Some Things Never Change

[Darth Evandrus]

Theme
OOC: DD, No PVP​

In the central tower of the Palace of Lothal, Darth Evandrus watched as the workers he had paid applied the finishing touches to the statue he had had commissioned.

This wasn't going to become 'a thing' but he supposed some people might think otherwise.

This wasn't to boast but, again, he supposed some people might think otherwise.

This wasn't even a celebration.

No, the statue that was being dusted off to be presented to him was public, it was visible, and it wasn't anything he usually would have had made. But sometimes appearances were something that needed to be kept up.

While honouring an old friend.

The artist was waved away and Evandrus was able to look at the statue without the artist scrutinising his every little speck of emotion. Reaching down, Evandrus took a lightsaber off of his belt and activated it, watching as the green blade sprang to life. Just watching the blade for a moment, he extinguished the lightsaber before placing it into the waiting hand of the statue, pointing down.

Immortalised in stone, Jedi Master Jon Atreides knelt on one knee, blade turned to point to the ground and a firm, impassive, look upon his face.

The statue of the defeated enemy was along the right side of the throne room for the Prince of Lothal, nestled comfortably in an alcove but by no means hidden away. Looking at his old friend in the stone, Evandrus hummed a little bit.

"I think I should have had him smiling..." he thought aloud, "Probably would have gotten the smile wrong though."

 

[Eisa Nimbus]

"Statues should be smiling" a light voice spoke out from the doorway to the Throne room, as a slight framed figure slowly stepped into the chamber, the emerald hues eyes of the young female panning away from the statue towards the Sith Lord. A light grin crossing her features as she drew closer to the Sith lord. "People will just see them as memorials to grumpy people. I don't think they would have wanted that if they liked to have fun" she added, offering an somewhat squewed opinion on the matter. The Cyan haired teen couldn't fathom why people would want to immortalise the fallen with often dour looks plastered over their faces, figuring that she didn't really want to be immortalised with a permanent frown, she would rather have her likeness standing with a broad grin plastered over her features. As and how she lived her life.

As she finally drew close enough to the High Judge, Eisa came to a stop, and lowered her upper body in a bow. "Lord Evandrus, I have secured the stockpile of Kyber Crystals on Gamorr and the artifact." the teen spoke as she came back to her full height, offering the Sith lord two large drawstring bags, one full to the brim of Kybers that had been locked away in a secret cache on the gamorean homeworld, the second an artifact she had been tasked with tracking down, which had turned in part to a goose chase, in no part to the informant.

"The artifact had been moved to Seregar, I did have to teach Rexal not to lie to us again though" she elaborated, giving a slight insight into the miss information that one of the various informants the Empire used had given. Needless to say it was unlikely that he would make the same mistake twice, dealing with the teen was hard work enough, dealing with her whilst she was pissed off! That's a whole other ball game.

Finishing her report and having handed over the aquired goods she was sent to locate. Eisa drew her gaze over towards the statue to her side. Once again her emerald hued eyes panning over the stone likeness of the Jedi Master that had fallen to the High Judge. "Was it quick?" Eisa enquired tentatively. "I know the Jedi are our enemies, but they deserve a quick death" she added after a moments pause. As deeply ingrained in the galaxy's recent history the two sides of the Force has been at a bitter war, there wasn't really much reasoning for the Jedi, the Siths enemy to suffer needlessly in the teen's eyes. "Slow painful deaths only should be given to those that deserve it, right?"

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Hmm.

He imagined that Jon would have preferred to have been smiling had the statue been erected literally anywhere but the palace of a Sith Lord. Jon had done a lot of growing up since the first time he had met Cregan Drast. He had started out as a bit of a goofball in many respects but he had done his best to grow and it had shown. The man knew that Evandrus wouldn't come at him with anything less than lethal force and he had stood his ground regardless.

"I think the statue the Jedi make of him will be smiling." he decided in the end, looking at the eyes of the statue a moment longer, "I think had he ever stood here? He would have been every bit as severe as the statue here has him looking."

