Coffee With A Side of Insanity

[Kalanda Tishire]

Location: Alderaan, Star of the Empire Cafe

Kalanda sipped on her drink, gazing out of the oddly shaped window to her left. She thought it was such an odd idea, making a cafe dedicated to Imperial customers? Especially when it was so close to the war front. Who would think that's a good idea? Not that she minded the decor, if anything it reminded her of home; in her own way. She was to meet Amur here, hoping to finally talk with the elusive woman for once. They had done a mission together not too long ago, but ever since then Kalanda had just wanted to know more about this mysterious woman.

Maybe it had something to do with their interactions during the mission, maybe Kalanda just wanted to know her. She wasn't at liberty to say, alright? The point was, she was looking forward to this meeting. Thankfully this was still Sith space, so no one looked twice at the lightsaber she had on her hip. A rather pleasant jizz group was playing over the audio speakers, something that didn't make Kalanda think about wanting to deafen herself; which was a pleasant change of pace to be honest. Her thoughts lingered back to that event, the slaughter of an entire village, just to leave a message. It was wrong, they both knew it was, but...it had to be done, for the greater good....right? She swirled the coffee before her, watching the bubbles pop and swirl before meeting an eventual end. It was things like this that made her question her allegiance, what exactly was crossing the line? It was getting to the point that not even she knew. She had murdered villages before, thinking that was going to be the end of it. Clearly she was wrong. Kalanda could see the dark reflection of herself from within her mug, to which she scowled and pushed it away. She didn't need this right now. She could only hope Amur could find her, surely the woman could manage that, Kalanda was wearing her Sith robes just for that reason after all.

@Caught in Strangereal

 

[Amur]

What pecuilar place Amur found herself walking into. Still coffee is coffee and if this place served the good stuff then she could let odd decor slide. Besides the coffee was merely a framing device for talking to Kalanda. She was surprised to have the Sith ask her out to this event. They both were up and comers in the Sith Empire and both served together on what may have been the most emotionally taxing mission the two underwent. Though Amur had her doubts about serving the Empire. It felt like it was hell bent on killing itself. Is it really necessary to commit such acts in the name of an order that could very well collapse by the time you could do something.

Yeah coffee and forgetting about that or at least sharing it with someone would be nice. Amur walked in, played a quick game of find the Sith with resting bitch face (Took all about 3 seconds this time) and she was heading to the table. Inviting herself to sit down she looked at the Sith this time with her face concealed behind her helmet just like she wanted.

"So you want to spend a few minutes talking useless small talk, or shall we skip straight to the interesting stuff?" She felt the emotional distress she had experienced on Vicondor through the force. It happens and most of the time it wasn't pleasant for the person experiencing it. She knew first had especially if it was a flashback... Those were always distressing and while part of being a Sith is wallowing about in your own misery to empower you it also got tiring and you just needed a break from time to time.

Amur leaned back in her seat crossing one leg over her knee. This was a casual meeting, no need to stress about or be official it was just a day off. She just wanted a nice boring event free day where they could just reflect on life.

@Algarus

 

[Kalanda Tishire]

Kalanda glanced up as her fellow acolyte slide across the table from, all in black usual. It was enough to snap Kalanda out of her daze, something she greatly needed. A small smile came across her face, as her guest had finally arrived. She liked Amur’s style, a middle finger wrapped in black, really got under people’s skin in all the right ways. “I don’t know, could be fun you know. Waste an hour talking about the weather, another on how much we hate our lives. You, like reasonable adults.” She chided, sipping her coffee to let the woman get a word in. the resting bitch face was placated for the time being.


“Thank you for meeting me on short notice, I typically don’t do these sorts of things, but you’re one of the more interesting acolytes I’ve encountered.” She confessed, she hated most the people she worked with after all. “Last Sith I hung out with was Markov, and he was far too over dramatic. I thought I was watching a play. It wasn’t a good play either, let me say.” Markov was okay, but after a while it got tedious, especially when he was trying to hit on her the entire time; she should have given him tips on that, it needed work. The café was only half empty, seemed folks were looking for actual restaurants. “I didn’t order you anything, didn’t know what you liked, and I didn’t feel like wasting the credits if I got the wrong thing.” It was a show down between two big bitches, which one would win? It didn't matter, they weren't here for a bitch off, probably just share their dislike for 99% of people they knew.

