Private Silence in the Library

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

The Red Library; Unfortunately, Ingrid was able to spend far less time here than she would have liked. Tubrok used to spend a lot of time here, especially when the woman was not at home. She was sure that if she had a chance in the future, she would one day bring her lover, AMCO to this place. She had a feeling the Dark Counsellor would appreciate this place and would be fond of it. But for now, she had already let go of her romantic and relationship thoughts. She came here again for work. Ironically, when she was in the TSE territory, she only had days off. Never at home.

Remembered again the plan of Kainan Wolfe . Destroy the Force itself. She hid these thoughts under countless other thoughts so that no one could find this. Although she typically felt it when someone was trying to penetrate her head mentally. She still thought that with this act they would destroy not only the Force, but everything else, all living things. And this cost was too high, because the Force was there in everything. Of course, she had not yet expressed her concerns to the Emperor. For the time being, she was pleased to regain the man’s trust with her efforts in the role of double agent after the events at G’rho. Due to not becoming a Sith.

And if she mentioned Sith, a former Sith acolyte joined the Wardens of the Shroud. And the young man, called Ben Serrano , needed a master. And Ingrid needed a disciple. So one thing followed another and instead of reading reports, the woman was here in the Library to meet the man who doesn’t even know anything about it. Based on recent reports, she spent almost all of his time here and is still here. Upon her arrival, the soldiers immediately told her where she could find Serrano.

She didn't hide her presence in the Force this time, so the man could feel her coming. However, her footsteps had no noise. She met several soldiers until she arrived at the appropriate hall. They all greeted her with a salute, which the woman reciprocated. Eventually she went to the room where the young man was. She only approached him a few yards away, then took a military stance, a little stretcher, clasped her hands behind her back, and stood in a stiff posture.

”Welcome Mr. Serrano! I hope you enjoy the hospitality of the library.”

​

 

[Ben Serrano]

Ben Serrano

​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: A black lightsaber (hidden) | A long black coat, almost touching the ground, with black silk shirt under it, and black leather pants.
Tag: Ingrid L'lerim

As always, Ben was sitting in a quiet, and dark corner of the science ward of the library. It’s not like the science part was so interesting, or Ben wanted to learn it so much, but since he was waiting for a master to take him as an apprentice, he figured that he shouldn’t start his learning about the Force just yet. It was hard to be patient, and not using the authorization, that allowed him into that section of the archives. He was eager, slowly growing impatient, and this materialized in an itching feeling behind his brain, always being there, disturbing his thoughts.

He felt someone coming, somebody strong with the force, the power was near overwhelming for the young disciple. So, naturally, he stopped reading about the science behind the physical laws inside a blackhole, a truly fascinating read, and looked up, to see himself the arriving lady. He didn’t know anything about Ingrid, but figured that it shall be her new master, since she stopped, and took a militaristic posture, shortly before addressing him.

“ I am deeply honored by your much awaited presence. “ Voiced his thoughts gently, and in a calm manner. His speech wasn’t slow, nor fast. Felt like the man carefully chose every word, and yet, he spoke naturally, and fluidly.

“ If I’m not mistaken, I am about to earn myself a master, someone, who can continue my development, and teach me about the force. Splendid! “ Said the man, showing a bit of joy with his voice, while his face still lacked any emotion. His eyes were watching the redhead, but not as most male would. He wasn’t checking out the body, or looking for the beauty of the face - even tho, he noticed it. He was carefully watching her taking every breath, looking for any twitch, or sudden change, movement as well. This was one of his most beloved hobbies, watching others making a move, trying to predict it using only perception, and not the Force itself. This made even the most boring conversations somewhat exciting, but he was sure that whatever this conversation will be, it won’t be boring. He just had this feeling in his guts.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

Something immediately became clear to the woman, she had experienced it all before from those coming from elsewhere. It was common for outsiders. The young man had no idea who she was. She has experienced all this too many times lately. Ingrid was completely motionless, only her eyes moving as the Emperor’s Hand surveyed the young man. And in each case, it was a Sith, or ex-Sith, with whom she had done so. The last time Lucas Harvey-White was this person, though he just didn’t respect anyone, and felt he could have fun with Ingrid. He was wrong!

”You may be wrong, Mr. Serrano, you may not. Why do you think I’m not here to investigate you, thanks to my position in the Empire? After all, you probably know that we are still at war with the Sith Empire led by Darth Carnifex . And a former ex acolyte could also be a risk factor for the Empire.”

Her voice accurately reflected her appearance and stance, military, cold and distant. However, she was not hostile at all, only appropriate for her rank and position. This time she didn’t try to look even scarier than many times before. Although in her case, her rank, name, titles, and position were ample enough to frighten most of the people. Even if she had nothing to do with them. As the Emperor used to say, Ingrid embodies the perfect Imperial citizen, she could be their role model. It’s not like she’s used to dealing with this nonsense. She just does her thing to the best of her abilities.

