Shroud [Cameron Centurion]

[Anesia Jy'Vun]

When he laughed, she smiled. It was, after all, what she'd aimed for. Nothing more, nothing less. Just a puff of emotion that was there and then gone. "I wouldn't dream of it, Lord Centurion. It was merely a... suggestion." A day where nothing new came to surface, no knowledge from within or from afar, was a day wasted. There was always something to learn. You just had to look for it. Alina's hand absently moved to her face, finger strumming the likes of her lips.


Many would try to conquer, to win the impossible simply because they could not help themselves. This often came with failure, defeat, loss of purpose. Or they would gorge upon the treasure so close only to be sullied by their own premature victory. In the abyss of her mind, the twin frolicked, rummaging through thoughts and venturing into her imagination. A craving that went only skin deep had its benefits, but usually and eventually it came to an end upon completion. Should it be unable to be rendered? It was the same tune and she tired of the sound that answered. Was it too much to ask for complete, overwhelming satisfaction in one's life? The clone thought not and continued to reach and to search even though the request seemed unattainable.


Alina moved as he did, but only a step at a time, leisurely. Soft violet pools watched warily both [member="Cameron Centurion"] and the forest. She stopped at his side and acquiesced to his inquiry, "Life." Just as soon as the words fell from her mouth, the plush garb that was her robe was tossed at him and she was gone. Bare feet fell upon the forest floor and her body immersed, folded into the fauna. However fast, Alina was nimble... polite in a way as to not disturb the creatures. While she enjoyed the many conveniences of the modern galaxy, the young woman was at home among nature. At peace. So easy to lose yourself here, she thought while moving from one tree to the next just beside a thin, winding stream. It was there that she settled down, letting the sounds of her surroundings fall upon her ears, her feet dipping into the cool water.


Just a moment more and her lids slid over her eyes, power dancing upon the very canopy of leaves.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron watched the girl in silence. He'd heard her answer, but he offered no reply. This...she would grow accustom to. A thin smile eventually touched the Sith Lord's lips as Alina continued to take...whatever pleasure she did in her surroundings. Cameron had to admit it was quite a scene, beautiful and serene. It was a magnificent creation...but not one that nature could truly claim.

Raising both of his hands slowly, the Sith Lord's voice touched the wind with an ethereal undertone. An incantation uttered in the tongue of the Ancient Sith spilled forth from his mouth. The faster and longer he spoke, the more the perverse effect of Sith Magic coalesced with the perceived purity of nature. It was almost as if Cameron was causing the Force to struggle against itself as violent winds began to tear through the area and the skies above them darkened.

Despite what appeared to be the arrival of an unnatural storm of magnificent proportions, the trees never swayed in the breeze. The animals seemed unaffected...to continue along their carefree actions. The Sith Lord was, quite simply, stripping away the false nature, the perceived tranquility of a forest one layer at a time.

Eventually, trees began to disappear from view. Animals soon followed. Eventually, Alina was left with the reality that the scene upon which she sat was...not as she had expected. There was a body of water running by, and she was certainly dangling her feet in some type of liquid, but it was hardly cool, fresh water. Well...it was cool. Cooling water, specifically, that was being fed into several machines that were now visible in what was plainly designed as a laboratory of some sort. The animals that had existed...held presence in the Force were replaced now, she would see, by people in various uniforms.

All eyes were on Alina, the newcomer, the one that had seemingly given herself over to the illusion.

Lowering his hands, Cameron eventually fell silent and stepped forward. Stopping a few feet behind the young woman, Cameron spoke casually. "Reality. Forever a matter of perspective aside from the fact that the Force controls all." Turning, the Sith Lord began to retreat. As he did so, he called over his shoulder to the Kissai working in the facility. "Replace the spell, please." Cameron gave Alina no command to follow but expected it all the same. She could collect her clothing if she so desired.

Minutes passed before the Sith Lord silently ascended the steps into the rear entrance of the Palacial Estate. The sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the corridor until Cameron ducked off into a modest-sized sitting room adorned in rich decor and thick carpet. Settling into a large, comfortable leather chair, Cameron leveled his gaze at his guest. "What do you hope, I mean really hope to learn, Alina? I asked you why you were here, but I'm less interested in why you were sent here...than why you should have any personal desire to remain."

