Private The Extent of Duty

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

The rain was still pouring down. To be fair, they had only been on the planet for an hour, most of it in the ship in the space port, but something told the young thief that it never really ceased. There was always rain on Dromund Kaas. It was fortunate that she was not afraid of thunder, for it came ever so often, always after a flash of lightning striking worryingly close. But for now, she was decently dry - the speedertaxi they were in followed a familiar route through the jungle and the droid which piloted the vehicle seemed undisturbed by the weather conditions.

Millicent had her head leaned against the window, looking out as they made their way into the city. Large beasts seemed to prowl the jungle, it was a hostile environment - quite suitable for a planet which the Sith called their home. She did not know much about them, but they tended to be hard, harsh and scary - just like the jungle outside. Shifting in her seat, she then looked up at the pureblood she was there with. He did not always seem like the most talkative type - or maybe she was the one being unusually quiet. They were still exploring their dynamics and figuring things out. Without thinking much more of it, she spoke "Is this where you grew up?" she asked, throwing a glance outside before looking back up at him "It's, uh, very wet" she continued, trying to put a positive spin to it.

"I've been around a bunch of different planets, but never Dromund Kaas before." her tone was mundane as she recalled why that was "When I talked to people, other thieves mostly, they said that it was a death trap. Security is high and if you don't get killed out in the jungle, the Imperials are bound to get 'ya" It was clear that she spoke from her own perspective and in truth, it had been even been hard for her to tell if what she had been told about the planet was correct or not. But the jungle part certainly seemed to be in line with what had been said. "But no worries now!" she chuckled nervously "I'll just stick close to you and I'll be fine, right?"

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas seemed particularly unhappy as they rode in the back of the speeder, staring straight ahead over the driver's head. He was completely silent apart from his breathing and the occasional grumble under his breath. He only moved when Millicent spoke up beside him, looking down at her for a moment. "Thankfully not. I hate this planet. I was born on Athiss. I would have killed myself years ago if I had to live in this constant rain." he admitted as he glanced out the window.

She continued to speak, commenting on what she heard about the planet. "They are right. This is the heart of the Sith Empire. Where the most fanatical supporters live. And now with the Empire's enemies getting closer, things are even more tense. Which is why you should stay close and keep quiet. Unless I give you an order, do not react or do anything. Keep your head low and follow me." he warned her with a hushed voice.

When they finally arrived, he slipped. His helmet on and pulled his hood over to shield himself from the rain. He grumbled to himself as he waited for her to join him. "No wonder the Empire is losing. With this much water simply falling endlessly, any army will grow soft and weak. They could learn a thing or two from my kind." he commented softly as he led the way towards the academy.

He took hold of her arm and pulled her closer to him before leading the way into the magnificent building. "Stay close." he warned her as he looked around. There were several acolytes around the place, all of them dressed similarly like him. A number of eyes followed ghem before the people went about their business.

Jas' head was on a swivel as he marched through the lobby and hallways. He hoped he didn't have to deal with a specific candidate at the moment.

Millicent Tharoul

 

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

After a short "Oh", hoping that she had not hit a nerve, Millicent continued to speak of what she had heard about the planet - and Jas confirmed that she was indeed correct. He had spoken for long enough for her to not be overly concerned that he might snap at her, physically, at least. And so, the girl chose to not keep too strict of a filter on herself and jokingly took a deep breath and kept holding it in. At first, she would rely on him to tell her to breathe but if he chose to not do so, she would eventually have to relent and start breathing again, albeit rather clearly with some recovery time needed. Afterwards, she'd flash a careful smile at him as her eyes would seek for his approval of her joking about.

It wasn't long before they arrived. It was almost as if they stepped right into a wall as the harsh winds and heavy rain punished them for daring to leave the speeder. Lithe and far from used to the local weather conditions, Millicent had to take hold of the speeder as a particularly powerful gush of wind came her way - sure, she wasn't going to fall from it, but some balancing help did go a long way to let her adjust to the weather.

Unlike Jas, she wasn't clad in a hooded robe. Instead, she came in a simple t-shirt and was already soaking wet - not to mention cold. Crossing her arms in front of her, the thief followed him to the side, taking fast steps to keep up with his long strides. Instead of reacting with fear upon having her arm grabbed, Millicent only complied, seeming perfectly content with being drawn closer. She was nothing if not adaptable and had been quick to accept the reality she found herself in. If her Sithy friend pulled her closer, that was where she would be and as long as she didn't resist, he'd keep her safe. Luckily for her, it seemed as if there was an additional bonus to staying close as his large frame shielded her smaller one from the rain when the winds blew in the right direction.

The girl had completely forgot about Jas' initial instructions. "...do not react or do anything. Keep your head low..." Instead, she looked around, taking in her surroundings and the grandiose halls they found themselves. There was something alluring abut the building, something magnificent yet oppressive. If she had to spend more than a day in there, she'd probably go crazy. And then, she did a mistake - her eyes fell upon one of the other apprentices - but he had already taken notice of her. Millicent instinctively drew closer to Jas as she saw the other's calculating and cold grin and it wasn't long before she saw how others seemed to look at them - to look at her - in the same way.