@Caught in Strangereal

 

[Amur]

Amur smiled a bit under her helmet and let a light chuckle she may enjoy this persons company after all.

"Reasonable adults. Good one. That just another way we like to delude ourselves." The Sith could have gone on longer but she wasn't in the mood for long monologues about 'the nature of living' and all that fluff. Still she kept her eyes locked on Kalanda's face being an undivided audience. Listening her go on. She was a little flattered that Kalanda thought of her as 'interesting' usual she heard stuff like broody and edgy. Markov there's a familiar name having met him on that garish hutt ship. Yeah She could see the play acting and dramatics. Some people when they read the Sith philosophy become such pretentious twits and Markov seemed like he was potentially a part of that camp.

I'm flattered you find me interesting. As for Markov I have a sinking suspicion that he doesn't have a spine and would suck off whoever he needs to get ahead... hmm might be fun to make him my bitch." The acolyte responded callously, really she didn't get much time to see if that was really the case, but then it would be up to Markov to prove her wrong and actually show he has a pair. She really didn't like fake politeness as well. Their are people who are genuinely nice they care about people and what not, then there are people who are assholes who couldn't care less. She didn't mind those too extremes but the people who tried to be 'nice' just to soothe someone's ego annoyed her especially when they tried to pull that crap on her.

The Sith was already having a good time with her bitchy companion especially because she wanted to know if deep down there was just a scared little girl underneath as was the case for many of these people. Though there was a minor inconvenience. The critical lack of prepurchased coffee for her! Oh except of course the Sith actually didn't really care. She actually liked that someone didn't just blindly order something out of courtesy. If you don't know what someone likes and then don't cocking buy anything. She hated all these ridiculous customs.

"Oh no. How could you? You monster." Amur replied with sarcasm dripping from her voice. Wait was that the first time she was actually being sarcastic with someone? Seemed like this Kalanda was already having an effect on the scorched acolyte.

"I don't mind. Never got why we as people decided we needed all this fluff like small talk, and buying people stuff they don't need to appear 'nice'." She did mock air quotes over the word nice. Her eyes then shifted over to menu thinking about version of the black elixir she wanted. Still keeping an ear on Kalanda and what she wanted to say.

@Algarus

 

[Kalanda Tishire]

Kalanda pursed her lips together as the faintest hint of a smile made itself known. This was going to be fun, she could tell. "Let's not deceive ourselves, if we didn't lie to ourselves every now and then we'd be less sane than we already are." Kalanda replied back, as the woman took her seat. A few of the patrons glanced in the direction of the two women before thinking ill of it and returning to their mundane lives. Yes, Amur was by the most intresting of the acolytes she had encountered, maybe it was just the way she carried herself, it was rather refreshing from the brooding spoiled child or the clearly disturbed individual who probably should have been kept in an asylum. That didn't mean neither woman was without their issues, but at least they had mastered their issues rather than been consumed by them.

Her comment about Markov brought a chuckle from Kalanda, as the woman sipped on her drink, before putting it down. "Markov is desperate to please anyone, I don't think you'd have to do much to get him that low. Poor fool was trying to bed me the moment I came into his crosshairs. Too caught up in chasing after his father if you ask me. Boring." She commented, agreeing with the woman's assessment. Great minds think alot after all. Her encounter with Markov, while decent and not exactly uninteresting, he wasn't the sort of man she wanted to be around. He'd make a half decent advisor, she'd mention that to Mid when she had a chance. "Compared to most of our peers, you are by far more interesting." Kalanda admitted, setting her cup down as she continued on. It seemed she had found her equal, not many had the same disdain for people as she, so it seemed that her and Amur had common ground there.