”But you're not mistaken.” she said after receiving an answer. ”I’m Lady Ingrid L’lerim, the Emperor’s hand and the director of Blackwatch. And from now I will teach you.”

The woman still didn't move, she was able to control her movements, not just her emotions, on an almost frightening level. She could hide anything from anyone if she didn’t want someone to read in her. Not in vain, she was able to take great care of the secrets of the Eternal Empire.

”I assume based on the fact that I was recommended to your master, you are more sorcerer or assassin-minded than sith warrior.”

​

 

[Ben Serrano]

Ben Serrano

​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: A black lightsaber (hidden) | A long black coat, almost touching the ground, with black silk shirt under it, and black leather pants.
Tag: Ingrid L'lerim

The answer did not surprise Ben, at least he gave no sign of such a thing. He took a moment to really think about the situation, before he answered, keeping up the gentle and calm manner he always talks.
“ Because it would be a sloppy job. Letting me into the archive, granting me access to the database, even if it is to plant desinformation, is going through the hoops for unnecessary reasons. I’m sure I was checked, and investigated already, so it should be clear that I’m not fitting to be a double agent. Just out of the Academy, where I proved my worth, I’m not trained enough to do my job properly, and yet, I might be too much of a value, to be lost at such a job. And I have my reasons to leave the Sith Empire behind myself, so they wouldn’t trust me with such a task. “
He could only hope that he answered the question, because being investigated can be unpleasant, and very much painful, but worst of all, a wasted time. And Ben hates wasting his time on unnecessary things. Even as he talked, he still watched the other, but the woman was like a statue, stood still the whole time, as if she was sculpted in that way, trusted with one job and one job only, to stay immobile until the end of time. Even so, it didn’t discourage Ben to continue what he started. After all, a bit of a challenge is even more fun, than achieving success right away.
Ben was the first to move an inch, as his eyebrows rose a bit, hearing the titles of his conversation partner. Out of respect, he stood up, and bowed before the other, but didn’t repeat his name, since she already knew it.
“ I prefer more of the mental strength, than physical, but I don't neglect the training of the body either. But being fast and agile can’t win battles in itself, it is important to be smarter, and trickier than the opponent, and force abilities are perfect to surprise the opponent, so yes, I prefer to be a sorcerer over a warrior. But my curiosity is hard to fulfill, so I study other aspects to grow my intellectuality as well. Knowing more about physics than the other students, and using it to achieve my goal, for example, helped me a lot during my Academy training. “ As he answered the question, he looked for any reaction, already knowing that he won’t get any from the Emperor’s hand.
“ It pleases me beyond words, to have the opportunity of such a well established, and powerful master. I am but a humble servant, but be sure, also grateful for your attention, my lord.“ He doesn’t add that he won’t shame the other, or waste her time. Ben is sure that they both know, doing any of the sort would mean it is the end of their student-teacher relation, and most likely, the end of Ben’s life.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

”The assumption is wrong.” she replied calmly. ”What you're looking for in a place like this can reveal a lot more about your goals than an investigation." And fake information is easy to place and match to the right codes to see what the system will give to that person for their research.”

It was for these reasons that she did nothing when she was in the Sith Empire. Ingrid approached the role of the double agent from a very different perspective than Allyson Locke . In one thing, however, she did not become more successful than the other agent. Like Allyson, Ingrid fell in love with her own contact, which she used to get into the Sith Empire. That’s why she switched almost immediately to use the Nite data and she is not spying. The Nite’s data was enough, more than enough. She didn't want to endanger AMCO . But now her own affairs did not matter, the young man was important. The Emperor’s Hand found it cute that he considered himself too much of a value for such a task.

”Let it be, I believe you, because I investigated your background too.”

As Ben answered her further questions, Ingrid walked closer. Her movements throughout are graceful, elegant, far more fluid and deadly than military at this moment. After a few steps, she stopped and became completely motionless again. Apparently it was completely natural for her, she did not do this because of Ben. Smiled at the man's words and chuckled for a moment.

”I know someone I’d be happy if he thought that way. And I'm definitely glad that you're not a wimp. And because of this, I don’t have to start all over your education from the basics. I’m not going to lie, I have an opinion about the Sith Academies, I know someone who has survived the Academy without ever holding a lightsaber in his hands, and he is now in the highest circles of the Sith Empire. And he can't fight…”

And yet, she loved that man, it was just still funny to her. This story, if she didn’t hear this from Adrian himself, she can’t believe it. Listened to the younger man’s further words and nodded, the red hair woman definitely liking the fact that the man was not just studying in one direction.

”First of all, this is not the Sith Empire, in my case flattering goes nowhere, so forget that. Irritating. It is commendable that you are interested in so much. As my disciple, be prepared to learn not only things about the Force, but also politics and military science, as well as state administration. And I hope you are ready to forget everything you have learned about the Force at the Sith Academy because we profess completely different principles than they do.”