If she walked any closer to him, she would be brushing up against his side. But by now, she was doing exactly what he had said, keeping her head low, not daring to look at any of the others. Eventually, they reached a short corridor binding two larger halls together. Through her peripheral sight, the thief noticed how nobody seemed to be nearby at which point she whispered "You guys don't seem to be very friendly to eachother" her voice was small and it remained that way as she continued "I don't like this. Jas, I don't like this one bit" she said, using his name rather than a title.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

He threw a quick glance at her when she took a deep breath in and didn't let it out again. After a few seconds an eyebrow raised as he studied her. "Any particular reason for you holding your breath? I did bathe before we came, so I know it's not me." he quipped, not catching her joke at all. It was only after a few seconds that the joke made sense. "I'm sure breathing is an acceptable exception." he muttered with a faint smile.

They disembarked and he led her through the halls towards their destination. When they reached a corridor she seemed to get nervous. But Jas simply continued on and turned into one of the hallways. "Nobody likes each other here. Schemes to kill your rivals and to get away with it are common. I welcome it. Helps to keep my senses sharp. I'd expect that other inbred primate to attack us before the day is over. You saw him. He was the one who smiled at you." he explained to her before stopping to face her. "I told you to keep your head low and not do anything. You drawing attention to me does not make my life easier." he scolded her with a hushed voice as he loomed over her. His helmet hid the annoyed look on his face, though his voice didn't hide anything.

Turning again, he gave her a light tap on the ahoulder. "Come. I have a meeting with my master. He is not a patient man." he told her as he continued down the hallway. His eyes scanned around them as they walked, making sure that they weren't taken by surprise. Millicent was right. This didn't feel right.

Millicent Tharoul

 

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

His words bounced around in her mind. Jas said that his foe would attack 'us' - both of them. Millicent couldn't see why she would be included in the attack when she was a nobody in these contexts. But then, she didn't really understand the way of the Sith either - so maybe it was to be expected. Even the thought of welcoming the constant lethal competition was something which was completely alien to her. Even when she worked as a thief, she was never really in the same situation. Sure, gangs might've been hunting her from time to time - but that was just big fish trying to gobble up little fish. Here, fish of the same size seemed to be fighting too.

Then he scolded her. The girl's eyes quickly went up to meet him and for a moment, she looked as if she was a child who was just caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. Innocence and regret flushed across her face before her gaze dropped to her feet and her lithe arms formed a V in front of her as she held her wrist. Millicent felt small as he loomed over her, blocking the nearest light and letting his impressive figure seemingly grow as he got closer. With a stutter, her small voice eventually managed to get a few words out "It wasn't intentional, I'm sorry" If she had not completely embarrassed him on the way in, at least she hoped that this would be a demonstration of how good of a Sith he was in the eyes of his peers.

And then it was over. Jas gave her a tap on the shoulder and with her well honed reflexes, Millicent followed almost instantaneously, keeping extremely close to him as they walked. This time, she really did keep her eyes down. The only thing that she had to focus on, the only thing that mattered, was Jas. And she could certainly see him - in fact, unless they passed someone by real close, Jas was practically the only one she could see as her head's downward tilt prevented her from seeing much else.

Eventually, they came into a more isolated set of corridors and hallways and before long, Millicent could hear a posh Kaas accent from their front. It was a Pureblooded acolyte, powerful in the force and most likely with some expensive training along with a fancy ancient Sith Warblade. "Jas Katis?" The Pureblood spoke with confidence and clarity as he drew his weapon. For someone who still did not have a Master, his Makashi preference was already clear and the way he held his blade spoke of someone who knew what they were doing. "I am Lormar Ness. A recent benefactor of mine told me that you are a brute. A blunt tool with too little ambition to truly serve as anybody's apprentice." His insult was delivered as if he merely stated the obvious. A smirk spread on Lormar's lips "On the recommendation of my benefactor, I hereby challenge you to a duel to the apprenticeship that you currently have. I have gone above and beyond what I had to - I am offering you a fair fight. Dispose of your toy and I shall keep it that way" he said, throwing a casual glance and Millicent, not appearing to have a second thought about asking Jas to kill her to ensure a fair fight.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas could tell that Millicent didn't enjoy his scolding, and for some reason he felt the smallest tinge of guilt over it. But they were not alone anymore. They were surrounded by Sith. And wrong move on either end could be disastrous. He continued to lead the way until another Pureblood blocked their path in the corridor.

Jas came to a halt and stared blankly at the man who challenged him. The man introduced himself and tried to insult Jas... with rather disappointing results. "Are you trying to insult me or are you simply stating facts?" he commented with a bored tone, gripping the lightsaber on his hip. The man continued to talk, going so far as to order him to kill Millicent. Jas turned his head to glance at Millicent then looked back to his challenger. "I am amused that you seem intimidated by a simple human. You probably are not a very good fighter then. Truly a pathetic example of our kind." Jas spoke as he unclipped his lightsaber and looked at Millicent. "Would you like to fight him? It seems he is already intimidated by you." he teased with a smirk behind his helmet.

