eira looked down at pondered, she figured this was the bare maximum she could remove in terms of filth while maintaining the most amount of decency she could uphold.

Entering the room, "apologies Master. I did not think you would appreciate if I removed any more filth..." Eira stated immediately, walking up to the desk and then falling to her knees. Lowering herself in an apology for this. "I should have come here in more appropriate attire, please forgive." Eira whispered as she kept low.

"I did come with credits, killed targets and enhanced skills to better serve as your first apprentice and defender against those who wish to harm you or prevent you from achieving your full potential." Eira confessed, thinking it was best to move away from the awkwardness of her appearance and focus on what results she had and the abilities of hers that were improved in order to keep Quinn safe. That her actions were done in order to better serve as she had sworn to protect her Master on Quinn's quest to reach Empress.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Eira Dyn //:

Quinn's eyes widened slightly as Eira walked in. She had listened, which Quinn couldn't fault the girl for wanting to make sure she followed the orders. But Quinn had only meant the filth on her shoes and jacket. Her features softened as the Apprentice spoke of her concerns and what she had brought with her.'

"I did just mean your boots, Eira," she spoke softly as she moved from the desk to one of the hidden cabinets in the office. She thumbed through several uniforms until she found one that would potentially fit the girl. Quinn made her way back and handed Eira the white gi, smiling.

"Take a moment and put it on, and then you can tell me the rest of our travels." Quinn waited by her desk, her arms crossed as she averted her gaze, letting the girl take the time to change. Quinn, not being one to let silence take hold, began to speak again.

"I've heard you've been training with Carnifex?" Her eyes remained fixed on the opposite wall. The thought that her Apprentice found her teaching lacking bothered the Echani to her core. She had never left her own Master's side, fully finding herself within the woman's teachings. It wasn't until recently that she had allowed Prazutis to have a hand in teaching her something.

The conversation she was about to have was going to be difficult; it made her vulnerable, even if she didn't want it to. Quinn shifted where she stood, her folded arms tightening against her frame.

"Do you find my teachings lacking?" Quinn questioned, her voice more hurt than angry. She had wanted to be angry, frustrated with the Apprentice, but none of that mattered. While Carnifex would suit Eira better than Quinn, she didn't want to lose someone that she felt she had chosen.

Someone who had chosen her at first, but now chose another.

"If you find His teachings better, then please do not let me hold you back, Eira."

Quinn sighed softly, fingers pressing into her arms as she tried to remain composed. She was a Master, a Sith Lord, and at the end of the day, a stray Apprentice shouldn't be a cause for her worries.

 

[Eira Dyn]

Location: Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Vibro-daggers, vibro-sword, blaster pistol
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Quinn Varanin

Eira nodded her head, "I will make note of that in the future. I assumed you meant all items of clothing considered filthy." Watching as Quinn headed to a hidden wardrobe in the office and pulled out a white gi for Eira to wear. She grabbed the clothing, removing all her clothing brazenly in front of Quinn without concern of being nude. She changed into the gi and attempted to make the outfit show off her curves as much as it could. Eira was always one for enjoying clothing that showed off her figure, especially since it was a tool to distract and capture others.

"Yes, my travels..." Eira knew there would be things that she needed to state and things that she needed to check from her journeys. "Carnifex training... You... lacking?" There was a lot that Quinn was stating that Eira had not even considered when she had accepted the additional training from Carnifex. It was preposterous to think that Quinn was lacking in any manner of way in Eira's mind. Eira fell to her knees, realising how much she had insulted and messed up this mentorship with Quinn. How she had failed to think of this being a possible reaction from her Master.

Lowering her head, Eira bowed low in apology, "I... I sought out the training not because yours is lacking but because I felt myself too weak and unworthy of being your First Apprentice. I did not think I was skilled enough to protect you so I sought out Carnifex to build on my assassin skills to train and hopefully utilise his vast libraries more to find information in order to honour the position you granted me." Eira did not wish to dishonour or disrespect Quinn, all of her training, all of her development had been in service to Quinn.

"I wish to be your hidden blade, your assassin, keeping you safe. Killing your enemies. I have felt unable and ineffective to do so before, and I am still learning, still developing the skills but I am still trying to grow." Eira admitted, Eira never wanted to be anyone's but Quinn's apprentice, "I told Carnifex I was your apprentice, that I would always be your apprentice and your needs, lessons and missions would always be the main priority to me." Eira stated.

Swallowing hard, she looked a little up to Quinn, "I am sorry that my acts made you ever think otherwise. That I caused you doubt in my loyalties. Can I do anything to prove my loyal to you once again?" Eira was pleading in her real, natural voice. The soft, Dantooine farmer accent that truly only Quinn knew to be Eira's voice came to the surface as she felt awful for this failure on her part. "I am sorry to be such a failure... I let you down in this regard and I shall confess now, I met Serina once again during my travels, I was on a mission as an assassin and she confronted me. Used your name in an attempt to order me around, stating you were her friend. I dismissed it since I could not confirm it or deny it to be true but I did not appreciate the attitude and words she was using towards me."

It was better to confront all the ways that Eira had likely failed Quinn now instead of hiding such things and them surfacing once again.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Eira Dyn //:

"Stand up," the Princess's lowered with that royal command. She hated seeing the girl bring herself to such a subservient posture. Shaking her head, Quinn waved off the apologies as they weren't needed. The teacher only conveyed her concerns, while they did sting, at the end of the day, it was what made Eira the best Sith she could be, the important topic.

