Sins of Eternity (Ferus)

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

'So...how do we go about looking for them?'

'I have no clue.'

'You're the expert in Sith, surely you know.'

'I feel like neither an expert, nor knowledgeable...nor being able to make a damn sandwich.' As the smell of burnt chicken expanded into the air, he turned off the stove and just let the meat cool before throwing it into the trash. Out of all of his hidden caches, this one on Coruscant had been left untouched. If there was one thing he could do, he could make things that lasted. His cache, hidden from scanners, and located in the most random place in the storage spaces of some of the most wealthy, it had been left undisturbed for over eight years. Not a thing was missing...except for maybe the spoiled food he had left here. That just had to go. That science experiment was one he didn't want to partake of. Now that his chicken sandwich was a bust, he wondered now what to do to get something to eat. 'Alright, might as well look while getting something to eat.' No response came to this as he got his usual things, a blaster or two, some grenades to hide in his obi, but he also picked up one of his spare black messenger bags, containing one of his prized weapons: an illegally modified DC-15x Sniper Rifle. To say the least, he could skin the head off a man three miles away. Not that he would need to shoot from such a distance right now, but it's been something he's had to do before.

Fast forward about thirty minutes, and he's atop the sky lounge of...well, a very nice restaurant, and somewhat expensive. Since finding his cache, he was able to get a hold of some extra credits, so why not blow it on something nice? Hell, it's been eight years since he had a good out in the city, why not treat himself? The bonus: rum, and woman...lots and lots of woman...dancing. As the night sky was shown above through the window ceiling, he sat at the bar and drank his drink, and looked out over to the dancers as they swayed back and forth in the starlight, the room dimly lit to suit the mood.

"Your order, sir?" Asked the bartender. Sorin smirked, a knowing look on his face as he glanced over to the man.

"House special...food and drink." He felt good, and with the first shot of rum, he felt he wanted something a bit more than that tonight. Nodding, the man poured a concoction of various drinks, and placed it right in front of Sorin. He'd need more than that to make him lose his edge.

'To all my sins.' And with that, he downed it.

 

[Darth Ferus]

Nearby sat none other than Darth Ferus. He was by the bar, sitting there with a glass of just whisky in his palm. His target, a large man with little to go for him other than his money, sat across the way. This man had been trading secrets of the Sith for his good fortune, and expected that by paying off the authorities and burring his involvement he wouldn't be found out. Or that if he was, he would get a warning and he could escape without any knowing. But he had failed in keeping his involvement a secret.

And Ferus was here to punish it. His eyes were always on his target, who at this moment was getting a small.. Gift so to speak. A drink, incredibly expensive as it was, had a small extra dose of poison. Unknown, of course, the fat man drank his cup without a second thought. Arrogance got the better of him, and within moments he was choking to death. There was a smirk on the Zabraks face as he watched, and when he was sure the man had died, he downed his drink.

The bar was alight with activity as the man had begun chocking. Now that he died, panic set in with the rest of the group. They all rushed out, running out of the building as quick as they themselves could. All save for the bartender, who was on Ferus's own payroll, and Ferus. And possibly [member="Sorin Vanado"] . If the man didn't leave during the hustle and bustle, two blue eyes would find their way to his form, staring intently. Sith troopers came into the building to remove the body, but none of them bothered those who remained. Such was the luxury of being Sith at least.

 

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

"Oh my god!"

That was the first scream he heard when he finished eating, about to take another swing of his drink, but stopped mid motion. He turned his head and noticed down at the end of the bar a man was chocking, thrashing back and forth as if trying to swat at something. It wasn't long until his head rested against the counter, and he ceased to move, no more. This didn't sit well with the other occupants of the room as they began to clear out, but Sorin didn't. He stood from his stool, walked over to the body, and started his own examination, turning the man's head to better look at his face. Pulse was very much gone. 'Swelling of the throat...rash...and his lips are blue...' This man either had an allergic reaction to something he drank, or someone poisoned him. Great, an interesting end to a night he had started to like. Not coming here again, that's for sure. The place was still in the midst of panic as people were rushing to get their things, tripping over tables, chairs, and mostly themselves. People did stupid things when they were...well, stupid. Sorin went back to his stool, grabbed his messenger bag, and just as he was about to leave, he noticed something. Out of all the people going about, there were only two people who didn't panic: the bartender, and one other guy at the bar. He turned to look, and they meet each other's gaze. The man's deep blue eyes, and Sorin's own vivid violet eyes; this was an odd development.

'Stay here.' The voice popped up again, always inside his head, but he seemed anxious, almost excited.

'Why?'