Kalanda shrugged her shoulders at the masked woman's lamentation. "I know, you must be crushed." She responded, tsking at the misfortune that she had so intentionally brought. It was hard to find someone willing to match her sarcasm with such efficiency.

She leaned forward a half inch at what Amur said next. "I agree. I think it was developed to make people feel better. Such pointless banter has little to no value, drives me up the wall. Rather fight a rancor nude than be subject to an hour of small talk. Why do we have to pretend to be 'nice', why should we care how strangers feel?" Kalanda asked, as if it were some insightful question about life and existence. She never quite understood it really.

@Caught in Strangereal

 

[Amur]

Fight a rancor nude that was a rather specific image in her mind. One that she actually would like... like quite a lot. She was enjoying the fellow company of the acolyte. She was a keeper definitely. Would be nice to let out snark from time to time and she made a good partner for that. Well as well as being subjected to an involuntary awakening at the hands of a certain force bonded figure meant she was getting... urges again.

"Because at one point we decided to try and hide the fact that we were animals. We were a level above it all. We could be people of culture and kindness not degenerative barbarism. Of course all that stuff was just window dressing underneath all these people if you went ahead and took out the society and order they got used to and forced them back to nature would start eating eachother real quick."

A rather cynical view on the nature of living beings but well it was sadly learned through experience. Though her mind no went back to Vicondor... Maybe not all the time that was true but that idea was being entertained on a subconscious level for the Sith. Now the Sith really needed something to drink to help think on things. Maybe a latte would be just perfect.

"I'm going to order something but while I do I'll give you something to think about. Isn't funny how we have a disdain for the establishment of customs and pointless societal norms yet we are in a way upholding them by being active members of the Empire? What drives us to continue on this path. What's your goal and desire to continue this? Power? Changing the system? or something else entirely? What do you say to help sleep at night or are your nights troubled?"

With that the scorched acolyte got and walked over to the counter. Ordering a latte and paying the usual price. As she waited she began to internally ask herself that. What was she fighting for? She had doubts about that. It used to be so simple, but being a simple idealist had it's pitfalls. There really wasn't an ideal she was driven towards. Maybe to create a stable system of power that could actually be competent. The Sith got her coffee and looked down at it noticing a a rather interesting milk pattern it looked like a figure staring directly at her. Hmm what an interesting display of latte art.

**CRASH**​

The Sith's head flinched upwards at the direction of the noise. She saw a dented landspeeder that now had a screeching alarm going off. There appeared to be some sort of mass on top of it. The Sith's curiosity was piqued.

"So much for a quiet day." Amur said to herself in what sounded like a disappointed sigh. She went over and grabbed a straw sticking it into her latte and headed outside to see what the ruckus was about. All while sipping on her drink like nothing happened.

@Algarus

 

[Kalanda Tishire]

Kalanda tilted her head at the woman's words, she had never thought of it that way before, but it made sense. She had seen first hand how quickly people feel into disarray when a little sprinkling of chaos was introduced. She wagged her finger, as she found herself partly agreeing with the sentiment. "I don't think you're entirely wrong. However in time they will still gather together and form another base. That is what differs them from true beasts, though the urges are still buried deep down." She felt a mental ache, as if she was one to speak of beasts. She was one to talk. The woman who had killed two villages was calling people animals. Her small smile faded as the memories slowly filtered in, so she drowned it down with some coffee. It was bitter, just like her memories. Perhaps both women were still stuck in their pasts.

Amur was going to get herself a refreshment it seemed, but she left Kalanda with a thought before doing so, inquiring on what their real reason for being with the Sith Empire was. As the woman left, Kalanda seemed to be in a bit of thought. She had stayed with the Empire mostly because she had no choice initially; whole family was dead, what was she going to do when the Sith came for her? She had eventually settled on the belief that the Empire had power to maintain order, to keep what had happened to her from happening to others, but even that idea had begun to fade. She had committed two purges of life all for a self fulfilling goal. That wasn't actual power, nor was it maintaining order, that was just tyranny, and who the hell would willingly follow that? She took another sip, leaving the cup half empty. She'd need to talk to Mid about this later. Perhaps she was losing sight on the greater goal.

