The Monster under my Skin (Cameron Centurion)

[Anastasia Verd]

Arbra, Bon'nyuw-Luq sector
Outer Rim Territories

An old-new feeling had flooded the young Verd girl. Until that moment, in this life, she had not felt disappointment. This life was different from the old ones. She had parents to be loyal to, a world they looked after that showed a lot of promise. She was born to two people loyal to the Confederacy. How much that had made her think this was the right life, the right time. And yet... another had disappointed her. That was what people did, though. So it hardly took her by surprise. Isley had gone away, the Confederacy didn't look like itself anymore. It was all different and foreign. And Anastasia did what she did best, she walked away without so much as a second glance. It was truly that simple, to walk away.

The female clone borrowed one of her father's ship but instead of going home, since it was still in Confederacy territory, she just went further south before the system alerted her she was out of the factions borders. Then her eyes noted a planet on her screen. Arbra. She blinked a few times staring at the name as she dug deep in her memories. "Salvation," suddenly the female remembered. That was what the Rebels had called it. Funny how she remembered it now.

Adjusting the coordinates, she set there and when it was time, turned off the autopilot and continued manually, landing into the forest landscape. There was a time after the fall of the Empire that Naha'va kept a close eye on what was happening in the galaxy more so than usual. She was waiting then. Now, as she turned off the engines, she thought of the things she did remember about the planet. It wasn't much. The planet always seemingly lacked intelligent life and technology and yet the Rebels had made this one of their bases. The nickname had once made her laugh, her young mind thinking that there would be no survival for the Rebellion once her Emperor had risen but in the decades to come, Naha'va learned that all things have a beginning and an end, all empires rise and fall. All that mattered was staying alive, living. Now that was something I've gotten quite good at, she thought to herself as her finger moved over the cargo bay door button and pressed it, getting off her chair a moment later. On her way out, she picked up Ragnos, her lightsaber.

Salvation would be the place where Anastasia would gather her strength, her thoughts. Where she would meditate what needed to be meditated. There was lots of questions to be answered, lot of thoughts to be processed. In the three years of her life, she had allowed Isley to dictate her training. Even though she was meant to believe she was in her late teens, Ana had known straight off that wasn't the case. But how could he possibly know that when he didn't know she had invaded the lifeless body of his child-clone on the first day and in the time he had given her fake memories to live off of, her mind had been processing the centuries she had lived before. But now, that he wasn't even here, Anastasia had no other loyalties in the Confederacy. It was time for her to piece things, to explore those memories. Things she had been taught by her tutor, her first Master, her last Master, even the girl who had brought her back from the Force the last time. Here, Naha'va didn't have to hide. Here, she could just be herself.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

The summit of a mountain that Cameron stood upon provided quite the vantage point of the dense forests of Arbra. His cold gaze surveyed the horizon as he watched the approach of a tiny speck of a vessel somewhere in the distance.

"Emimence. We have completed the initial surveys. Shall we initiate preparations for departure?"

Silver-green eyes shifted only briefly to regard the Priest of Neth that had accompanied the exploratory expedition to Arbra. The man had not worked with Cameron before, but his expertise necessitated his presence. A Priest of Aatrox quickly stepped forward to direct the follower of Neth away from Cameron. Those that wore the dark blue and gray knew how little the Mask appreciated being prompted for direction.

When Cameron Centurion was ready to issue a command - a command was issued. "Janos. Send a team to investigate the ship that just arrived." Even as the men prepared to depart, Cameron stretched out with his presence, groping the land and the current of the Force that encompassed all. There was something familiar about the distant presence. The presence, real presence of [member="Anastasia Verd"].

 

[Anastasia Verd]

Black gaze wandered to the nature of the planet as she exited the ship. Her soul, now centuries old, viewed this planet not with the childish hate she once held for the rebels and all they held dear. She had learned since then. Rebels and all their stood for was still not the favorite of things for her. But she no longer possessed the hate or the constitution for it. Inside her cold heart, there was no more place for such childish emotions. Her Master had once kept her away from the darkness, focused on all that was the Force. She had to embrace every aspect of it and charge herself with it. The Force was living and present. But in time, her dark heart did see that she could never truly accept all aspects. The light was... too light for her darkened soul. If she even had one.

