Private So What Are You Doing, Exactly?

[Alina Tremiru]

"All Sith are survivors. They have to be."

The smile and laughter faded all at once as Alina turned her gaze elsewhere. Countless Sith she'd known. Grown up with. They were dead, most in unmarked graves. Some by enemies. Some by the very Sith they served to get strong. But as the Sith would say, that's how the strong could survive. That's how the weak would become the strong. Perhaps there was truth to it. Alisteri, herself. Both had gotten stronger to survive.

".. Probably. I don't know if it's possible, but I can harm it. So, why not? Otherwise, I'm just a needless monster in this galaxy."

Alize

 

[Alize]

Alize nodded.

That was a terrible truth she knew all too well. Of the Force sensitive children who had been abducted from her village and other nearby ones, she was one of three who survived and had lived to come of age.

“I guess you have no choice.”

Her words were a soft whisper.

The Force was a curse both to those who could wield it and those who could not. To accept it and consume its sweet poison was to pursue a millennia old path paved with blood. The battle of light and darkness. A futile path. A foolish path.

“Should you find a way to break the curse, let me know. I will happily help.”

Alize remembered the relief she had felt when she was briefly released from it. It was as if a weight had been lifted from chest and she could finally breathe. Although the destruction of the Force was not necessary for her freedom, she wanted to stop gasping for air.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"I have choices. I could go back to being what amounts to a pet to a former lover. I could go hide in the sewers of Coruscant as many of my kind tend to. I could find some planet to hide away on as my mind rotted from a lack of fresh blood. Hell I could just kill myself if I wanted. But I don't like those choices. I don't want to be a monster, or a pet. Or a coward." She spoke with a lot more anger than she expected. She blinked, clearing her throat before glancing towards the bar. Waiting to put in an order, unless they were supposed to go up to the bar first.

Which were they supposed to do again? .. Ah, it didn't matter.

"If I do, I'll break yours first. But don't hold your breath on it. Rather, let me know when you want your master dead and I'll come help you. In exchange, you help me topple the current regime of Sith with whatever assets you pull from your soon to be dead Master."

Alize

 

[Alize]

Sorrow. Comfort. Guilt.

Alize experienced each of these feelings in quick succession as the woman spoke. Sorrow for her suffering, comfort in knowing that she was not alone in her struggle against the Sith, and finally, guilt for feeling comforted by another’s struggles.

“That sounds more than fair.” Alize nodded.

A spark ignited within her and burnt away her apathy. She finally had a purpose beyond survival, sustained by something other than an almost impossible hope.

“But before I can enact vengeance on my Master, I must amass power. It would be foolish to take action without adequate preparation.”

Alize muttered, speaking more to herself than the woman beside her. She to act. Now.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Amassing power is every Sith's trial and struggle. Some lead cults, others armies. Some Lords prevent their apprentices from even amassing their owerbase to begin with. A cruel fate for any Sith who wants to survive." Allies, worshippers, soldiers. They were needed to survive the game of politics the Sith would play. The Empire had spared many Sith from making such a choice, but perhaps that was why so many died when it fell.

"I'll lend you some of my powerbase so you might start your own. A symbol of our alliance against the Sith Lords. I have no intention of stopping at your master, after all. Sith evolve with every generation. Or are supposed to. Too many old dogs too stubborn to die." Alina rolled her eyes, obviously displeased by it all. But brought back the kind smile shortly after.

"When you're done with whatever it is your Master is keeping you from, come help me as an equal."

Alize

 

[Alize]

"I understand that all too well. My Master would never approve - that is why I must act from the shadows. To do so otherwise would be both foolish and dangerous."

For now she would continue to play her part and conceal her new found ambitions. She was going to forge her own justice in the blood of her Master.

"Good, do not stop at my Master. Purge the Sith. Destroy them." Alize did not hide her anger as she spoke. Enough people had suffered violence at the hands of the Sith. There were already too many victims. This could not be allowed to continue. It was the least she could do to honour the dead as a survivor.

"What my Master keeps me from is foolish hope. It is something I might not be able to resolve in this life time." She made a pained expression as she spoke and hot tears slid down her face. It pained her to reconcile with the knowledge that a reunion with her sister was most likely impossible but it was necessary if she intended to emerge from stasis and take her first step forward. "Therefore, I think it is more worthwhile to join you after the fall of my Master."

