Your Speech Makes You Powerful [Single Thread. Dev Thread for NPC Andromeda]

[Coffeeccubus]

Speech? As a weapon? That's maddening!

To use Speech as a weapon? Hah, by the force, you have to be force sensitive to do such a thing!

Stop the pathetic babbling about that! No one can do your "shouts". That's fictional stuff from your little computer games!

These were the words she heard all her life from many people. Even fellow witches. Oh boy, they really thought they could try to prove her wrong that Speech was not even visible enough to be a weapon, hell, some think she's gone completely mad. Well, Pubilus Andromeda Tananerth would prove them all wrong....

Recently becoming a Master Witch, Andromeda would take on a young initiate by the name of Charlotte Miraak after she had lead herself to Virgilia, seeking out important ingredients. Her interests in the girl had set out for them to do many adventures together, other than training on Sump. Each day, she had watch her young apprentice grow into a stronger and more capable person. Though, during this time, at the age of 18, was the time she finally allowed her Initiate to become a full on Apprentice. It was as if she transitioned her from a young child, into an adult. Even still, Charlotte was getting impatient... and when impatient, she indeed gets full on angry. She would indeed remember the younger days when her young, angrier self would snap at certain intervals, some better for the worse.

One day, after finishing more training on Sump, Charlotte was tired, and very exhausted from the initial training. If anything, she figured that she would go and take a drink of fresh water, considering the planet's water is toxic. She really couldn't handle the head of Sump... so humid, murky and just, the air was terrible. It was as if smog just hit the planet. Coughing a bit, she took a soft sip of her water from her flask and groaned. She sat down next to her master, whom seems to have handle the planet's weather pretty well. It was weird, considering the fact that the planet had toxic swamps and other forms of murky things around. The sky was boggy and green, with the sun gleeming through and such. Sweating a bit, she wiped off the sweat and glanced out. "Master, why here? Why do we have to train on this planet?" she asked her master. Andromeda softly laughed. "The Dark Side is more stronger when you are in the presence on planets that contain all sorts of toxins and dangers around you. It feeds off of fear, which builds up within the air. The fear turns into darkness, and the darkness, you can learn from it. Hence why, I've chose Sump as a perfect training ground for you.".

Charlotte then growled and got up. "I feel like you're just trying to kill me, and force me to do all of this!" she protested. "I've been on this damned planet for nine years, and all you've been doing is teaching me the SAME thing OVER and OVER again! I'm getting absolutely sick and TIRED of it! What... what is even the USE of any of this crap that you are teaching me? Running across dangerous marshes every single time, picking up rocks with the force, trying to BEND reeds with your mind?! What does ANY of this have to do with the force?! This is the same crap that the MILITARY goes through!"

Panting of her rant towards her master, Andromeda closed her eyes and took in everything she said. Not flinching one bit. Charlotte then came close to her master after pacing a bit slapping her hand like shes trying to say "not enough time". "Master, teach me something MORE than just the normal crap you teach me! Seriously, this is NOT what I've expected at all! I thought being a Witch means we get to learn more about ourselves, not learning about lifting rocks, running through fields like a stupid Jedi or something. You don't GET IT!!! You call yourself a MASTER?! Hmph! I should of stayed on Virgilia!"

Now Charlotte was getting even more angrier as her master ignored her. "Are you ignoring me master??!!" she shouted. Charlotte was now indeed at the limit of her impatientness. "I swear by the force if you are-"

"Do you really think, that I'm not teaching you enough?" her master replied. Charlotte nodded. "Yes! Exactly! You finally woke up from your-"

An eye opened from her master. "If so, you've already failed right at the beginning of your training." she said sternly. "To think that you can survive on your own, is a death wish waiting to come true."

Charlotte hissed glaring away. "If that's so, then why don't the force work the way I want it to work?! I thought the Dark Side was all about power! If that's so, SHOW ME IT'S POWER-"

"You wouldn't be able to utilize it."

Charlotte then heard her masters words and gasped. Andromeda then got up from her seat and walked towards her. "And even if you did, you know what would happen to you?" she said sternly to her. "You would end up killing yourself. You would get no where. If you think you can go without me, then you are weak. Useless. Just like the rest of the others that I dare would call an "apprentice". You are pathetic, even to think that you dare to think, that you are smarter than I. You don't want me? Go ahead, stay here, and suffer without me. After all, you claim to think you've completed your trials." she glanced at her apprentice beginning to mumble and glanced closer to her eyes. "Oh? Do I sense conflict inside of you? So pathetic. I expected you to be a better student than this. You seem so patient and calm when I first met you. Why do you think I took you on as an apprentice? To make you into my personal slave? Ohoho... aren't you wrong. I took you for a reason, Charlotte. This is not what I intended you to turn out."