[member="Anesia Jy'Vun"]

 

[Anesia Jy'Vun]

The foreboding caricature to just a moment more... inky, submissive, acutely climatic... this was to be expected. Her smile faltered, but had it really been there? Truly? Alina sighed because that was all she could do and both bone-white hands came to rest on her knees. Seconds that seemed to last and stretch surrounded her, but meanwhile she watched the changes with nothing more than an expectant look. Her large, wondrous violet eyes narrowed while she listened to the sound of sweet, rich falsity burning away the song of birds, the fall of water, the serenity and simplicity of nature that had surrounded her.

Once upon a time, the young woman would have been startled, but that time had long since passed. She did not so much as offer the Sith Lord a peek, instead she watched as everything was replaced, waited for an order to be carried out. During this time, the protege stood with a motion that could only be described as fluid. The long, silken slip straightened about her lithe curves, cradled and curled about certain assets- dark as the robes she'd donned, a near match in color- and a soft sweep of palms over the fabric smoothed the gown-like attire where it should settle, its hem stopping just at her ankles.

A slow saunter would follow, ear perking at the closing of the spell, while bare wet feet soundlessly followed in Cameron's wake.

Everything changes. That was the way of things and being under a master of manipulation had her knowing all too well. Perhaps this was another of the reasons she had been sent here. [member="Cameron Centurion"] was of that same breed Anesia was drawn from. There were differences though, Alina noted as she surveyed the corridor from the last step, fingers gently tap-tapping along the walls. The Sith Master's back became smaller and smaller, and then finally he had disappeared into one of the many rooms that branched off. Composedly, the fair skinned woman took that small amount of alone time to filter her emotions and appreciate the scarce, but finely crafted decor that dotted the walls and licked the floors until she came upon the archway he slipped away into.

To say in the least, the dimly lit sitting area was warm, but masculine in its aesthetics and the man before her seemed to take up the entirety of it. Alina blew out an air of agitation and pulled her gaze from the tapestry to the owner. "The truth of it?" She gave a light laugh and continued, "Many things, but I know so little of you that I do not know what you bring to the table, Lord Centurion." Moving at more of a glide rather than steps, she came to stand just in front of Cameron, "For now, it would be to observe much and participate when you deem something notable to share." A single brow lofted subtly upon a rather vacant canvas and Alina waited for a response.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

The Sith Lord lightly tapped his fingers on the arm of the large chair in the exquisitely well-appointed sitting room. Silver-green eyes danced lightly over [member="Alina"]'s facial features and upper torso by virtue of temporary height advantage. "I see..." The woman's statements were simple enough to understand. Furthermore, the points made were certainly relevant.

However, Cameron did not believe in hand-holding, and he very much doubted the woman before him desired that type of relationship. "You will learn from me only at your leisure. I am not here to force anything upon you, but if you are interested in dedicating your time and energy to my teachings, you do so unequivocally." Motioning to one of many empty seats around him, the Sith Lord continued. "First. I think it is, perhaps, of relative importance for you to understand a fragment of my history. Afterwards, I will discover what it is you remember of your...creator's past if anything. That will be coupled with your own life experiences up to this point."

Falling silent, Cameron waited for the woman to settle into a seat before launching into...a summary of his life up to the current point.

 

[Alina]

"I'll stand," she said, but took the few steps it would take to put herself behind him. "No sense in dirtying the furniture, my lord." Leaves, dirt... muck, just flecks and smudges really seemed to have taken a liking to the attire when she went on her little adventure. "But thank you." With her back to [member="Cameron Centurion"], the young woman took the rest of the charming room in, one tiny detail at a time as if she were burning it to memory.

Alina leaned back, placing her arms to either side of his leather chair to plant her hands for stability upon its back. "If we were to go at my leisure, you'd be spent before we started, master." Pausing briefly, her head tilted, dark mane spilling to the side. "Unequivocally... as if I knew of another way." There was no ring to her voice anymore, no bounce. Just the natural honey. "By all means, Lord Centurion, I am all ears... but there is really nothing notable about my past."

A glance was cast over her shoulder then, directed at him for mere seconds before they darted back.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

When [member="Alina"] walked out of his line of sight, Cameron did not contort himself to get a better look. In fact it was only his eyes that had followed her in the first place, his relaxed, seated posture never changed. As a response was delivered, the Sith Lord found himself growing weary.

Rest assured he was not tired not was be specifically irritated by any one thing. He was irritated by a stifling reality amongst the galaxy's collective youth; a youth [member="Alina"] belonged to regardless of her creator. There was a great deal of presumption in all of their actions.