​

 

[Ben Serrano]

Ben Serrano

​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: A black lightsaber (hidden) | A long black coat, almost touching the ground, with black silk shirt under it, and black leather pants.
Tag: Ingrid L'lerim

“ Naturally. “ Nodded the young man after hearing the lady, and he didn’t think that anything disproved his opinion on the matter at hand. After all, as he saw the picture, Ingrid went a few steps further, gave a more proper explanation, but nothing she said contradicted his thesis. Furthermore, scientific facts are hard, and worth not to be changed, and he mostly checked these since his arrival. The man, ignorant of the fact that Ingrid, even if for just a moment found him important, waited patiently. He waited long enough for this moment to come, he could wait for a bit longer if needed. As the woman walked closer, Ben didn’t move in his chair, he was motionless, but not as perfectly as Ingrid. Next to her, he seemed like a beginner, someone just picking up this trait - and this disturbed Ben a lot. Ignoring the fact that he is not the best in something he was proud of was hard for him to do. Even more so, as he had to witness it himself.
But these disturbing thoughts were merely giving him discomfort, it didn’t break his perceptiveness, so he embraced the whole movement of the other, even noticed for himself how elegant she walks. Almost like a royalty.

“ There are many academies, all sharing one comon foundation between them - they all think they are the best, a lot better than others. Where I come from, we had classes teaching us the fundamentals of wielding a lightsaber, and they even taught us how to fight with each other. I learned Shii-cho and Djem-so from my instructor there. “ He stated without lying, but he purposely leaved out the fact that he can use Soresu in a rather advanced form. After all, he didn’t learn that from the masters in the academy.

“ But I must add, I’m not a master of either of them. I also possess some knowledge regarding the current politics, and I can fly my own ship, but these are mostly the basics, nothing noteworthy. I have mostly studied academic science, developed my force abilities, and did a bit of research on sith alchemy, while maintaining a healthy and strong body. This concludes most of my studies, at least the ones worth knowing about. “ He said, not to brag, because there’s nothing to brag about, but he was thinking it's important that his master learns about him, and the things he knows about.

“Noted for myself, but regardless of the flattering, I still find it rather convenient, to earn myself such a powerful master, and the joy dragged me down saying these useless words. It won't happen again. ” He assured the woman, giving her a nod as well.
“ And I’m more than happy to learn a new perspective, and new ways to think about the Force. Rest assured, I will completely forget everything they taught me, if you wish so. “

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

As Ingrid moved closer to the young man and spoke, she felt the frustration and confusion of the other through the Force. That something bothered him. Over the years, she has learned that sometimes, quite often, she can elicit this reaction from others with her coldness and stiffness. But if someone had studied this for as long as she did, there was nothing surprising about it. But this will have to be taken care of by the man, especially if he also meets the Emperor at some point. He did not tolerate such a thing. Ingrid had experienced this on her own skin before.

”Watch to your thoughts and emotions, don’t let them dominate you. You have to control them completely. Unlike the Sith and Jedi, we do not allow the Force to use us. Our goal is for us to use it without letting it affect us or dull us.”

She nodded at Ben's words, knew what teaching was like there today, and thanks to the memory rub, the Emperor’s Hand also knew what education was like thousands of years ago in the former Sith Empire. There was a huge difference between the two. The old one was more brutal, but perhaps more effective than this. Nevertheless, she did not despise the Sith Empire. Unlike Kainan Wolfe , she did not bury them.

”Oh, I didn't say a word that the said gentleman wouldn't have had classes like that. Just that he simply skipped them. I was fortunate to gain insight into education, not as a student but as an outside observer. Acolytes seemed more to careless students in normal higher education than to prospective Sith. It was disappointing. You won’t encounter anything like this here and I want to say that you won’t be able to miss classes under my teaching.”

Their lightsaber forms were nothing like it, there was no common ground, Ingrid knew niman, makashi and jar’kai. She didn't want to teach Ben to a new form. This left the possibility that they would then look for someone with whom the man could practice these. It was not her intention to shape the other into her own image at all costs. And she said that out loud, just waiting for Ben to say everything he wanted.

”I know other forms, but we will find an instructor who can train you.. I will not force you to learn the forms in which I am familiar. The teaching will be the same, you will definitely learn the basic things if you want to, if you don’t. But above these, I’m just going to teach you what interests you. If you don’t want to learn, you won’t, but you won’t take it too much. If you want to learn, and if you have the skills, you can take a lot as a disciple and within the Eternal Empire.”

She wanted to be a better teacher than Tacitus was. Of course, she had no complaints against the Emperor, they only had little time because they were both important political figures. They could have spent more time learning. Fortunately, the woman acquired knowledge in alternative ways that her master did not have time to teach her. The boy really learned a lot, which was good. Ingrid nodded again to apologize.

