Too Late to Apologize

[Caid Centurion]

Sith Citadel
Ziost

Caid pretty much hated Ziost. The cold threatened to seep into his very bones, and he wasn't a big fan of continuous body temperature regulation. It was a skill that he'd found necessary to learn while among his mother's people on Dathomir, and it had come in handy more often than not during his years pirating the cold vastness of space. However, he felt that it diluted his natural senses. Perhaps in time to come, events would convince him to change his stance. Or maybe, just maybe, he refused to rely on it because that was one of the very recognizable traits of his father...who refused to wear a shirt pretty much anywhere.

His warm breath was visible as it escaped through specially designed air scrubbers in his mask during his ascent to the Citadel's entrance. Having returned to Thule from Korriban only a week prior, the young Sith had finally saw fit to make the journey to the Citadel. There were several reasons for his presence here, but reacquainting himself with a certain Omwati hybrid was chief among them.

Approaching the two sentinels at the door, Caid did not bother to acknowledge their presence, and they paid him the same courtesy. The large, heavy doors swung open in enough time for Caid to pass through without breaking stride. As soon as he crossed the threshold, he could feel the heat generated inside the Citadel almost instantly. Snowy footprints eventually faded and quickly melted as the young Centurion proceeded down the long corridor towards the library, the place he knew Athena would undoubtedly be.

Once he stepped inside the cavernous section of the Citadel, he focused his attention on a series of tables near the back of the hall. There were a few people present at this time of night...most of them Kissai trying to master more and more spells. The blue-hued skin of the half-Omwati, however, was the one that drew the Sith's attention. Coming to a stop just on the opposite side of her table, Caid clasped his hands behind his back before his deep voice filtered through his mask in her direction. "When did you get those?" The masked and cloaked Sith nodded his head to indicate [member="Athena Heron"]'s new wings.

Well. New to him, at least.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Veritas"]

Slender, blue finger continued to follow the line of text she was reading within the ancient scroll. Very interesting text about an ancient amulet that had the potential to transform the wearer into a nexu. The bird woman briefly wondered if hair balls would be a problem and side affect. Feathers ruffled slightly as the filtered voice reached her ears. She ignored it for a few moments as she finished reading the paragraph.

Dark strands of silky hair shifted on her shoulders as her dark orbs to match finally broke free from the surface of the scrolls. Since her mental connection to him on Kaas, she certainly couldn't mistake who it was. Caid Centurion.

"While you were gone," she said abruptly. Vague and short. "Honestly, I don't know why you bother wearing that silly mask in here."

Eyes drifted down to where his mouth would be.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Though [member="Athena Heron"] could not see his facial features, there was certainly no element of amusement...nor was there any outward display of remorse. The latter was a practiced result. It was a good thing he had too, or Athena would have seen straight to the heart of his emotions when she was fully connected to his mind on Dromund Kaas. Still, there was no hiding the bubble of emotional response to being that closely connected to Athena after so long...just not enough to really bid acknowledgment over the impending battle.

"No. You wouldn't." There was nothing malicious about his statement, and the explanation wasn't really important now. Waving a dismissive hand, Caid just got to the point. He wasn't any good at witless banter, and he was even less interested. "When I arrived to investigate my ancestral homeworld, I was confronted by my father."

A pause...not really for effect so much as being out of practice socializing.

"He outmatched me and left me for dead. A distant cousin discovered me, nursed me back to health, and arranged for me to continue my training as I recovered and learned about my family. Things I never thought I would really know." It illuminated a great deal about why his father was...the way he was. More importantly, it showed Caid how drastically out of touch the man truly was. "It is not a place within communications range of any holonet. I was unable to send word."

Not the whole truth.

"I didn't want to send word. I thought you a weakness. Another form of control ultimately placed in my path by my father. Perhaps to some extent you are...were and did not know it. However... I'm not interested in leveling any concern with or for Cameron Centurion. Not even to kill him. I'm concerned only with my life, my legacy, and the things that I want."

There was no apology only because, well, there was nothing to apologize for. The past had happened. Caid Centurion had learned that his life was one lived by simply making choices and not looking back. Mistakes, however, never quite left a person. His presence before Athena was indicative of such. "I'm glad to see you are well, and in spite of my foolish initial efforts, I did miss you rather fiercely."

Boom. All on the table.

"I will let you return to your studies if that is your wish."

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Veritas"]

Anger swirled within her, like the building of an approaching storm on the horizon. Only, she didn't know if she was angry at him, his father, or herself. Maybe a bit of all three. And she couldn't stop the high arch of feathered-brows as he made his feelings known.

She assumed the opposite.

