Secret of Eclipse

[Darth Veles]

After the voice booming through the comms hauled the Sith Lady and stole her chance to reply, the duo proceeded to the closed space of Venefica’s transport that awaited her. It appeared their entire journey to the desired destination would remain in silence, broken only by the silent shuffle of bare feet and accompanied by the equally silent taps of leather boots, yet the corrupted woman’s voice begged to differ, shedding some light on the matter. The great revelation upon boarding the shuttle had surprisingly little effect on the amphibious Sith – just a brooding frown. Naturally, it came as a cold shower, but nothing else in his expression revealed the confusion and surprise he felt inside. Why didn’t his apprentice inform him of this? Was she afraid of revealing the Voice as her sister, fearing the consequences it could have? Whatever the reason, then Avreet mentally applauded the young woman’s decision; given the former Voice became a lure for all glory-seeking Dark Jedi sent by the One Sith, the less knew of the connection the better.

“Sisters?” he mused out loud for himself, one webbed finger tapping his chin, “But… I had no idea… this means… I see. Thank you, lady Venefica.”

A sense of calm quickly washed over him and both orbs finally left Venefica alone and stared at nowhere in particular. The Mon Cal fell silent and spent the rest of their short flight submerged into his own mind, letting no other distractions disrupt his train of thought. The possibility of his apprentice being the biological sister of Darth Venefica scared Avreet considerably less than the chance of the older Vahla stealing his apprentice – Avreet had some unpleasant experience with that sort of thing – yet everything had to be confirmed by the younger Vahla still. Without any idea that his current student was partially a Vahla, as the Mon Cal’s knowledge about her consisted of only her Theowei origins, the assassin slowly started to grasp the reason of his apprentice spending some time with the crazy Sith Lady.

The worries about his only student seemed to dissipate when a tremor ran through the Force, the kind only he could feel. It alerted Veles to HER presence, growing stronger as the two neared their destination. Silencing the excitement before it could run through his veins and give Venefica a chance of sensing his infinite affection for the Togruta, the Mon Cal shot the Vahla a glance, tossing in a pleasant smile as well. Soon enough, the shuttle touched the ground, and after letting the woman exit first, the Sith Lord was free to leave the cold confines as well. As the dark-haired Sith Lady accepted the Dark Lady’s invitation, their ways parted and the Mon Cal spend some time wandering around. Alone, in silence, he pondered over how exactly [member="Darth Venefica"]’s and Kendrix’ family ties affected the young Theowei’s training. The large eyes of his seemed to ignore all other beings as he passed them, focused more on the questions racing through his mind than the world outside.

Another thing he became acutely aware of was the matter of the present he wanted to give to his old Master. Once again, the Mon Calamari Sith faced a difficult decision. A romantic to the bottom of his heart, he believed another sign of his affection for the Togruta was needed. Would she like… diamonds? The more he thought of it, the more the Sith liked the idea of gifting his love with jewellery. Not the ordinary kind, but something special, Sith-like. An enchanted ring, necklace? Before the deed could be done, a word carrying the promise of a great feast reached the Mon Cal’s ears. A celebration of Venefica’s return. As such, Veles retreated to have a quick shower and rest before attending the event – the discussion with Venefica about his apprentice, her sister, had to wait for now. Many powerful members of the Black Rose would surely attend, and he wished to be ready for them, especially if the Dark Lady blessed them with her presence too.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja had never met the Grand Lady but she knew that was who she was destined to meet. The Vahla had a problem in reconciling being devoted to a goddess and a mortal. if their needs were in conflict, whose will prevailed.

As she left her ship, she knew her own answer but wondered of the others that had pledged their interest in creating an Ember of Vahl. A sect based in the crypt she'd found - through fate perhaps - on the Sisterhood's home planet.

Vahl was an embodiment of the destructive nature of the Dark-side and perhaps she'd been led to the shrine to Vahl by the goddess herself? Perhaps Darth Venefica had the answers, given her interaction with the sect within the One Sith? Once Maja had helped the Sith Lord she was determined to ask. She quite simply needed to know.