Gesturing for her to back off, he faced his opponent and ignited his lightsaber. "You do not deserve that weapon." he spoke as he took a few steps forward. He held his lightsaber with both hands, though his Lanvarok quietly and sneakily loaded a blade under his robes as he gripped his weapon.

"Come on, then. You challenged me. Now fight me. Or should my servant take a few more steps back for you to feel comfortable?" he teased the man with a grin, patiently waiting for the man to make the first move.

Millicent Tharoul

 

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

She never really thought of Jas as someone who would go back on his promises and this confirmed that her confidence in him was well founded. He chose to defy the challenger and keep her alive. Still, she did feel a little relieved - for 'disposing of her' would probably have been the easiest thing in the world for him to do yet he didn't. Frustration seemed to mount in the other Pureblood as Jas fired back at him and seeing as she was still protected and even encouraged, she joined in "Just say the word, Master" While she was as far from intimidating could be, it did go a long way to prove Jas' point as her hands formed tiny harmless fists.

But something wasn't quite right. Instead of becoming more annoyed, Lormar nodded his head in a bow "Very well. My servant will also join the fray then." After a sharp whistle, an athletic Zabrak stepped in, carrying a blaster in his belt and holding a vibroblade in his hand. Millicent's eyes immediately snapped to the shock collar around his neck - but even with it on, he looked more like a mercenary than someone like her.

"Hey! That's not fair!" her words were ignored as the Pureblood let out a gnarl whilst charging at Jas with an aggressive flurry of precise attacks with both thrusts and small slashes. The Zabrak was not slow to react and soon came at the large pureblood from behind. "Behind you" she screamed before throwing herself at the hostile Pureblood from the side - just barely managing to avoid his blade. Lormar was forced to halt his advance rather abruptly but relied on his ally to keep Jas occupied. Still, it was clear that Millicent was little more than a nuisance as she found herself overpowered at every turn. But her true goal was not to defeat the ambitious acolyte but rather to keep him distracted and hopefully find the controller to the Zabrak's shock collar. Still, it was only a matter of time before Lormar would be able to throw her away and reengage with Jas.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Things escalated rather quickly when the waste of a Pureblood suddenly brought in his own slave. The fact that he needed a collar to keep his in line spoke volumes. But that wasn't the problem now. Right now they had a fight on their hands.

Both of them charged simultaneously from different sides. Jas blocked a blow from Lormar before Millicent hurled herself against him, buying Jas a few precious seconds. He turned and released a force push to send Lormar's slave against the wall, hoping to keep the Zabrak at bay long enough for him to focus on his main opponent. "Get the slave! I'll handle him!" he ordered her as he raised his blade and charged at Lormar with a violent roar. His movements were a stark contrast to hos opponent's. Harsh, powerful and brutal. His lightsaber was likely a quicker weapon than the Sith blade, but their difference in size likely balanced them out. But Jas had a plan ready.

He kept blocking and countering until his blade was locked with Lormar's. That was when he revealed his plan. His right arm pointed at the Pureblood's gut and two circular blades fired from the Lanvarok around his forearm. If it didn't seriously injure the Pureblood, it would likely keep him occupied.

Jas simply hoped that Millicent could do something about the Zabrak. The thought of looking for the controls to the shock collar didn't even occur to him as he kept up his assault.

Millicent Tharoul

 

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

Everything was happening in quick succession as the battle raged on. As she was quickly letting her hands sweep across a few of Lormar's pockets, Millicent realised how foreign it was for her to do what she just did at all. If Jas had not been there, there was no question in her mind that she would have tried to avoid the fight rather than engage in it. But then - there was really nowhere to run when they were so deep in the Sithy building and the girl knew that, if Jas died, she would probably be killed soon after.

Just as she found the controller, the girl felt as the Acolyte sent a powerful knee into her abdomen, knocking the air right out of her lungs and causing her to cough violently. Right as she managed to grab the controller and stopped resisting as she tried to recover, Lormar brushed her aside with the thief falling to the ground soon after.

As Jas let out his command, Millicent's first instinct was still to make a run for it. But the Pureblood had been efficient in setting the rules. She knew that, if she tried to run, he'd probably catch her - at least that was what had happened each time she had tried running before. And she knew that, if she did not obey, she would no longer enjoy his protection - and worse, he might even decide to hurt her himself. The girl looked up at the Zabrak - he had seen what she held in her hand and was already rushing towards her. Just as he was about to arrive, she managed to turn up the strength and press down the button. A pained howl followed as the mighty alien fell to his knees in front of her.

