When It Rains

[Aren D'Shade]

Getting ever more brave, the call and need of technology called to Aren. It lead her to a planet where she probably never should have been. However, here she was on Dromund Kaas and the thunder rolled around her. An almost ever present rain came with it and she was soon quite wet.

Grumbling under her breath, the girl and her droids set up in as comfortable location as they could to observe the goings on around a certain residence here. The actual owner didn't matter to her, it was the treasures he had behind those walls that she wanted.

There was something odd and interesting she learned in her observation. It seemed like getting in wasn't going to post as much of an issue as she thought it would. After three days of observations, she made her move in the middle of the night. It was done just before the shift in the organics was going to change. When those just getting off were less likely to notice anything if at all.

Her skill with both slicing and electronics bought her a way in. If anybody was paying attention to the video feed, they might notice a slight fluctuation in one of them. Nothing would be seen entering, but a tiny moment of fuzziness and the feed was back to normal.

Aren had told her droids to return to the small room they had been staying in and that she would return for them in the morning. That is how confident she was in her ability to move around unnoticed. A little too confident, but time would tell her that...

Making her entrance, she would then attempt to sneak around to where she felt called. Avoiding any of the organics, the droids she passed caused no issue for her. A simple focusing and it was like they had never seen her. Anything more complex, she might have had problems with.

No alarms were tripped or activated that she knew of, but after she had wandered around...she had to admit she was lost. So lost by now, she didn't even know if she could find her way back out if she tried.

[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

Breathe in, breathe out.

His eyes closed and his body relaxed, Adrian hovered slightly above the unadorned metal floor. Before him, a familiar Holocron spun slowly on its axis, its gatekeeper as familiar to the young Knight as the lightsaber at his hip.

How many hours he had spent like this, how many hours he had spent communing with all that remained of that great Loremaster, he did not know. From these conversations, he had learned much --- he had learned obscure rituals and strange sciences, the secrets of ancient civilisations and long-lost artefacts. Even so, the depths of that long-dead Darth's knowledge still eluded him, techniques yet remained that even his fervent study had failed to unlock. Truly, the quest for the twin giants of knowledge and power was neverending, a constant quest for self-improvement which every true Sith should wholeheartedly embrace.

---​

​

In the dark bowels beneath the skyscraper, in the eternal pool from which it had grown from a mere potential to a mind greater than any puny bipedal, Prime Grek-Xesh kept its eternal vigil. Interrupting its composition of a seventy-three hour long nine-layered melody of which it was quite proud, a flaw caught its attention. To a puny human, it would have been all but unnoticeable, but the vast mass of neurons was no human. Where a human would have been annoyed at most, the being was enraged. From its chaining, it had been entrusted with this domain. The domain of the creator of its kind, no less. To allow imperfection, any imperfection, in this most hallowed of domains would be unthinkable.

Within 0.3 milliseconds of the flaw being detected, a small army of droids departed storage closets throughout the skyscraper --- their destination? The camera, the nearby cameras, and every bit of electronics connected to them. It had been 326,687.963 seconds since the last security-related imperfection, a deviation of 37.529 percent from Grek-Xesh's long-term facility-wide security proposition number four, quarterly subproposition seven-one. This, of course, could not be tolerated.

[member="Aren D'Shade"]​

 

[Aren D'Shade]

The girl had almost been going in circles, but didn't know it. So as the various droids might appear, Aren hoped this was normal for how things were run on the inside. It couldn't be normal. These droids were headed in the direction of where she had made her way in. However it gave her hope that with them being distracted and focused there, they wouldn't find her here.

She didn't doubt her ability to sway one or even two droids at the same time, but more than that and Aren didn't think she could do it. The amount that came searching for her was far beyond what she could easily do at her stage...

Not wanting to get caught and she hoped they weren't armed with anything more than something that would stun her, she ran. Trying for the most part to avoid going to areas with organics, she ended up coming face to face with five of these droids together. Doing her best to act like she belonged there, her ruse wouldn't last long and two of them captured her. The other two laid on the floor, disabled by her and the third was questioning its orders.