”What would you like to learn first? Or, tell me a little about yourself so I can get to know you better. Of course, you can also ask, as it is important that we get to know each other so that we can work together more easily.”

​

 

[Ben Serrano]

Ben Serrano

​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: A black lightsaber (hidden) | A long black coat, almost touching the ground, with black silk shirt under it, and black leather pants.
Tag: Ingrid L'lerim

Ben watched Ingrid without showing any emotion, since more adept force users recognising his emotions before him didn’t surprise the young man. It happened countless times in the Academy, order siths who were supposed to teach them found pleasure in any way they could tortured them.

“ Duly noted, my lord. Emotions are merely there to disturb the logical thinking, they are only there to weaken me. The sith teach they are useful tools if one can master them, but I never believed them. This is a lie they tell themself, because they are cowards, and too weak to face their biggest weakness, that they are mastered by them, they can’t use their emotions, their emotions control them. “ These thoughts were there in Ben, hidden behind other thoughts through all his academic years, he always felt this to be true. It felt liberated to say them to someone, who might actually think they are true as well, as he did.

“ We weren’t allowed to skip classes, and those who were lazy during combat training soon lost a few limbs and in some unfortunate cases, their lives. Some thought it was harsh, I think it was justice. It is better to die there, than wasting the precious time of others, and then die on the combat field. The one you are talking about, I consider him lucky, that he could quickly rise to such levels in the sorcery, before meeting his end. But I’m more than glad to hear that the bar will be higher here, that’s what I expected when I decided to join the Wardens. I will do everything in my power to meet such expectations, and learn ever so swiftly. “ Responded to the words of his master, and then proceeded to nod, when they were talking about the lightsaber forms.

“ I believe that first I should master at least one of the forms I’m already familiar with, before starting to reach into other fields. That way I can unleash the full potential, of knowing the basics in other aspects, building them into my style, and using their powers. But before mastering one true style, it will only confuse me, and maybe even set back the progress of my development. And I believe mastering one worth more, than knowing the basics of many. But once I am confident, I would be more than happy to learn the basics, and maybe even more about other forms. “ He felt that explaining everything he says might be too irritating, but since they didn’t know each other, this way the woman can learn how he thinks, and the reason behind his thinking. He feels that it’s important that his master knows him for a certain level, so she can work with him, and develop him as fast as she wants to.

“ I would very much like to hear about your views on the Force, and how you use it, what you teach about it here. I won’t lie, I’m curious about it. But sadly I can’t say much about myself. As you surely noticed, I like to learn, and it is in my interest to grow, both mentally, and in the Force. This drives me, and this is why I'm here now. And I would very much like to hear about you, to get to know you better, but I’m afraid I don’t know what to ask. It would help if you told me yourself what you find important for me to know about you. “

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

”Emotions can also be useful, Mr. Serrano, the important thing is not to let them control us. We have to control them completely. The Sith like to immerse themselves in their emotions and let it guide you, you see their greatest weakness very well. This is the fault of their part. If you don’t feel it, using Force will also be harder, especially if you want to use dark side forces. I say from experience, in my case, the problem is that I control them too well, so I can’t use them. I had to find alternative ways. So feel at ease, just learn to control them. To control them yourself and not the other way around.”

Luckily, their thinking was pretty much the same, and the young man's explanation shed enough light on why he left the Sith there. With this view, the teachings of the Wardens of the Shroud fit it much better.

”As far as I know, they shouldn’t kill each other in most places. It was taken out of the old Sith Academies. But yes, the gentleman's knowledge in the field of alchemy and sorcery is outstanding. If you’re somewhat familiar with local or Sith political life and have heard rumours, you already know who I am thinking of anyway.”

Didn’t say a name, but it was quite common in both Empires that Ingrid and AMCO were lovers. None of them denied or even refuted the news. Although in the two Empires they only showed up together in the Tower Vandiir because of the war situation, but they did not care about the formalities elsewhere. Ingrid nodded at Ben’s words again as they talked about what and how the young man would learn. Ironically, Ingrid did not prefer lightsabers, but normal vibroblades. She fought with them all her life.

”All right, I get it. In this case, I entrust you to one of the “weaponsmith” in fencing, someone who knows and can teach all forms. He may be the perfect for you. I don’t really think we’d find a common ground in these. Given that I don’t really use a lightsaber, only when there’s no other option. I prefer vibroblades when I have to engage in melee.”

She explained the reasons that it wasn’t the problem that Ben would learn, but that she wanted to find the best instructors for him. With whom he can learn as best and optimally as possible. What does anyone know about Ingrid? About a person who is a public figure but knows almost nothing about her? This could be a very interesting conversation. But since the other didn’t know anything about her, she starts with general information that can be revealed to anyone.