"No," she said, surprising herself, though an edge of remaining on guard veiled her tone. A hand motioned to the empty chair opposite her, a large stack of scrolls and books piled on the table between. "This deserves a conversation. Sit."

Wings stretched a little, filling up the space behind her before quickly folding back in.

"You left on a mission we were supposed to take together, without a single word. I understand your penchant for distrust when it comes to Lord Centurion but I am disappointed when it comes to me. When you disappeared, I almost when to your father. Do you realize it's hard me me to trust you now?"

A part of her was glad she was talking to the mask and that she couldn't see those green eyes of his. Her heart might betray her.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid remained standing even after the seat was offered, but he did not interrupt [member="Athena Heron"] as she said her piece. Silence was all that he immediately had to offer in response. He could understand her emotions, certainly. After all, he knew what it felt like to be betrayed. Perhaps he had never experienced betrayal in the same manner as the half-Omwati was referring, but he preferred not to wrap himself up in semantics.

Pulling out the chair opposite of Athena, Caid finally took a seat. Pulling back the hood of his cloak, Caid removed the mask covering his head and set it near the edge of the table. Inhaling slowly, he finally raised his silver-green gaze in Athena's direction, the new, long scar running along his left cheek plainly visible. When he spoke, his deep voice had lost its metallic edge. "I understand your being upset."

Straightening in his seat, Caid set his jaw slightly. "I can only apologize for the damage I may have done." There really wasn't anything Caid could say to make Athena understand his hesitation to completely trust her that he hadn't already said. In fact, it was entirely possible that she was still a part of his father's machinations. The difference now...Caid had ceased to live his life out of suspicion that everything around him was a game played by his father. His own mother thought it was ridiculous, but he was convinced that woman would never be able to see beyond her infatuation with the man and his so-called 'power'.

"And assure you that the days of living in fear of my father or his manipulations have past."

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Veritas"]

Leaning forward, she let her chin fall into the palm of her upturned hand. There were ink stains along her fingers. Such was the life of a Sith scholar.

Dark orbs snapped to Caid's face, silently studying the new scar along his features before getting lost for a moment in those same green eyes. She'd never stopped caring about him. They were at least friends and among Sith, that was saying a lot.

"I'm impressed that you came all this way to find me," an olive branch. "Or perhaps a little worried that my actions are so...predictable. Assassins are annoyingly common these days." While she was part of this new Sith regime, she and its head, Vrak Nashar certainly didn't get along. He probably wanted to kill her as she did him. She could still feel his fingers around her slender neck.

"Well," she breathed," pink lips pursing together, "if you can move on, so can I. Why do you wear that mask so much?"

Her curiosity was piqued. Of course, the half omwati was always curious.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid arched a curious brow briefly. "I wouldn't be so critical. There are only so many organizations of Sith worth much of a comment." In that regard, Caid really meant to say there were basically only two. The Ascendancy seemed a bit too...idealistic for Athena. "There also aren't very many that fit your..." Caid allowed his bright gaze to slowly trace the curves of [member="Athena Heron"]'s body - even though he couldn't technically see her full form. "...description."

As his eyes returned to hold Athena's comparatively dark orbs, he leaned his head to indicate the helmet he typically wore. "It is a symbol. A symbol of my lack of true identity until such a time as my progress along the path of my people reaches its final phase." Caid paused for a moment, sure that it made rather little sense to Athena. "The point at which Cameron no longer exists. Until then, my public affairs must be conducted under a veil of obscurity. You would understand, no doubt, if you were to visit Endelaan." Caid permitted himself a thin smile. "One day, perhaps."

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Veritas"]

A dark, feathered brow lofted as she followed his gaze. "Endelaan." She smirked, letting her eyes rake down across his own figure. "You were supposed to take me there before you disappeared."

She didn't easily forget such things.

Head lifted from her balled-up fist. "And I can't help it if others don't appreciate the assets I have to offer." She stood, chair scraping behind her as she gathered up the scrolls and books. "Do you need me to go beat up Cameron Centurion for you?"

Dark brows lofted and it was hard to tell if she was jesting or not.

 

[Caid Centurion]

[member="Athena Heron"]

Caid smirked slightly. His mild amusement did not center around what she'd said so much as the unspoken reality that he would have to hear it again in the future. "I know. It is good that I did not, however." Would he have had the life-altering experience he had with Athena by his side? Doubtful. Would Nessarose have come to his aid, offering to show him the truth of his heritage if someone had spirited him away from Endelaan following the altercation? Nope.

While it was an unfortunate betrayal, it had been an unknown necessity. Again - there was hardly any reason to dwell on the past, but Athena, if nothing else, was female. Their ways were more a mystery to him than even the deepest of secrets within the Force.