[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

Frowning in annoyance, the young Knight's eyes remained closed even as the eerie voice of the Overmind was projected from the walls of his meditation chamber.

Then, his expression softened, the annoyance fading away as quickly as it had come. "Understood. Force Sensitives are difficult to safeguard against, though I'm sure you will do your best to learn from this encounter. As for the prisoner ... bring her to me."

"Yes, Creator."

The torture room might have been appropriate, hells, he didn't immediately dismiss it. The Force Sensitive nature of the intruder, however, made him opt for the more polite solution. Making his way towards his office, he allowed himself to consider every angle he could think off. For all he knew, the woman was an assassin, intentionally allowing herself to be captured in order to get closer to him. Then again, that seemed unlikely. His home was his sanctuary, yet he frequently left it for the most dangerous of locales. Any assassin worth their salts would know to strike at him then. His collection, then? That was a possibility, which was why a quick command saw the priceless collection of relics in his office repositioned to nigh-impenetrable safeboxes buried in the walls, identical replicas taking their place.

---​

​

For a while, the restrained intruder would bear witness as more and more security droids swarmed around her. Then, the uncommunicative clankers would move aside, making way for an equally uncommunicative column made up of six towering duraplast-armoured beings, massive vibroweapons clenched in their gauntleted fists.

Whether she struggled or not, they would "escort" her to a private turbolift leading directly to the multi-floor penthouse in which the Knight resided. There, she would come face to face with the odd fusion of minimalism and luxury, of modernism and ancient Sith architecture, that the skyscraper's eccentric owner preferred. Along the way, she would see not a soul, the structure's inhabitants and their servants alike being warned to keep out of the way.

​

[member="Aren D'Shade"]​

 

[Aren D'Shade]

As she was surrounded, Aren didn't give up without some form of struggle. Not any form of physical resistance, but with various attempts to disable the droids that surrounded her. Some fell, others malfunctioned, but those with higher programming did not. However the sight of armed droids caused her some concern. They did not make a violent move at her. They just assured whoever sent them that she wasn't going to escape.

Letting out a sigh as she was surrounded at last by these, the girl gave up on any resistance. A time would come when this wouldn't have been an issue, she was sure of it...not tonight though. These droid lead her through empty halls and to a turbolift. From there they took her through more empty halls.

Her eyes and attention were on the décor though. Well maybe they were, but not at what things looked like. The girl wasn't here for the physical wealth that was visible, but for the beings like these droids she couldn't control right now.

Eventually they brought her into a large office looking room and she realized this was their destination. There was another organic here and he did not look particularly pleased to see her. Of course she understood why. Being woken up in the middle of the night probably wasn't something he expect let alone learning he had an intruder. Granted she hadn't actually taken anything...not even touched, but Aren hoped to get off lightly.

[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

Seated comfortably in his plush office chair, Adrian fixed his eyes upon the holorecording before him, eyes glittering with interest. She had disabled several of his droids, though he did not know exactly how. Perhaps she was using a form of particularly precise telekinesis, or perhaps she was a practitioner of that rare art of Mechu-Deru. An art which he had heard of, but whose secrets he remained entirely oblivious to him. Either way, the level of competency displayed in that regard belied the ease with which she was captured --- unless, of course, she was too specialised for her own good. Or perhaps she understood that once spotted, any damage caused during her attempted escape would only ensure her a harsher fate under the draconian laws of the Sith.

Turning off the display with a swipe of his fingers, he fixed a stern gaze towards the turadium door on the other end of the room, a door that soon slid open. Breaking formation, the six armour-plated Sithspawn that had been escorting her snapped to attention, then took up formations throughout the room. More for intimidation than anything else, as the arrogant young Knight had never been particularly easy to frighten.

Dark blue eyes staring into hers, he leaned forward, elbows touching the smooth desk before him while he steepled his fingers.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? A little thief, perhaps?"

Continuing to stare into her eyes, he waited for her response, force-enhanced senses poised to glean any kernel of truth from whatever lies she was about to sprout. Thief or assassin? Corporate, private, or political? Whatever the truth was, he would find it. He would find it and he would respond accordingly.