Reaching out to the Force, she inhaled in the same moment as she too in all her surroundings. And then she felt it. Someone was reaching out to her. As she exhaled, she dug deeper. The presence at fingertips was not as close but it was strong, feeling her very essence. Not the facade before everyone's eyes but what was on the inside, locked deep within. What she herself had let free since her arrival.

The body she was in was weak and young but her essence suddenly came to life, feeling, reaching out. Naha'va pushed behind this mortal body, her eyes closing, tracing back on the signature that was close but its source so far. Memories spurred. It took her a moment to sort through them. First, she remembered one of her deaths. And then she a face flashed through her mind. 'Master,' the female suddenly reached out. She remembered.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron's silver-green gaze narrowed towards the horizon as the unmistakable presence of Naha'va pushed back against his own. Suspicions confirmed, the Sith Lord spoke out to the recovery team that had yet to depart. "Wait. Continue the survey. I will investigate this on my own." Several figures simply nodded. They all knew who would supervise activities in the Sith Lord's absence.

Wordlessly, Cameron took several steps forward before dropping off the edge of the summit. As his body plummeted, folds of fabric flapped around his arms and face, exposing the intricate designs adorning his exposed upper body. Prior to reaching the upper canopy, Cameron manipulated the Force to abruptly slow his descent. Maintaining firm hold of his telekinetic concentration, he forced his body to shift in the direction of [member="Anastasia Verd"]'s presence, but he ceased his efforts just as quickly eventually dropping down to the forest floor. Kindling and debris kicked up all around the Sith Lord as he bent his knees to absorb the shock of impact.

Silver-green eyes groped the summer light of the forest as Cameron stood to his full height. Placing a hand gently on the hilt of his Sith Sword, the Mask of Aatrox proceeded forward, sensing his former apprentice relatively close by.

 

[Anastasia Verd]

Slowly, her head moved, her eyes examining her sights. He was not there. And yet, suddenly feeling the familiar sensation was like a warm blanket. Anastasia might have been shown what having a family could be like but deep down, that was not here. It was foreign, strange. But her Masters, they were like family, the closest she ever truly got. She was loyal to both of them, she willingly submitted to all their commands. For this one, she even died. Because that was what she was made to be. At least in time, she was free to choose whom she would be loyal to.

He was coming. The girl didn't need the Force to tell her that. For a second, the memory flashed through her mind and her grip around the hilt tightened. Loyal and yet programmed to survive. To overcome all, to live. And yet, the loyalty pierced through ever fiber over her being and Anastasia loosened her grip from the hilt and remained perfect still, almost soldier-like.

And Naha'va just waited, letting her Sense remain active but not pushy. Even if she could, she wouldn't hide herself. Not here, not now.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

The dense foliage of the forest rustled restlessly as Cameron approached. Currents of the Force would wash over [member="Anastasia Verd"]'s presence as the Sith Lord used it to clear his path. What creatures existed amongst the wilds they currently occupied registered their own indication and, in some circumstances, irritation with the presence of both force users within their ordinarily tranquil home.

While usually preferred a much more subtle approach, a predatory entity himself, he had little reason to be secretive with Naha'va. Whatever doubt he had as to whether or not it might be her quickly evaporated with each step he took closer to her presence. Eventually, his large frame emerged from the brush. Silver-green eyes that would be more than familiar to his former apprentice evaluated the new body she inhabited silently. It was different in just about every way, causing him to smile thinly. "Naha'va..." Abruptly, Cameron seized the woman's throat intesnely with the Force.

"How?" The Sith Lord manipulated the pressure such that the woman would have enough ability to speak...with effort. He presumed that his question required no further explanation. He had condemnded her to death and carried out the action himself. Somehow she'd returned to life. While Cameron knew it was certainly possible, he also knew that the secrets were...beyond her singular ability. Perhaps not her understanding, however.

 

[Anastasia Verd]

When he finally came to full view of her Shi'ido-Umbaran eyes, Anastasia had no doubt it was truly him. Master was exactly as she remembered him. She remained quiet, waiting. And when he spoke her name, a name that had been been burried for so long, the female inhaled a sharp breath. Naha'va. To her surprise, it was a good feeling. Not hiding, not pretending to be this child, to hear her true name be spoken.

She felt the Force wrap itself around her neck, her head instantly rising slightly as she swallowed. It hurt.