Charlotte growled and lashed back at her master. "What?! Conflict?! I don't have any conflict!!! YOU'RE the one who is the one who is working me off like a dog, thinking that I should be trained like a damned trooper! I'm not soldier, I'm a Witch! I deserve BETTER treatment like this!"

Her master gave a soft smile and looked away. "So you believe that I should treat you as if you're a small child and give you candy every time you do one pathetic lap? Run a small distance around the area and if you give up, give you a candy for every time you give up? Where's the confident girl I used to remember? Oh, I think I killed her! My goodness, I'm looking at someone who is a little child! Ohohoho~ I never imagined someone so grown would have her hormones reveal like this so late! Maybe I should of trained you when you were younger! Was twelve a later age for you? You shouldn't of believed in luck for being taken in so late in your life! I could of took that other girl you didn't liked... what was her name? Terra?~"

Charlotte growled.

"Mmm? That's it? A growl? Charlotte dear, you can't just allow yourself to get all angry like that! Here, let me get you some candy. Mmm? Oh? You don't want that mmm? Well maybe if you would understand what you've gotten yourself into earlier in your life, you would understand!"

Andromeda cleared up her sarcasm and now begun to speak realistically.

"No my dear, the force does not just come at you from the sky. No no, you must EARN it. Power coming to you when you turn to the dark side? HAHAHA!~ That is hilarious to hear! The Dark Side does not come from above. The force around you? Sweetie, the force is NOT a toy, it's a tool. If anything, you lack the understanding and knowledge of it. You haven't lived long to experience the force yet. You have no right to complain about the force. Infact, without training, you wouldn't even use the force to your advantage!"

Charlotte glared at her master and came close to her face. "Then why? Why must I go through your stupid training? Why must I listen to you? You're holding me back, and it's all your fault!"

"Your whining, youngling. Your anger. Your arrogance. These three factors, will not get you anywhere in life. My "stupid training" helps allot. A famous Sith once said, "Through great power, comes great responsibility."."

"That's a stupid Jedi quote! What will a dark side user even learn from that? Power through the force should be an ability every Witch should have! Especially if they're on the dark side!" Charlotte protested.

"Mmhmmmhmm... Every FOOLISH dark side user." she said as she glanced at her eyes and softly breathed. "Have you ever heard of the tale of Sidious the Foolish? It's a Sith Legend. Darth Sidious was a powerful lord of the Sith. He was so powerful, he could easily manipulate the Jedi into masking himself away easily. Unfortunately, his apprentice threw him down so easily due to his overconfidence and was destroyed in the energy station of his own throne room. Shame, he could manipulate others... but his overconfidence got him killed." she glanced at her apprentice. "Sounds familiar? Yes yes... I see you. The similarities are great right now... You have much power, young Miraak, but you have much overconfidence."

"Stop... stop it! I do not!" Charlotte sounded a bit more frightened. "You... you are harsh and cruel!"

"Your overconfidence is your majour malfunction. Me being harsh and cruel is saving your own life from certain death. Think of it like this. For every time you have an outburst about me not training you enough, you start to die. Slowly. Think of your heart... yes.... I feel it... it's beating fast. That anger within you. Use too much of it, and you will die."

"Anger... anger is my strength and power! I thought you told me that!"

"Too MUCH Anger, will kill you. Too MUCH overconfidence will kill you." Andromeda then crossed her arms and stood back. "Do you really think I'm a bad master? Do you think, my training will kill you right now if I didn't looked? Do you think being disobedient to my training is going to help you in the long run at all? You ignore meditation more often now. You seem to THINK you've mastered everything. No. You are only a mere child. It's sad... I once knew a girl like you, someone who was... mature, and brave, willing to learn my teachings. But now... she seems to the point where she will die... Right now."

Feeling her heart clutch, Charlotte groaned in pain. "PLEASE! H-HAVE MERCY!!" she screamed in submission. The pain in her chest did not felt supernatural, nor as if the force was killing her. It felt so horrible... she closed her eyes and shivered. "S-Stop!! I-I'll listen to you!" Her master begun to slowly walk away from her as she started to screech in pain. "I yield! You are right, and I am w-wrong! You-Your TEACHINGS HAVE BEEN HELPING ME!!! I'M JUST YOUNG AND FOOLISH!!! J-JUST STOP CLUTCHING MY HEART! I DON'T WANT TO DIE I--" It was then Andromeda stopped in her steps and smirked.