When Athena came to her feet, Caid leaned back in his seat and followed her with his eyes. "Somehow...I rather doubt you suffer from your assets not being appreciated, Athena. As for Cameron...no." Caid's voice was surprisingly even and his mannerisms definitively neutral as he spoke of his father. "He is my challenge to face...whether it brings victory or death."

Casually, Caid came to his feet and picked up his helmet from the table. "I think we've talked significantly enough about me. What has engaged your interests and attentions since last we..." A playful smirk slipped slowly across Caid's lips as he approached the half-Omwati. "...interacted."

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Veritas"]

She smirked, showing no sense of shyness or propriety in her gaze to the younger Centurion. Arms tightened just slightly over the bundle of scrolls from the tension she felt as he drew closer. "Well, I'll give you the short version," she leaned in close for a moment, before turning to walk past his broad form, feathered-wings brushing against his arm and shoulder as she reached up to push one of the scrolls back in its proper place on a higher shelf in a corner nook.

Dark eyes shifted as she looked sideways at him. "I met a Sith pureblood named Vrak Nashar and I wanted to kill him the entire time," and she was very aware he was their faction's current leader. "A stolen Jedi holocron was involved. After that there was some exploring on a Kruskan temple ruins."

Toes pushed herself up higher as she struggled to get over the lip of the shelf with her hand.

"There was a very interesting Sith there and a Sith spirit that tried to kill us but instead, gave me these."

Eyes flitted back for a moment to the restored grey-feathered wings sprouting from her shoulder blades. "I've been a busy girl." She smirked, arm still stretched above her head as she continued to fight with the shelf.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid was mostly silent as [member="Athena Heron"] brushed past him and began to deliver a very condensed version of her experiences over the preceding months. Casually, Caid moved to follow Athena, silver-green eyes only diverting from her form as the soft sounds of two other individuals entering the library touched his ears. Satisfied that their footfalls indicated them to be drifting in the other direction, Caid returned his gaze to Athena as she mentioned her new wings.

"So," Caid started as Athena's story concluded. "Explored some places, met some people, wanted to kill one of them, and you escaped death...but not before the would-be mechanism of that doom gifted you with that which you've longed for since I've known you." It was true that Athena had never really directly made mention of a longing for her wings, but he recalled the story about her family and the slavers. Specifically, Caid recalled every emotion that dripped into the Force when she told the story. He recalled the subtle tremors of sadness that had flashed over her features but briefly.

Now, as he stood there watching Athena struggle against the shelf, Caid was struck with a single thought. A thought which in the past he probably would have pushed aside and ignored completely. Today, he was merely whomever he wished to be, and he did not permit any emotion or circumstance in his life to be a weakness.

Pushing off the shelf he had been leaning against, Caid walked behind Athena and reached up to push the scroll back into its place on the shelf, his body naturally pressing lightly against Athena's as a result. Even after the scrolls had been replaced, Caid stepped around to the side, but he didn't exactly open up much space between them. "Then again. I know there was always a deeper longing than simply your wings."

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Veritas"]

Wings trembled as he brushed against her. Annoyance briefly rippled across her blue-brow and she wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was annoyance at the overly-tall shelving system. Toes lowered to the ground and she turned, facing the younger Centurion, arms lowering at her sides. Deep brown eyes latched onto his bright green orbs. They were close in the tight space, filled with the reds, blues, and browns of different colored scrolls packed along the floor-to-ceiling shelves, catching the soft glow from the chandeliers hanging above.

It was easy for her to play things off - stay shallow and cruel, flirtatious and quick. Stay in control. Caid was catching her off-guard today. But none of these emotions showed on her face, though they might betray her through the force.

Had she been that open with her feelings on her wings with Caid, before? And was that a weakness?

Arms crossed beneath her chest.

"A deeper longing Caid? Please do tell."

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid couldn't say he was precisely sure what he felt from Athena. There were people, not many but some, that Caid chose not mentally invade. In truth, he'd never been supremely competent in sifting through little more than surface thoughts. Even then, it was more an action of interpreting a series of factors that spoke to the emotional experiences of others.

However, he could certainly recall the past. He remembered the conversations and experiences he'd had with Athena in the not-too-distant-past. She had been quick to state her wishes...quicker than could possibly have been normal. That had either been a manipulation, a grave mistake, or a sincere truth.

He was hedging his bets.

"I was referring to your family." [member="Athena Heron"] had never gone into a great deal of detail about her family or her past in general. However, he did recall small things. Moreover...things his father had said to him on Endelaan. The reality that he couldn't really trust anything his father said was why he didn't elaborate.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Veritas"]

A mixture of surprise and anger washed across her blue-face. Had she told him about her family before? Perhaps. Still, her temper couldn't help the hand that shot out, blue-fingers curling around the fabric across Caid's chest as she pulled him in closer.