Raising an eyebrow, Evandrus turned to face Eisa but held his hands behind his back as she gave him a report on her missions and activities. He accepted the bag with the Force, attaching it to his belt without moving, physically, from his stance as he regarded her with a small frown. Not that he was displeased - it was just a default expression on his face when he was thinking about things these days.

He nodded once.

"If you feel punishment is required of a permanent nature?" he tilted his head to the side slightly, "Send him to me. I shall Judge him and, should he be found wanting, we can give him to the Zygerrians."

A fate worse than death - slavery.

He had been about to turn away, to leave, when she spoke again. Had it been almost anything else, he would have just carried on walking but it wasn't. She was asking about Jon. He took a deep breath before releasing it slowly, eyes closing for a moment as he immersed himself in the memory.

"Yes." he answered at length, his voice quiet, "I snapped his neck."

Turning, he stared at the statue of the Jedi for a long moment.

"He was my friend - I felt like I owed him that much." he admitted with a small frown, "But you're right. Pain and a torturous end must be earned. If it isn't then it isn't worth the effort... and they should be crushed beneath booted heel rather than elevated to any level of importance by the amount of effort expended in ensuring their death."

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Nimbus]

Nodding in acknowledgement to the Lord's direction that should the informant try to decieve the Empire again, he should be brought before the High Judge to determine his fate. "Apologies my Lord If I acted out of turn" Eisa spoke out initially as she lowered her head, uncertain whether the frown was directed at her actions "As soon as i had uncovered Rexal's deception, I had used my aura to instill the fear of the Empire's wrath into him, should he betray us again I will bring him before you for Judgment" the teen continued to explain as she raised her head. Whilst it was known to the Sith Lord that the Cyan haired knight had shown the earlier manifestation of her recently developed ability during the bleeding of her light saber as her body was enshrouded in darkness, she had learned to manipulate the shadows she had wrapped herself in, into a form that struck dread into the hearts of those on the receiving end.

Pursing her lips in thought as Cregan revealed the fate of of the Jedi, as well as the shared history he had with the Jedi immortalised by the stone statue. Her emerald gaze moving away from the Lord's and following back towards the statue, before continuing to listen to the High Judge as he agreed with her earlier voiced sentiment. "I'm sorry" Eisa offered as she turned a sincere gaze towards the High Judge, "I'm sure he would have wanted it that way though, to have fallen by your hand, knowing that you would grant him a quick and dignified passing" she continued with a light sigh to her words. Thinking back slightly to the Jedi whom she had killed, the first one was not afforded such an end, being torn down in a hail of shrapnel and blaster fire whilst the wild teen laughed maniacally. The second one however, did not see such a fate. His passing was swift and clean, with the final treatment of his wooden corpse being carried with an air of dignity.

"If I may?" Eisa spoke after a brief silence had fallen. "How do we determine who is truly deserving of a torturous end? " the teen inquired, as she mused on what the High Judge would deem as being worthy of a drawn out painful death. "I know the combatants we face should fall under the weight of our heel, and scum like slavers, corrupt officials and chem pushers deserve the pain they bring on the innocent brought down onto them" she continued explaining her understanding, as she narrowed her gaze in thought "But if I were out in the field and encounter someone who is neither, how should I make that judgement?" Eisa concluded, hoping that the High Judge would grant some council. Knowing that the High Judge like all of the Empire's Lords were busy individuals ensuring the integrity of the Empire, Eisa appreciated that she couldn't be wasting his time by bringing in those who were not fit for the Lord's Judgement.

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Seemed that Eisa had made the decision herself and he was alright with the punishment she had given out - for a first offence it was perfectly acceptable. It seemed that she was reacting more to his frown at this stage, which was nice and all but not required right now. He wasn't frowning because he was upset or annoyed after all - he was frowning simply because he was thinking about it. He waved off her concerns with a small smile and a brief wave of his hand,

"Don't worry - you didn't on this occasion." he assured her before nodding, "Should be betray our trust once more I expect you to either bring me his head or himself. If you bring him to be alive, he shall be given to the Zygerrians and a life of bondage shall be his reward. Remember in the future, Eisa... we understand failure. It has it's place and so long as it is not due to stupidity, it is often more of a lesson than anything. But betrayal? Suffer not, the traitor to live, Eisa."