Alize's shoulders shook violently as tears escaped from her eyes. The thought that her sister was most likely dead was a reality she was not ready to face. A searing pain tore through her chest.

Stop. Now was not the time.

She closed her eyes.

Breathe in. Hold. 1, 2, 3. Breathe out.

Alize repeated this process until her tears ceased to flow.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

And she was crying.

Alina stared for a second before looking away. Leaving the girl to her moment of weakness. It was unbecoming of a Sith, but.. Necessary, sometimes. Facing a violent and dark truth was something that could break even the strongest hearts. But with it, so too would the chains that brought the tears be shattered.

When the tears stopped, the Sangnir leaned back in her seat, staring around the bar.

"We should really go find a better place to eat, no?"

Alize

 

[Alize]

Alize nodded, collecting herself.

It was time to move forward. Time to let go of the past and step towards the future.

The cycle of suffering was going to end with her. She was going to amass power in order to protect the innocent and protect them from embarking upon the path of the Sith.

"Definitely, let us find somewhere better nearby."

Alize stood up to leave. She had never liked Cantinas. Both the patrons and the menu were obscene.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

An amused chuckle escaped Alina as she stood alongside Alize. Of course the woman didn't like a pub like this. It'd been written all over her face since they first got here. If only she was more honest. Ah well. Baby steps. She stepped back, motioning for Alize to take the lead. "After you. You know this place better, after all."

Alize

 

[Alize]

Alize stood up. She was keen to leave this filthy place. The scent of alcohol and vomit was beginning to make her nauseous.

"Thanks."

She slid past the woman and out of the booth.

Her nose wrinkled in disgust as her eyes fell upon the patrons: drunk and crude. How disgusting.

Evading the shady characters who frequented this establishment, Alize made her way towards the exit.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Alina followed shortly after, hands clasped behind her back, a faint smile on her lips. This all had ended up being something far more.. Useful than she initially figured it would be. They weren't the only two to leave, though. Those less than savory folks walked out behind them some distance away. Not so subtly following the two woman.

Either too drunk or too stupid to realize the danger.

The Sangnir only spared them a glance, but mostly just followed after Alize.

"Now that we're more.. Allies, what if I told you I could teach you a version of my little parlor trick?"

Alize

 

[Alize]

Alize could sense that they were being followed. By how many? She was unsure.

"Sure. Why not?" she replied in response to the question.

She breathed a sigh. This was why she did not frequent Cantinas unless absolutely necessary. Briefly closing her eyes, Alize focused on the palm of her left hand, condensing an invisible energy into her palm. It was not much but enough to knock an average aggressor away from them.

Her legs tensed up as she prepared to spin around to face the suspicious characters who had followed them. She was ready for the ensuing confrontation that would inevitably happen.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Where Alize moved, Alina didn't. At least not as quickly. She turned her gaze, humming softly as she glanced from the woman beside her to the various thugs that had followed them. She'd left her sword within her ship. The lightsaber on her thigh would stay there, at last for now. Curiosity was at the forefront of her mind. Could Alize actually fight? Survive?

"Where's a couple g-"

Alina raised a hand, frowning.

"I'll stop you there. Turn around, or die. Your choice."

They laughed. Pulled out weaponry. Alina just let out a sigh before glancing to Alize with an all too knowing smirk. "Alright. Kill them."

Alize

 

[Alize]

"Alright. Kill them."

Alize unleashed a modest Force Push aimed at the weapons in the ruffians' hands. Her intention was to disarm rather than harm. Murder was not her modus operandi.

Taken by surprise by the sudden bout of Force aimed at their hands, a loud metallic clang rung out as the weapons fell to the ground.

Those who were still armed charged at the women, intent on causing harm.

Slow to dodge, Alize winced as a fresh wound appeared on her arm. Blood oozed out from the parted skin and trickled down to the floor in fat droplets.

Despite her hatred of the Force and Sithly arts, she ignited her crimson lightsaber to cut through flesh and bone in retaliation for her fresh wound.

A severed arm with a blade wet with fresh blood and fingers still wound around its hilt fell to the Cantina's floor.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

People were running now. Around them, scattering to the winds. None screamed, though. This part of town was all too used to bloodshed. Easier to walk away than to scream or get involved. Alina herself just watched. Curious on what Alize could do. Get cut, apparently. Golden eyes narrowed as she watched a nonlethal blow cut the arm from one of the assailants.