If Jas observed his foe's face, he would notice how a smirk started spreading across it. This was, apparently, not completely unanticipated and as time went on, Millicent saw how the Zabrak seemed to be able to fight through the utterly painful sensation of being shocked. Millicent could hardly believe her eyes as the alien started to get back up, first on his knees and then on his feet. She didn't stay passive and fought the pain that was still coursing through her from being kneed and hurried up to her feet, kicking away the Zabrak's vibroblade just in time. But it was the last thing she'd be able to do before his arm crashed down against hers, knocking the shock controller out of her hand. While her foe was not even close to being as imposing as Jas, he was far more mighty than her and after being able to dodge two jabs, the man finally caught her with a powerful punch that connected with her arm. The lithe girl would have spun around from the mere force of it but was stopped mid-way as the Zabrak brought her into a vice-like hold, locking her neck and head in under his left arm, squeezing tight making it incredibly hard to breathe.

Something which the attacking duo did not seem to be well prepared for, however, was the Lanvarok. While the challenger's plate armoured chest piece mitigated some of the damage, he still let out a pained growl as blood started seeping out behind his clothing. While he was still standing, he was barely in much of a fighting condition. Just at that time, however, the Zabrak had brought out his blaster from his holster and levelled it against Jas with his free hand whilst keeping Millicent at bay with the other. With the last energy she could muster, Millicent jerked in the captors grasp, causing his first shot to miss but it was evident that she wouldn't do much more while the Zabrak continued firing at the Sith.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

In his fight with the Pureblood, Jas almost completely ignored everything going on around him. As his Lanvarok blades did their job, Jas quickly grabbed hold of Lormar's blade and retracted his lightsaber. With a violent roar he slashed at Lormar's legs and drove his blade through the Pureblood's chest.

It was then that a shot sounded off from behind him. From the corner of his eye he saw Millicent trying to keep the Zabrak's aim off target as much as possible. With the subtlety of a bantha he hurled Lormar at the two slaves to knock them over. He charged over to them and yanked Millicent free from the slave's grasp and shoved her out of the way. "Waste of flesh." he growled before proceeding to hack and slash at the two attackers. He kept going until both were a mangled mess.

With heavy breaths he stepped back and extinguished his lightsaber, clipping it to his belt. He turned to look at Millicent and quickly helped her upright, checking her for any injuries. "Are you alright?" he asked her with a hint of concern in his voice. But as the adrenaline wore off, a sharp pain started to form over his chest. The Pureblood took a step back and looked down to see his robes slashed and blood slowly caking his chest. "Damn traitor." he growled as he tore a piece of his robes off and tied it tightly around the wound. "It is not serious, at least." he commented, though he had no way of knowing exactly.

Looking back to Millicent, he rested a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you. I am starting to get a bit tired of owing you my life." he joked with a faint smile through the throbbing pain of the wound. "Come on. These two were simply a waste of our time. My master is not going to be happy." he explained as he turned to continue. But after a few steps he stopped and leaned against the wall, muffling a heavy cough. The blood didn't stop staining the makeshift bandage or the clothing around it.

He sighed with another cough and looked to Millicent. "It is not serious. Let us get out of here." he grumbled, more to himself than to her before shoving himself off the wall and trying to press on.

Millicent Tharoul

 

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

The body of Lormar came crashing towards them. It was the last thing Millicent remembered before everything went blank. Knocked out for some time, the girl only woke up to seeing Jas', looking as mighty and intimidating as ever, hacking and slashing at their two defeated foes. Still weakened from the fight, she remained on the ground until he decided that she was going to stand. Barely doing anything herself, Millicent would soon find herself standing again after being pulled up by the Pureblood she was captured by. She took hold of his arm that had helped her back up on her feet - if nothing else, it would help to have some extra support, at least for a little bit. With a weak smile, she nodded, confirming that she was indeed alright. While she was beaten up and hurt, she could still move.

But then, she saw his pained expression. Genuine concern flashed across her face as she suddenly seemed to get a second wind. While she still held onto him for support, she took a few quick steps around him to see his front "You're hurt" her worried voice matched the expression on her face. But she was visibly calmed when he stated that it wasn't anything serious.

It was good to hear his thanks. She quickly let out her own "Thank you" in return and enjoyed seeing his smile. But there was still something concerning about what he said. The idea of him disapproving of something she did made her shiver. What she was about to do was odd - because she was undermining herself - but if it could make him feel better, than maybe it was worth it "You don't owe me. You could end me at any moment and if you die, I'm probably dead too." it felt strange, for in a way, she was reflecting his own logic back at him. This was something she had learned from him - but in truth, she didn't really know why she kept him alive. Sure, it was nice to not risk dying - but there was also something else, something which she couldn't quite put a finger on.

Dismissing the thought, she then followed him as he continued to move deeper into the complex. "I hope he's as merciful as you" she said, producing a smile. It was not long before she realised that he had just butchered two people causing her to fumble "You know, to me. Not, uhm, to your enemies, but to me"

But when the second incident happened, she seemed very concerned. "This doesn't look very good" her voice was small as her eyes carefully watched as the stain on the makeshift bandage grew larger. With some hesitation, she finally used a word which she had hoped to avoid as it would only work to confirm what she didn't want to be true - but if it could help convince him to see things her way, then it was worth a shot. "Master" she looked up at him as the word left her mouth. Her voice was small and carried a slight shiver, but she pushed on "Can I go look for a medpac for you?"