'You wanted to find the Sith...well, you just met one. Trust me, I know.' He wasn't sure how, and he wasn't why, but if what the voice said was true, then...who knows what would happen next. The Sith troopers came into the room, a few at a time, not terribly too many, but they did their business, examined the remains, gathered the evidence they needed, and then left. So much for the dead.

 

[Darth Ferus]

Slowly the red man would rise from his seat. The bartender, satisfied that the Sith Troopers did their job with cleaning the mess, was on his way out. "Just don't break anything else my Lord. I can't afford it." There was a smirk on the Darth's face as he turned to look to the older man. The look within the blue eyes of Ferus was enough it seemed for him however, as he left shortly after. Now, however, the building was empty, save for Ferus and [member="Sorin Vanado"] .

"You know, most people would just leave. Tell me boy, why do you stay?" There was a slight glance over the red mans shoulder as he brought Sorin back into view. This boy was an unknown. All the rest had left, according to plan. And yet, here was another drinking blissfully to himself. Even after he was noticed by the lord he remained. Perhaps he was looking for Ferus? Possible, as it was there had been many searching for him in the past. But part of him felt that it wasn't him specifically being searched for. So he would wait, arms crossed over his chest, for the boys answer.

 

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

"You know, most people would just leave. Tell me boy, why do you stay?"

"I see..." A suddenly overwhelming feeling came over him, and as he stood, his left eye slowly turned gold. It was just the same at with the Empress Stormson, and here it was again, a feeling he could not explain. "I see...Darth...in your name." As he thought about the man before him, the name seemed to come to mind, like a blaring light shining in his face that needed to be seen. If Sorin could properly focus, he would be able to feel the sudden intense, dense dark energy of his body. And just as suddenly, his eyes glazed back to their violet color. "If I had a logical reason, I would tell you. But for the past few weeks, the Force has been anything but logical." Sorin didn't know how, but the more he did anything, the more he could do. Even being in the man's presence was drawing something out that Sorin didn't fully understand, and it was only getting stronger. "Ever since I was on Korriban, eight years ago, events are happening that I cannot explain. I meet...Ayra there, once...but I went to sleep, and here I am. At first, I thought she did something...but I don't think she did anything. Merely...woke up something..."

'Our darkness...' The voice echoed again in his head, and he could feel the sensation come back, his left eye glazing over again: the bright gold, a piercing gold. Like flames.

"...and I don't know what to do with it."

 

[Darth Ferus]

"The Darth Ayra?" This name was far from unknown to the Zabrak Sith. Once upon a time, he trained the woman himself in the art of Ataru, though he almost killed her in the process. But for now, he was focused on [member="Sorin Vanado"] . Interesting, what ever was happening allowed him to see things beyond what most would, and that itself was something useful. Especially the golden eye. It was a mark of the Sith, and one Ferus knew all too well.

"I am indeed a Darth boy. Darth Ferus. What is your name?" With an interest ever peeking the longer he spent with Sorin, a smile began to form on his red lips. This was the sort of thing that happened very, very rarely, and he had no intention of letting this go. At least, so long as this red headed man proved useful. If not, he would be deposed of like the rest, a witness to too much. That would be a waste, and one the Darth hoped to avoid.

 

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

"The Darth Ayra?"

"Darth? Interesting...she never said she was one. Curious." In a way, Sorin wasn't surprised. At the time of everything that was happening, declaring you were something didn't exactly score points with anyone else. Or maybe...maybe when they met, she was not yet a Darth at that point in time. It had been eight years since their last meeting. A lot can happen in eight years.

"I am indeed a Darth boy. Darth Ferus. What is your name?"

"Sorin. Sorin Vanado." The feeling was constant now. It was a strange feeling, but it brought no pain, and did not make him uncomfortable. In fact, his attention was more focused, more alert.

'...so it begins.'

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Sorin Vanado." The Darth repeated the name before nodding once. It wouldn't be a name he would forget. Motioning back to the table [member="Sorin Vanado"] had come from, and he himself would move to sit by it. "We have much to chat about Sorin, so if you will have a seat we can begin." Right off the bat the Zabrak could tell the boy was force sensitive, so there was a large potential for.. Good things.

"As you know, I am Sith. How would you like to join them?"

 

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

"Sorin Vanado. We have much to chat about Sorin, so if you will have a seat we can begin. As you know, I am Sith. How would you like to join them?"