Treachery was something he would not allow to ever even begin to go unpunished.

When she mentioned that it was probably how Jon would have wanted to go he scowled and the air became thick, heavy and oppressive with the Dark Side. The temperature dropped and Eisa would begin to feel like there was something actively sucking out the happiness as Evandrus scowled at the statue.

"I don't care." he declared, teeth bared, "When it comes to my friends - I don't care how they die, only that they are dead. Because there is almost no cause, nothing, to justify why they are gone! Do you understand me, Eisa? The ONLY time I will ever declare that one of MY friends died for a good cause? Is if they died to protect the Empress and her children. Anything else and I don't care what else they accomplished... they're gone and that tears them from my life and I despise that."

He shook his head a little bit as he reigned himself back in a little bit,

"And I didn't even know Jon too well." he muttered with the same scowl still in place before shaking his head, "I'm sure I'll get over it quicker."

Evandrus looked at her for a long moment before nodding in understanding.

"It's hard." he admitted before frowning deeper, "The answer is simple though... don't worry about it. When you're in the midst of combat, you kill them however you can. If they are trying to kill you, you kill them first and you do it however you can. If you can do it with one clean thrust? Do it. If you need to cut them a dozen times and let their body fail from the inside to get them to stay down? Do it. Judgement is conducted when outside of battle, when the mind is clear. Doing it during battle is limiting yourself - which makes you easier to kill."

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Nimbus]

A light smile crossed the teens lips as the Sith Lord's expression lightened momentarily, indicating to Eisa that Cregan was simply being pensive and not pissed off. As the High Judge spoke about Rexal's looming fate should he try to fool the Empire again, before nodding in understanding, the cyan haired knight couldn't help but allow for a dry scowl to cross her features as the High Judge's words turned to that of betrayal. "Of Course, A coward may see the truth and seek redemption. He may be forgiven his past and will be absolved in death. A Traitor can never be forgiven. A Traitor will never find peace in this world or the next" the young teen spoke coldly as her narrowing emerald eyes shifted directly to view the High Judge. The words passing young Sith's lips perhaps, would have taken many of those who had dealt with her before by surprise. There had been a long established reputation that hung around her, which portrayed her as being some what absent minded and clueless. But that was before the events of Bakura that served as the catalyst for the teen to inwardly reflect on the weight of what her powers and abilities carried.

Since then she had changed, her recent confrontation with her own inner self. The manifestation of her Dark Side connection had opened her eyes to the true potential that she could attain, conquering and forcing that part of her into submission to her will had the unexpected side effect of providing her with a degree of drive and focus. Even though at times there were moments where she would fall back into her old child like habits, Eisa was starting to display elements that many might not have expected from her.

The teen's emerald eyes darkened into blackend orbs as she could feel the darkness grow around the Sith Lord, the air becoming thick and heavy as the metaphorical life could be felt getting sucked out of the room. It had started to become for the teen an almost automatic response whenever the energies of the Corrupted Force was being fueled by either her own anger and rage or that of others around her. Knowing that just as easy as it was to pull upon it, it was more so the case that she could be influenced by its summoning by those around her. The last thing she wanted to do was allow her own corruption to be needlessly awakened and fueled by the Lord's rage, despite how potent and powerful that it was.

Holding firm as the High Judge made his declaration, before continuing with his pointed stressing over his stance over the subject of how he viewed the deaths of those around him, revealing that the only time he would consider the death of those as being for a good cause would be for the protection of the Empress and her heir... No wait Heirs! The teen's eyes narrowing slightly at the revelation, she had been out of the Empire's folds for a while tracking down the recently handed over artifact and Kyber crystals. She knew of Prince Elix, but the high lord's words spoke of children, was the empress once again expecting? "Yes My Lord, I understand" Eisa affirmed with a simple nod to the head.