”I start my career as a CIS agent when I returned home to Nelvaan, the emperor summoned me. After a short conversation, he saw an opportunity in me, it was more complicated of course, but in short, this happened. I was given a noble rank in the “new” Empire he had raised, because I was born before the establishment of the Eternal Empire. I became his disciple, over the years I became the Emperor’s Hand, the Emperor’s right hand title, making me the Overlord in STRATCOM. The second-in-command, only he can give me a command. On top of that, I’m the director of Blackwatch, the secret police. I was an intelligence agent and assassin, in addition to being the CEO of the HPI Consortium found throughout the empire. I am a sorcerer if we mentioned the Force, although I only use Force as a last option. And my views about the Force are that we should not be allowed to control us, as it can be consumed by either side.”

​

 

[Ben Serrano]

Ben Serrano

​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: A black lightsaber (hidden) | A long black coat, almost touching the ground, with black silk shirt under it, and black leather pants.
Tag: Ingrid L'lerim

Ben didn’t feel proud, as Ingrid noted that he sees the weakness of the siths perfectly. It was tempting, but after the instructions, he fought the feeling, so it couldn’t overwhelm him. It would have happened if he didn’t control it, but this time he felt nothing. And it wasn’t easy, because he had to control it once again, not to feel proud of him doing so nice already, but this time it was harder, and he didn’t succeed so well. He felt already that controlling emotions will take a lot of practice, and it won’t be an easy task. But feeling proud in this situation meant no gain, he had no way of using that emotion, so it was worthless to feel it. And yet, he still felt it, only a little, a faint feeling, but that was the best he could do right now.

“ I will do my best. “ He assured Ingrid confidently. He wasn’t scared from a bit of a challenge, but at the same time he knew that he was going to work a lot on this.

“ Even I have a solid guess.” He wouldn’t have any, if it wasn’t somewhat of a common topic that even he had come across. But he didn’t say anything, he called it intentionally a guess, as he wasn’t sure himself. And he wasn’t the type who takes something given without certain evidence or proof. It might be worth knowing things that are only rumours, he is perfectly aware of that, that's why he listens, but he never trusts them completely.

“ And I am grateful for referring me to a weaponsmith, and you called it. “ He nodded, but he didn’t add his opinion on vibroblades, even though he had some. Those kinds of weapons could be useful in certain situations, but mostly, they are just annoyingly sturdy and heavy. If Ben would be asked, he would say that the disadvantages outweigh the advantage, but they are perfect for the common peasantry. But of course, he wasn’t asked, and he never would have allowed such thoughts for himself next to her master, who had already proved to be adept in reading his mind, at least his emotions.

“ That is an enthralling background, and I can only share your views regarding the Force. If some would study the history, she would find that there were many situations, where too much trust in the Force decided the outcome of the war of two sides. Like, having the Force buffing the army, the sith thought they could not be beat. Achieving victory after victory with the reckless, fearless pilots, or in other cases, the too frightened one, exaggerating these effects on them, the Jedi would do the same, but the opposite on their army. This would make it a stalemate, given the two armies are equal in strength. And yet, in some cases, one side had achieved marvelous victories in these battles. Not because one of the masters was more adept in these techniques, but because, in my opinion, the Force chose the side itself to guide. And they were so sure that they are using the Force, they never noticed that the Force itself is leading them astray. That’s why, when it comes to the Force, I'm always suspicious. I never trust it, I merely command it, to do what I want, and if it fights against my will, I have to find another way. Because I do believe that the Force has its own consciousness of some sort. Not like he would be another person, but more like a natural habitat, that always tries to survive, and for that, shapes itself, and shapes the wilderness living in itself. If a certain animal comes too dangerous to its domain, if it starts to overfeed, somehow it soon comes to be endangered. The natural environment starts to shape itself, and these animals are too late to adapt, or by adapting, they lose their dominant powers. Nature is truly fascinating, and thinking that we are not part of it, that we have control over our habitation is nothing less than ignorance in my opinion.”

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

Ingrid felt perfectly that her student struggled with the feeling and he tried to suppress it. She still remembered a time when all this was causing her great hardship, though she was still a small child. Then maybe it could all have been easier than at that age. Not to mention that she inherited from both parents that she could instinctively do so. It was easier and harder for her at the same time. With an adult head, it’s easier to understand why you need to do this. She hadn't spoken yet, just waiting to see what the younger man would do in this job.

”Not bad at first! It will get better over time, you don’t have to worry. Fortunately, this is something that can be practiced anytime, anywhere, even unnoticed.”

Indeed, this part was really good for this task. And she had no doubt that Ben would learn and strive to the best of his ability. Fortunately for Ben, Ingrid wasn’t an actual telepath, so she could only read strong, top thoughts, just like any other Force Users. Another issue is that the woman was also able to read well in body language, which was often perhaps more effective and useful than mind reading. Thoughts can deceive, movements and motions very rarely. True, these were job responsibilities for the woman to know these. She still liked to take care of things herself, even if she didn’t need it because of her rank.