 

[Via Dolorosa]

Darth Venefica was slightly confused why her sister had not told her Master that they were siblings. Whatever the reason, or reasons, were it was not her business. That was a conversation, and their business alone, to work that out. Darth Venefica glanced up, feeling the all to familiar presence of the Grand Lady above them. Knowing the woman was blind, she returned the wave knowing that their matriarch could 'see' through the Force.​

​

She bid Lord Veles farewell, and headed toward a more secure location to leave her crystals. She wanted the two scientists she had personally rescued from the labs back on Coruscant, where they were enslaved and forced to work for the One Sith, look at them. When she met them, she was surprised to learn that as non-Force users they possessed extensive knowledge of lightsaber crystals. So when she decided to embark on her quest, the first order of business was to free them from the bonds of oppression.​

​

"A gift....for you both to study," she said to them.​

​

"Handle them with extreme care....they are very fragile....and precious to me."​

​

The two scientists, with gentle hands, removed the beautiful crystals and placed them carefully onto their work stations. She watched them crouch down to eye level, allowing the crystal to mesmerize them. She knew that look, or at least she suspected she did because when her eyes first laid upon them; she was mesmerized.​

 

[Via Dolorosa]

CJ caught a glimpse of the Togruta Sith as she exited the kitchen area. She had heard something about the witch, but up until now never really have any conversations with her. CJ wondered how the woman had survived so long in exile, when she could barely handle a few months moving through the galaxy alone. She had come terms with that par of the past, but in her heart she wanted to understand more. Her former Master, Grandmaster Raaf, had laid the foundation for her; now it was up to her build upon it. Always Building.

"Lady Zarrah," CJ yelled down the halls.

CJ turned her brisk pace into a mini jog to catch up to the woman; who stopped to wait for her. The Darkside was strong with this woman, radiating off her like a power source. Stopping in front of the woman, CJ took a deep breath while her lungs caught up to her. I hope I don't appear to eager.

"If you have a moment, Lady Zarrah, I would wish to speak with you."

[member="Darth Zarrah"]

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The shuttle bearing the trademark symbol of TBI settled down on one of the platforms in the compound; and he quickly stepped of the shuttle. Six troops had been standing guard waiting for his arrival. Despite his line of work, the sight of weapons always made him uneasy. He knew these troops where here to escort him, but still they were armed and he struggled with shaking that away.

"Thank you but an escort is not needed," he said.

"Duly noted Mr. Dr'iol. But our orders were clear from the Grand Lady herself. We are to shadow you everywhere for your safety."

"My safety? Am I danger trooper," he asked worrying.

"No, sir. With the proclamation by the OS the Grand Lady is taking no chances. Now, if you follow us."

"Very well. Lead on."

The troops circled around him, with one of them alerting Darth Venefica that Mr. Dr'iol had arrived.

[member="Darth Venefica"]

 

[Zaria]

Now that her mission had been put on hold she found she had time to kill. Zaria wanted to speak with Darth Venefica but it dawned on her that the woman would probably be to busy fielding questions from the others. Instead of adding her questions - answers she could discover later - she went to visit the archives to seek out information about holocrons. CJ and herself had discovered a holocron on their travels and she was unsure how holocrons worked.​

​

Zaria leaned back in her chair and let out a low whistle. There was an abundant of information pertaining to holocrons - Jedi and Sith alike. The only thing she knew about their holocron was that it had the sensation of the Dark Side around it. Since neither CJ or herself had the knowledge to unlock it - they agreed to bring it to their joint Master. Zaria read about the different holocrons that had been discovered and those that were either lost or rumoured to exist.​

​

She looked through the vague descriptions of those unfound or rumoured for any signs that could tell her who their holocron belonged to. There was no useful info to be had and she began to wonder if they discovered a holocron nobody knew nothing about. She needed to find CJ and let her know what she discovered. ​

 

[Grima Volitu]

"I always have time for young minds, child." Young Force users - like CJ - were the future of the galaxy. While old ladies - like herself- should take time to bestow their knowledge and know-how to them. If she could say one word or demonstrate on positive example for this girl then it might one day save her life. Zarrah cherished all life from the tiniest particle to the mightiest beast. Sometimes she had to kill life to preserve her own but that was the cycle of nature. She had stopped eating meat because the thought of knowing that the flesh at one time was alive appalled her. The argument could be made that plants had lives to - which she agreed - but she had chosen the lesser of two evils. She was a Togurta veggie slayer.

