A Most Tedious Evaluation

[Tsukihana]

The cold bit through the small woman’s cloak and scarves as she hiked through Ziost’s tundra. Wind stung her eyes, making them tear up. Yet the small dot of black kept moving against the sheets of swirling white, refusing to give in, even as she was forced many times to use her pike to shove herself upright. Many would call her mad, foolish, death-seeking, even, to travel through this blizzard.

But she wouldn’t listen. Their opinions were irrelevant.

Today she was to meet a potential apprentice. Frowning, she thought of all the acolyte profiles she sifted through over a period of many months. Even before the civil war, it was difficult to find even a handful that suited her teaching style, philosophies, and weapon of choice. Now with the separatists wreaking havoc on everything, a vast majority of the hopefuls the librarian was considering had left to fight under the Coterie banner. Exactly one, in fact, was left to meet who still dared to declare their alliance to Empress Andraste.

If they wanted it badly enough, they would come. If they didn’t, she did not consider it a waste of time. Rather, she would know they weren’t worth her attention.

Reaching a large crack in the ice, she gracefully jumped down and landed in a crouch with nary a sound. It was a cavern or cave of sorts, with great walls of blue ice coming far above her head to nearly block out the sun. Smooth stones lined the banks of the solidly-frozen riverbed. With a deep breath, she fully released her force aura from its concealment so she could be tracked down. It was not oppressive or overly dark, but cold as the environment in which she stood.

@Slamdingo

 

[Slamdingo]

It was miserably cold, to the point that had she not been wearing gloves Basca was sure merely holding her pike would have frozen her hand solid. Snow whipped through the air on wild wind and left visibility to almost nothing - for those who relied on their physical eyes. But Basca had been cursed enough with terrible vision in that area and had long ago learned to reach out through the Force and begin seeing what her eyes could not show her. To be deprived of color was hardly any great loss when the benefits were so much greater.

But Basca's mind wasn't on her ability to peer out into the world despite blinding snow. It was hardly on the phrik pike that, normally serving so faithfully as her weapon of war, instead now served as a means to keep her footing in the deeper banks of snow as she climbed. It wasn't even the cur that cut through her heavy cloak and straight to her bones, driving her to keep putting one foot ahead of the other. No, instead her thoughts had drifted to the reason why she was out on this cruel mountain, braving the storm to travel on foot.

Tsukihana. A name that had been stuck in her mind for the past several days, since the Crusader had reached out to find an apprentice.

Basca was sure she wasn't the only candidate and could remember stories she'd heard of Acolytes being put through dangerous and taxing trials against one another to prove their worth to potential masters - often with fatal results to weed out the weak and unwilling. And perhaps this was one such trail. Not of the blade but of persistence. Perhaps there were other Acolytes trying to make their way to the coordinates that Basca had been provided. And perhaps, she thought with a sort of odd pleasure at the thought, they were buried now under feet of snow. With only the toughest ones remaining for Basca to cut through and prove herself for once beyond the pits of her childhood.

Then Basca felt something. Rippling through the Force. It wasn't a presence that sought her out, per say, but more one that simply announced itself in such a way that it would have been hard to ignore. Further up the mountain. Signalling to her. Strong as the stones Basca began to feel more underfoot as she came higher. As cold and uncaring as the wind itself. If that wasn't Basca's master signalling she had arrived at the meeting spot, Basca was at a loss to guess what else it might be suddenly announcing itself. She pressed on further up the mountain with a new determination.

Things were starting to hold a certain promise.

Basca made no attempt to conceal herself as she approached. If her new master was as capable as Basca hoped, it wouldn't do her any good. Instead she focused on keeping her footing as she drew closer to the cavern entrance. When at its lip she crouched down and peered inside. And there it was easy to spot the presence she'd felt earlier. One of the few things of life on this mountain other than the Acolyte herself. At least as far as Basca could "see". Without further hesitation, Basca took a deep breath, and slipped feet-first through the opening to end up landing with a roll forward. And while not the most delicate maneuver with her muscles sore from the cold, Basca managed to turn it into rising into a stand.