[member="Aren D'Shade"]​

 

[Aren D'Shade]

There was something very odd about the droids that came to escort her. Aren could likely control the mechanical part of them, but not the droids themselves. Finally she had found a challenge she couldn't wrap her mind around when it came to droids. What were they and why couldn't she touch them?

It wasn't she was afraid of damages done, she was more concerned with maintaining her own skin at this point. Surrender was the best option to staying alive.

They walked her into the office and into the presence of man. Of course he was not at all happy with her, but she didn't back away from him. He wasn't as intimidating as the wookiee she had met not too long ago. However, she did clutch slightly at her bag. Within it was all the tools she used when she couldn't use her ability to get into something.

He asked what she was and provided the answer himself. Maintaining the eye contact as long as she could, Aren nodded and looked away as she one word.

"Thief."

[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

For a thief, she was surprisingly courageous. Even so, there were hints of weakness. The way she clung to her bag, the way she averted her eyes ever so slightly when admitting her crimes. Some would have disappointed, but he was pleased. An excessive surplus of courage was useful in cannon fodder, but Adrian had always believed it to be an almost chronic issue amongst his fellow Sith. Among them himself, though that was not something he would admit in the presence of others.

For a moment, his eyes continued to relentlessly bear down upon her. Then, he leaned backwards in his chair, abruptly chuckling.

"Honesty? Colour me surprised. Not even going to beg pathetically?" Pausing slightly, he flashed her a predatory smile, a vicious glitter in his eyes. "Good. That gets boring quickly, and I abhor boredom."

Eyes turning genuinely thoughtful, he allowed his eyes to rove over form, though the real search was with his mind. A search that would feel, to the young woman, like a pervading tingling, a tingling piercing to the core of her being.

"Normally, I would turn you over to the Kaas authorities." Another wicked smile. "Eventually, at least." Presence further infringing upon her essence, he pushed against her mind, as if to prove a point. "Of course, you are not normal, are you?"

 

[Aren D'Shade]

This man was odd. Getting along far better with droids than organics she couldn't tell exactly what was going on through his mind. One moment though he was glaring at her, the next he was chuckling slightly. Though the smile he had did not go away, its intention did. Quite suddenly Aren was very afraid. Even more than when she met the wookiee.

She was locked in place...both with her fear and because of his gaze. There were other more obvious reasons, but she did not even think of them. In a way, she wished he would turn her over. However what he did to her...even though she was afraid, made her want to stay.

As he gazed at...not at, but through her. To her core, she felt him pushing into her mind. Her eyes were locked with his and Aren was unable to look away. He almost mesmerized her and figured out she was special.

"N...no."

Eventually the girl found her voice, but still stuttered over her words.

[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

Ah, there it was. Fear. Fear of the unpredictable, the unknown, and the longing that came with it. Familiar impressions indeed, to a Sith who had spent manifold times more time and energy mastering the art of social interaction than that of war.

Pushing gently against her mental barriers, he was surprised to feel them buckle. Untrained indeed, that much was sure, though that just made her perplexing usage of what he theorised to be particularly unusual techniques all the more intriguing. No, he most certainly wouldn't hand her over to the authorities any time soon.

Smiling amiably as she barely managed to stutter forth a single word, he continued to look into her eyes, taking his time before speaking again. "No indeed, you are far from normal."

Continuing to brush up against her defences, but never actually fully breaking through to the sanctity of her mind, he slowly began to pull back. She might be a thief, but he was not one to do that sort of thing to a fellow force sensitive except under truly exceptional circumstances. "Such a gift, isn't it? To be one in a million, one in a billion? Such a gift, just waiting to be harnessed to its full potential." Smile turning mischevious, he suddenly sent a small surge of energy through the fading connection, a glitter of excitement in his eyes. It was always interesting to see how people reacted to the utterly unexpected.