"Walk with me." Zarrah moved down the corridors. "I've been observing you and your training here. Most impressive. I suspect you are not here to be trained. So tell me child what troubles you." Zarrah possessed a knack for feeling the disturbances of others. Her former Master had once told her she was an empath. She disagreed with him then and she disagreed with him now. Live as long as she has and you begin to read people through their facial expressions or body language.


[member="Ciara Jevnaker"]

 

[Via Dolorosa]

CJ walked alongside the powerful Sith, unsure where to begin. She didn't want to bog this woman down with whinny stories about her past, but she needed to know how the woman had survived her exile. Nothing ventured is nothing gained. CJ worded and reworded what she wanted to say, until finally she found that she was ready; well, ready as she was ever going to be.

"You chose to live a life in exile. I will not prod into why you made that choice. But I to lived a life of an exile," she blurted out.

"But mine was not by choice. Er. It was but..."

Deep breaths, CJ. Deep breaths. She knew she was babbling, perhaps making a fool out of herself from such a legend according to some of the stories she heard. CJ stopped but the woman did not. What the....? CJ took three long strides and was back at the woman's side again.

"I use to be a Jedi. Then I wasn't. Then I was. Now I'm not. I know it's confusing because, hell, it confuses me. I guess what I need to know is does making critical choices ever become easy. Because Vahl knows I have my struggles."

[member="Darth Zarrah"]

 

[Via Dolorosa]

Darth Venefica was watching the two lab techs examine her crystals when the com link on her wrist chirped; earning the device a scowl. She stepped away from the examination table; bracing her body against one of the black and red walls. She was slightly angered that she had been pinged; since she gave strict orders that she was not to be disturbed. Darth Venefica had a meeting with the Grand Lady, but the matriarch usually came to seek out those, personally, when she was ready to meet.​

​

"What is it," she replied adding more anger in her voice than she intended.​

​

"Mr. Dr'iol has arrived and is overly eager to see you, mi'lady."​

​

In the background she could hear her CEO trying to object to being referenced as 'over eager' and began to laugh. That was so like him to try to protest any and everything; one of the few reasons she brought him in as her CEO. That and the fact he was a great businessman; questioning every aspect of schematics before backing it up with credits. ​

​

"Send him to the labs."​

​

​

[member="Tion Dr'iol"]​

 

[Darth Veles]

Leaving the room refreshed, Veles wasted little time thinking of what to do next. One of the strongest signatures around beckoned him to come closer, just like a moth drawn to a flame. Despite all the people in his immediate vicinity, Veles suddenly longed for the woman’s presence, and thus decided to find her before the feast, to have the opportunity of accompanying her to the great event. As her Hand. Her bodyguard. Her old friend. Her lover.

But the feast was still in the phase of preparation and therefore the Sith Lord left the Sith Lady to her own affairs and dealings, opting to go for a walk that ultimately landed him within the archives. The air of ancient wisdom surrounded him in this tranquil place as his brisk and decisive pace slowed and the Mon Cal’s eyes darted at all the tomes and datacrons stored within the archives. The Force quickly informed him that knowledge was not the only thing he discovered. Another familiar presence callout out to him, like a ripple in a pond. Not as strong as the one of his former Master – quite the opposite.

A weaker one, still growing. From behind, the Sith did not recognize her, the black hair not giving away any solid clues. It took several silent steps common among the assassins for him to get the angle letting him see the woman’s face. Denying the smirk spreading the corners of his lips, the Mon Cal observed the Chiss he had met long time ago. [member="Zaria"]. It’s been years, yet despite the passage of time and the fact her training under him remained unfinished due to the galaxy’s problems, Avreet still appreciated the woman’s presence.

“Acolyte,” he said, offering a court nod, “It is surprising to find you in the Black Rose. Surprising – but not unwelcomed. Tell me, what brought you to the Covenant… to us.”

His voice was just as soft and deep as she remembered, but the light in his eyes seemed to be burning brighter than ever.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Fate? Was there such a thing? The more she studied Vahl, the more she was convinced that the goddess was guiding her, however subtly.

And here she had landed away from the main building and when she stepped off her ship, she was drawn to a copse of trees to her left. Following her instincts she pushed through the densely packed trees until she found a clearing at the centre. And in the middle?