With both hands on her pike, she gave a courteous bow, "Master Tsukihana?" She smiled, "Its a pleasure to meet you in person. I am Basca Nile." And with that she glanced around, "Are there to be no other candidates? Or have they not yet arrived?"



@Bantha
@Tsukihana

 

[Tsukihana]

“Of course. However, why do you think I would try to meet every one of you at the same time? I would only see you while under the influence of others,” she sent telepathically, intonation harsh and condescending. There wasn’t any good reason to let her know the truth, lest the acolyte become complacent and overconfident in the security of her new-found position. Yet there was a faint smile that graced her pale lips. They were the only feature completely visible, the upper half of her face covered by her blue-flowered headscarf. In this manner she could pass as a Miraluka who didn’t wish to unsettle those around her by showing skined-over empty sockets.

Turning to face Basca, she motioned to her staff. "It is nice to see another that has chosen something so rare. Are you capable with normal lightsabers, or other weaponry, however?" How shameful it would be, to have an apprentice that couldn't fight with whatever was available. It would have to be fixed.

"And what of Force techniques? What are your strengths, weaknesses, things you want to learn?" she would say after Basca finished replying to the first question. She was circling the taller woman now, like a cat stalking it's prey. "Force Sight shouldn't be a problem, I'm guessing."
@Slamdingo

 

[Slamdingo]

The response was almost intrusive by virtue of how it had been unexpected, a voice in her mind suddenly speaking out to her. Had it been somebody else, they might have winced, but instead Basca put a lid on the temporary discomfort of the sensation. There were more important matters.

The only person who will berate a student more harshly than their instructor is, inevitably, a good student. And Basca considered herself an excellent student. Of course she wasn't to be the only student, and it was stupid to think such a thing or waste her potential master's time with the question. Multiple students would put them at risk of being too busy competing with one another and trying to impress the Crusader to actually bother taking anything away from the lesson. The thought brought a harsh frown and furrowed brow to Basca's face and she clutched her pike a little tighter for a few moments. Simply embarrassing.

When attention was drawn to her weapon of choice, Basca squared her shoulders, and a flash of pride once again came to her expression. Her choice of weapon had been an advantage in the pits of her past, and still continued to give her such advantages against other opponents. Those not expecting or simply not experienced in fighting a pikewoman in a one-on-one fight. She'd found many misled by historical accounts leading them to believe such a weapon was only good in numbers, in an inflexible line during a time when the horse was the only means of mobile warfare on some worlds. But a question came with the "praise".

"I am capable with a more - normal - saber. Yes." She had to give herself pause and was reluctant to admit what followed "My experience with the pike comes from fighting pits, Master. Self-learned at first, with a crude thing I made myself after - convincing - a guard, then refined and expanded under proper tutelage when I was freed." She frowned again but this time it was clearly more an expression of frustration, "The slavers weren't exactly keen to give us blasters. I know how one works, obviously, but I've never found myself - in need of one." Which was Basca for: she'd never fired so much as an old slug-thrower at a live and moving target before.

When she was circled, she did not solely track with her head as the motion would do little good to defend her if something came from behind, and instead despite how somebody more flippantly trusting she turned whole-body so as to never have her back to the Crusader, "For techniques in the Force, I want to refine my skills in stealth - cloaking and concealment. Along with more direct powers such as Tutaminis, to defend myself in a fight, and nullify an enemy's weapons as much as possible. And other powers, those above me at present. To toy with the mind and fool the senses. If I can defeat an enemy before they've even drawn a weapon or had a chance to swing for me, all the better. It sorts out the wheat and chaff that way."

But of course one thing stuck out to her, as pale and milky eyes tracked Tsukihana through what the Force showed her, "A question, Master. How did you know I was using Sight?"