**CRASH**​

The loud crashing outside caught Kalanda's attention, as the blaring sound of a land speeder alarm was going off. Turning her head towards the disturbance, Kalanda found the damaged speeder with something planted on it's front half. She could only guess it was a person, Or what was left of a person, as she rose from the table to go outside. A few other individuals were starting to come out and inspect the scene as well. Kalanda glanced upwards, sipping her coffee as if she was watching rain fall, trying to think where he might have jumped from. She was more curious than anything, probably some noble who was being blackmailed. Then of course some woman let out a scream, which was just not needed, prompting Kalanda to roll her eyes. People were so dramatic. She found Amur had taken an interest in this as well, as she casually sipped on her drink. Kalanda diverted her attention from the scene for a moment to inquire on the woman. "What did you get?" She asked casually, having grown bored of the public gathering that was slowly growing. Dead bodies were nothing new after all.

@Caught in Strangereal

 

[Amur]

Maybe what Kalanda said was right but was evidently clear was she was unhappy with the way things were and had reservations. Hmm The Sith had ideas forming in her head that all justwaiting for something to just tip it over the edge. That could be thought about later as the more pressing issue was the bleeding corpse on the land speeder. Well what was left of it. Still no reasoning panicking or throwing a hissy fit unlike a certain harpy that was getting on her nerves. People she really couldn't stand them sometimes.

"Latte, pretty simple really, though it had this really interesting pattern it." The Sith answered Kalanda before following it up with another sip from her drink. It really was a good cup of joe. Though seeing the massive crowd forming around them she realized that maybe they should do something she didn't like crowds after all. All those people looking over asking the same 5 questions over and over again and again.

"I suppose we should do something. Check the body for some ID, I'll deal with the crowd." Amur replied with disinterest, she really didn't want to have to deal with a death investigation that would just take up so much paper work. It would keep her tied down for a few days, being interviewed. The Sith then made her to the front of the crowd and took out her lightsaber but didn't ignite.

"Ladies and gentlemen. This is now an investigation under the authority of the Sith Empire. Unless you actually witnessed something useful to the investigation then I suggest you leave now before you annoy me even more." She used the Force to project her voice that got the masses moving and like that most of the crowd dispersed. She talked to those who were still standing around. Naturally even though plenty claimed to see exactly what happened, everyone had no actually definitive information. Sigh, what a bunch of useless wankers.

She looked up and scanned for anything that could vaguely could be used to throw someone off, before noticing a man sized window that was open. Occam's Razor suggested that was culprit number one. She made note of the building an old ancient apartment building that looked to be here for as long as the rest of the city. It was worse for wear clearly in need of a renovation. Maybe it was some drug addict that decided to end it all. She walked up to Kalanda still looking up.

"You found anything? Because I think I found the place he fell from." Amur asked Kalanda as she pointed up wards towards the open window of the dingy apartment building.

@Algarus

 

[Kalanda Tishire]

Kalanda initially had no intention of getting involved, that was what the security force was for right? Apparently, Amur had other ideas, as the woman offered to deal with the crowd. Kalanda didn't particularly care, it was something to do, so she figured why not. "I suppose I could. I am fairly skilled in detecting the obvious." Kalanda offered, finishing what was left of her coffee before discarding the cup. Though it seemed Amur didn't particularly care either. Kalanda made her way across the street, shoving onlookers out of the way, as she really wasn't in the mood to 'people' right now. Instead, she resorted to stating 'Move' and shoving those stubborn few who didn't want to get out of the way. She would let Amur dispense the crowd, which she did remarkably well. She had never thought that the Sith were held to investigate crimes, but lo and behold they were doing just that.