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

She tried to be modest and told him that he didn't owe her anything, but he waved it off. "That is not how it works." he grumbled as they pressed on. She commented on his master but he ignored her almost completely as the pain grew increasingly more annoying. The pain was the easy part to handle. It was the fact that he could feel his breathing struggle and his strength slipping more and more.

Then she spoke his title, drawing his attention to her. When she suggested going to find treatment, he looked away with an angered expression. For several moments he was quiet until he finally gave a nod. "Fine. Let us go to the ship." he agreed, turning to go back to his ship.

After a few steps he took a deep breath and straightened out, shoving the pain and discomfort down to get to their destination. He couldn't appear weak in front of other Sith. He needed to look strong. Though it was a knock to his ego to struggle so much over a small cut...

When they finally reached the ship, he leaned against her with his hand on her shoulder. "I am starting to think that it might be serious." he quipped with a faint smirk after tossing his helmet aside. With a grunt he sat down and carefully got rid of his ruined robes, looking down at the bleeding wound. "Can you fix it? Or do I have to find a doctor?" he asked her with a serious glare.

Millicent Tharoul

 

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

Letting out a relieved breath, Millicent nodded as he agreed to go back to the ship. It was impressive, how he could brush the pain away like he did, refusing to show weakness as they walked back through the Halls of the Sith. While it did inspire her to try doing the same, she knew that she would fail miserably - instead, she let it show and did her best to try to recover some of her strength instead. The situation didn't seem too bad, however, as even if she looked weak infront of the other Sith, they didn't know why - for all they knew, it might have been damage inflicted by Jas himself, seeing as her conduct the first time they walked through was lacking. This time, she kept close and looked down, just like he had first instructed.

Once they were clear of prying eyes, the girl could see how his demeanour changed. She felt his large hand enveloping her shoulder as he finally leaned on her. She knew that he was still doing most of the balancing and walking on his own - for if he had truly decided to lean on her more than just a little, she would crumble and they'd both fall.

Without wasting a moment, she darted away almost as soon as he sat down, rushing off deeper into the ship where she had spotted some medical supplies back when she explored it. Even if she had only done so once before, she already felt rather familiar with the vessel - it was one of the advantages of constantly changing settings and always being on the lookout, that she was fast to familiarise herself with new environments. It wouldn't be long before she returned to him.

By now, he had already removed his ruined robes, exposing his upper body. His physique was impressive with heavily developed musculature under his red skin and ridges running down his chest. If it was not for the gravity of the situation, Millicent wouldn't have minded resting her eyes on him for a few moments but the situation called for action. Her pace remained high as she approached him and once she got close, she grimaced as she looked at the wound.

"I think I can do it" she said - it was probably the first time he heard her speak with conviction - as if she really wanted to see him fixed. Millicent had seen how he had avoided showing weakness to the others and if she could, she was going to try to help him not show it to them now too. Going down to stand tall on her knees, the girl moved in close to him to work on the wound. She knew that there was a certain risk involved - if a sharp pain caused him to close his legs, she would most probably be crushed between them as she worked. Her eyes went from one thigh to the other before going up to his eyes. But in the end, she didn't say anything, she trusted him to not hurt her and even if there was a risk, it was not as if she was going to try to abandon him now.

It was not long before she found herself working on his wound. It was a grievous cut that had caused significant blood loss - still, it seemed as if his body was healing better than that of a human. It was no easy task and would take much longer than average but at this time, Millicent seemed to work tirelessly and carefully, making use of her delicate touch to ensure that the pain he felt from her work would be close to none when possible.

About halfway through, things were looking stable and she afforded to remove her eyes from the cut to look up at his "Must've been a sharp blade, huh? With all that muscle and this hard skin of yours I don't think a butterknife could've done much damage" she said, stroking a finger past a few of the ridges by his upper chest, far away enough from the wound to not inflict pain. It was a half-joke, for while she could see why he was still susceptible to cuts, his racial attributes and his physique made it hard to imagine him ever getting hurt by anything less than a blaster or a lightsabre.

Still standing on her knees right in front of him she let out another comment "How did you go on for so long with this? I don't think I would have been able to walk if I was in your shoes."

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Millicent wasted no time in looking for the medical supplies. A few moments later she returned and knelt down between his legs, earning a chuckle from him. "It could look amusing if someone suddenly came barging in, you kneeling like this in front of me." he joked before another cough erupted. He sat back and let her do her work, fighting the pain from the wound. He sat like a statue as she worked, only his face contorting slightly as the pain erupted with certain spots. He wished they had bacta on Athiss. With such a wonderful method of treating wounds, he would have taken many more risks with fights and challenges.

She finally seemed to finish and soon she sat back, looking up at him. The pain was still there, but he knew it wouldn't take long for it to disappear. "It is a very sharp blade. Sith blades are imbued with the Dark Side. One could argue they sometimes cut as well as a lightsaber. Luckily he didn't pierce my chest too badly. I just need to calm down for a while." he explained as he looked down at the bandaged wound. His eyes shifted to her hand as she felt over the ridges covering his chest, not sure what to think of the action.