"I appreciate your quick analysis, but I was quite serious when we conversed earlier. My words will always have purpose." Pausing, Cameron casually tented his hands in front of his face as he briefly closed his eyes. "I did not ask you to tell me of your past. I said I would learn of it and implied it was payment for sharing my own. Prior to that, I stated sharing my past would be a necessity to any potential training."

Opening his eyes, Cameron came to his feet and turned to face Alina's slender form. "Thus the correct conclusion was that you have no choice if you intend to remain here or in my service to any extent. Further more, when I offer you something, you take it. Trust that I have considered every possible outcome before I speak or take an action. Thus anything I say or do has a precisely defined purpose. So. Sit down."

The woman clearly had her creator's personality but not yet the skill or knowledge of the Galaxy. Clearly, Cameron was going to have to demonstrate why that could very logically get her killed. Until she internalized that reality, she would undoubtedly not be leaving Corstris. He had made a silent pact with a woman he respected to no end, so allowing Alina to fail was in no way an option.

Outside of that, there wasn't necessarily a problem with anything she had done thus far. This was merely a demonstration. Under normal circumstances, Cameron would have lost interest long ago and simply gone about his business.

 

[Alina]

Thousands of words, hundreds of responses came to mind, but none were elected to fly from her mouth. Instead, Alina straightened and her arms fell only to cross over her chest as she moved in silence to the short distance of an empty seat. She sighed then, inwardly cursing her maker for ill preparation. The protege had went from one caged cell to another and while the last had surely been such a thing with all the bells and whistles to keep her... constrained, Corstris proved to be the same, only it did not first appear that way. Prison was still prison. The youth found herself turning and then nestling into the seat she'd chose; it was closest to him without having an uncomfortable nearness to his resolute provocation. Such a thing the woman would rather not brush shoulders with.

Verily much so now, Alina appeared docile- which to say in the least, was not usually a word that would be used to describe her- lithe shoulders were set back, chin up to reflect that of an avid, acquiescent pupil. The act of ascendancy... no, the portrayal of it and the air it created begged for compliance she was not used to giving with men. Moreover, anyone aside from Ferrius. It was evident in her actions prior; not to be confused with disobedience. Rather, she had to be shown who was in charge no matter what or who laid claim. This was ultimately why Alina was where she was. Cameron had proven it without the use of physical means.

The subtly of her remittance rested only with the glance she gave him and the sheer fact she had followed his order without complaint. Still, the third had uttered no word, not a sigh. The deceptive, longing gaze had expired flippantly and was replaced with a more direct respect in her violet expectancy to the god before her.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron's silver-green gaze followed [member="Alina"] as she settled into a seat. For several moments, he remained standing, watching the young woman. She was...curious. In truth, he'd not expect her immediate acquiescence without retort or rebuttal.

Eventually, the Sith Lord dipped his head ever so slightly and resumed his own seat. Not one to languish in reminescence of perceived success, Cameron immediately set his lips to the purpose of...instruction. "You have confidence, Alina. This is important, but it is insufficient without situational awareness. Anyone in your presence for more than five minutes can see that you are intelligent, but they can also see that you carry an air about you..." Pausing, the Sith Lord considered his next words briefly. "It speaks to experience in many things that I'm not entirely convinced you have experienced."

Shifting his gaze to actually look at Alina, Cameron posed a question. "Describe to me the most...challenging time or experience in your life."

 

[Alina]

Addressing the first... briefly desisted remark, Alina leaned forward, resting her limbs upon the arms of the chair. "That is because I haven't. You are correct in your assessment." Out of habit, nimble fingers strummed. It was as if too much energy was harbored in a single entity, but surely would appear as nerves. "I have confidence because I was created from it," gold and violet eyes narrowed slightly, but kept the generosity in her stare, meeting Cameron Centurion's own. "It is as natural to me as breathing."

Hardly a pause for creating a story and more of a time for reflection on detail, the protege shifted, crossing one long leg over the other. "The process of awakening when I had believed I had been...alive for years. It was as if I dreamed the entirety of experience or lack thereof, of life. A great deal of my perception was living through her memories as if they were my own, scattered and mixed in with the reality created for the third. For me. This... this was not akin to a stasis chamber, [member="Cameron Centurion"], where one sleeps and dreams and knows. I was alive, but had never been awake. That was my world. Everything I had grown to love, to hate... to enjoy, to dream of was gone one day and it took a great length of time to come upon the truth of it, understand, and accept it. I am haunted by people and places, a life that was not a life at all. I awoke to..." swallowing a breath of warm air, the young woman straightened and smoothed her palms over the likes of the silken slip. "a similar environment at first. I suppose it was for the transition..." this time she did pause, gave a slight of smiles, "it took everything."