A black obelisk.

It seemed to absorb all light.

"Taka zeech ma toka duuwaj," she muttered, the ancient Sith words coming unbidden from her lips.

She took two more strides toward the obelisk, daring for a moment to glance at the perfect symmetry of its smooth face and the precise lines that marked its edges. Such wicked beauty.

"Taka zeech ma toka duuwaj," she chanted again. Her heart suddenly pumped, further distracting her. Calm down.

She measured the distance to the obelisk with her eye. About a dozen meters.

When nothing happened, she took the remaining steps toward the Sith structure and issued the chant one final time. The obelisk continued to remain silent before her, as if ignoring her insignificant presence.

She eased herself to her knees and pulled back the hood of her robe, allowing her red locks to spill across her shoulders. She clenched her hands into fists and placed them against her forehead, the base of her palms pressed together.

She remained in that position for what she guessed to be just over an hour when something happened - something she sensed from both within and without.

And although she knew not why she was doing it, she felt compelled to do so.

A low rumble issued from deep within the hard ground, growing from a bare whisper to a deafening cacophony over the space of a dozen heartbeats. The land beneath her quivered, and then shook. Though her muscles ached from sitting for so long, she managed to maintain the position even as the ground tried to knock her down.

She glanced toward the obelisk, and though her vision jumped with each tremor, she thought she saw the massive stone moving, sliding upward, its base growing ever wider. The ground groaned and then cracked in a series of sharp fracturings. Violent quakes erupted at the same time, the most powerful heave tossing Maja several meters to her right. She crashed on her side, and thought she felt a bone in her shoulder crack, but she ignored the pain and forced her head up so that she could watch the spectacle unfolding before her.

The obelisk itself had become nothing more than a spire atop a monstrous structure of angled walls and pyramidal towers. She recognised it from ancient Sith writings as a library-temple, a place where sorcerers of pure Sith blood would come to meditate and to set down the knowledge they had gained from their experiments. A shiver gripped her body for a moment as she realised that she was standing at the foot of such a powerful place, an edifice that had witnessed the evolution of Sith techniques for accessing great Dark-side energies over dozens of millennia. How long had it been buried, its halls lifeless?

She staggered to her feel, her right arm limp from the shoulder down, and stood before the Sith structure, staring at its beauty and sensing the black power that radiated from its every centimetre. She suddenly wondered whether she was hallucinating, but she dismissed the stray thought immediately. She could never have imagined what now lay before her and her mind could therefore not have summoned it from the depths of her consciousness to fool her.

No. the temple was real. She could feel its imposing presence leering at her, measuring her. The chill of Dark-side power caressed her, and she knew that the spirits trapped inside the temple were deciding her worth.

She realised then that she had to prove herself to them, to demonstrate that she had the right to access the Sith powers lying in wait.

She stepped forward, and the gentle spirits' caress broke into a frenzy of energy motes, as if shocked by the unexpected move. Barely before she had time to notice the sudden change, the energy re-coalesced, wrapping itself about her once more.

She took another step forward, and elicited the same response. No more than six metres away stood the massive double-door that formed a tall trapezoid at the structure's base. Sith markings ran around the door's perimeter and along the seam in the middle. Though she couldn't read them all, she knew that such engravings both warned intruders of certain death and acted us a receptacle for Dark-side power. Those who dared to penetrate the temple would be attacked by that stored energy - and there was very little evidence to suggest that anyone had ever survived such a deluge of Dark-side power. Maja hoped that the spirits would judge her worthy and not cast their hatred down upon her.

 

[Grima Volitu]

Zarrah listened to the tall woman - never interrupting - as she struggled to say her words. Zarrah was both patient and not judgmental. Zarrah understood the galaxy was not perfect and since the galaxy had flaws those that called this galaxy home was flawed and not perfect. Everyone makes poor decisions including herself. Zarrah made more than she would like to accept but she dealt with them head-on and moved forward with her life. Zarrah suspected that this woman - CJ - was struggling with moving on.

"Confusion is a dangerous game that most always ends with no winner. Only sore losers." Zarrah could see the confusion on the face of the girl without her even saying the words. "Life was never intended to give us simple answers. Quite the opposite in fact. Life is a game that has no rules and when you think you found the rules. Life changes them."