How? She blinked as the pressure lessened ever so slightly. Enough for her to be able to speak, she knew. "A Sith Master made clones for children," she said, with pauses in her speech. Just because he had given her enough freedom for speech, it still hurt. "I fought my way into the body."

Naha'va paused, silently dealing the pain as she involuntarily tried to inhale again, with more pain thrown her way because of it. "Centuries ago, a girl pulled me from the Force into one of my clones after you killed me. I learned how to slip through." What followed was a sharp cough, distorted by the pressure he was still keeping over her. "No one knows," she finally forced herself, bring another cough. The question was answered. The only silent question now, exposed in her eyes as she kept eye-contact if it was enough for her Master.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron's cold eyes narrowed at the woman as she provided just enough insight to technically answer his question. Yet she have no detail that had not, technically, been asked for. The Sith Lord should have remembered this about his ever-attractive apprentice. However...she should have remembered he had little patience for games. Anyone that ever knew Cameron in the course of their life, knew he...appreciated detail.

In order to keep from preventing any permanent damage just yet, the Sith Lord released [member="Anastasia Verd"]'s body. "Names, Naha'va." No doubt he would not be expecting at least one of them, were she to tell the truth.

 

[Anastasia Verd]

The pressure deceased. Anastasia coughed intensely though she could still hear [member="Cameron Centurion"] clarify what he had wished to know.

Names. Her head lowered, her gazed lifted to him, looking at him for the second or two that she finally cleared her throat. Names... "I am Anastasia Verd now. The Sith Masters I call my parents are Isley Verd and Phoebe Verd, formally Draclau. Genetically, this is the body of their eldest daughter." He had asked for a direct answer and as such, she answered.

But there was another name that was even more important. Without that girl, she never would have been able to achieve this, even begin to figure out what she needed to. Sure, she'd try but actually succeed... "The girl... called herself Nessarose deWinter. Young but powerful." It was the right description. The girl introduced herself and that was what she had called her. Now that she thought about it, Naha'va realized she still owed that girl a boon. It had never been called upon. Centuries had passed but now that she recalled her words, she remembered this.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

The first pair of names of mentioned by [member="Anastasia Verd"] rang only distant bells within Cameron's expansive memories. However, when she uttered the words [member="Nessarose deWinter"] as the individual that had originally brought her back to life, Cameron's expression darkened immediately. He had not seen the child in...quite some time now. In fact, he wasn't even really aware that she remained alive. "Nessarose... Well then." The Sith Lord hadn't yet decided just how much he cared to make a visit. The girl had always reminded him of her mother. Far too much, in fact.

"Well then. It would behoove you not to squander...yet another chance at life." Cameron wasn't even sure how many incarnations of Naha'va her present form was. Clasping his arms behind his back, the large Sith approached his former apprentice, silver-green gaze locked on her form. "What brings you here?"

 

[Anastasia Verd]

No more questions came of any of the names she mentioned. For a moment, she suspected they held little interest to the man but as he repeated the last name, Naha'va wondered whether he knew the girl. But then again, Naha'va only ever knew what she needed to know about Cameron Centurion. She remained quiet though, it was not her place to ask.

Some friendly advice followed. Not to behoove this chance at life. She smiled every so slightly. Naha'va certainly didn't plan on it. This body, this life, the bloodlines she had become part of. It was all different from before. A unique chance for someone like her.

What brought her here? "The Confederacy. My... father was one of its leaders. It's yet another disappointment in the long line of my Emperor's legacies." Cameron wouldn't need much explanation to her words. Leaders had risen and fallen in the centuries but only one was truly her Emperor. "This body is new, three years. Despite the fabricated memories I was given to conceal it. It needs training, practice." In her time as Anastasia, she had realized that having parents with actual parental feelings was useless. They were affectionate, protective but ultimately, they took too much time with meaningless things and not enough time with relevant things, such as one's growth with the Force. It was time she corrected that error herself.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron listened intently to [member="Anastasia Verd"]'s statements. Though he did not show it, part of her statement did develop interest in the Sith Lord's mind. That, of course, being the Confederacy. Unclasping his hands, Cameron began to walk in slow circles around his former apprentice's new body. "Well. We cannot have that then."

