Sigh No More [Soliael]

[Hazel Scheler]

Ivy had spent many nights wondering much the same. Pity she'd never bothered to ask them why they'd allowed her to stay for so long, and why when she was ready to leave they had insisted she stay.

"Fraid not," she replied, brows lofting in a manner that suggested she knew this was about to turn into another story. Accepting the inevitable, she sighed, "Who?"

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“His name was Luke Skywalker.” Given how long ago that was the name would likely mean absolutely nothing to her, unless she was a student of history anyway. “He and his son were the last two Humans to ever step on Aing-Tii, and that was nearly eight hundred years ago!”

Soliael suddenly looked at her with eyes wide open as if he were trying to shock her. Then almost immediately he burst into a fit of giggles like a mad man. At times Soliael made himself laugh more than anything else...he had to or else he really would go mad.

Quickly however the False god recovered his composure and he looked back towards the view port. They would have to move soon, or he suspected she would get sick from staring into hyperspace for so long. “The Aing-Tii are not a receptive people. They are kind, and despise slavers above all else, but they do not take anyone back to their home world.”

He paused again, looking down at her with a serious expression this time.

“I think you can guess why i've been so curious about why you were there, and much more about why they allowed you to stay for so long.” He trailed off at the end, his eyes floating up and down her form once again. He was still trying to see what made her so special.

 

[Hazel Scheler]

His outburst resulted in a rather put-upon looking woman. Ivy's brow disappeared into her hairline for those few moments while her frown deepened.

Well that escalated quickly.

It turned, strangely enough, into a look of mild curiosity. The woman touched at her face where the red scars began to flare with pain again at her stretched expression. This new information was certainly interesting and for a second she regretted her coldness to the Aing-Tii. In the end, however, not knowing the why was just as well. It wasn't as if it would have helped her anymore than anything else they'd done.

"I guess we'll never know," came her simple reply. Ivy turned and, as if she had read his mind, began to wander off. She'd certainly had enough of staring into warp space. Her stride was not hurried nor did it seem that she was attempting to escape his company in any manner. The Merc plainly needed to move on, perhaps from the mystery as much as the view.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael stayed staring out the window for a few seconds more, his gaze following the streaking lines as though he could actually tell them apart from one another. He observed it for just a nano-second more, and then broke away from the hypnotic bond. Quickly he caught up to her, once again seemingly appearing behind her out of no where, sometimes force speed came in handy.

The ship they were on was not really known for its spaciousness. The Swarm Frigates were warships of the highest order. The only real open space they would find was the cargo bay where food and weapons were kept, aside from that the rest of the ship was entirely filled with Soldiers or crewmen. Although there was of course shrines aboard the ship, though Soliael doubted that they would be empty. For a time he walked with her in silence, simply pondering the ideas of why the Aing-Tii had held her for so long. It was a curious thing, and then an answer appeared to him.

“Do you know what the force is?” He was going to get to the bottom of this, even if he had to peel every layer of her mind.

 

[Hazel Scheler]

Ivy was not bothered by the cramped quarters. In fact she seemed quite at home in them, with the crew and the soldiers and the rest of his following. Odd men and women with looks of delirium every time they rounded a corner. She noted the strange stares but paid them little more mind than a passing glance.

"Yes," the Merc began with a low voice that suggested she was not particularly fond of the subject, "I traveled with enough users in my time to be familiar with it. Why?"

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

So she knew. She had to have known. Someone would have to have told her at some point that her mind was impenetrable to the force. Soliael looked over at her, giving her a sidelong glance. Was her immunity to mind based attacks why the Aing-Tii were so interested in? Had they seen her as something special? Soliael himself had never seen it in his two hundred years of living, so he doubted that the Aing-Tii had.

“Your mind is immune to attacks based off the force.” Soliael said quite bluntly as they finally passed into a completely empty hallway. “Thought I suspect you know that.”