He raised an eyebrow at her question, seemingly surprised. "I am a warrior. You can not afford to cry and writhe in pain when fighting in a battle. And of course, you humans do not have the pain tolerance or build to press through serious injuries like us." he spoke calmly, looking into her eyes.

His hand reached up and took hold of hers, giving it a light squeeze. "Thank you for the aid. In all honesty, I do not understand you. If our roles were reversed, I would have slit your throat in your sleep and made my escape. You helping me like this is odd." he commented, letting go of her hand and sitting back. "Why? Is it out of fear? Are you hoping this will win you your freedom?" he asked as he studied her.

Millicent Tharoul

 

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jas' joke did bring a giggle out of her as she tended to his wound. It was a nice change of the atmosphere, even if it only lasted for a few moments before she got fully back to work. "At least you'd be able to hide that you're getting treated for an injury" she fired back, flashing a jestful smile at him before once more starting to tenderly apply the medpac.

When he explained why he did get injured by the blade, she could hardly believe what she was hearing and blurted out a jumbled together "wait-just-a-minute" as she looked at him incredulously "Are you saying that a normal blade wouldn't have been able to wound you like this?" The disbelief was clear in her voice - but at the same time, it made so much sense seeing how she had perceived him until now. In a way, she was happy to hear it - at least since he had promised to keep her safe.

While he seemed surprised by her question on how he could stand the pain, his answer did not surprise her. He had exuded strength ever since they first met and his answer reflected on that. Jas seemed calm - she enjoyed it that way - that the two of them could just be together without the tension that had rested between them before. In fact, she was taken aback by how fast they had reached that point, considering where they had started. "Morellian" she chirped. A soft smile rested on her lips as she looked up at him "But, I suppose we're pretty similar to humans in regards to pain tolerance and build" she added, somewhat awkwardly before looking back to the wound she was treating.

Moments after she had finished up, she felt his hand on hers, immediately drawing her eyes to his as she wondered what was up. She was grateful that he thanked her - after having seen the others of his kind, she knew that it was not something someone in her position could expect. Without thinking too much about her answer, Millicent let out a absent-minded "I don't think I understand you either." her eyes once more went down to his thigh on her left, then to the one on her right, and then up along his torso before finally studying his neck for a while and then meeting his eyes again "I don't think I could kill you, even if you were asleep when I started the attempt."

Slowly, the meaning of her words sunk in and she immediately tried to rise to her feet and back away unless he instructed her to stay. Her eyes looked at him with a sense of urgency as she clarified her position "Not that I'd want to kill you! No, no, I don't. I don't want to kill anyone at all, actually." If he calmed down, she would take a step closer and sit down next to him "I don't know. It's pretty nice to have someone keep me safe like you do, you know? Besides, you're-..." she stopped mid sentence, trailing off. In truth, Millicent wasn't sure where she was going with the last part herself, and so, she let whatever was about to escape her lips remain unsaid.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Millicent seemed surprised by his explanation, which caught him by surprise as well. Almost as if it was supposed to be obvious, he tilted his head with a drawn out "Yes...?"

He looked at his chest then back to her. "These ridges on my chest and the rest of my body. They are hardened bone. It would hurt, of course, but a typical blade can not go through so easily. Though I have seen what lightsabers and 'vibroblades' can do. They will go through quite easily." he explained to her. She went on to correct him about her species, though he had no idea what she was talking about. "I have never heard such a name. You still look like a human. What makes you different from typical humans?" he asked her.

The next comment from her made him snort in amusement. But all of a sudden she was on her feet and trying to explain herself. He raised a hand to calm her down, but she continued to speak before he could get a word in, sitting down next to him. Quietly he sat and listened as she admitted why she didn't want to kill him. He barely registered that she cut herself off, though it did make him curious. "I am...?" he trailed off, hoping she would continue. But when it seemed she didn't want to, he spoke up. "I do not break my promises. I told you that I would protect you if you did as I told. So far you have done that and I have no reason not to protect you. On the contrary, I find your presence welcoming. And you make delicious food which I do not mind at all." he explained with a chuckle as he looked at her.

He fell silent as his gaze remained on her for a few moments. But he quickly cleared his throat and carefully rose to his feet. "Let us go see my master." he spoke as he looked at his robes. "Though I guess I need to get dressed first." he quipped as he grabbed his ruined robes and made his way to his quarters.

Millicent Tharoul

 

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

He really was indestructible. Millicent sent him a kind smile as he explained more about his kind and his build. It was good to have a protector who would be able to stay standing through a bunch of punishment. At the same time, he was her captor - but then, the thief had no illusions about being able to break free by defeating him in combat - so in the end, she was just happy about it - happy and impressed.