Once he'd made a complete lap around her, Cameron stopped less than a foot away and looked down at her. "I have not had many apprentices that proved worth my time." In fact, he'd had...close to none. "I am willing to instruct you...bring you back to a level of usefulness. However, my time remains very much...precious. I require something in return. This...Confederacy. How much influence would you imagine you have amongst them?"

 

[Anastasia Verd]

She didn't react to his words though deep down, she was content with such a response. Only Cameron truly knew about her first loyalties other than Lenavina, and her daughter had never tried to discover more about it.

Next, he circled around her before he finally stopped, commenting on his apprentices. He was willing to instruct her again. Anastasia just continued to watch him intently. There was always something more with him, it wasn't just this. Just like it was never just one thing with her.

How much influence did she have in the Confederacy? "I was a Templar, Apprentice level. So it equals to none. Isley was the Marshall, he had the power but he's gone now. But Phoebe is still there and a Master. She would have some influence perhaps." Did she actually care, other than what the answer was, none at all. The female had been mother genetically but other than that, nothing. She wasn't even the one to create Anastasia for her to even began to have any emotions towards her. But could she be of use for what Cameron was asking her? Perhaps.


[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron offered [member="Anastasia Verd"] a gentle nod of his head. "I see." Without really bothering to confirm whether or not anything she'd said had been of interest to him, the Sith Lord allowed his attentions to shift to more productive, worthwhile matters. "I'll keep that information in mind. However, I suppose I'm most...interested in what knowledge you might have retained from our time together." Cameron's interactions with Naha'va had always been professional. That was as much a byproduct of both their personalities as anything else. However, her discipline and focus had always been intriguing to Cameron. Perhaps it fostered a fondness that he did not ordinarily share with...people.

Ignored for the necessity of maintaining structure and a definitive sense of...master and apprentice.

 

[Anastasia Verd]

A single nod and a short reply was all she received for her answer. It told her nothing other than the fact that Cameron had acknowledged her words. That would be all she would get, she knew.

There was another matter he wished to know though. The past life in which she had known him, how much she remembered. What did she remember? Anastasia blinked as she sorted through her memories. "I remember the first day. Your advice about survival and keeping my life and training simple," she spoke up, still hearing his words. "As well as our training on that day." He also talked about knowing herself that day. Naha'va knew herself always. The face staring back at her in the mirror was irrelevant. Masks were important but Naha'va knew what was on the inside, she always had.

She remembered more but there were pauses between her sentences as her mind put order into her memories. "I remember the plans you had for the Empire and your return after one of your disappearances after I was promoted to Knight." And then of course, there was... "My death in the form most familiar and our brief reunion after I possessed another clone of mine. That was the clone my essence was returned to by the deWinter child." She remembered plenty of all her former lives, what was relevant. There had been fuzzy at first but in time, having been left to her own devices when her "parents" believed they were giving her a normal teenage life, Anastasia had taken time to clarify the images from her mind. The actions themselves were still more theory than action though she had been slowly building up her strength and concentration on her own through what she remembered.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron arched a curious brow in [member="Anastasia Verd"]'s direction. While he was not exactly overly enthused about teaching these days, the prospect of having a student worth his time once more was...appealing. In the past, he'd thought Naha'va to be his most useful subordinate and student. She came to him already very intelligent and capable...certainly not something many experienced individuals in the galaxy could boast today. Her definitive ties to CIS however...could potentially become problematic. Easy enough to manage, however.

"Good. At least then...the concepts do not need to be re-hashed." Casually, the Sith Lord withdrew his Sword and allowed the crimson blade to angle harmlessly towards the ground as he grasped the worn leather hilt comfortably. "Theory is one thing, however." If Naha'va did not have a weapon, she would have to improvise. Somehow he doubted she went many places without some fashion of weapon.

Suddenly, Cameron brought up his left hand and loosed a powerful wave of force energy in the woman's direction. No sooner had the telekinetic attack initiated than the Sith Lord's large frame surged forward with surprising agility and speed, brining his weapon up to strike at the woman's mid-section as the force attacked created a softening, pre-emptive blow to his powerful melee attack.

 

[Anastasia Verd]

No, the concepts needn't have been rehashed, Anastasia merely noted in her mind before her dark gaze noted the weapon becoming visible from the man. Again, his words rang true. Theory was one thing. It was a basic to her, like a book she was reading. Everything had to be put to the test first.