Her apprentice winced in pain as she felt her heart beating more slowly when she saw her master hold out her hand and closed her eyes. Feeling tingly, Charlotte felt herself beginning to breath normally but panted for air. She grasped the ground and closed her eyes looking down.

"That there. Is why you should never attempt to challenge me." she said softly to her.

"B-by choking my heart away of it's blood using the force?! W-why would you do that to me???"

Andromeda laughed softly looking at her apprentice. "I did not used the force at all. That was your first ever experience of debating with someone using the full extent and power of Speechcraft." she said to her. "The power of debating with someone deeply, and taunting them to submission, can indeed be intoxicating to the heart. What was happening to you was completely natural. Your heart was going to give you a heart attack, where you would begin to spit out blood, and die. It's a very effective weapon. You don't even need to use the force."

Surprised by this, Charlotte gasped and looked at her. "Y-you mean... you..."

"Yes."

"And then you..."

"Yes."

Charlotte got on her knees and got up slowly approaching her master looking at her as her eyes were closed. She looked at her eyelids and saw her master's open up.

"Could you... teach me it?..."

"You already are learning it, my young friend." she said placing her hand on her shoulder. "Speechcraft is the way of not only pummeling your enemies to submission, but the sheer power of negotiation and debating. You must be keen to yourself and your own confidence. Only then, you'll master the art completely. Speechcraft is deadly too, and can be used against you. Just be more aware of that, and you'll be able to conquer anything that stands in your path with words alone. You wouldn't have to pull out your lightsaber or anything. You will only have to use your words."

Charlotte looked down and away. "Then... how do I master it? How will you teach me?"

Andromeda then thought for a moment and smiled. "We'll debate about something else." she said.

"Debate what, exactly?"

"Anything off your mind."

"But wouldn't you just..."

"No. You'll be fine, my friend. I'll heal you if you ever feel like you are getting to a near-death state."

Knowing her master is trustworthy, she nodded. "Alright... I'll think of something."

Her master smiled. "Good. You may get as loud as you like, by the way. Heated debates are usually the best choice for those who get up in your face, and confrontational. In my opinion, my favourite types. Just watching them pathetically submit is beyond adorable and amusing to watch."

 

[Coffeeccubus]

It would take a while for her apprentice to think of a proper debate against her master. But then it struck her, namely her questioning something that bothered her. "Are you sure the force is even real? For all we know, we could just be using magic or some sort!" she said thinking about it. The force was indeed around them, but Charlotte never really thought of it like that. Giving a smirk, Andromeda defiantly knew this was going to be a fun ride. "The force is indeed real. Why would you believe that it's not?"

"Well... I mean... we're getting our power from somewhere! That obviously means we're superhuman!"

"Oh really? Where is your evidence to prove this, youngling?"

Giving a growl, Charlotte heard that again. "Stop calling me that! And obviously, you KNOW you can just do it with your mind and such! Isn't that what magic... is supposed to-"

Her master held up her hand as she heard her speak with her eyes closed. Her smirk was pretty wide. She was softly chuckling. "So, what you are saying is, if I did this..." she held out her hand holding up her flask.

"And then do this..." she moved it and squeezed out the water from the flask, causing a gasp by Charlotte.

"H-hey!! Stop that!!" she lashed.

Andromeda ignored her and continued.

"Then... I do this."

She balled her hand carefully and crushed the flask, before waving her hand and throwing it off.

"Would you consider that, magic?" she said to her and still had her eyes closed. Charlotte pouted.

"You... you just DESTROYED my drink!"

"Ahh, but you said that the force can't do that!" she said with a smile on her face. "So obviously, I have magical powers beyond belief! I can do this all day! Watch me! Hocus Pocus!" she held out her hand to force push her apprentice, though not too hard, but a way to help prove her point. Charlotte was pushed back on the ground and groaned. "Really?!? That hurt!"

"Ahh... but yet again, that was my magical powers! I do apologize. I do recall however, that you said that it was that, anyways. How can I use magical powers? Tell me now. I'll answer for you."

"You... you just pushed me with magic! Don't you see the waves? It was too immediate and it just struck me down and--"

Crossing her arms, it looked like she wanted to say something. Andromeda looked at her nails and looked back at her apprentice glaring. "What? Go on. I'm listening. "

"I said, you pushed me with magic! Wasn't it obvious the way you did it?! I mean look at you, you think you can just... push me away with magic like that! You inconsiderate..."