"Don't ever bow to anyone, not even me." Quinn turned away from the girl as she postured herself in her apologies. "You only need to nod your head in respect around others, but when it's just us, we are Sith. You do not lower yourself for another." Her voice kept the command of a Master to her student. She never wanted Eira to think less of herself. There were reasons she kept the girl and didn't dismiss her the moment Carnifex's name and lesson were etched into her bones.

Quinn exhaled, her lip quivered slightly. This was her first trial as a Master; she needed to look beyond her frustrations and not take them personally. She understood Eira's desires; she could feel them bleeding off the girl as her voice shifted into the real one. Pausing, Quinn let her words sink in, and then as she turned, she continued the lesson.

"You do not need to be anything but my student, Eira." Quinn sighed, but she did smile after a moment. "That's all you should be focusing on. I'm quite capable despite how much I enjoy being pampered."

Quinn knew her usual behavior didn't help; she often acted meek, and her own force signature lingered weakly to others. On the outside, she seemed unimpressive and required an army to protect her. It was the opposite, in fact. Quinn was the daughter of two powerful force users, created by the Force, with a phobis core at her heart. As one born of the Force, her connection was nearly flawless, and she commanded it proficiently.

Knowing this, the Princess was worried to see the girl put everything she had into one task. Another sigh as Quinn nodded, understanding.

"Eira. I want you to be more than that. You're my apprentice, not my tool. If that's what you're looking for in a Master, then you should return to my cousin or to Carnifex."

Quinn paused and smiled.

"I need someone to carry on my philosophies, my skills, in a way — you're there to carry on for me when inevitably I come to an end… that's your job, your duty as my apprentice."

The rest of the girl's explanation hung between them. There wasn't much to say on the exile.

"The only thing you did wrong, is that you didn't bring me that wretch's head. She's an enemy to the Empire. Serina Calis doesn't deserve your pity."

 

[Eira Dyn]

Location: Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Vibro-daggers, vibro-sword, blaster pistol
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Quinn Varanin

As soon as Quinn commanded Eira to stand, the feral assassin rose to her feet. Keeping her head bowed, she was still feeling guilty over the consequences of her action in reaching out to Carnifex and desiring to better herself to serve better in rising Quinn up. Nodding her head, "understood Master." A lesson that would forever remain in her mind as she had always assumed that a Sith as lowly as herself in rank and standing would have to bow low to others to avoid punishment or even death.

Shaking her head, "it is not that I feel that you need protection my Master. I... There are many Sith who would benefit from your removal from the board. I just wished to be skilled enough, strong enough to assist in thinning those numbers for you. Especially since we both desire to grow more powerful." Eira also knew that she needed these skills for when she went for the title of Empress. Skills that would lean more underhanded to silence the mere thought of rising against her. But she couldn't rely on that presence. Assassins were powerful hands for a ruler, they were never really the skills a ruler held.

"I... I want to be more than a tool." Eira admitted, there was more that she wanted to share but there was also concerned that she would be oversharing with her Master. But Quinn was the one person that Eira ever felt more comfortable sharing her true voice and thoughts. It was a dangerous combination but she needed to be honest. "I want to be powerful, to strike fear. I want people to fear me. I want the power that you have displayed in the past." Eira didn't join the Sith to be an assassin, it was a role she took up to prove her worth, to show that she was someone to keep an eye on since she was only going to get more dangerous. Eira actually wanted to become a sorcerer, someone who could use the Force in amazing, powerful ways that far beyond anything the mediocre Sith Lords and Jedi Masters could display.

Eira came to the Sith to be extraordinary and she had let that dream fall to the side because she feared that it might not be possible unless she fulfilled the role that seemed to be needed for others.

Hearing that the woman was a traitor, Eira looked up surprised to Quinn, a dangerous smirk played on her lips. "I didn't realise she was a traitor when our paths crossed. I promise that the future, things will be handled very differently if our paths were to cross again. Though... I do admit, my skills have not improved as much as I would like to handle a fight with her." Eira was not a Darth, she was not a Sith Lord, she was not even a Sith Knight. While bravado and a stubbornness that many hated, Eira was still needing to develop her skills. Primarily her skills in the Force were the issues that she was having since too many could just demolish her by using Force Powers that Eira currently held no defences for.

"I know I am your apprentice and there is so much of the Force I wish to learn from you. I just do not know where I wish to begin. I am keen in knowing how to stand my own against the powerful Force Users out there in the galaxy. I want to be as powerful as you." Eira confessed as she combed the fingers through her hair and sighed deeply. This was the first time she had spoken about her desires, her dreams and just spoken this much for a very long time. There had been so many other things that she had been focused on and it rarely involved talking.

Shoulders relaxing as she looked to her Master, "I have also been training my skills in Echani combat, with the aim to still hold my own against you. Like we discussed when I first became your apprentice." Eira admitted, she did not hold the same desires as she had back then but the ability to just communicate and demonstrate the respect that Eira held for Quinn's culture was something Eira felt was important. It was demonstrating that even that would live on in Eira, and to those that she would teach.

Nothing Quinn taught Eira would die with the young Sith, if she lived to pass it on.