As she listened to Ben, it was quite obvious why he left the Sith after all. It was nice to see for the red-hair woman that there are still sober-minded people on this issue. He really got to the best place. Ingrid thought that from her point of view, the man would agree with what the Wardens say, that the Force must be destroyed so that the Force cannot control anyone. But she didn't have to tell him that yet, and he'll find out in time. Once.

”Sympathetic and well thought out attitude, Mr. Serrano. From your words, I feel like you’ve thought a lot about this before, you’ll have a very good place in the ranks of the Wardens of the Shroud. I would still like to know what you are interested in the field of alchemy and sorcery.”

​

 

[Ben Serrano]

Ben Serrano

​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: A black lightsaber (hidden) | A long black coat, almost touching the ground, with black silk shirt under it, and black leather pants.
Tag: Ingrid L'lerim

“ Thank you. “ Nodded the young man for the encouraging words. He was confident that he could do this, sooner or later he would be the master of his own emotions.

“ If I could add, I would like to practice with lightsabers in the morning. I find that physical activity soon after waking up is the most efficient, as it even helps with my afternoon studying, my mind is more awake and can take in information with more ease. On the other hand, practicing in the afternoon breaks this routine, and I also waste the morning with studying, as it is not that efficient for me. Of course it’s only a favor to ask, I am ready to change things up, and do as you wish, if you think that another way would be more productive, or if the everyday chores can’t allow this practice. “ Asked the disciple, he didn’t try to add any flattery words, as Ingrid asked him not to. He just said what he would like, and explained the reasoning behind it, as he thought that's what she expects from him.

“ At first I would like to deepen my knowledge with altering and imbuing inanimate objects, as I read about the usefulness of such artifacts. And I think that experimenting on conscious beings would be a waste with my current skills. I would like to learn how to create talismans that improve my concentration, maybe even hide my emotions, as long as i’m not their master it could be a useful tool, and maybe some that could grant me protection, just to list some basic artifacts i have read about. And I was always fascinated by the force illusion that could be projected by an adept force user, and always wanted to learn such power myself as well. But let me add, I would very much like to hear from you if you think I should learn some basic skills or study some fields more before starting on my ambitious journey of perfecting my knowledge. “

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

”Well, you also have to attend a basic military training because, as you must have looked after, you know that military service in the Eternal Empire is mandatory for everyone for a minimum of two years. This also requires basic training, which is included in the two years. In your case, as my disciple, this will probably not be an actual active service, but will happen on my side. And because of my rank, you too will start your studies at a fairly high military rank.”

This was also the case with her, although she had combat training and had served as an agent for the CIS for years before returning to the Eternal Empire. She had always been a lone wolf, so it was very strange to the woman when, as a disciple of the Emperor, she had to perform military duties and find her place very quickly. It was one thing to learn these and another to use them in a sharp situation.

”In most cases, you are likely to train and exercise alone. I will try to make time for you, but my job as the Emperor’s Hand requires round-the-clock service. The Emperor can give me assignments at any minute, even in the middle of the night, not to mention my position as director. But when I have time, I will try to deal with you and not just through instructors.”

At least when she was here, if not, Kessia could stay for education. She had the same knowledge as Ingrid anyway. Quite exactly what the woman had before meeting the Force Entity.

”Since you could probably only experiment on people who have been sentenced to death, that’s not a waste. The best way to experiment. Some of the residents of the Camp 9 are a great base for this. It is not difficult to get permission to experiment on them. Or, if you don’t want a conflict with the law, you still can capture pirates outside the Empire’s borders, they are also perfect for that. And got it, so it’s primarily alchemy rather than sorcery. In this case, I approve the permission here in the library to access books in this direction. I typically learned the things first, either from the Emperor or something else, that was most useful to me. But of these, what I feel is important is not to make ourselves a target, that is, it is important that we can hide ourselves in the Force so that they do not feel our presence or that we are Force Users. I think that would be the first and most important thing you should learn.”

​

 

[Ben Serrano]

Ben Serrano

​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: A black lightsaber (hidden) | A long black coat, almost touching the ground, with black silk shirt under it, and black leather pants.
Tag: Ingrid L'lerim

“ I am familiar with this custom. “ Ben noted, as he was told about the military requirements. As expected, he already read about the rules of the Empire, and he was counting on that he won’t be an exception.

“ May I indulge about what military rank may I expect? So I can act according to that. “ He asked, as he liked to prepare for such things, and he would continue to study according to the specified rank.

“ I may add that I wasn’t given any military training, only combat, so that's an entire new field for me, but you can expect me to study and prepare, so I won’t disappoint you. “ He assured Ingrid, not because he wanted to brag or lower the expectations, but he wanted that they are clear about his flaws, not just his strengths. And he expected that Ingrid very much wants him to point these out as well.