Now lording over the corpse on the speeder, Kalanda eyed the man's body over, it was fairly clear he had died from the fall, as his neck was at an unusual angle, and the exposed rib bones weren't doing him any favors either. The man seemed to be early to middle aged, his hair was clearly disheveled, and the state of his beard made it clear he hadn't shaved in a long while. What was interesting though, was the House Thul emblem that was sown onto his vest. Now that was unusual. He even had one of those fancy necklaces they all wore, though given how small it was, she'd guess he was some minor noble for the family; still, House Thul was pretty big name around here. Next, Kalanda checked his pockets, finding a set of keys, and a receipt of some sort from an art gallery. She took a step back, looking over at the items, then looked back at the man, finding it a little interesting in what she was seeing here. His clothes weren't in the best of shape, as if he hadn't been washing nor ironing them, and while yes they were worse for wear given he had just fallen out of a building, it was unusual for a politician to be in this sort of state. Maybe he was just depressed?

Amur moved up behind her, noting she had found the launch point for the man, to which Kalanda showed her the set of keys. There were two keys on the ring, one had an apartment number on it, probably his own apartment. The other seemed to be made by hand and had no teeth to it, with the only identifying mark being an unusual star emblem worked into it; as if someone had taken raw metal and made it into this shape. Strange. "That emblem on his vest is from House Thul, as is the necklace. All he had was the key and this receipt. I'm not sure why he kept this on him when he made the leap, but he did." Kalanda now offered the receipt and made note of the data, seemed whatever was purchased it had been done nearly a week ago. A little odd to hold something like that on one's person for so long. Still, there was something a tad enticing about this. "Want to go dig through a nobles closet? I'm sure there's some dirty laundry to be found." Kalanda asked, dropping the keys in Amur's hand if she was so willing to take them. She was curious about that strange emblem on the key, not to mention House Thul would probably appreciate the aid of the Empire, not that she cared but Mid could certainly use some good news for once.

@Caught in Strangereal

 

[Amur]

A dead disheveled nobleman... interesting. A mysterious key, a receipt and a dingy apartment building... There was something afoot at play here and it was starting to turn the cogs in Amur's brain as she went ahead and decided that she would indeed like to dig through. After all she had nothing better to do on Alderaan, and if something was going on to ruin her day she may as well make the best of it even if she wasn't expecting much. She took the keys and was off towards the building.

"If I don't find a single skeleton in that closet, I'm going to be sorely disappointed." Amur told Kalanda in passing. They entered the building going up the old stairs that creaked with every step they took up. This place didn't even have a elevator how odd. Feeling like she got transported back a millennia. Still heading up the tall building a certain vibe or presence seemed to be taking up the air. It wasn't necessarily the ebb of the darkside but it reminded of her of that. It felt something may have been there. Though that just could also be the first manifestations of Schizophrenia or something. Amur really wouldn't be surprised if she developed it at some point. Finally coming up to the room on the top floor now in at a state where she was going to open that door no matter what.

Carefully she inserted the key into the door and prepared to open it. However doing so she found and unusual amount of resistance to opening it. Something was obstructing the door. Did he barricade himself in? How come no one responded or noted it. He got the painting a week ago this couldn't be too old. Curiousity was overcoming the Sith like Ravenous hunger as more questions kept popping up. With an application of force strength she forced it open as wood shrieked and hinges sung their falsetto. Finally after an unreasonable amount of effort required the door was ajar enough to give an opening for the two Sith. What had now met their eyes was rather unpleasant.

There was a heavy bookshelf that had been placed against the door holding it shut. Mountains upon mountains of junk stood like miniature city before the two. Paths like Ratways were made to provide paths of movement around the apartment. This may have not been a skeleton but this was certainly interesting the same way someone read a tabloid for all the inane drama. She stepped in and began to explore almost in a awelike trance. Suddenly something caught her eye. A junk pathaway leading to a room. What was interesting about it was that unlike everything else this Room appeared clean and ordinary.
@Algarus

 

[Kalanda Tishire]

"With any luck, they're be several." Seeing that they were going to investigate the apartment, Kalanda let Amur lead the way, as no doubt the local security forces would be moving in like a swarm; especially if a house member died, talk about a headache. It was certainly an odd building, seemed almost out of place in Alderaan's typical layout. Going inside, Amur wasn't the only one who sensed the unusual presence about this place. It was like the dark side, but fouler, colder maybe? No, just....unnatural. The sensation only lingered there, not growing in strength, nor being diminished. Whatever it was, it wasn't pleasant to feel, made her mind feel slippery and unfocused. It was either that, or those sleepless nights were taking a toll on her.