He spoke carefully now, still weary of revealing too much of what he knew and had already guessed.

 

[Hazel Scheler]

"I had no idea," the woman replied with a short, dark glance back at him. So he had tried then, had he?

Ass.

"...isn't that interesting."

Of course she knew. Her entire race was immune to it, but now it was her turn to lie, though she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of putting any effort into it. She was simply going to be obstinate about it. Hazel eyes flashed a scathing glare his way before she turned to continue walking. Perhaps it was time to find an unoccupied corner where she could drain her hipflask and attempt to sleep.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Ah right so she definitely knew. Soliael glanced at her for a split second. He wanted to get to the bottom of this, and if she knew and was unsurprised by this news, then she likely she didn't think the Aing-Tii were interested. He pondered this for a moment as they turned another corner within the ship. As soon as they did a column of soldiers walked past them. Each of them stared at the False God with a sort of reverence, he simply smiled at them and gave a nod.

The soldiers aboard this ship had of course all seen his face before. They knew Neth's mortal form and they were incredibly loyal. Those aboard this ship had cross purposes, they were men of battle and blood, but also seekers of knowledge. Each person aboard this ship was loyal to the God Neth, and him alone. Ivy was utterly devoid of kinship here.

“Right. Very interesting indeed.” He finally said in response to her. The soldiers passed them completely and Soliael began to speak again. “You know why its this way don't you?”

From her current demeanor Soliael guessed she wouldn't answer, but hurting never asked...unless she stabbed him with the stun stick again.

 

[Hazel Scheler]

"Not at all," she quipped back, "please enlighten me."

Here would come the talk of the esoteric power that was the Force. Given her time and experience dealing with some of its users over the years, Ivy had to admit she had no more respect for or faith in them than she did for the average person. They were just as flawed, just as vulnerable to the same grievances as everyone else. Their biggest downfall was the fact that they were capable of causing more harm than the average being, which made them more trouble than they were worth.

Ivy didn't like Force Users, and no amount of flippant power display would change that.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael shrugged.

“No idea.” He responded as he looked down at her with an inquisitive look. He was actually quite stumped about why he couldn't penetrate her mind. Granted Soliael wasn't the master of mental attacks, after all he was no empath, those weren't really common in the galaxy after all, but he still should have been able to breach her mind and take it apart without much issue.

Some people had had training against mental attacks, but even then they didn't simply...slide off like they did with her mind. It was strange, and Soliael had to admit it. “In my entire lifetime I have never seen anything quite like it. So why don't you enlighten me?”

Soliael said it with a lot less attitude than she did, mostly because he actually wanted to know the answer.

 

[Hazel Scheler]

There was a clear look of defiance in the way she looked back at the man. Ivy stopped, lips drawing thin as she considered her response. She was angry, but for why she couldn't really say, and in the end she had to remind herself that this wasn't going to get her anywhere.

Soliael found himself face by the Mercenary, and she approached him without any reservations. Ivy stopped directly at his front, staring up at him intensely, "Because I'm an epicanthix," the words were as simple as the reason, "and we all are immune to it."

She looked him up and down, frown plastered on her lips, "Satisfied?"

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

He stared into her eyes for a few moments, the pale orange of his iris' obscured every now and again by the black specs that floated across them. His curiosity was not at all satisfied in fact. He had no idea what an Epicanthix was, though from her words he guessed that it was a species of humans that was resistant against the Forces mental attacks. That notion did not sit well with him, though he decided to gloss over it for now taking more interest in how she had answered him.

For some strange reason she had given him a straight forward answer, the way she had done it however had been rather...arousing for him.

Soliael often did not have women stand up to him. His charisma paired with his use of the force and his general attitude towards life usually meant that women were drawn to him rather than confrontational. There was something about this that appealed to him, though obviously he said nothing. Unknowingly Soliael began to give off pheromones, his pores seeping with the strange fragrant mixes and filling the air around them.