I have yet to learn to feel again, perhaps I never will.

Appearing to draw back in to the dimness and musky scent of the room, Alina's eyes seemed to hold animation once more, "Eventually, I had to learn to live and live without, Lord Centurion. My life is not mine own. It never has been." Where there should have been a perspiration of emotion, there was a void, a numbness and her long lashes shielded her eyes in slow, coupled blinks. It was the only break in holding his unfettered silver-green gaze, but resumed in seconds to recapture his attention.

"It is those who currently hold the marionette that have control in that."

Created, not born.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron listened intently, but his face betrayed no emotions one way or the other. There was a wholeness to the way the Sith Lord evaluated individuals. It was so often the case that words betrayed reality...as if everyone in the galaxy fancied themselves a literary jouster of galactic fame. In the Sith Lord's experience, the truth was typically far more...droll. The propensity for the vast majority of sentients to engage in what amounted to verbal diarrhea without purpose was stifling.

Fortunately, that did not appear to be what Cameron was being subjected to at that precise point in time. [member="Alina"]'s body language and, more importantly, the quality of her presence within the Force shifted and mutated along with her words. Even tiny microexpressions that most, including Cameron from time to time, were not aware of gave visbility to the presence of the truth.

As the woman fell silent, Cameron offered a very simple statement. "You will find that simply living is forever the challenge in any life. Precious few, however, have the awareness to admit such to themselves let alone others. That being said...a life is simple. It is the sum total of the experiences and lessons you permit yourself to learn." Abruptly, Cameron came to his feet and moved to a bookshelf. As he perused various titles from various ages, he continued his thoughts. "You must learn there is a critical, albeit small, difference between being controlled and being guided. In time you will come to know that the act of teaching, of nurturing cannot be accomplished without a modicum of established decorum between learned and learner."

Having found the particular piece of work he was looking for, Cameron pulled it from the shelf. There was no collected dust on the cover even though the large binded piece of work was from...a time of Cameron's youth. He was, in fact, the author. Returning to where Alina was seated, he handed the book to her. Yes. A book. He was very retro in his youth. "Take this. I think you will find it diagrams the struggles of an individual, a young boy that thought his life was not his own...and never would be. Until you have completed it, please do enjoy the comforts that my homeworld has to offer." The Sith Lord paused. "I would prefer if you didn't develop a long list of suitors in Destiny's Refuge, however." A small smile lingered on Cameron's lips even as he turned to depart the room.

 

[Alina]

Upon listening to and being open to the lexical doctrine, Alina pursued that of his visual until he moved. The eyes of the third moved and while he explored his collection, she too peered over the works with a sort of chronic reverence. It was often a forgotten form of art and knowledge in these times, but again, [member="Cameron Centurion"] appeared to share the same, though archaic love for simple things as Anesia. It made the atmosphere all that more soothing and she soon found herself almost falling for the perceived comfort. "I know the difference, my lord," confided the young woman. "It is not one of my experiences, however."

The mind stirred, relentless in its effort to quiet in light of knowledge that was but steps away, or a pull from a thought. It was the curiosity, the ambition. The heady desire to sate a lust to learn. Instead of standing to drink it down, Alina drew her focus back upon the man and remained in her seat. "What are your other areas of expertise, Lord Centurion? It is to my knowledge that you have been about for quite some time, surely there is more than this," as she conversed, the smooth pads of her pale fingers roamed the surface, then conformed about the bindings to relinquish the Master of the offered scripted work with a relative, sort of gentle care. One deft digit flipped the cover open and drew south on the parchment to turn to the preface. She looked down only a moment, violets cast over the words that began the story, before his rather curious choice of dialogue persuaded her attention to sway.

Alina did not veil the bollixed and only slightly innocent look that came over her. In fact, the aspirant blinked a few times as if she had misconstrued his preference and a slick, dark brow rose at him in question before she spoke. "Suitors? Pleasantries of the flesh is a natural occurrence and passion of mine, Lord Centurion, I am what I am. Forgive me for not understanding why it matters." The palm of her hand flattened upon the page, "If you would be so kind as to explain the purpose of this soft decree of yours, I would be most appreciative."