A familiar chuckle escaped him as he seemed unfamiliar with her kind. "We're not very common" she said, keeping a friendly tone. "We're from Morellia, it's close to Sith space in the outer fringes of the Galaxy. We're pretty similar to humans but we live for a loooon time. Hundreds of years." her eyes grew wide for a brief moment as she quickly added "But I'm not old! I'll be twenty soon! .... just two years off" she said, unsure of why she was so eager to tell him that she wasn't old.

It was a relief to see that he didn't mind her poorly chosen words and that he didn't push for her to say more when trailed off. Millicent relaxed as she took an easy breath while a natural and soft smile grew on her lips. It felt nice to speak to him and she was highly motivated to keep him pleased with her - for rather obvious reasons - so it was good that he often seemed to enjoy her company.

"Thank you!" her chirp was bright and happy. His praise and reassurance allowed her sit tall, despite being dwarfed in size when being seated next to him. As someone who had taken a lot of responsibility in providing for her family at the expense of never really feeling safe herself, Millicent appreciated being with Jas. When he was around - and happy with her - she probably couldn't get any safer and had probably not been any safer in her entire life before. Of course, if she managed to anger him enough, that could quickly change - but for now, they were good. "If you ever feel hungry or want some tech issues resolved, just say the word" she said, looking up at him happily.

Soon, he rose. The girl did the same and quietly followed him in his trail to his chambers. After their trip to the Halls of the Sith, she felt way safer staying close to him than leaving his side and technically, he had not told her to give him more space yet. As always, she quickly scanned her surroundings as they got into his room and her eyes were fast in picking up what he had in the drawers he opened. Once he brought out some new robes, Millicent stepped up from behind him and extended her hands to take over. If he allowed it, she would help him get the robes on - she didn't know if it was expected of her but at the very least, it would ease him of the pain he'd feel from the chest if he had to do it on his own. The girl then took a step around him to stand by his front as she helped to properly wrap the garb before finishing it off with a knot.

Flashing a smile at him, she let out a curious "Do you keep many extra robes around?" as they once more departed from the ship to take the taxi and make their way through the Halls of the Sith to his Master - this time, without her messing up. Instead, she would always stick very close to him and keep her head down.

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

Jas was intrigued by her explanation, even more so by her age. "Interesting. I have never heard of a human species that could grow as old as us. I am also surprised by your age. I am not that much older than you. I am twenty three years old." he admitted with a smile. "One might say you hold more credibility than other simple humans. At least you have time to grow stronger, hone your skills." he spoke with a calm voice.

She continued to speak, reassuring that he could ask for her assistance anytime. "I intend to. Especially with that infernal datapad of mine." he quipped with a soft chuckle. But soon his more serious face returned as he left for his room. He was surprised to see her follow but he welcomed the assistance with his current injuries.

She held her hands out and he handed her his robes. With a few quiet grunts he helped in slipping his new robes on, giving her a nod of appreciation. "This is ridiculous. Barely a few days ago I had to wait for lightsaber wounds to heal. Now this. I might have to get a few texts for training from the library." he quipped as she finished with tying his robes together.

With everything set, they left the ship and got back into a speeder to ferry them to the Sith temple. "I carry many extra sets. Specifically for situations like this. I prefer being dressed well when I am not in a fight." he explained to her. When they arrived, Millicent stuck close and did as he originally ordered. This time things seemed much smoother, though he couldn't shake the feeling that the news of his fellow acolyte's death had reached them... and they likely had their suspicions.

When they reached the first corridor, he took her down a different path. "No need to go down the same path for now." he muttered to her as he walked with a steady pace, barely slow enough for her to keep up.

They finally reached a dark room, lit with braziers and decorated with flags of the Sith emblems and texts. In the center of the room was a cloaked figure who was kneeling in front of a flag showing the Sith code in the original language. The figure rose and Jas instantly knelt down, keeping his head bowed. He made sure to pull Millicent down with him as he waited for his master to address him. "My apprentice, you have returned." he spoke, keeping his back turned towards them. "I have, Master. My mission was a success." he spoke with a clear voice, still refusing to look up. "And you found a new pet it seems." his master commented with a hint of amusement in his filtered voice. "Yes, Master. A girl I encountered in my journey. By right, she now belongs to me and so far has proven to be a useful servant." he explained to him, only giving Millicent a quick glance.

His master finally rose and turned to face him. Under his hood was a helmet quite similar to Jas' helmet, though it was much more decorated with gold and elegant engravings. "I hear that there was a death in the temple. Another acolyte. Already some say that you are his killer. Is this true?" his master asked as he slowly approached them. "News in this building travels fast. But unfortunately, I have no knowledge of this acolyte's whereabouts." he admitted, though the sarcasm was clear in his voice.

His master gave an unnerving chuckle as he finally came to a halt in front of them. "Rise. And tell your toy to do the same." he ordered them before starting to walk back to where he originally was. Jas did as he was told and turned to face Millicent, taking hold of her shoulder to yank her up. "On your feet." he growled before turning to face his master. "The rebel cell was tied to the Jedi, my lord. I fought one of their members and bested him. That cell is taken care of, I promise you." he explained as he approached his master. "Good. Then I have another task for you. There is a New Imperial base processing Tibanna. I shall send you the coordinates once you leave." he instructed Jas without skipping a beat. Jas recoiled slightly at his master's instructions. "A new task already, my lord?" he asked with a hint of confusion.