"This place feels more like a museum than a home." Kalanda commented, noting that there seemed to be a lack of any functional tech within the building, she couldn't for the life of her recall the last time she could actually hear stairs give like this. It was only moderately irritating at best however. When Amur slide the key into Kalanda expected several things to happen, maybe some spice addled homeless man would try and jump them, or maybe nothing would happen and they'd just be disappointed. Turned out she was wrong on both accounts, as it took the woman using the force to move the obstruction behind the door. After squeezing through the small amount of space provided to them, Kalanda bore witness to one of the most disgusting sights she had the misfortune of setting her sights on. "Talk about having trouble letting go." She commented, trying to process how someone could hoard so much garbage in one place. Having to stick to the rat ways, the pair would have to follow the few paths laid out before them, though Kalanda couldn't get over the repulsive smell that lingered about the place. Kalanda tried to make sense of the insanity that was the garbage kingdom of this dead noble, but Amur had found something of interest it seemed as the acolyte followed the trial into a room that was remarkably clean, in fact it didn't like it should have been here at all. Kalanda followed the woman, entering the room just a tad bit after she had. This new room clashed with the rest of garbage central, as it had a clean carpet laid out across a rather clean floor. In front of them, it appeared someone had set up an alter or something akin to that, with the most remarkable painting handing between four rather decorative candles. Several plates laid out on the table, bits of what looked like meat sat untouched and undisturbed on a table, though it appeared to be more akin to an offering than someone's meal. That all paled compared to the painting however, as Kalanda couldn't seem to pull her attention away from it.

Kalanda was rather taken aback by it, unable to comprehend just what she was looking it. "Remarkable." She commented, stepping closer to the painting, stepping on the carpet as she did so. The floor beneath Kalanda squeaked however, as the Sith felt the floorboard shift under her feet. Stepping back, Kalanda looked to Amur, then back to the floor, before using the force to lift up the carpet just a tad, revealing what appeared to be a secret door underneath. What the hell was up with this place? "Whoever this noble was, he has some very interesting skeletons waiting to be found." This mystery just kept growing, as even Kalanda had to admit she was becoming curious as to what they had stumbled onto.

@Caught in Strangereal

 

[Amur]

Entering the room Amur looking around. The nice paint, well maintained floors and just... no this is not right. None of this is right. The Scorched Sith then locked eyes on the painting. It was wild and entrancing, watching the almost electric 3d spirals of color and green and what looked like two eyes staring into her, watching her movements. The Sith walked aside Kalanda ignoring her calls, and comments. Instead, she just kept going til she was within arms length of the painting. She reached out and touched the edge of the canvas with the edge of her finger. Then with the inky tendrils of the force she could call flowed in and out of the painting. Trying to find out just what had been going on as the man painted it.

Looking into the eyes she saw flashes play before her eyes and suddenly it was different. It was dark, near pitch black. Manic rantings and chantings in a language she never heard of before. A strong compelling force driving someone to paint as the brush skittered on the canvas and was dipped into seemingly random arrays of paint. She felt like something was reasonating in side and then she was back staring at the painting. She looked back at Kalanda a little loss for words, granted this was one of the first times she tried to use pyschometry, but she wondered if someone wanted her to see that.

"I... let's just find out what lies beneath. I have- no need to find out what's going on here." Lifting the carpet up with the force and rolling it up to expose the secret door. Lifting it up and swinging it on the hinges a stairwell leading down somewhere into the darkness. Amur just started to walk down as the curiousity was just too much to bear. The darkness seemed to consume all light around. creaking steps and slow deliberate movements as she used the force sight to navigate it. It was narrow and cramped forcing the Sith to hunch over to actually fit inside. Her back hated this but she didn't care right. It wasn't much clearly just meant to hide something but what? Going forward ten meters she finally felt a podium. Grabbing onto it she felt around before feeling the top of it. Her mind quickly receiving feedback of something softer than the wood used to make this podium. Rectangular in shape she lifted it up and walk out. She felt goosebumps rise.