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Before he could take much of any step towards his exit, [member="Alina"] made two inquiries. Turning, he regarded for a moment with an empty gaze. It was not a stare of contempt or indifference...it was merely the physical manifestation of his attention being focused in one direction. Eventually, he offered the young woman a slight smirk. "My other areas of expertise are numerous. You will be exposed to them in due time...but none before their time." The almost engimatic response to her genuine query was the extent of what the large Sith was prepared to offer the woman at the moment.

As he folded his arms across his chest, Cameron's gaze darkened slightly in anticipation of her next question though his smirk remained. "As I just said, life is simple. Live it and drink it in. However..." Cameron held up a cautionary finger like a fabled magical ancestor preparing to warn the beauty of youth and potential about the dangers of life itself. "...it would not bode well for you or the people of Destiny's Refuge if you manage to ensanre one of their own into a situation that would provoke my irritation by way of...annoyance. Distractions...come in many forms, Alina. There is much work to be done, and we can hardly afford them." Yes. We.

Lowering his finger, Cameron lowered his arms just as a servant arrived at the entrance to the sitting room. Turning from Alina for a moment, the Sith Lord accepted two devices from the man before nodding his thanks. Returning his attention to Alina, he crossed the room to her location and extended his hands, offering the communicator and datapad to her. "Take these. They will enable you to reach me securely should such be required. Should I need you, however, I will simply appear by your side. Additionally...you will be able to reach my principal assistant should you not wish to speak with me directly. He is aware of your presence and status here. Do not ask for his name, he hasn't one."

His facial expression having returned to normal moments prior, Cameron prepared to hasten his departure once more. "Sate your desires at your leisure, Alina. I do believe in being a gracious host." Whether the Sith Lord was offering his direct assistance in the matter, remained perfectly unclear. "Any other questions before I take my leave of you for the day?"

 

[Alina]

"I plan to," the response was clear by tongue, but not in reference to a singular comment [member="Cameron Centurion"] made. Numbers. Time. Simplicity. Distraction. Desires. It was only a glance she gave to his finger and her stare had turned droll, head shaking at the notion. The bound parchment still in hand and settled upon her lap was then swiftly placed upon an empty chair. In a matter of seconds-should one want to count- Alina stood and retrieved the gifts of communication. "It is not my intention to provoke a thing, Master Centurion." Steady violet pools moved up to his with indifference. Which was, more often than not, a look he shed on her.

"How...refreshing."

Dipping her chin, the guest of Destiny's Refuge allowed herself a gander at the datapad now in hand. A couple sure strokes across it's screen was made, then a tap or two. "Being gracious is not necessary, but do what it is you will," peering up through the canopy of dark lashes, a hint of a light smirk edged on her words. "By all means, my lord, take your leave. I am sure the principal assistant and the servants can... answer any questions I may have in your absence." It was quite ascertainable his... desire to be free of her presence. While not understood fully in any regard, Alina noted it.

A response brought the device back to life and upon reading it, the pad was discarded upon the nearest tabletop. "Is there perhaps a chamber for my use?" The question was low, perhaps unheard. Obviously distracted, her sights had fallen to the window and the glare of the moon. Steps towards it soon followed, clearly relieving the gracious host by the ascent of silence in the air.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron enjoyed the veiled verbal jousting that [member="Alina"] provided...to a point. That point had been passed for this particular day. As a result, his retort, while accompanied with a roguish grin, was curt. "Yes." The sound of his deep voice faded as the rustle of fabric from his cloak quickly overcame the smooth molasses of both his presence and verbal acquiescence. In a matter of moments, the large Sith had moved swiftly down the corridor - feet set to an unknown perhaps but with the silence of a trained assassin regardless of his size.

Within a matter of moments, the sun had touched his dark skin once more in front of his sprawling estate. There - a number of individuals draped in dark blue and grey robes waited expectantly.

As he approached the large, similarly colored shuttle, the faithful dropped to a knee. "Deceiver..." The word rolled from their tongues as if to treat it in any but the gentlest of fashions would incur some uncontrollable wrath of fire and brimstone.

It was not likely, of course. Cameron hardly cared about such subtleties, but he permitted the illusion. In fact, there always seemed to be someone that thought it wise to fight against the reality. They were never treated harshly in the physical sense. That was too easy, too quick. Cameron, ancient creature that he was becoming, preferred to squeeze every possible enjoyment out of life.

He did nothing quickly, and his actions never ceased until he was satisfied.

Not. Ever.