"Trust in your Master and let her be your guiding hand. Free yourself from the past you have created and live in the now. Wait for the future." Zarrah motioned the girl to the left and both stepped out into the courtyard. "Exile was not an easy choice but it was the only choice presented to me if I wished to remain among the living. I was there at the end when Korriban fell. I witnessed the deaths of many young minds like yourself. I regret fleeing but that is my burden to bear and I make strives everyday to correct it."

"My advice, child, is this. Stop running. Stop denying who you are. Stop lying to yourself. And most importantly, stop trying to find the perfect family." Zarrah reached over and embraced the girl. "Because you have found your family here in the Black Rose. Now it's up to you to decide what kind of sibling you wish to be."

[member="Ciara Jevnaker"]

 

[Zaria]

Before shutting down the archive terminal she jotted down some notes to share with CJ. Zaria hopped that her rival could find more on this holocron then the two could swap findings. Zaria turned her head in the direction of the voice and blinked. It had been a very long time since she laid eyes on the Mon Cal. "This day is turning into a reunion. First Lady Venefica returns and now you're here." Zaria stood up and gave him a quick hug. Zaria was relieved to know that he hadn't been killed. ​

​

"I came here seeking companionship and training. Both I have found." Zaria had grown bored with her life. She believed she had alot to offer and alot to be taught. Zaria wasn't a returning exile like the Lady Zarrah or a loner like her rival CJ. For Zaria she was seeking a purpose but found boredom and stagnation until now. Zaria's Master was training her in the elements of becoming an assassin and since her time with the Black Rose she had made friends. Even CJ was her friend in spite of the growing rivalry between the two girls.​

​

"We have some catching up to do," Zaria said as she began to put her notes away. Suddenly she stopped as a light bulb turned on in her head. "Have you ever seen a holocron with designs like these," she added showing Veles the notes. "I searched the archives and can't find anything on the holocron CJ and myself discovered. But I can say this, that holocron is surrounded by a Dark Side aura. A powerful one."​

​

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[member="Darth Veles"]​

 

[Darth Veles]

Veles returned the hug. The embrace was not too firm or passionate; that one was reserved for one certain Togruta Sith Lady only. Still, the gesture clearly displayed his appreciation of seeing the young Chiss again. With the galaxy’s ever-present shifts in power, it became way too easy to get stranded away from friends and allies alike. Avreet knew that all too well, suffering greatly from loneliness when the path with his former Master divided for several years. Only then the Mon Cal realized how much his heart longed for the exotic Sith Lady. The guilt he felt for not following his mentor’s example still haunted him in dreams from time to time, only to completely dissipate when he woke up next to the red-skinned Togruta. The two were together again, closer to each other than ever before. With no knowledge of what must have happened to the young Chiss in the time of chaos surrounding the apocalyptic event responsible for permanently scarring the galaxy, the Sith Lord only hoped she did not suffer.

Their mutual embrace parted, the gaze locked on her remained, the welcoming and encouraging look in his large orbs silently urging the young woman to speak her mind. He was glad the Force blessed her with the fortune of training and companionship she sought. It also appeared he had somewhat disturbed the blue-skinned Acolyte’s research. Even before she inquired about the Holocron, the Sith Lord’s eyes shifted towards the notes and materials on the table, going over these and gaining some basic insight into her task. The mention of one CJ put a smile on his face; the galaxy was small. One webbed hand travelled to the edge of the table, clawed fingers drumming a melancholic melody into the metal as he proceeded to inspect all of Zaria’s findings more thoroughly.

“Good thinking on handling the artifact carefully instead of trying to pry it open and uncover its secrets,” the Sith Lord praised the decision made by the Acolytes as his eyes went through the words mentioning the circumstances surrounding the discovery. Many power-hungry Sith would have either damaged the Holocron attempting to open it, or succumbed to madness after being exposed to its knowledge.

After his eyes parted from the notes, his sight found [member="Zaria"] once more, a serious expression on his face.

“The majority of Force users search for the most ancient of Holocrons. Perhaps this one is more recent, too young to have developed a reputation for itself?” the Sith mused out loud, offering his explanation for lack of information surrounding the artifact, “Why not present it to the Council? All knowledge hidden inside the Holocron will be evenly distributed throughout the Covenant of the Black Rose.”