“ I don’t mind training alone, but if I’m given guidelines and occasional surveys, I believe it would hasten my learning, and keep me from straying from the expected learning path. But of course these surveys can be done by advanced trainees, not just by yourself, if you don’t find the time, in my opinion. “

“ Well, at least for now. But I would very much like to learn sorcery as well later. Thank you for the security clearance, and I will point myself in the recommended direction. I will work on dampening my visibility in the Force first. “ He very much liked the idea. If he can weaken his presence, not perfectly fade it, but weaken, it could mean that others underestimate him. And that, he wouldn’t mind.

" Maybe I will be able to make such an artifact, that does that for me. That would hit two birds with one stone. " He added after a short thinking.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

Ingrid noted with satisfaction that Ben had looked for it or learned about it. Probably in more detail, because to come to the Eternal Empire without anyone caring about what laws are or what the conditions are for living here was irresponsible. At least according to the woman. She had to think about the question for a few moments, considering Ingrid immediately started as a commander, though her situation was much more special than Ben's.

”The rank of officer is definitely certain. I would say captain or major. Above this, it would be unwise to give anything until you have proven your abilities. If you do, of course, you will be ranked higher.”

Even these ranks were not low. And the decision, as it turned out, was a good one, because the young man, on his own statement, had never received military training. After all, it was Sith, so Ingrid wasn't surprised. In such a field, not everyone can be like Telis Taharin-Zambrano , in whom she met a great man for the existence of the Sith, and could almost, maybe not just almost call him a friend. They thought and applied the right tactics quite similarly, and of course the Dark Councillor was a gentleman with a fairly military disposition. Ingrid really liked him as a man, there was no ulterior motive here.

”There's nothing wrong with that, you don't have to be ashamed of it. Anyway, the essence of basic training is that the civilian population also learns everything from the ground up. Maybe it’s better not to have received any training before. It is easier to learn something first than to learn a new one instead of a fixed other training.”

She meant it, so it might have come out really good for Ben. The red-hair woman listened to what the young man said and nodded at him.

”It’s natural, even if I can’t be physically present, I will still monitor your training, make suggestions, and evaluate your progress, which you will then receive a report on. If I have time, on a daily basis.”

She nodded contentedly that Ben wanted to learn what she was proposing. Ingrid would have been happy if a certain AMCO wanted to acquire this ability so enthusiastically, but she had no luck with that. She nodded at the next one again before speaking.

”Yes, just the magic item may not work in all circumstances, or it may be abandoned or destroyed by others. It doesn’t hurt to also know the actual Force ability and combine them.”

So far, Ingrid has only made herself weapons and tried to make a shield talisman, with almost success. Somehow, teaching always ends differently with AMCO when they finally decide to teach each other. It will always end with what “distracts” them from learning by default. However, one more important thing came to mind.

”Where did you get accommodation? In the capital or in Vengard?”

​

 

[Ben Serrano]

Ben Serrano

​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: A black lightsaber (hidden) | A long black coat, almost touching the ground, with black silk shirt under it, and black leather pants.
Tag: Ingrid L'lerim

“ That fills me with satisfaction. I wouldn’t feel comfortable given any higher rank, and I generally believe in the militaristic principle that you first have to earn a rank, in order to own it. So because of this I will be sure to make myself worthy of a rank, even if I won’t be commanding armies soon. “ He was telling the truth, he never liked aristocracy, and the birthright titles. Sure, being born into a valued and well endorsed family can help to become a valuable part of society, as the tools are there, but someone should prove that they can use it, before they get branded. And he didn’t feel that this situation was any different. That's why it was important for him to study well, and be just as good captain or major, as any other in the military. And if he was to be promoted, he has to be even better.

“ I have never been ashamed of who I am, or what my flaws are. And discovering that there’s a field where I have to grow, there’s something to study is nothing but a joyful occasion. After all, if we don’t take every chance that there is, if we skip something just because we think that we don’t care about it, or that it doesn’t helpful for us, we miss the chance to understand a new perspective, a new way to look at the world around us, and what we have already learned. “ This response is basically who Ben was. Someone who wanted to learn as much as possible, at least in his current state, so he can work to come up with new ideas, new reforms, just like every great scientist did before. They weren’t sitting in their chairs, thinking that everything is perfect the way it is, and there’s nothing worth questioning.

“ It’s never hurt to have too much security. “ He nodded. “ But I believe that if there’s a passive tool that does the same that I can, it is worth having. And it’s just as good as my first artifact, as any other. “ He explained that he didn’t want to skip his force lesson. After all, he has to know how the skill works, if he wants to recreate it.

“ So far nowhere, I'm living on my ship. I was offered a place to stay, but it didn’t seem wise to accept it before I got to meet my master, as I wasn’t sure if he would be local, or someone from the furthest part of the Empire. And I spent most of my time here anyway. “

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

”And that's okay! This is why there will always be a higher military person in a sharp position with you who will be able to override your orders if you make a mistake. And of course to educate you. This is where you can learn the most.”