((OOC: Feel free to advance to the next week, Alina. He'd be gone for...about that amount of time. Without notification, yes. ))

 

[Alina]

Empty. Though plenteous with a variety of furniture, books, baubles... [member="Cameron Centurion"] had filled the sitting area with what she gathered to be merely his presence, aside from the sheer size of the Master. There had not been a corner or crack without residue nor a breath of virginal air to be swallowed. Alina watched through the pane as the last of his cloak billowed with his escape, fingers draped upon the same sill. He had seemingly taken the character of the room with him as well, but perhaps it was just now that she was actually seeing her surroundings for what they were instead. The rustic feel was still very much apparent, but she found without the familiarity it felt...void.

The violet-eyed woman sighed, realizing only now her own mind was playing tricks. She was looking for a change and had created what supposed reality she felt fit. Alina did so unknowingly, and though fascinated by the prospect, the protege wondered how many times she had done it before. How many times she had altered... Pulling herself from her thoughts, the young woman gazed around the room again, stared at the entryway.

Retreating footsteps were silent, a ghost of destination, but the novitiate was learning proximity by way of signatures. In this instance, it was his in particular. A breath. One. And her mind expanded, riding what was the Force in its entirety as if it were a map. Alina did not wish to see in this moment, only to feel and her pale digits curled about the frame of the window, lids slammed shut. "Too close... Enough." As if everything had suddenly been sucked back in all at once, her slender frame staggered with an impact that could only be felt by her. Far enough. Too far.

CONTROL, ALINA.

The voice of her maker stung her ears and she froze, cheek against the glass. For what seemed to be painful amounts of time, the young heiress did not so much as move. Warm breaths puffed against the coolness of the pane. Over and over again and it appeared as frost but was slick, wet from the adverse temperatures of her mouth and the chilled temperature outside. Fingers twitched, moved, gained feeling once more and was brought up to swipe the condensation away.

Waiting. Waiting.

Soft sounds of steps replaced the silence she wrapped herself in. Replaced any residual thought of her former master and she took it as a cue to put herself in order, straighten the disheveled appearance.

"Assistant," upon her heel, Alina finally turned from, albeit the false setting the window displayed, and set her sights on the man who just entered. There was no reason to believe she was, less than seconds ago, lost. The guest offered a gentle, borrowed smile and stepped forward to greet him. Lowering a hand to swipe the book from its resting place, she nodded cordially. "Lord Centurion said I have a chamber. Would you be so kind?"

The chief subordinate gave her a weary look, his sharp almost blue eyes meeting her own. "This way, miss." Side-by-side they walked, her own pace having to be quickened to keep up along and around the corridors and winding steps. That was until they came to a fairly decent sized, heavy dark wooden door. "The room is complete with furnishings and is stocked with a sufficient amount of garments," he said while pushing the wood and offering up the visual, "as well as the bare essentials."

To this, Alina stepped in and nodded. "Thank you. Will you send a couple servant girls to me so that I may... have help to get settled in?"

"They will be with you momentarily," the assistant straightened and turned for leave, pulling the large door shut behind him.

While awaiting the arrival of aid, Alina took the time to read, settling into a bed that appeared to be made for a generous amount of bodies. It was dressed in a thick blue comforter with various styles and shapes of pillows. Half were tossed to the floor and a select few others were piled to create a sort of table for her book while she lounged upon her stomach. A few short taps announced the servants arrival and she cast her chin over her shoulder at the interruption. "Come in," answered the guest.

Not two, but three entered. One by one slipping in and standing before her. In unison, they spoke, "Hello, miss."

"Call me Alina. There is no need for... formal speech or labels, ladies." Shifting, the aspirant sat upon the mattress and patted it. "Come. Sit. I don't bite." Reluctantly, they followed orders. Their gazes too were wary and they climbed upon the bed as instructed, but kept a distance. "What are your names?" With the look they gave her, it was of both confusion and fear. Alina waited patiently, her hands smoothing the fabric of her slip.

Finally one spoke up, "I am Trista and this is Moira and Leta," she pointed out as well with a thin finger to the protege. Each one was strikingly different than the other and she let her eyes settle on each. It started with questions. Simple. Soon enough though, hours really, and the four of them were huddled together. The generally quiet home of Centurion was filled with laughter. With whispers. With stories. The sounds did not cease until the early hours of morning. "I should like this company every night," while they slipped from her room, Alina ordered gently and bid them farewell for the hours to come.


Minutes turned to hours. Hours to days.


"Alina," Leta whispered, "I'm tired," even as the brush slipped at a slow pace through the third's wet mane, the gentleness of fingers along her scalp.