The most experienced of Sith would undoubtedly unlock the Holocron’s power, using it for their own goals and the Black Rose’s benefit. This also made Avreet aware they needed to differ from the One Sith – where Holocrons served only the very few who held the reigns over the entire organisation. In Veles’ opinion, if Acolytes proved themselves capable of handling the power, some of the darkest knowledge contained within these small vessels of power should be theirs to witness as well.

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The Munn was escorted to the secret labs, where he suspected more than basic technology was being fleshed out. He had seen what the galaxy called alchemized weapons and trinkets floating through the people that used the Force on a daily basis. One time, and it still creeped him out when he thought about it, saw Darth Venefica weave some ancient hoodoo around and create a weapon infused with Darkside energy. He wondered where that weapon was now; knowing her it ended up in the back of some rival.

The double doors slide apart, allowing him access into the labs. He felt an eerie sensation crawl over his grey skin, and a cool wave of cold air brush against his face. He noticed, when he turned around, that his escorts had refused to accompany him any further. He wasn't scared, well maybe alittle, but he needed to see Darth Venefica.

He walked down the steps, willing his legs to drag him further down into the depths of the unknown. When he finally arrived at the bottom, he noticed the lab was lit with candles and where his friend and two unknowns where standing was lite up with a purplish hue. He reached out and took his courage with both hands, adjusted his mind to better suit him, and walked over to the trio.

"I'm glad to hear you aren't dead, mi'lady," he said with a curt of his head.

[member="Darth Venefica"]

 

[Darth Zilti]

She dared to move closer. This time the energy swarm erupted and reformed so quickly that Maja wasn't sure whether it had actually happened.

She moved closer, and as she pierced the invisible barrier of energy radiated by the library-temple she felt her heart flutter, its rhythm suddenly interrupted by the plane of ionisation. Maja had read of such defensive shields, but none that allowed an intruder to pass through. It seemed that the spirits had accepted her right to enter...

She heard a faint call, like someone had whispered her name in a rush of cold air.

"Pluvia... "

Her body tensed, and she glanced around to see who had spoken. Seeing no one. she turned her attention back to the double-door, and there stood a translucent, shadowy figure, its head adorned by a crown of spikes and its body enveloped by a voluminous robe. She could make out its features only because they were different shades of black, the eyes and mouth the darkest of all.

She stopped herself from involuntarily staggering backward at the sight of the spectre, for she knew that a display of fear would only decrease her chances of surviving an encounter with a Sith spirit.

Apparently satisfied with his effect on her, the shadow spoke. "Pluvia, you have awakened us from our ten-thousand-year slumber." The voice hovered just above the lowest register Maja believed her senses could perceive. "Do you believe you can truly defeat us this time?"

Maja swallowed the saliva that had collected in her mouth and throat. "I ... have come for knowledge, not for battle." Her own voice sounded brassy and high as it followed in the wake of the spectre's deep timbre.

"You are a Vahla" he stated, as if that simple sentence held volumes more than its surface meaning would suggest.

Maja considered. She had to manoeuvre the conversation just so if she wished to accomplish her goals. "If by that you mean that I am a believer in the Force, and that I have learned to manipulate it at my will, then yes, that is what I am." She straightened up as she spoke, intending to present herself as an immovable and impervious object. "But I do not believe in this distinction between Sith and Vahla. To me they are but one and the same. And I have come to complete my learning by mastering the techniques of the Sith methods for using the Force — not by abandoning my Vahla heritage."

The spirit raised its head slightly as if summoning long-dormant memories or receiving information from some invisible source. Maja's breathing had begun to speed up, and she did her best to mask her nervousness, for to allow the spectre to see such weakness would be the last mistake she would ever make.

The spirit returned its gaze to her. "We are... puzzled by this perspective. How did you come to this conclusion?"

"By many years of reasoning and meditation." she said, more confident now. "The Dark-side has many aspects. Many have sought to show the barrier between them — but it does not exist. The line blurs. All that can be relied upon then is the source of these two aspects, for it - the Force — depends on the existence of nothing, unlike the light, which would not exist without the dark. The Force just is. And therefore, worrying about its subdivisions does not matter."