Returning back into the light which was for once a welcome sight the Sith looked down at what she had. It was a book or rather tome. It looked old and crinkled. The Sith then did something she almost never did. She took off her right glove so she could feel it with her bare hand. It was like synth leather, no wait this was real leather! She opened the pages and just started to look through some of it looked to be handwritten in a language. Interesting as well was that the pages had a leathery texture to them. But as she rifled through the pages she noticed the color of the text and handwriting change. A passage written.

I have gazed into the abyss. Into which it gazed back into my very being. My soul to bear. Yet that was just a pin drop compared to the grand body of truth that came to me. I have seen the eons of man, the struggles of existence and I know one thing. It's nothing. Man is but a blind fool, trumpeting his pride and thinking he is supreme god of the universe bending it to his will. Yet the visions I see draw back to that frame. That macabre of color and darkness that while I thought was but a curiousity I know now is a carrier of the truth. It is the frame that I now try to view reality and it has shown me that my frame is flawed. My dreams take me to cities of illogical geometry, beings looking upon our worlds with indifference. None of our struggles matter to them and they can quash them with a snap. I can't carry on with this truth. It's tearing my mind in two. The false reality I believe in, the reality where everything, comes and goes of my own freewill and I can bend the world. This now is constantly in flux with the strings that dangle, the faceless drones of animals that shall herd along and act in patterns, unaware of their danger, unaware that everyone can be wiped out at any moment, and the worst part of that reality is simple. It can done on a farcical whim.

I can't go on like this. I must set my self free from this and fade into the faceless abyss. ​

The Sith looked back at the painting after reading the passage, noting that it was the last thing dated. She had to know where that painting came from. She took out the Receipt she had pocketed and made note of the name and address of the art gallery.

"We got a book to read through and a gallery to visit. Fancy learning about the local art scene?"

@Algarus

 

[Kalanda Tishire]

Amur was just as taken with the image as Kalanda, though whatever the woman saw in the painting it was different from what the Sith had witnessed. the mystery unfolded however, as Amur revealed the trap door underneath. Who the hell was this man? "Something tells me that doesn't lead to a pleasure dungeon." The very idea of such a thing disgusted Kalanda, but whatever might lie down there filled her with a sense of dread. Maybe it was better to leave whatever was done there alone. She looked to Amur with a degree of concern, sensing that the woman was being affected by something that she herself hadn't seen. Before she could do anything to halt the woman, Amur disappeared into the trap door, squeezing herself into the tight space, her form vanishing into the darkness below.

Kalanda stared down into the inky abyss, part of her wanting to go with the woman, the other part of her wishing to remain up here. She could vaguely sense that Amur was still down there, and after a few moments she would return, bringing a degree of relief to Kalanda. This place was unnatural, almost wrong, but the acolyte herself had no way to describe it. Seeing Amur held something in her hands, Kalanda glanced down to the piece of leather Amur held. Was it a journal? Amur opened it to begin reading, and Kalanda felt compelled to read over the woman's shoulder, being just as curious as this place as Amur herself was, though she only got a few tidbits of the info. If nothing else, it confirmed the noble went crazy and killed himself, but from a painting? Amur apparently picked up on the clue first, as she produced the receipt that Kalanda had given her, and asked if she was up for seeing an gallery. Kalanda looked to the masked woman, then to the painting, curious what it was about this thing that struck her. It was almost like encountering the ichor spirits on Dathomir, but....this was somehow fouler. She couldn't help it now, she had to find out. Turning back to the acolyte, Kalanda didn't see any reason to stop, she wanted to know more as well.

"If it turns out to be as interesting as this fiasco, I'd be delighted to."

@Caught in Strangereal (/End Thread?)