The hybrid gripped her curved hilt but did not get the chance to ignite it before the telekinetic attack came her way, throwing her backwards. The grip on her hilt remained firm even when she felt, coming alive to her side as her feet danced heavily through the ground, the teenage body using all her willpower and strength not to fall flat on her behind.

She barely had time to react, the crimson red of her lightsaber coming to meet his attack in front of her. Weak as she was, her only next move was to focus on a single part of him, not the whole of him or his weapon. No, that would have been stupid to do, Naha'va was well aware as she summoned the Force to her aid, focusing her weak telekinesis solely on Cameron's wrist, willing it to go backwards.

And oddly enough, even through the strain, Naha'va felt as if she was free. Alive.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Weak or not...[member="Anastasia Verd"] did something which was really all that mattered in a combat situation. He'd seen far too many people struggle to find the perfect maneuver and end up failing. Sometimes...simple worked in unexpected ways. This wasn't one of those times, however, because Cameron simply was larger, stronger, and knew Naha'va well. After all, he had taught much of what she...knew in the past?

As the woman's telekinetic nudge of Cameron's wrist became apparent, he allowed it to spur his next action. He'd taught her before that it was often easier to allow the force attacks of others to have their effect and carry you than to try and struggle against it. That often required a large amount of energy that was better reserved for something else - allow your opponent to drain themselves with continuous force attacks while you conserved your energy.

The Sith Lord's weapon moved away from Naha'va just enough to lighten the pressure she was holding back. Cameron, took that minimal momentum and carried it around swiftly in a three hundred sixty degree turn to the woman's opposite side. Bending his knees slightly, he brought his right leg up to kick her in the abdomen as his weapon followed closely behind to block any attempted retaliation with her lightsaber.

 

[Anastasia Verd]

Anastasia felt the pressure of his weapon on hers lessen as he draw back his hand, her mind quickly pulling away from him, her own feet dancing back half a step as he turned around. She didn't expect for the telekinesis to do any kind of real damage, its intent was simple and fulfilled. However, as weak as her power was now, it had merely given her a second or two to react before he came to her other side and hit in her in abdomen.

Silently, Anastasia took the pain, a tiny whisper identifying a moan to follow the feeling. This body was even weaker than she had expected it to be, not fully accustomed to the physical pain she had always allowed her former incarnations to experience to develop a threshold of bearing. She did have enough discipline to keep her reaction quiet though not quiet enough, she knew, stumbling back.

Dark eyes noted the weapon that followed along though the lack of attack from it. He was waiting for her, Naha'va registered in her mind. She took a millisecond to register his position as her feet stood still before circling herself to Cameron, slicing the blade through the air in her dominant hand, heading for the elbow of his armed hand. Mid-strike, Naha'va saw a couple of maneuvers Cameron could easily do to deflect her or even injure her but right now, her entire being felt alive through the sharp pain from her abdomen.

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron's motions remained fluid and connected. It was almost as if his body and very soul were attempting to communicate with [member="Anastasia Verd"]'s on body. What the message was...could be interpreted in so many ways. The only truth to the matter was that combat, like all things of finesse and subtle power, was an art form as much as anything else.

If the Sith Lord had heard Naha'va's...no...Anastasia's absorption of pain, he did not show it. As the woman's blade came in toward's his elbow, Cameron gave his sword a subtle toss before re-grasping the hilt in an overhanded position. This enabled the Sith Lord to rotate the hilt downward with ease and send the crimson-blade to point upwards along the length of his arm.

Just before the woman's weapon made contact with his own, Cameron rotated his wrist sharply to send the blade a few inches away from his arm and towards her much lighter blade of light. This would only ensure his own blade was not sent into the skin of his arm upon contact, relying on the greater momentum of his sword practically from mass alone. However, Cameron immediately identified a potential weakness in the defensive maneuver. If she deactivated her blade, he would over-commit just slightly, but it would be enough to grant her the opportunity to land quite a...damaging blow to his right side.

That wasn't going to happen.

With his free left hand, Cameron erupted a ball of Kinetite roughly the size of the woman's chest at her body. Given their proximity, she wouldn't likely be able to dodge the attack and continue her attack. Attempting to absorb the energy at this range would undoubtedly required the use of both of her hands...and still probably send her flying several tens of feet backwards before it was completely mitigated.