Ingrid shared the same view as Ben, even if they didn't necessarily know it. The woman also believed that everyone had to deserve their own rank to receive it. And not the other way around, they get it before they’ve done it for them. In the old days, before the Eternal Empire, clans were no exception either, someone may have been a member of the clan, but in society this did not mean much until proven they are worthy. The woman also worked hard for each of the positions she received.

”Like I said before, great attitude! Just don't overdo it. If you want to learn too much, in the end you may not know anything about anything, because before you are done learning something, you will already go to the next knowledge. For this, try to pay attention and find the balance, the golden mean.”

She nodded at the next one and almost said something, but it may not have been to the young man's advantage. Ingrid has always been trained as a lone wolf, so the fact that she can only count on Ben may not have been a good lesson. She did not want to do as a master what she fell into as a disciple or a child. The Emperor’s Hand knew she was probably going to make a mistake, but as a maximalist, that was hard to accept.

”The key is to find harmony and balance.”

She left it at that, she knew more about it anyway, because her whole life was about finding a balance between the personality traits inherited from her parents anyway because of her genetic anomaly. The other thing, however, was interesting that the man still lives on his ship. This, in turn, was not practical unless it had a luxury yacht like Adrian or Ingrid. And she thought that was quite unlikely.

”All right, you will get a designated accommodation in Vengard. It is located about 420 km from the capital, to the north. The town is under the control of the house of L’lerim, that is, under mine. You will get accommodation in the aristocratic district unless you want it in an average district.”

​

 

[Ben Serrano]

Ben Serrano

​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: A black lightsaber (hidden) | A long black coat, almost touching the ground, with black silk shirt under it, and black leather pants.
Tag: Ingrid L'lerim

“ I find that comforting. “ Ben nodded, because he didn’t mind some supervision. He knew that soon he would be better than anyone who would be watching over him, and this way he could show that, and earn some promotions fast. At least that was his plan, that he found foolproof. And getting to know some high ranking officers in the Empire was a welcomed addition.

“ I would never be a jack of all trades, but master of none. I saw such mistakes, enough, to know how to spot them even if I'm the one making them. So, I share your view on this subject, and I never do anything without giving it my maximum. “ He smiled, not because he felt like it was a good thing to do - after all, he was careful not to feel anything - but because he wanted to show a tiny bit of forced emotion, as he felt that controlling his emotions and using them isn’t enough. He thought that he had to practice to show false feelings, plant them on the mind of the others, as if he wasn’t controlling them. Give them the false impression of him being agitated, happy, at cetera. Of course he knew that it wouldn’t work on Ingrid, and he didn’t mean to insult her in any way. But practice makes perfect, and he felt like practicing here wouldn’t harm anyone.

“ Thank you for the offer. I am happy with either, but I believe given the situation, it would be expected that I live in the aristocrat district. But of course, it doesn’t matter to me. I will most likely spend my time training, or learning. And it doesn’t matter to me where I lay down to sleep, or sit down to meditate. I don’t really have any possessions that I need to place somewhere safe, and honestly, I could even sleep here in the library, if it had any place to shower and clean my clothes. But some study showed that the change in the atmosphere can have a helpful effect on one's capabilities to study, so it's probably for the best that I stay in some other place. “

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Ingrid L’lerim
The Red Witch; Emperor's hand; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Red Library, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x red blade lightsaber shoto (hidden) | Tactical Turtleneck with this look as Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano

A woman would never have made the mistake of promoting someone without being watched or taught. She was not a person to put someone in a high position just because, for example, the other was a lover, a confidant, or a person close to her. This is a special case again, but these – ranks, titles and rights – can be taken away from the disciple at any time if these do not prove to be good enough for the task.

Next up, the red-haired woman nodded, yes, it’s important to pay attention to mistakes, this should never be forgotten. Ingrid's knowledge was also extensive, but unfortunately it didn't cover a good few things, which she wanted to know. Such were the natural sciences, for example. Physics and math went well for her, but chemistry, genetics and things like that didn’t. She knew anatomy because it was necessary for perfect killing, not to mention torture. Where she can kill fast, or just slowly and painfully. The memories of the Force entity should be evoked at some point during a longer meditation, because it had such knowledge in abundance.

”It's okay, but keep that in mind for later. As for playing emotions. Your body language should also reflect these, just as your gaze, intended to deceive anyone, should look as if they are real emotions. This is what everyone should feel. It is also a long exercise.”

And Ingrid probably knew this better than anyone else, having learned this since she was a toddler. If she had to, she would have played anything to the young man in a way that she believed to be a reality even if she knew it was just a show and no more than that. Based on what had been done so far, she was sure that the young man would even fall asleep and stay here if he could. But that was not an option, only the soldiers stationed here lived here, or even they didn’t.

”Then you get the apartment in the noble quarter, from there you can reach the castle sooner if needed. Are you ready to give a presentation on what you know? Of course in one of the practice rooms and not up here.”

​