"So sleep," her head tilted in response, watching the servant through the mirror, pausing her reading. "My bed is open. Come, we shall sleep." Alina turned, swiping the matted wet crimson strands of hair from Leta's cheek and tucking it behind her ear with nimble gestures. A single finger came to the girl's lips, "Shh. The others are already out... We must not wake them." Verily quiet, she led the other from the bath area to her chamber. Still, she carried the book, if only to secure where she'd paused and set it beside the bed. Within moments the four were a tangle of bodies and fabrics, dotted with the occasional pillow that had not been discarded.

When she awoke for the third time, it was alone, and the light of morning touched barely open eyes. Instead of wincing, violets widened, embracing the glow of the titan. "Night is not long enough..." The servants having left her for their duties, bound to return though, at nightfall. Alina, half asleep, drug the book into the billowy confines of the comforter and picked up where she left off. A mere chapter before the end, still pages to go. Once she had asked where their gracious host had disappeared to, and the only answer she received was a stoic, obedient stare from the assistant. Alina did not ask again, but instead enjoyed the comforts the estate and the surrounding areas had to offer. Plenty there was she had found.

[SIZE=14.6666669845581px]The student allowed herself to relax, breathing in the succor she had created within several days of freedom. [/SIZE]No longer did the corridor smell of... that man. Scents of soft floral, citrus, and notes of myrrh lingered in those hallways. It saturated the wood, clung to the walls. Even if it were only an illusion, it was one she heartily savored, and Alina wrung every last drop she could from it while she still had the time to.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Nine Days Later

The Nemesis returned to the soft grass of the estate on Corstris just over a week after it had departed. During his absence, Cameron had been kept very well-appraised of things happening on the planet, per usual. It would seem that his houseguest had taken to entertaining herself with servants...female servants that Cameron, honestly, was not even aware existed under his employ. Then again, that was not an uncommon reality. The vast majority of those that had any level of access to the Sith Lord were none of the general housekeeping staff, and it had been a long time since Cameron had the patience for any form of...harem.

Regardless, the reality of [member="Alina"]'s activities in his absence bothered him not at all. Curious though...that she never ventured forth into any of the numerous towns of Corstris. Or, perhaps, her curiosity had not extended past that which Cameron had pontificated upon prior to his hasty departure. Certainly, the planet itself held a great many secrets and, perhaps, points of interest. Throughout the longevity of his life, the planet had remained curiously unaffiliated with any official government though it presently existed inside of Mandalorian Space. An organization which Cameron held...zero regard for. Yet...it appeared nowhere on any galactic map. In fact its entire existence seemed to be...well...all but forgotten to the larger galaxy. Quite purposefully.

No announcement of his impending arrival preceeded Cameron's quiet entrance into the sprawling edifice. However, the Assistant was ever-prepared for the unexpected, materialzing at the Sith Lord's side within ten steps across the ornate marble floor. "A guest arrived during your absence... She was taken down to the facility."

From beneath the hood of his cloak, Cameron offered a simple smile but no verbal response. Abruptly, he changed his course, stepping into some lavishly-furnished room or another. Stepping over to a bookcase, the Sith Lord motioned with his hand as a secret entrance revealed a set of marble steps. No sooner had the folds of his dark blue and gray cloak disappeared down said steps than the entrance was sealed once more.

The Assistant, however, knew the whim of his Lord and Master better than most. Silently, his lithe form seemingly glided over the floor in the direction of Alina's chambers. It was early in the day yet, so he politely knocked twice on the door and offered simple words. Once. "You are summoned, Ms. Alina."

 

[Alina]

"Unum momentum," just loud enough, the young lady spoke while rising from the floor. A solitary breath blew against the small, dancing flames of candles.


Pale tendrils of smoke bathed her stark frame as she came to her full height, the essence of various native herbs scattered around the chamber. There had been a couple of those days where the guest had replaced Moira; a maiden of close resemblance-dark hair, pale skin, thin facial features- enough that she could be mistaken under the likes of a hood at least. Alina had not ventured far, but did visit a neighboring community and its marketplace. It was small, bustling with the life of morning. Venci, the townsfolk called it, and she recanted the crispness of the cool air, the fragrance of wild flowers, the melodic song of the birds...