Giving a yawn, Andromeda heard her and waved her hand off as she glanced at her nails. "Bother me again later. For now, I'm tired. Your pathetic point just made you in a rock in a hard place. Not a good sign."

"I'll show YOU a rock in the hard place, I--"

"The more you babble, the more faster your heart will pump. I hear it right now. Because of my mystical powers."

"WHY YOU-"

As she tried to attack her, Andromeda strictly glared and grasped her hand and put her down, grasping her neck. "That, is NOT. What you do in a debate." she said to her. "You NEVER attack ANYONE when you are debating with someone. You will NOT learn the mastery of Speechcraft if you lash out at someone like that. That is how you will die and get killed." Her grip got tighter on her and heard her master whine letting her go. "Now. If you are going to debate, do it CORRECTLY. Being tempted by violence makes you weaker. How else you think many Jedi had died? It was due to their arrogance and anger. How do you think Darth Sidious died? It was his arrogance and anger. How do you think the One Sith will die? Through arrogance and anger. I'm teaching you not ONLY to be a rolemodel for others, but yourself. If you use words to harm your opponent rather than... this pathetic move you are trying to do... how did you even attacked me anyways?"

"Lumghing..." she grunted.

"Lunging? Oh my my... that was a pretty pathetic way of doing it to be honest, but still. Attacking someone during a debate? That's how war begins. That's how conflict begins. Now. I want you to go back to the other side, and continue to debate with me. Don't attack again, or I will punish you. Understand, young Miraak?"

"Understood Master..." she said submissively.

"Good. Now. Again."

She pushed her back towards the other side and cleared her throat. "Now... where were we? Ah yes, The more babble you speak to me with nonsense, the more you will feel the tension build up. Oh, and don't even try to pathetically lunge at me. We already know that lunging is uncivilized and pathetic."

"But... magic... you used it! The force is a non-existing entity! Look around you, do you see it?! I don't! I don't see any force energies around! It doesn't surround anything nor any living being! You're trying to tell me, even rocks have it?! You're crazy!"

"Crazy?~ So rocks also have magic is what you are saying? Hmmhmm... oh my, oh my. You are pretty inaccurate about the way you speak youngling. The manifestation of the force is always around you. You smell it, breath it, and even exhale it."

"Breathing in toxic air and out what? Toxic gas?! Hah. Yeah right."

"So, you're saying you're NOT of the force? How sad. You are a waste of living space then. The force chokes whenever it comes near you then. You are nothing more than a droid. If that is so, I don't get how you even have basic function, nor whoever programmed you. Silly young girl... Magic is a mythical piece of--"

"Alright master... I think thats-"

"Oh? You want more? I'll give you more." Andromeda got a bit more intense than earlier getting closer. "The force is so powerful, it could OVERPOWER you in the matter of seconds. And soon, you'll turn into nothing more than a slave to the force. What? You want to be a slave to the force? It seems like it. If magic really DID existed, then WHY don't you prove it to me? Go on, show me how magic can counter the force. Oh, that's right. You CAN'T because it's NOT. REAL. You may be named a "witch", but it doesn't mean, you know "magic". No no... there's a huge difference. I don't know what sort of books you've been reading, but you. Are the one who is misguided. Severely misguided. There is no hope for you. And I hope there never will be."

Feeling her heart pumping as she got closer, she breathed heavily and teared. "Okay... okay okay okay! You win, stop ma-"

"Your magic won't save you. Take a look at you... you're submitting already. And the force is taking you over! Ohohoho~ Where is your magic now, youngling?"

As soon as she felt her apprentice's heart beat, she stood back and held up her hand closing her eyes beginning to control her heart beating fast. She then used her mind to help control her apprentice's breath and have her breath slowly. "Calm yourself. Easy breaths now. You're learning. Don't be afraid." she said softly to her. "It's all apart of the training. I've went through this once as well. Every one of us starts off as horrible debaters. As much as you are horrible, you will eventually win. And once you do, you will feel yourself feel better about it. It's a dangerous path, and you are bold to wanting to learn. That is what I like about you, my friend. You are eager, and willing to try new things. It's a shame no pathetic Jedi are willing to take such risks. Hmmhmm... silly orders. I see why I left the Sith Order as well." she opened her eyes and glanced at her apprentice as she force grabbed another spare water flask and sent it over to Charlotte's way.

"Think fast."

Charlotte quickly grasped the flask and took a drink of it, downing it fast. She panted as she looked down wiping her face softly. "Yes master... I understand the risks... debating with you has been proven impossible however. You keep overpowering me."

