Summoned To Serve

[Zef Halo]

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ABANDONED WAREHOUSE
DISTRICT 78
NAR SHADDAA


Once, it would've been the breadmaker of a couple of hundred families on the rough moon of Nar Shadaa. Those times were gone, long gone. The Gulag plague had done its job and even now, a few decades after it, its scars run deep across the galaxy. Random graffiti stained the cracked cement walls of the building, nature was also taking its toll. Faux nature, of course, faux as much as the glamour on this cursed moon. All an artificial product to create a self-sustaining environment for those that were to work here.

Now it served a different purpose. It was the point where Vitor was summoned by his Master - Lord Fa. The latter who was nowhere to be found. Just the emptiness of this abandoned warehouse. Yet, it had its own secrets. Through the Force one could feel what once existed here, like a soft whisper in the back of one's head speaking of a bustling and tough life trapped in the past. That soft whisper was replaced at the sound of footsteps coming from the entrance of the place...

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[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Dreek Xretissirr"] | [member="Almudena Dresden"]​

 

[Darth Chagrin]

It felt good for Dreek to return to his homeworld. The Smuggler's Moon had a layer of glitz and glamour that concealed the moon's true nature — perfect for assassins such as Dreek Xretissirr. Where he was headed today had nothing to do with Nar Shaddaa's glitz or glamour, however: an abandoned warehouse marked by nothing more than cracked walls, graffiti and eerie silence.

Dreek knew almost nothing about why he was summoned here — only that his master, [member="Tai Fa"], had called him here, as well as Lord Fa's other apprentices. And that was unsettling. Knowledge was power. The fact that Dreek had such little knowledge of this meeting meant that he possessed equally little power in the matter. No doubt it was the same for the other apprentices. Only Lord Fa possessed a complete understanding of why they had come. But then, Lord Fa was the most powerful of them all.

There wasn't any need for stealth. Dreek let his footsteps ring out across the otherwise silent warehouse. As he entered the room, he caught sight of another figure — another apprentice. Dreek acknowledged him with a silent head nod. The words would be reserved for when Lord Fa himself arrived.

[member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Almudena Dresden"]​

 

[Rosalina]

Alm’s arrival was marked by…nothing.

This was the woman’s first time on Nar Shaddaa, unused to such a cramped, industrialized space given the more quaint architecture of Midvinter. Despite being green in nearly all areas, her stone queen face and height warded off any potential ruffians.

She clutched the dark fabric of her cloak a little tighter, coming to a stop several meters from the other two of Lord Fa’s apprentices. Hazel gaze swept over the human first, then the Rodian. With the Valkyri woman, the trio certainly made for a motley crew. It was with a bit of childish pride that Dresden noticed she was the tallest of the three—though of course, that realization would not be reflected on the blank canvas that was her face. Unless one used the Force, it was difficult to determine what the woman was thinking. That, or it could be assumed that she was just always angry.

She had no words for them. Alm had few words for anybody in general, preferring to hound them with an agonizingly sharp gaze as they awaited the arrival of bird-sensei.

[member="Dreek Xretissirr"] [member="Vitor Avendahl"] [member="Tai Fa"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Almudena Dresden"] | [member="Dreek Xretissirr"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"]​

The silence was deafening in their wake.

It became stronger and stronger and just about the time that it would threaten to overwhelm them. Make them speak out of turn and fill that awkward silence with words... the silence was broken. But not by them, no, it was something entirely else that filled the void and made their ears peer up.

A soft and steady cadence. Like the ticking of a clock or the ticking of a set of talons against duracrete. It came from behind them and it was slow, slow and patient in its approach.

Much the same as their master, really.

Who was ever calculating, meticulous and cautious, never taking a risk unless it was truly worth it. And who attempted to instill these same tendencies in his students. Mostly. But at the same time Lord Fa realized that you could not shape a hammer into a scalpel nor a dagger into a greatsword.

So, he would work with what he had and hope that was enough.

"My children, welcome.​

Thank you for your long patience.​

Appreciated."​

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"And yet I wonder.​

Do you know why I called you?​

A mystery then?"​

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"Does anyone wish to guess?"​

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His voice stayed behind them.

 

[Zef Halo]

The arrivals of the other two acolytes - an intimidating woman and a rodian - culminated in an awkward and tense silence. For some reason, that tension within his shoulders grew more and more with every single minute the three acolytes remained quiet. It was when the barely heard ticking from the far side of the warehouse began that he erected himself and glanced at the direction it was coming from. The moment the familiar figure of Lord Fa materialized out of nowhere, they were all greeted with the Thirriken's haikus.

And Vitor had no idea what the answer could be.

He glimpsed at the two other acolytes and remained silent. Avendahl would patiently await his peers to respond. That way, he might as well get some insight on them.

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[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Almudena Dresden"] | [member="Dreek Xretissirr"]​

 

[Darth Chagrin]

Silence permeated the room. Normally, Dreek had no problems standing in silence for hours on end; it was an opportunity to observe others' movements, analyse their strengths and weaknesses. But for some reason or other, the silence in the room was eerie. Unsettling. Dreek watched the Valkyrie and the human with apprehension.

Then a voice rang out from behind them. Lord Fa had arrived, and his greeting was a haiku. Dreek was raised in the criminal culture of Nar Shaddaa; not the lavish culture of a count of Serenno. Poetry carried no meaning for the Rodian, so he had no answer. Once again he was deprived of knowledge. Power.

The same mind that had been birthed and raised in the criminal underworld did have an inkling of what Lord Fa had summoned them here for — to impress him. To prove, beyond doubt, that they were worthy of being apprenticed to him. Unfortunately, that mind had no chance of responding to Lord Fa with an answer as eloquently or as elaborately as the Thirrikin's haiku. Any answer Dreek gave would only be embarrassing to himself.

So the Rodian watched and waited in silence. Perhaps one of the other acolytes would be able to give a suitable answer. If Lord Fa demanded it, he would speak, but until then, he would learn better by watching.

[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Almudena Dresden"]​

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Vitor Avendahl"] | [member="Dreek Xretissirr"] | [member="Almudena Dresden"]​

[ Going to move on. Alm's writer let me know she will drop in when she can. ]​

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Lord Fa waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Yet none had the courage to speak up, to try and step into the void of silence left by his voice. Was it fear that drove them? The fear of being embarrassed, if they had gotten it wrong? Did they simply have no concept of the idea of why they were here in the first place? The Thirriken Sith stood there, behind them, before finally clicking with his beak in disappointment.

"Fear is the mind-killer, it is often said." Lord Fa quoted gently, but with punctuation. "The little-death that brings total obliteration."

Then the Thirriken rounded around them and stood before them.

He looked up, yet, it almost seemed as if he was looking down. His size had never ever negatively influenced the sheer stature and grace he projected around him and from him.

"I did not summon you to wait and see what your siblings would say."

It was unclear to whom he was speaking specifically. Maybe it was Vitor or Dreek or even Alm, maybe it was to all three of them or none of them. Maybe this was a test in itself or an opportunity for them to amend their mistake.

"Only the bold thrive in my service- so, I ask again... why did I summon you?"