As the stifling air of the Judge's anger subdued, the teen's eyes gradually phased into their natural bright emerald hued state. Her eyes once again locking with Cregan's as he directed his gaze away from the statue and back towards her. The young Sith nodding in line with his counsel over the appropriate means and time to weigh judgement. Quite rightly to attempt to do within the epicenter of the battle would be folly, his words leaded towards allowing for times where clarity can be achieved for such means. A light grin crossed her features in reflection to the simple fact, kill or be killed. That was one thing that the teen knew all too well and to a concerning degree. "Very Well, perhaps if there is an occasion outside of the battle field, there might be an opportunity to learn from your experience" the teen spoke, as her gaze furrowed into a contemplative look. She would continue to conduct herself on the field as she had, slaying the enemies of the Empire without remorse.

Though turning the attention away from the more dire realities of betrayal and death, Esia's expression lightened slightly. "I'll admit that I've been out of the Empire's folds during my missions, but..." the cyan haired teen spoke as she tilted her head to the side slightly "I take by your earlier words, the Empress is expecting another child?"

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Evandrus looked at Eisa as she confirmed her beliefs about cowardice and about treachery. They were rather well founded and well reasoned... it seemed that Eisa had been doing some growing up during her time away doing missions and the like. She certainly had grown up physically but it was nice to see that she was maturing too. He had worried that she might not mature enough to be taken seriously within the Empire but she seemed to be on the right track.

His own expression of anger and aggravation died down as he pulled it back, regaining control.

Part of his issue with getting angry was that he didn't like to lose control over the Dark Side and when he was angry it lashed out and moved to effect the environment around him without his permission. Which meant he often then had to immediately clamp down on it to control it once he was through with being annoyed. But it seemed that he wouldn't need to be angry much longer - anger tended to fade quickly when someone agreed with you.

"Good."

An opportunity to learn from his experience? Man if that didn't make him feel old.

He chuckled a little bit before nodding,

"We are expecting a child." he admitted with a fond little smile, "She's pregnant with my child this time Eisa... the Force tells me with a little baby girl."

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Nimbus]

A broad smile crossed the teen's features as the Sith Lord confirmed the news that the Empress was expecting a second child. Her bright emerald eyes regarding Cregan momentarily. "Congratulations!" Eisa exclaimed warmly and excitably as she regressed slightly into her more excitable self "I'm sure you'll make a great father" she continued as she continued to beam at the news. The teen was drawing on some of the shared experience with the Sith Lord during his visit in the wake of her light saber issues, knowing that at the best of times she was not the sharpest tool in the shed as it were. Despite all that could see that the Sith lord shown a lot of patience in dealing with what was a young un-attuned mind.

Slowly she reached down into one of her pockets and retrieved a silver credit chip and offered it to the Sith lord "I'd like to give your little girl this" Eisa spoke with a grin as her fingers opened to reveal the currency. "It's a tradition from my home planet, people would put some money in the baby's pram, its meant to bring them luck" she explained before placing the credit chip into the Lord's hand. Knowing that there was a slim chance that any of the empresses' children would be brought out into public, as fiercely loyal the forces of the Empire were, there was no question that the Empire's enemies would seize the opportunity by land a potentially devastating blow to the heart of the Empress' dynasty by targeting the likes of Prince Elix and the soon to be Princess.

Pursing her lips in thought as she tilted her head to the side. "Have you and the Empress decided in on a name yet?" she inquired after somewhat forcefully handing the credit chip into the man's hand, as much as she was subordinate to the Sith Lord, there were some things that she was not likely to yield on to easily. And despite that, even though it was potentially a lot of money to some, the young teen had come into a sizable amount of money, through the subtle abuse of her Force powers within a Nar Shaddaa gambling den. "Or is it sill early days?"