The Sith did not respond, leaving the silence to speak for him. Maja began to wonder whether she had taken her debate too far...

 

[Zaria]

Zaria thought about what the Lord said. Presenting it to the Council for all to bask in the holocron's knowledge seemed like the right course of action. Zaria would do that afterall it's mysteries where revealed to her, CJ, and her Master. It wasn't greediness she was thinking about but fairness to those that had fought and nearly died in retrieving the holocron. "The Council will learn of the holcron's existence. In time of course." She looked around the chamber before adding, "Spies employed by the One Sith are everywhere."​

​

Zaria was still a member of the One Sith Empire but her true allegiance was to her Master. Her Master had left both Orders behind - which Zaria never questioned - but understood that all birds of prey at one pointe in their lives need to spread their wings and search for better hunting grounds. Zaria had spread her wings once and was now settling into her own hunting grounds. Currently the Black Rose had been the best fit for her even though she walked with the Sith. Zaria knew one day she would be forced to choose one Order over the other - that choice would be made by the Order that sought to oppress her first.​

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"Will you be joining the banquet, Lord Veles? I hear the Grand Lady has called for a massive feast with so many types of food that I fear I'll gain a few extra pounds before the night is through." Zaria's stomach grumbled at the mention of food. She was hungry and couldn't wait to eat. She spent more time researching the holocron than she should have.​

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[member="Darth Veles"]​

 

[Via Dolorosa]

CJ flinched, not at the embrace, but from the words the Togruta said to her. It was painful to hear it now, just as it was painful to hear it from the lips of Grandmaster Raaf then. Why am I running? CJ had to admit, her life was only confusing because she had made it so, never settling down to meditate on what was right or wrong for her. No more lies! CJ believed that she was special, even Tag told her that before he disappeared, and yet she wasn't as special as she thought she was. She allowed herself to believe in a facade of her mind's creation. CJ was becoming special now, only because her current Master, Darth Timoris, would not allow such weakness to be tolerated. CJ was, slowly but surely, learning her lot in the galaxy.

"Words stung. But they were words I needed," CJ replied strengthening the embrace.

A perfect family? Had CJ found the perfect family here in the Black Rose? It didn't take but one second for her to agree that she did. This family was an odd family, mixed with different species and philosophies; yet they all trusted and relied on each other. Not everyone here saw eye to eye on everything, which CJ believed was a good thing. Only droids agree on every idea and concept, and that's because they are programmed to do so. CJ, like the rest of them, where not droids but individuals with free will and free thinking. My perfect family.

"Would you care to accompany me to the banquet Lady Zarrah," CJ asked.

"I would be honoured if you said yes."


[member="Darth Zarrah"]

 

[Via Dolorosa]

She was glad she wasn't dead; yet. It was foolish for her to sneak into the backyard of the One Sith territory and not only take the crystals; but blow it up afterwards. Besides, there was none worthy in the One Sith to have access to her crystals. And they were her crystals. What was displayed on the table was the only remaining existence of them; twenty in all. Twenty beautiful crystals for the Vahla.​

​

"Thank you....I suppose."​

​

The Dagobah Sith was slightly curious as to why the CEO of her company was here. His fear of Force users was well known to her; and here he was standing in her lab smack dab in the middle of Force users. From the last reports she received concerning TDI, everything was in order. Had something changed? ​

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"I do not wish to air my concerns....but what brings you to Kesh, Mr. Dr'iol?"​

​

[member="Tion Dr'iol"]​

 

[Grima Volitu]

Zarrah never enjoyed social gatherings. When she was aligned with the old Sith Empire - social gatherings usually resulted in heated arguments, finger-pointing accusations, and the occasional removal of a rival. Sith were bred for war. Give them a cause and they could fight together as one cohesive unit. Sith were not bred for social interaction. Place a group of Sith in the same room and usually someone died. Sith just weren't socialites. The Black Rose was not the old Sith Empire or the current One Sith Empire - they were something different all together. They might not trust each other fully but they weren't trying to kill one another daily.

"Yes. I will be thrilled to join you at the banquet." Zarrah preached that all Sith should evolve and break out from their shells. Including herself. She might not enjoy this social gathering - but if she wanted people to trust her then she needed to practice what she preached.

[member="Ciara Jevnaker"]