Andromeda came close to her and looked the other way. "Funny. I was in your position before. But eventually, I've gotten myself out of those situations."

"Why? Because you used the force?"

She laughed. "By confidence in myself. If you have confidence and bravery, you will achieve many things. You know you can. I see it in you. You are my future. You represent me out there, Charlotte. Even if your lifestyle is illegal, you still represent me through what I had taught you. I hope you do not fail me however, and go against what I taught you." she said to her apprentice as she placed her hand on her shoulder. "There are many other things I wish to teach you other than using debates to overwhelm your enemies. There are... other ways to use your speech to your advantage. There is many ways of using it without the use of the force. And you know it's possible. Search yourself and your feelings. You'll know it to be true. Always search your feelings whenever you barter. Keep a peaceful, calm face."

Charlotte softly closed her eyes and breathed. Andromeda glanced at her face.

"Exactly like that. Keeping a face that is peaceful, serene and calm, is the key to getting others to believe your side of everything. This is how you negotiate. With a face like that, you will indeed, convince many." she turned her apprentice around and placed her arm over her shoulder, and leaned in to her ear. "Besides, that is how you can make better deals with those Death Sticks you were selling when I first saw you." she teased as soon as she heard Charlotte pout. "What does that supposed to mean?!" Hearing her master laughed, she smiled softly. "It means, if you are aspiring to become a legitimate buisnesswoman, you're on the right track, but have that face on you, and you'll make millions of credits."

She thought her master hated illegal trade... and her mentioning it in such a positive light, maybe was hinting she didn't mean it in that way at all. Maybe it was just a bad experience? Who knows. "Well... Hopefully."

"For as long as you continue to do what you do after your training is complete, what you are doing, is legal. And should be legal. Helping people by robbing away money from the snobs of Courscant and Alaskan to help those in the Outer Rim and supporting your Mother? That's heroic. Many would consider you a hero, and liberator of the Galaxy if you keep that up."

 

[Coffeeccubus]

Later on, the two went towards a location near their basecamp where it was more open. Taking out her weapon, Andromeda gestured her apprentice to do the same. Taking out her own saber, Charlotte glanced at her master getting into her position. Andromeda glanced at her form a bit and looked at it carefully.

"A bit more up. Don't slouch. You need to always stay concentrated and alert if you're going to get anywhere past Makashi." she instructed. "Makashi requires you to stand in an eloquent position. If you're going to move forth with trying to reach your destined form, you have to do it correctly from the first two. Your Shii-Cho is good, but you need to ensure you balance yourself if you're going to do Makashi."

Charlotte was aiming to atleast master Soresu, since she thought this form would be able to give her at least some ability to have a more advantage in fighting. And for this, Charlotte wanted to ensure this. Her master, however, always told her that using a lightsaber was only an insult to the Jedi, and the Sith, mocking them as she always was teaching her how to use the force alone without having to pull out her lightsaber. Besides, it was a pretty good idea, especially if the saber was in close range with her. Besides, it was a good form of defense. When her master glanced at her, her apprentice was positioning herself well. "Good... good. Now, strike at me, and remember, do not use all of your hatred. Transfer it to your blade." she said as she prepared for her apprentice's strikes.

Charlotte charged ahead and begun to strike at her master to try and lay a blow on her. She swung her blade eloquently, but it was a bit sloppy. Although, it was much better than it was before. Andromeda deflected her attacks as they hit her saber. She kept blocking her apprentice as she saw her strike at her and instructed her a bit more. "Good. Let the hatred flow through you. Let it go onto your blade. Don't use it for yourself. That is how you will die." she instructed. Having too much anger makes you overconfident and cocky. To ensure an accurate blow, she had to transfer her emotion towards her weapon. Charlotte took another strike, more powerful, but by looking at her face, she looked allot calmer. Andromeda smiled as she saw her apprentice was improving.

"Excellent. But you haven't won yet."

Andromeda then begun to strike back as she begun to ramp up the challenge for her apprentice. The two begun to fight as their blades clashed and sounds of saber dueling was heard. "Keep focusing your anger towards your weapon. You're doing good." Andromeda was appeased at her moves, and kept defending against her moves. Charlotte got more aggressive in her movements as she felt her master beginning to clash against her. She was good, but then, Charlotte finally found a weak point and kicked her master to the floor, in which, Andromeda tried to flip back, until falling down and disarming her saber, taking her down to the ground pointing her saber. Charlotte then sheathed her saber as she heard her master laugh. "You've grown more stronger! But even if, you must still continue to master the form." she said to her.