"To be technical, I never left." The correction was only a minimal notation in their chat, at least in Sorin's eyes. He took a seat, just as Ferus did, and hung the messenger on the side of the chair, as it gave an audible clank. The sniper rifle, along with a many other assortment of things, were still in the bag. "I had not begun training yet, due to the Battle of Korriban. If my memory serves me correctly, Darth Krag was Lord of the Sith at that time. But...this was about six, eight years ago now. During the battle, I was knocked unconscious, and next thing I know, I'm on a station on the other end of the galaxy. I discovered I had been put into suspended animation, and made my way here. I don't know who did this, but I will find them in time." He took a look across the room, wondering briefly about what the bartender said. Ferus was a good foot taller than Sorin, and just as muscular. He had a feeling the next few months were not going to be easy. Then again, when is life ever? "But to properly answer your question..." he started out, glancing back at Ferus.

"...yes, I will join you."

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Darth Vulcanus. Yes, I.. Remember him." Remember is a subtle word for it. Vulcanus was Ferus's master and tormentor once upon a time within the New Order. But now wasn't time for flashbacks or memories. So with a slight nod to [member="Sorin Vanado"] 's answer the Zabrak would nod. "Very good. Then I shall take you on as an apprentice, and ultimately help you achieve your goal. Does that work for you boy?"

 

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

"Very good. Then I shall take you on as an apprentice, and ultimately help you achieve your goal. Does that work for you boy?"

"Works for me." Grabbing his bag, he stood up, and brought it over his shoulder, ready to go. This was going to be an interesting occasion, but what's more was that he was starting to gather allies. Maybe now he could gather the resources he would need to finally figure out what the hell was going on with his life. Which reminded him...where was his father now, these days? Something else he will have to look forward to.

"What do we do now...Boss?"

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Ferus will do, no need for boss or anything like that. And for now, we leave. Can't stay here forever, and if you want to become true Sith we're gonna have to get right to training no? Follow me." And with that the red man would stand up, stretch, and begin to leave the bar itself. The pair had places to be now that the crimescene was removed and [member="Sorin Vanado"] had accepted. The future looked bright now, or dark if you consider the path the boy was to take.

 

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

"Ferus will do, no need for boss or anything like that. And for now, we leave. Can't stay here forever, and if you want to become true Sith we're gonna have to get right to training no? Follow me."

Part of Sorin sighed in relief when he could just address him as Ferus. Good, makes things more enjoyable on his end in that regard. He hated addressing superiors by some title or such nonsense. He hated superiors, period. Just the idea makes him irritated. It's part of the whole reason he kept going being an assassin. As one, he didn't have to listen to anyone. Just himself and his work. No one else to give him orders. If the orders though sound good to him, then why not? Otherwise, hell with it. As Sorin left the bar with Ferus, he wondered something else: what kind of training are we talking about here?

'Looks like I'm about to find out.'

 

[Darth Ferus]

"And now to the Sith Temple we go." Ferus spoke mostly to himself, but he did cast a glance over to [member="Sorin Vanado"] . He had been looking for Sith, but why didn't he just go right to the source here on Coruscant? Was it possible he did not know the Sith ruled the planet? No, that would be impossible. Someone would have to have been frozen for years for them not to know by this point. A minor thought pushed into his head that perhaps this man had been frozen, but it was quickly squashed.

"It's not too long of a walk, so why don't you tell me a bit about yourself Sorin?"

 

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

"And now to the Sith Temple we go. It's not too long of a walk, so why don't you tell me a bit about yourself Sorin?"

"Sith...Temple? When did Coruscant have a Sith Temple? If I remember correctly, Coruscant was in Repub-..." The further along his thoughts and mind went, his words eventually left him, and left the both of them in silence as Sorin contemplated his words and the words previously spoken to him back on the station from weeks before.

'I don't have a name.'

"Who made you?"

'I don't know. They never told me who they were, but from my understanding, you have been in suspended animation for the past eight years.'

"Eight years..." As they walked down the streets of Coruscant, the memory replayed in his head. He had a glazed look in his eye as he remembered, and he was reminded of when they were back in the bar. Storm troopers had come in and cleaned up the mess from the dead guy. Storm troopers...eight years...Sorin stopped walking. "Damn son-of-a-!!!" His eyes flashed gold again, and rage built up inside him like a hurricane, as he drove his fist into the nearby wall. The entire steel frame bent inward as he connected, but did not go through. The entirety of everything he had been thinking about for the past several weeks now just sunk in, and he was angry. Angry at the ones who did this to him, but also at himself for letting this happen in the first place. 'This won't happen again. Never again!' As he swore to himself this, he calmed, composed himself, and afterward, chuckled to himself.