"Family?"

Hand-tightened.

"What do you know of it? They're gone. Murdered." A flicker of doubt crossed her gaze. There was her brother. She'd looked for awhile since she'd escaped the slavers but she'd never found him and for her own sanity, assumed he too, was dead and lost. She wasn't like Caid, who had plenty of family, even though he had a tenuous relationship with his father. The half-omwati had no one. And she believed she was stronger for it. That's what she told herself, anyway.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid did not struggle against [member="Athena Heron"]'s reaction. When she'd finished her aggressive reaction, the newly-promoted Colonel reached up with both of his hands. Setting them down lightly on top of her own, he offered her a simple response. "Nothing." That wasn't precisely accurate. He knew something had happened to her family, but that wasn't even the point of his comment anyways.

Even though Athena had already pulled him closer, Caid took a half-step forward, erasing whatever space had existed between them as their bodies touched. Gazing down at the half-omwati, he made a simple observation. "Solitude can be comforting, but that's not what you want. It's the reason you're still standing here. The reason I searched three-fourths of the galaxy to find you once more."

Strength came in many ways. There was no secret recipe. An individual merely had strength, or they did not.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Veritas"]

There was a bit of cold that still lingered on his coat, that even the heat of the library hadn't taken away yet. She felt it as his chest pressed against her own. Wings trembled at her back. Dark orbs drifted down to the hand he'd captured with his own. Arm remained tense, as if she didn't know if she wanted to shove him away or pull him closer.

He had found her. Not only here but also at Kaas. She couldn't forget how he'd blasted his way into that cage of branches and vines.

Gaze flickered back up to his face, eyes searching each new scar line, as if memorizing him for the first time. He'd changed. So had she. She didn't know what the future would bring. But he was right. There was one thing she wanted right now and it seemed he did too, his grip gentle over her harsh one.

"Why don't you tell me exactly what I want, then?"

She didn't really give him a chance. Within the partial shadows of the nearly empty library, pink lips moved forward.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid wasn't sure what he'd desired or expected out of this meeting before arriving. As their conversation had progressed, he was fairly certain that, though a bit of damage control had been done, the reality was there would still be damage for a time. Near as he could tell, it went deeper than him betraying her trust to an extent. Perhaps he wouldn't go so far as to say broken heart.

For the few brief moments that they were close but motionless, Caid put himself in Athena's shoes. Before he could have any real moment of clarity, however, her lips were inching closer to his. The decision by the older Sith to respond was effortless. Leaning forward, Caid placed his lips firmly against her own. Instinctively, his hands dropped from her own, one looping around her waist as another snaked up her back until it gently cradled the back of her head. The resultant effect was a soft, comforting type of pressure aimed at drawing them both deeper into the embrace.

[member="Athena Heron"]

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Veritas"]

Fingers slid up his shirt and somehow wound around the back of his neck. Soft-feathers along the wings at her back fluttered lightly against the back of his arm. And for a very long moment, the sith scholar lost herself in his embrace, heart thumping wildly around the light bones of her rib-cage.

Unfortunately, there was a pesky need to breath oxygen.

Lips withdrew but she remained close, silky strands of dark-hair mixed with feathers tickled against his nose and face.

"Wait a minute," lips curled into a slow, easy smile. "You didn't really search over half the galaxy to find me." A dark, dangerous teasing tone filled her voice.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid didn't know how long it had been, and, unlike their previous encounters, he barely registered any touch beyond that of [member="Athena Heron"]'s lips upon his own. The embrace deepened as the full breadth of emotions that he'd not chosen to convey in word manifested in action. For a moment, it would seem as if their passionate encounter would continue to skyrocket to the ultimate point of pleasure right in that very library.

However, Athena fortunately broke the embrace, allowing both Sith a chance to quietly suck down more air. Still holding the woman close, Caid's silver-green eyes gazed at Athena with a longing that was all too obvious. That longing, however, did slowly transform into something of a mischievous glint. "I may have embellished a little bit." Leaning in slightly, Caid whispered into Athena's ear. "A third, perhaps, but I was prepared to search in its entirety." Withdrawing his head slightly, Caid offered Athena a joking wink. "I was in the moment!"

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Caid Centurion"]

Nails trailed down the side of Caid's face, going over some of his new scars there. "You embellish? Noooo," dark-eyes danced with mirth. She pressed in again, capturing his mouth forcefully with her own. "But are you in this moment with me now?"

Nails slightly dug into his skin and hair.

There was a small dark, alcove behind them. Hips pushed against his torso as she guided him backwards into it. Fingers left his hair and skin to drift downard, to tug off that pesky winter jacket from his body. Clothes always got in the way and were such a nuisance in times like these.