[member="Aren D'Shade"]​

 

[Aren D'Shade]

He confused her like no other being had before. Flipping between attitudes like switching a light off and on and it threw Aren for a loop. If she had given it any thought, she would have realized he did this for that exact purpose. She had no name given to her nor had she shared hers. Still feeling his brush against her mind, but not knowing how to push him away, Aren let out a mental sigh when that touch started to let up.

His words reached her on a deep level. While chances had been given to her before, none had felt right. Not knowing why or how, even if she was very scared, she wanted to stay here. Allow this man to guide her and teach her to harness her ability and make her into something more than she was. And right now that something was very scared and frozen like a deer in the headlamp of a speeder.

Then the unexpected happened with his surge and her reaction was natural to her. However, it only partially worked. One of the not quite droids started to raise a hand beyond its full control and she attempted to aim the blaster it held at him. Since it wasn't fully a droid, when she tried to make it fire at him, she failed. However, Aren realized that failure very likely got her into even more trouble.

Gulping, she was able to unfreeze and raise her hands in surrender.

"I won't do that again."

Not looking at him, her voice was meek and it was clear she was beaten for now.

[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

Body jolting from the sudden surge of energy, she acted on instinct. Mere moments after he had sent the surge, she reached out. Began to manipulate one of his guards, attempting to twist its arms towards him. Raising a single eyebrow, he smirked with amusement, though deep down he also prepared for the eventually of her success. Prepared to manifest a barrier at a moments notice, if it came to that.

Alas, the act was beyond her.

As the arm inched upwards, there was the screeching of servomotors and the tearing of tendon, then the creature -with its unaffected arm- thrust an extendable vibroblade through its own neck. Loyal to the bitter end, just like he had moulded it to be. Waving his hand to prevent a response from his remaining guards, he clicked his tongue impassionately. Staring into her eyes, he smiled slightly, a mocking hint to the expression. "No, I don't believe you will." Shrugging slightly, he looked over at the still shape, flicking his wrist towards the remaining guards. "Bring this one to the medbay, see if it can be salvaged. Good batch, by the way. Quick response time, commendable loyalty. Make more of this one."

Turning back towards her as they grabbed their downed comrade and departed, Adrian rose from his desk, walking slowly toward her. "Interesting display, that. Perhaps a kind of lockdown mechanism would prevent such attempts in the future?" Head askance, he looked more deeply at her, eyes searching for a reaction. "But enough about me, how did that make you feel?"

[member="Aren D'Shade"]​

 

[Aren D'Shade]

What he thought of her attempt to take over one of his creations, she did not know. It only worked for a short moment, but long enough for him to learn something of her ability. The not droid shocked her and ended up killing itself before that blaster she had aimed at him had the chance to go off.

The only clear thought Aren had at the moment was just how much trouble she was in. However, she was paying attention to what happened. He mentioned a medbay and to make more of that kind of not droid.

"What is it? I couldn't touch it quite right."

And then she shut up as ​slowly started walking over to her. He complimented her small display and mentioned something that sounded an awful lot like a slave collar. As he looked at her, there wasn't any form of real hostility or anger and that gave her a little more bravery. There was in her eyes a shadow of fear still. but it wasn't controlling her. She had control of it and herself...for now.

When he asked his question, she was really confused more than anything. So many feelings had been passing through her mind and body since this encounter began. It was difficult to pin point what answer he wanted to hear.

"Since sunset, I have felt pretty much every emotion from joy to fear. And I know nothing about you."

​A small sense of defiance showed slightly when she said that last part.

"You know a name would be nice..."

[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

Curiosity. It was not what he had expected, no, it was more than he had expected. It was exactly what he had been hoping for. Nodding approvingly, though not stopping his slow approach, he smiled slightly. "Indeed not. They are Sithspawn, genetically engineered lifeforms augmented by the Dark Side and fused with the extensive cybernetic suite with which you interacted. Useful creations, though I have found them to be... intellectually lacking." A disappointment, that, though it did let him expend them in droves without a second thought. Cannon fodder, to kill and die in his name.