“Hardly.” Soliael said quietly in regard to her question, he still had many more on his mind.

 

[Hazel Scheler]

A stifling breath of renewed anger left parted lips. Ivy looked up at him, overcome by his impure aura, disgusted. Just like Salas.

He was just like Salas.

She fought the urge to strangle him, to pull the one weapon on her figure that was meant for death. Her hands ached for it, her heart strained for it, yet as quickly as the intention came to a boil it very sudden and inexplicably simmered. Unseen upon the air, a strange current filtered in along her breath where it settled into her senses, triggering a strange calmness.

Ivy released a second breath through her nostrils this time, one that shuddered with unease.

"Terribly sorry," she found her voice again, mastering herself with a jerking shake of her head, "to have been such a disappointment." The merc turned sharply from the supposed God, pulling her cloak back over her shoulders, and this time strode away with purpose.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael looked after the girl for a few seconds, debating going after her. Of course he could've pressed the issue and asked her for more information, but truthfully he felt that such a thing would have been foolish. He mused on what he had learned for a few moments, realizing that he had learned at least a piece of what he had wanted. He now knew why she was resistant to his mental attack, or at least he thought he did.

He had never heard of Epicanthix before, and he would have to investigate further into exactly what they were. He suspected however that wherever the species came from it was the outer rim, especially since he had never encountered them.

A frown creased his face, and with a look of wondering Soliael turned around in the opposite direction of the girl.

~~

A few hours later Soliael sat within a small archive room within the deep bowels of the ship. Several datapads were scattered about the room and loose leaflets of flimsy seemed to be flung about as though they had not a care in the world. Soliael sat in the middle of the clutter, reading several of the items as if all at once. After another few minutes his head finally snapped upwards again, his face plastered with a smooth smirk.

In one swift motion Soliael stood up. He had realized earlier than the abilities of Epicanthix sounded rather familiar. He had heard about it so long ago that he had nearly forgotten. With a swift dash Soliael removed himself from the archive room and began to head through the halls of the ship. Thanks to the massive archives of Data Soliael had available to him due to his fathers record keeping and stealing Soliael had managed to learn a scant few details about the Epicanthix. It seemed that over the years the species had been tested on their ability quite often, with even ancient Sith Lords unable to breech their minds.

That had made Soliael feel better about himself, after all if some of the most powerful Sith ever to live couldn't do it, then why should be be able to?

Interestingly enough Soliael had also realized he had in fact met an Epicanthix before, although at the time he had not realized it. Lord Kaine Zambrano, a compatriot of his father had been one. The distinct features that set them apart as described in the text made it obvious that the old Vizier of Moridin was of that particular human off-shoot.

The excitement about this new bit of knowledge flowed through Soliael, and as he wandered the hall that sentiment seemed to come off in droves. The natural reaction of his body over whelming emotion was to give off pheromones, so quickly as he wandered through the hall Soliael began to spread his feelings of child-like excitement. He knew something now, something oh so important.

 

[Hazel Scheler]

Ivy had opted to not cause anymore of a stir than necessary. She'd moved to the cargo hold and made herself comfortable atop a stack of crates. The woman had met no opposition on the way - no one was about to mess with a guest of a God, but then again no one cared to associate with a Non-Believer. Assuming, perhaps, she'd yet to be converted and that would come with their arrival upon Exocron.

Having stripped her traveling cloak to use as a makeshift pillow Ivy sat with her back against one crate, chewing on some form of meat jerky she'd taken from the food stores while silently reading through the pages of a very old and worn journal.

The cargo hold was quiet with very little activity. While the crates were terribly uncomfortable it saved her from having to kick another soldier out of a cot that might be only marginally moreso. She would take the crates and her solitude any day.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael walked through the halls of his flagship quite quickly, his infectious excitement quickly spreading throughout the ship like a disease. He made his way towards where he knew Ivy to be, the cargo hold. He doubted she would care to hear him speak again, but that hardly mattered to Soliael. He had discovered something, it excited him, and he knew that Ivy had more information for him. This was what he was after all, Knowledge. At all times he craved it, wanted it, and perhaps even needed it to survive.