"My apologizes...let's keep moving," he said to Ferus, not wanting more attention being drawn to them than Sorin felt comfortable with. This outburst was unlike Sorin...and he had not yet answered Ferus's question. As they continued to walk, he would answer him fully. "I mentioned before that I was placed into suspended animation...but that fact finally sunk in a moment ago...I had not realized yet the full magnitude of what that meant for me. You said there's a Sith Temple. Until today, I have only known Coruscant to be in Republic space...but if that is no longer true, then I have truly missed eight years of events since my time. Which means I truly have no clue what's going on in the galaxy anymore." He sighed, rubbing his temples as he contemplated what to do. Eight years of history, and he knew nothing. No wonder the galaxy felt different, it was different! What a pain. "I come from a long line of assassins, known as the Vanado Clan. I was trained from birth to master my art, though it seems I still have much to learn. My father, as far as I know now, is the leader of the Assassins Guild, a Guild that has worked in the darkness since time immemorial. Whether he still lives, I do not know. None of my contacts are responding to my messages, at least not yet. It is one of many things I had planned to do when I arrived here on Coruscant, but it seems my journey will lead me down a far longer road than I had anticipated." Since they were on the topic, Sorin knew he needed to ask the question that has been on his mind for a while, and was now hanging in the air.

"What has happened in the past eight years?"

 

[Darth Ferus]

There was a slight look of disbelief as [member="Sorin Vanado"] started about him being frozen for some time. He was shocked to hear it, but realization quickly set in as he began to understand. Sorin was simply lost in time. With a smile on his face he would offer a nod to him. An assassin clan hiding in the darkness? Now, Ferus couldn't have a potential rival like that lurking about, but he didn't want to kill them either, if they could be useful.

"Honestly, I can't really answer such a question. I don't remember what happened just last year, let alone what happened over the last eight. What I do know is the One Sith own much of the center systems, and are continuing their war against the Republic unhindered. But, tell me more about this assassin clan? Where are they exactly? Perhaps we could go visit them."

 

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

"Honestly, I can't really answer such a question. I don't remember what happened just last year, let alone what happened over the last eight."

'Story of my life,' Sorin thought to himself, contemplating what to do next in that regard. There were a great many things that still needed done, and the list was not getting shorter.

"What I do know is the One Sith own much of the center systems, and are continuing their war against the Republic unhindered."

Sounds about right from what he knew of the Sith. The two central bodies of Force users, the Jedi and Sith, were always something of a mystery to Sorin. Not widely talked about in his clan, but the topic of their practice had been discussed, if only briefly. The main point was that the lower ranked members would need to steer clear of them as much as possible and as far away as one could get. Though ranked "S", the highest ranking one could obtain among its members, he wasn't fond of doing anything with those he didn't know two cents about. At least that was how it was; now here he walked alongside a Sith, and going to be trained in their ways. Things change, don't they?

"But, tell me more about this assassin clan? Where are they exactly? Perhaps we could go visit them."

"Hehe...I wish it was that easy." Remarked Sorin, chuckling and wishing it was that simple. "If the Guild has a base-of-operations, then I don't know of it, and my father certainly didn't share it. Since working on my own, I have always communicated with them over encrypted channels. The Guild is composed of thirteen clans, mine being one of them; and they are constantly moving. We went to where the work was. I can remember days where we would stay on a planet for a day before moving, and then sometimes for a few months."

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Well, you see. I run another Assassin group that works directly for the Sith. I am interested in meeting these clans, and perhaps bringing them into the fold. Do you still know the channels?" He really just wanted to make sure there was no competition, and was more than willing to kill all those in his way. Of course, he didn't know how [member="Sorin Vanado"] would react to the idea of killing all he ever knew. They were close to the temple, so much so that the boy could probably feel the darkness from it.

 

[Sorin Vanado]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

"Well, you see. I run another Assassin group that works directly for the Sith. I am interested in meeting these clans, and perhaps bringing them into the fold. Do you still know the channels?"

"Unfortunately, I have a suspicion that mine don't work anymore. It has been a while since I last sent anything." Just as he finished, the feeling from before came back again, and his eyes glazed over gold once more. "We're near, aren't we?"

(Sorry it's short. Not sure what else to write =P)

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Well, that's no fun." A frown settled on Ferus's lips. So there was a rival that he had no access to. That was something he couldn't exactly be excited about. But when [member="Sorin Vanado"] mentioned they were close, the Zabrak's frown turned upside down. He looked to the boy, offering a quick wink. "Aye, we are almost there. You ready to become a real Sith?" Blue eyes practically sparkled as he nodded his head to the Sith Temple. IT looked just as it did on Korriban, with of course a better background that was Coruscant.