As he approached, he could see some of the fear leaving her. Some, but not all. He had been nice enough, so far, but they both knew that if he wanted to, really wanted to, he could make her disappear. There were places, dark places, were the Sith kept those who had earned their ire.

Smirking slightly as she admitted to knowing nothing about him, he allowed a mocking glint to shine through his otherwise friendly expression. To break into a structure owned by a Sith, in the heart of Kaas City no less, without properly researching the target? A demonstration of supreme confidence, incredible folly, or perhaps a bit of both, that.

Smirk inching slightly upwards, he nodded solemnly. "Why, what kind of host am I to forego introductions?" At that, he bowed mockingly. "Adrian Terassi Vandiir, Knight of the Sith, at your service." Gaze bearing down on her with renewed intensity, he waited expectantly. His identity, after all, was far from secret. She, on the other hand, seemed to not be in the system. Odd, that. Still, he had no doubt his friends in the Saaraishash would be able to find her origins easily enough. If it came to that.

[member="Aren D'Shade"]​

 

[Aren D'Shade]

She was far more curious than scared as she listened to his answer. Watching behind him as the others moved to do as he wished, Aren looked at him with that question on her face. As he was still approaching, she did not speak further until he introduced himself.

The girl had done some research, but not as much as she should have. His name was known, but it was obvious she hadn't know his face. If there was a way to record the look on her face...it would have been priceless. Looking far more closely at him, almost all the fear was gone, even if he could make her disappear, she didn't think that was going to happen.

"You are far younger than I expected. Aren D'Shade, failed thief."

One hand remained on her bag and she held the other out to hopefully shake.

The sithspawn had all but left the room and her attention drifted to them one last time. Nodding it in the direction the dead one was being taken, she looked back to Adrian. Licking her lips just slightly which indicated she was still slightly nervous, she didn't look away again.

"How is that done?"
​
[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

His name was familiar to her, that much was clear. With that familiarity, he saw, came a certain sense of safety. Not surprising, that, considering his track record. He had not, after all, made a habit of entertaining the same violent habits as many as his fellow Sith. Of course, some of his personal projects had been somewhat gruesome, though he had been careful to cover up anything too egregious. Sacrifices needed to be made, but there was no reason to shout that fact from the rooftops, so to speak.

Eyes momentarily flickering to that bag she held she held so close, he raised an eyebrow in amusement, but took her hand and shook it firmly nonetheless. Amusement obvious, he cocked his head slightly sideways. "I'll choose to take that as a compliment." A slight chuckle. "Especially since you don't seem the type to launch into a whiny tirade about my relative youth."

Momentarily gazing at the retreating forms of the departing Sithspawn, duraplast-plated wings held close to their backs to fit inside the spacious doorways, he pursed his lips in thought. "How they are created? Techniques wary, but in this particular case I found a basis in various tissue samples, then guided its development through precise applications of dark side energy. The end result is a formidable warrior, though their cybernetics can be as much a strength as a weakness, as you have so aptly displayed. Truthfully, I'm more proud about my Tsudakyr; brain over brawn, and all that." Smiling wickedly, he continued. "Quite the attention to detail, too. Very difficult to, say, commit larceny under their watch."

[member="Aren D'Shade"]​

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Getting a bit more comfortable as Adrian showed a sense of humor at her words, she was surprised at his comment.

"Well, we are the same age or close to it. Why would give you a tirade when I've gotten my own? Yes, it's a compliment. To have accomplished so much and be my age. I think I'm jealous. Look at me. You have done much more than I could ever hope to dream of."

He grew a thoughtful look as he answered her question. Having a good feeling about him, Aren could tell he wasn't going to lie to her. It was actually good to see such honesty in him. Just another reason for her to trust him.

"I can't yet do anything else but touch electronics. Not when I think about it actually. So what you do is beyond me."

At the mention of something new and a word she had never heard before, she looked at him with that question clear on her face. Then he mentioned her attempt to break in and steal from him with the wicked look again.

"Yes that. Until I learn more I don't think I'll be trying that on you again. It's always nice to know there is a challenge out there to beat. Someday maybe it'll work...then again by then you'll have just enhanced whatever a Tsudakyr is and I still won't be able to do it. What is it?"