With just a few more seconds passing Soliael found himself at the cargo hold of the ship. Unlike with most ships the Cargo hold of the Swarm Frigate was features directly at the back of the ship, almost next to the engines. This was because unlike most ships the Swarm Frigates had no hangar, and resupply was done through an aft access shaft.

It was a strange design, but one that had worked well so far.

Quickly Soliael moved into the cargo bay, finding Ivy without much effort. She was the only thing giving off any sort of warmth within this room and finding her within the cold was just as easy. He came upon her reading from an old journal, much like the one he held beneath his arms. The pheromones were still coming off in droves, his excitement evident and a child-like wonder in his eyes. He smiled down at her.

“I see you've made yourself comfortable.” Soliael said breaking the silence of the cargo hold.

 

[Hazel Scheler]

"I've spent a lot of time sleeping on cargo crates," Ivy replied without looking up. She'd heard his steps announce him, even over the loud din of the engines beyond the walls of the bay.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael crouched down beside her, his considerable height making it so he still had to look down at her. His excited smile did not disappear, and slowly his natural pheromones spread throughout the cargo bay. It was a funny thing that, something that Soliael could not control, something he most of the time didn't even realize he was doing, and yet it helped him so greatly. The effect was far more powerful with a purebred Zeltron of course, but Soliaels scent was strong enough to influence most beings just as well.

“I've discovered something.” He said his smile growing. It was strange to see this two meter tall Sith Lord so excited. His eyes were alight with passion, something you usually only saw when Sith were killing. This however was how Soliael had always been. Ever since he had been a child he had loved to learn, loved to ask questions, and loved to covet knowledge.

This was the reason he had taken on the aspect of Neth, because he knew it had most suited himself. Just like Amore had chosen the healer, the mother, Inari. “Your kind is very fascinating you know.”

 

[Hazel Scheler]

And just like that Ivy was overcome with a strange, nauseating feeling. Soliael's dark presence coupled with his pheremones certainly had a powerful effect on this particular Merc. The world seemed to slow, grow fuzzy. Ivy's fingers and lips tingled. She dropped her journal and in an effort to try and catch it nearly collapsed to her side, saving herself with a firmly planted hand.

It was like being drugged, she barely heard his words.

What the feth?

"What do you want?" the words came out strong as she reached to recollect her journal, refusing to make eye contact with the man.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“What I always want. Information.” Soliael said it with a smile, and slowly he pulled out the journal from under his arm. The book was small and leather bound, its pages completely and entirely yellowed. If one looked inside the book you would see that there was blood on the pages, the ink almost completely faded and nearly unreadable, and the language that it was transcribed in was entirely foreign to anyone who was born within the last thousand years.

The book was the journal of Darth Chratis, a man who had lived four thousand years ago. A man who had been known for his capabilities in using the force to penetrate the mind, and a man who had been unable to kill an Epicanthix. Soliael had it because Moridin had had it. His father had collected hundreds of ancient Sith texts, some he had deposited in the Sith Archives, which had been stolen by Soliaels uncle, but others he had kept for himself. Soliael being the knowledge monger that he was had taken them all from Byss with the permission of his brother Sven.

The journal was thousands of years old, and thus was written in ancient Sith.

Soliael however, thanks to the tutelage of his Oma was capable of reading it. Several of the pages within the journal had detailed Chratis' study and encounter with Epicanthix, these are what had interested Soliael and it was these that had brought him down here into the cargo hold again.

“What do you know of your peoples history?” Soliael was getting even more excited now, his hands slowly unclasping the bindings on the journal and opening it up in his right hand. With an expectant look he watched Ivy, his feelings still running throughout the room by his pheromones. It was growing more intense now, stronger.