"They'd sooner take your life, or worse."

Another of the thugs rushed by, knife brandished for Alina. It sunk into her shoulder. Blood dripped from the wound, but Alina herself didn't seem to react. At first. She reached up, gripping the man's hand. Pulling the knife from her shoulder, still in his grip. Bones cracked as she further tightened her grip and slowly, far too slowly, she turned the blade back on it's wielder.

Pushing it through his chest by his own hand.

"No reason to spare scum like this. Cut them down so we can move on, yes?"

Alize

 

[Alize]

"They'd sooner take your life, or worse."

"No reason to spare scum like this. Cut them down so we can move on, yes?"

Alize understood this yet she still found it difficult to deal a fatal blow. This was a weakness she needed to overcome.

She inhaled a deep breath as she aimed her lightsaber to decapitate a ruffian. But she hesitated. Alize could see the fear in his eyes as the weapon cut and cauterised part of his neck.

Her hand stared to tremble causing her to lose hold of her lightsaber and dropped it. The crimson blade disappeared as it separated from her hand and landed on the filthy floor with a clank that had been drowned out by the noise of the Cantina.

Being able to see her victim's face made all the difference. It was much harder to kill a man when you can see the look of fear in his eyes.

Unfortunately, that moment of hesitation, that moment of mercy had cost her.

Another scoundrel took advantage of that moment and plunged a knife into Alize's abdomen.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH" Alize screamed.

Instinct took over and she harnessed the Force to push the scoundrel away.

Alize yanked the blade from the hand she had severed earlier and swung to decapitate.

A head fell to the floor.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Oh.

Alina's gaze turned back to Alize as she watched the woman get stabbed. And her eyes narrowed. The fresh scent of a sweeter blood, brimming with it's connection to the Force, wasn't something she could exactly ignore. Part of her was tempted to just step in now. Alize had been pushed too far. Too unprepared to stand on her own two feet. Another Sith would see her head.

But then the woman struck out. Finally killed.

"Good."

The Sangnir finally turned more into the fight. She stepped past Alize in the blink of an eye, smiling to the woman. "Focus on that pain. Make it yours. Make your body stop the bleeding. Feel. Don't think." Emboldened, the remaining thugs charged forward. One was injured, and they hadn't seen what Alina could do on her own. They spoke of making sure they got their worth out of the woman. Made them regret hurting and killing their friends.

They weren't alive for much longer. Blood scattered the alleyway as Alina's fists collided with flesh. Bone. Where she punched, kicked, those parts of the body simply disappeared. Raw, overwhelming strength. Alina straightened after the last body fell, uncaring the blood that now scattered her dress, her face, as she looked back to the other with a patient smile.

"Ready?"

Alize

 

[Alize]

Alize nodded at the words. She drew a deep breath as she focused her energy on her wound, the knife still protruding from her abdomen.

Not wishing to deal more damage to her own body resulting from her unprofessional extraction of the blade, Alize focused the Force around the knife. Slowly, her wet blood began to thicken then coagulate as the wound closed around the knife.

As the woman finished off their assailants, Alize bent down - careful to not accidently bump the blade - and removed one of the dead men's coat and draped it around herself. It was oversized and made her body look shapeless. In other words, the coat was perfect for concealing the knife protruding out of her abdomen.

"Ready?" The woman asked when she had seen to their assailants.

Alize made a pained expression as she nodded then placed one hand under the knife to stabilise it and ensure it did not move as she walked.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"We'll get you a proper dressing back on the ship." Alina flashed a kind smile. Alize, for all her faults in the beginning of their meeting, had proven she would at least fight when she had to. Not just lay down and die. After a moment the Sangnir would just sigh before reaching over to pick the girl up with far too much ease. Sangnir approached superhuman levels of strength after all. And better yet, she could keep the girl stable.

Then ran back to her ship as fast, and safely, as she could. Soon as they were there she'd set the other woman down. Behind her, the Droid that doubled as both her pilot and medical personal stepped in. Glanced between the two. Then let out a massive, annoyed sigh.

"Another injured one? Why aren't you just killing them?"

"Shut up and patch her up, droid." Alina frowned, glancing towards the bucket of bolts before nodding once to Alize.

"Lay back. You'll be in tip top shape soon enough."

Alize