Still in thought, Alina padded barefoot to the closet, pulling them open with a soft whoosh. She didn't dawdle, but merely plucked trousers and a blouse from the confines and closed the doors with only the thought to dress. "Adventu, advocatum." Sparing no time, nor realizing the tongue in which she spoke, the novitiate slipped the borrowed vestment on just as quickly. From there, she gave a tug to the strings of the bottoms she donned, securing them about her waist. It was not exactly the most flattering of things, instead it held an impression of comfort and she shrugged in the heavy top that swallowed any hints of a figure.


Moments later the heavy door to her room was opened only to reveal a slightly tousled, but otherwise fresh-faced Alina. She offered a lazy smile and made a motion with her hand for him to proceed with a willingness to follow. The third said nothing more and neither did the Assistant as they moved down the corridor to meet with, she could only assume, [member="Cameron Centurion"].

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron stood in the cavernous corridor just outside the interrogation chamber. The woman strapped to a table inside was unconscious. The fruits of her futile labor against the personnel that had been dispatched to claim her were still evident on her face and appendages. A small amount of blood pooled around the base of the table - no doubt from scrapes and bruises the the Assistant had directed to allow to self-heal appeared stagnant...as if it had been sitting for days. A thin smile touched the Sith Lord's lips as the sound of footsteps coming down the marble steps filled the corridor.

Having waited patiently for [member="Alina"], the Assistant gave her appearance hardly a glance. It was not his place to look upon his Lord and Master's belongings with any level of judgment or appraisal. To him, the woman was just that...a piece of property that he'd been instructed to provide for as necessary to ensure her comfort. The Assistant was under no such false pretenses that he was any other than a glorified housekeeper. What mattered to him was that he was ultimately in charge of the estate both during Lord Centurion's frequent absences and...much of the time he was present. Arriving at the base of the steps, the Assistant motioned to the cloaked figure of Cameron down the corridor before retreating back up the stairs.

The Sith Lord did not turn to address the woman. "What have you discovered?"

 

[Alina]

Aware, but still in a meditative-like state, Alina's steps lingered, her pace was slow as she approached the master of the estate, [member="Cameron Centurion"]. She was still without response, only the swish of loose fabric and her foot falls spoke and even then, they were under a sigh along the cool exterior of the floor within the commodious passage. Sounds were either swallowed altogether or made to echo. The guest was not sure which but ceased to give anymore thought on it than necessary. After all, it was not as if her appearance was a surprise. Even his wasn't.

What was though -noticing as she neared- was a battered heap of flesh confined to a table, in a chamber only just regarded.

"I have discovered," violet lit eyes flicked upward and to the left when she passed him, "everything is not as it seems and is as it seems." Bare feet brought Alina to the entrance to what appeared to be an interrogation room with its bare gray washed walls that housed nothing more than a table with matching chairs, a two-way mirror that was less than obvious, the harsh bright lighting, and the still hum of nothing. "Was there a specific discovery you wanted to know about?" the smile was soft, real but left with her presence when she ducked into the room. As if he does not know already.

Alina padded around the marred woman once and then came to a halt with her back to the mirror. She watched intently on the rise and fall of shallow, hoarse breaths, of involuntary flinches and shudders that animated the incapacitated prisoner. Fascinated still, even after witnessing such a process on more than half a dozen occasions and without knowing the details, the third reached, fingers itching for contact, the mind thirsty for an answer.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Silver-green eyes followed the diminutive figure of [member="Alina"] as she stepped into the interrogation room. He offered the woman no immediate response to her own inquiry, though he suspected that she knew the answer. Abandoning the line of thought for a moment, the Sith Lord soon joined his protege inside the brightly-lit room. Approaching the body on the table from the opposite side of Alina, Cameron allowed his gaze to fall on their guest's face. "What fascinations do you think the mind holds...and for how long?"

At the airing of his rhetorical question, Cameron shifted his gaze to Alina. Though his expression was neutral, she might yet find a burning desire behind the intensity of his stare. What that desire was...well...that was actually quite irrelevant. The fact that there was clearly something Cameron wanted, needed to have was all that truly mattered.

Without breaking eye contact with Alina, the Sith Lord reached forward and grasped the hand that she'd already been using to reach out and touch the woman on the table with. With his free hand, Cameron gently placed two fingers to the unconscious woman's temple. Closing his eyes he reached into the woman's mind and began extrapolating images and experiences in a logical sequence, passing them along to Alina. Telepathically, he spoke into her mind. Sentients have a propensity to deceive with words. Rare is the individual that is capable of altering their subconscious thoughts in an attempt to hide...the truth... Find the motivation for her travel here, where she ascertained the information on this planet's all-but-forgotten location.