@Bantha
@Tsukihana

 

[Tsukihana]

“How wouldn’t I? Your file. Nearly everyone in the Imperium has one, including you and me. In it are various things that have been observed about us. Certain sections are open to different ranks. There’s general knowledge that is open to everyone, like name, species, and maybe pictures. Then skills, preferred class, and such…. including favored force powers.”

Tsukihana nodded as she heard Basca speak. It was of no surprise she couldn’t use a blaster, or slugthrower. But that would change. “You’re enemies will expect you to come toting lightsabers and the Force. On the battlefield, I admit they have no substitute. However, if you want to do undercover work of any kind, you need to know how to use other weaponry. If for some reason you make enemies within the Sith Order who want you dead—it can and will happen—a hold-out blaster in your sleeve or a cortosis-alloy bracelet might be the only thing that saves your life.”

As she spoke she lifted back her own sleeve to show the silver cuff around her pale wrist. “You may find basic pistols, rifles, and if I am not mistaken, slugthrowers too, in the academy’s armory. If you are to be my apprentice, you are expected to find instruction in this and regularly practice.

“I am more than able to help you learn new stealth powers and refine the ones you already know.” She was secretly excited. There weren’t many chances she had to teach such skills to students with like-minded dedication. Once the acolyte became more proficient, she could be taught Tsukihana’s favorite skills like Force Weapon.

“Do tell me. Why are you a Sith?” she asked simply, as if the topic did not carry a lot of weight. Such a simple question, but deceivingly so. The acolyte better not start off by saying truly mindless answers like “for power.” Then the Crusader’s time, she was sure of it, would be wasted.

“Or shall I rephrase it...perhaps that would stir you more. Why have you chosen the Dark Side?”
@Slamdingo

 

[Slamdingo]

There was something unsettling about the Crusader's answer. To know that tucked away somewhere in Imperial archives there was every facet of her life that they'd ever known about - open to anybody interested in learning more about her. As her potential master so aptly reminded her, even among the Sith one could find enemies envious of power and achievements and holdings. The sorts of enemies who'd be willing to kill to take them. So perhaps, Basca noted to herself, it'd be in her best interest to - expunge - certain things from her public records once she'd gained sufficient rank and influence. It would certainly give her a peace of mind as to what others might know of her in the future if nothing else.

Weaponry was another fair point raised and the ultimatum was a simple one. Basca had never found a need for any of the more conventional weapons that others either preferred or required on the field of battle, but if she was to be as skilled an assassin and Sith as she someday hoped then it would only benefit her to listen to the Crusader and practice in such things.

Conventional blades, blasters, slug-throwers, and other such weapons would likely serve to give her an edge or at the very least an unexpected surprise when facing off against opponents who expected little more than a saber. And the mention of working undercover brought a reminder to Basca that her preferred weapon was longer than she was tall when its blade was extended. Not the sort of thing tucked under a coat to hide away.

And then there was the one question that didn't catch Basca off-guard. Why was she Sith? Why was she here? Not up on this mountain, specifically. But why was she here, claiming herself to be Sith? What had brought her to the point she was now, having climbed this mountain in seeking a master to guide her through becoming a fully titled Sith, with power, and the opportunities with which to test those powers? As simple as even the rephrased take of the question sounded, Basca could feel that there was so much more weight to it - and to her own answer - than the Crusader was implying.

And as much as she had no reason to so boldly trust the woman with that kind of personal answer, if she had any hope of proving herself a capable apprentice then it had to be answered.

Basca still circled to keep Tsukihana in front of her as she thought on the answer, before finally speaking up, "The galaxy and those in it don't want to admit to their darker side. To admit that every last one of us came from violent animals who acted to survive and thrive. The pit showed me that even if nothing else in the galaxy is true, its that. And when my cell was opened and I was set free - I took the freedom to show this to my former captors. And where the rest of the galaxy might have shunned me or, worse, given me pity, the Dark side embraced me as much as I embraced it. I was shown I wasn't alone. And that I was only as weak as I let myself be." She grinned, "And since that day, I've chosen."



@Bantha
@Tsukihana