[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

Not as prone to bitter jealousy as the average Sith, then. In truth, that came as no surprise to the young Knight; the current training regiment for Sith hopefuls was much less extreme than that of certain previous incarnations, but it still bred an unyielding competitiveness in most.

Eyes glittering with amusement, his lips quirked upwards. "Really? Perhaps you need to dream bigger, to dare to imagine what most would think undoable; I know I do ..." Smile turning wry, he chuckled softly. "... even if some of my goals are somewhat less achievable than others." A comment that might have been interpreted as humility, had it come from another man. Coming from the perpetually smug Sith, of course, it was evident that the scope of his hearts' desire must be great indeed.

Nodding with understanding, his thoughts raced. An innate talent for Mechu-Deru, then? And to such an extent? Interesting indeed. "Perhaps so, but is that a limit imposed by a lack of potential, or a lack of confidence? I have found that, at least insofar as basic abilities go, convincing oneself is the first and most difficult step in imposing one's will upon the universe."

Confidence, of course, would only take one so far. The art that had produced his magnificent little creations, for one, was not so easily unlocked. "Not it, they, though the lesser ones are little more than drones. One of my proudest accomplishments, without a doubt. Physically, they are fragile, being little more than hyper-advanced brains without any means of defending themselves. That, of course, is not their purpose. They are intelligent, beyond intelligent, with even the drones being able to outsmart most men. The true wonders, the Overminds? Even I do not know the true limits of their intellect, vast as it is."

[member="Aren D'Shade"]​

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Looking at him with surprise on her face when he suggested she dream bigger, Aren wanted to. Thinking about something many would consider as impossible interested her. She was still far more lost in this great, big and new world of using the Force than anything else.

"There is quite a lot I could dream of. Some is realistic and other stuff isn't. I want to command a great army of droids that will do whatever my wishes are. There's doubt I could do that.I know nothing of war."

His words made her wonder what he wanted to accomplish that was so out of reach. Then he returned to questioning her. Not as an interrogation any longer and it made her curious again. Oddly enough, she already knew the answer and pointed to herself.

"Me...I don't understand how it all works and it scares me. Droids are fine, that's natural to me. It's the other stuff beyond that."

With her admission, maybe it was a plea for his help. Her tone did not indicate she intended it that way. He mentioned drones and she nodded. That was something she could certainly comprehend. Most droids she had come across were nothing more than drones and easily taken over. As he continued on though, she got the idea his drones weren't exactly what she thought they were. Droids could be smarter than humans and most often were when they were free droids.

"They are organic then?"

[member="Adrian Vandiir"]

 

[AMCO]

There it was. That most inexhaustible of desires, always present. It was the way the human mind worked, the way so many human minds worked. Strive for greater heights, always seeking to do more, gain more. Some considered it a great curse, but the Sith knew otherwise. There was power in passion, in desire, and few were as reliable a source as ambition.

"Oh, but why stop at war? With a relentlessly loyal army at your back, you could rule a planet. Several, even. Then, your scope could expand. Perhaps you would not be content with an army, a legion of droids being forged to build more of their kind, extract resources, and enact your will." Chuckling slightly, he nodded his head towards the young woman. "... and that, is how the Sith think." A wry smile. "The ones that aren't too busy fulfilling their desires in the present to look towards the future, that is."

Of those, there were plenty. The worst of all were the ones who failed to advance themselves, who did not seek to push the frontiers of what they could accomplish. "Well, then I dare say you would be best off trying your hand at techniques closely related to it. Perhaps would knowledge of electronics could be extended to conjuring lightning, your way of deceiving cameras to deceiving eyes." Surely, there was quite a bit of potential in this girl. How could there not be, when a technique so rare came so naturally to her.

"Indeed so, born from the tissue of numerous species, and forged by the Dark Side. My dear Overminds are as self-aware as any human, though their minds work... differently. Not like a human and not a computer, but alien to both."

[member="Aren D'Shade"]​