"Yes, Jas. A new task already. There is no rest for us while our enemies amass against us. This base is also heavily guarded. I do not care how you do it, but you will. You know the price of failure." his master spoke with a stern voice as he turned to face Jas. Jas stared at him for a moment before bowing and turning to leave. "It will be done, my lord." he muttered as he turned to leave. Without a word he gestured for Millicent to follow as he led the way back to their ship.

Jas grumbled to himself until they were alone on his ship. "Bloody humans. That man is arrogant." he spoke coldly as he tossed his helmet aside. "But thiz is only temporary. One day I shall succeed him." he continued to grumble before looking at Millicent.

Millicent Tharoul

 

[Millicent Tharoul]

The Extent of Duty

A smile grew on her lips as he told her of his race after revealing that they grew older than average too. Both were good news - on the one hand, he'd be around for some time, on the other, he wasn't a few decades older than her. She didn't really know why she cared for how old he was. For a moment, she wondered why she even considered it but brushed the thought away before she could think of it any further. Millicent let out an awkward "uh-huh" as he mentioned her potential to grow stronger. She threw a glance at his arm and then her own one - it was multiple times thinner. Whether she had five years of a hundred, the idea of ever reaching his strength seemed unlikely.

"You were in tough spots both times" she said with a caring voice as she looked up at him, hoping to make him feel better. In truth, she blamed herself - for both times he got hurt, it was probably because she was either targeted and had to be protected, or failed in doing her task. She put his comment about being dressed well to mind, telling herself to take extra care to help him out with that if it ever became relevant. But then, it was not as if she had any extra expertise in that regard - he normally wore robes and they were certainly not something she kept track of in regards to fashion. At least not the kind that he wore.

When they finally arrived in his Master's chambers, Millicent saw how her protector bowed down. She was a little hesitant as for what to do - this was not something included in her instructions from before - but it felt like the right thing to do would be to bow down together with him. In the end, it didn't matter. Jas helped her make the decision as he forcefully pulled her down with him. The girl didn't resist. On the contrary, she was pretty happy about being being given some guidance when talking was out of the question.

She noticed how the Master spoke of her - she was a pet and a toy. It was similar to how Jas had spoken to her in before but when he confirmed it this time, she felt hurt. Hurt that he still thought of her as such, even when she felt like he might have changed his views on her - she had changed her views on him. It didn't cross her mind to mask her feelings. And even if she had thought of it, she wouldn't know how to. Instead, she tried to think of it positively - he thought that she was useful, that was a positive. She liked that.

Still, she thanked her lucky stars for being commanded to keep her head low, for it made it far easier to now give off any visible signs that she was saddened by it. When his strong hand eventually wrapped around her arm and pulled her up, Millicent want along with it. His tight grip and the force he used was painful, but she managed to suppress most expressions of pain but a tiny little gasp.

As they departed, she felt beaten, defeated even. For someone usually more upbeat and positive, it felt off to be so blue. Maybe it was the presence of the dark Master, or maybe it was the words that Jas had said that was gnawing at her. The trip back to the ship was a quiet one. She stared out the window, trying to ignore the pain as she thought of what she might have done wrong - or if his views were even something which she could change. Once they were alone again, he finally spoke.

Millicent let out a startled gasp as Jas' helmet crashed against the wall. It was then that she realised that, maybe he was in a worse spot than her. Her demeanour immediately switched back to her usual self "I'm sure you will" she said, trying to comfort him with a smile and a shoulder rub. "He seemed, uh, pretty scary" she said, thinking back of the time the three of them spent together in the room "But I don't think there's anyone you can't beat" she added, something which might have told more of her than anything else.

Soon, she would stand up again, trying to brush away the hurt as good as she possibly could she put on a smile "Shall I make something for you to eat-" she said before carefully adding a shy "Master"

Jas Katis

 

[Jas Katis]

With his harsh frown he kept staring at her as she spoke. She sounded chipper as usual, though he could feel that something was off about her. She was faking her demeanor. "He is not 'scary' as you put it. He is a simple human. A powerful one, I must admit, but he is not even a special kind like you are. He will die of old age long before either of us even start to show signs of age. No, he is little more than an ape who learned to walk and talk. It will not be long before I succeed him." he vented with a cold voice.

She continued to try and cheer him up but he didn't feel like laughing. "I appreciate your confidence, though you might find yourself disappointed one day with the rate I am getting injuries." he muttered before sitting down, a faint wince appearing on his face as his hand drifted up to his chest.

She offered to make him food but he merely shook his head. "No. Sit." he ordered as he tapped the seat next to him. Once she sat down, he shifted slightly to look down at her. "Why are you putting on a face? I can feel the distress in you. What is the bother?" he asked with a calmer voice.

Millicent Tharoul