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Evandrus had to admit that being a great father was something of a dream of his that he had had for a number of years now. He was doing alright by Elix, if he did say so himself, but he knew that there was always more that could be done. That there was always a new struggle to be faced as a father.

He just hoped that he never let either Elix or his baby girl down.

"Thank you Eisa." he nodded to her with a small smile, "I'm going to try my best. She's going to be my baby girl, my Princess even more than she is the Princess of everyone else."

And he knew that he would need to be there for her, throughout her life. To take on the burdens that she shouldn't have to deal with. To be someone who could defend her, teach her and, ultimately, for him to be someone she would surpass. He blinked as he accepted the silver credit chip with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright..." he hummed a little bit as he put the credit chip away with a small smile, "Thank you Eisa."

The subject of a name was a little bit more difficult. The pregnancy wasn't that far along yet and he was, if he was honest, probably still in bad books with his wife. But still...

"Lyanna." he admitted with a small smile, "I want to name her Lyanna after my little sister."

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Nimbus]

A light chuckle escaped her lips as the Sith Lord spoke about how his child to be was going to be his baby girl and regard her as his little princess. It was strange to see the High Judge, speak with such affection and premptive fatherly pride. "And I'm sure she'll forever be the little baby girl in your eyes" Eisa commented lightly, as a light grin crossed her lips. "Just remember that when she becomes a teenager" she added with a light chortle, her bright emerald eyes flashing a knowing look. In her own reflections she knew she was bad enough as it was, as she was going through her early teens contending with the unknown dark Side growing with her, coupled with her wildly fluctuating hormones. "Though with how you managed to cope with me and my mood swings, I'm sure she'll be in good hands" the cyan haired teen continued before casting the Sith Lord a warm grin.

Nodding in acknowledgment of the Lord's acceptance of the offered credit chip, the teen continued to smile as Cregan voiced the intended name for his daughter. " Lyanna. Thats a fitting name for a Princess" Eisa commented warmly, figuring that it was best perhaps not inquiring about the Sith Lord's Sister. As much as curiousity got the better of her at times, she had long since leant not to go prying into the lives of her fellow Sith. Despite how well intentioned or just down to child like nature, it was often recieved the wrong way.

Pursing her lips in thought, the young teen mused momentarily to allow the Sith Lord to respond, before turning her attention back to the High Judge." Would there be any thing else you require, or has any new missions arisen?" Eisa enquired, more to see whether there was any other missions that the Lord had ear marked for her. It was no lie that with Malo's passing her usual line for missions had become disrupted as the activities of the Inquistion had since ground to a halt, the teen had found herself picking up various missions coming from varying aspects of the Order.

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Yes he was reasonably certain that his baby girl was always going to be a baby in his eyes. She was always going to be his little one, even when she was big enough and strong enough to kick her old man's ass across Lothal. It wouldn't matter even then - she was going to be his little girl and that wasn't about to change. He chuckled a little bit,

"When she becomes a teenager I've no doubt I'll go from being 'dad' to 'jailer' or something similar." he agreed with a little sigh, "I can but hope to be ready for when she reaches that age. I want to make sure that I do right by her."

He shrugged a little bit, smirking faintly,

"You weren't so bad." he joked back before adding, "I dread to think about the arguments she will have with her mother though... those will not be fun."

Though he does agree that Lyanna is a nice name - he isn't sure it's a fitting name for a Princess. Gods know none of his family were anything close to royalty after all. But that was all he had. He smiled a little bit at Eisa's enthusiasm before shaking his head a little bit,

"No, that's all for now." he assures her simply, "Rest assured that as soon as I have another plan in motion I shall think of you and your expertise, Eisa."

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Nimbus]

A light chortle escaped her lips as the Sith Lord joked about his experiences in dealing with the teenage Sith not being too bad, before announcing his dread over the prospect of being caught between the inevitable arguments between the Princess and the Empress. That one would a difficult situation to navigate indeed. "I don't envy you there" the teen commented with a light grin, knowing that from the few heated exchanges between herself and her adoptive mother Abigail. Things often got to the point that anyone who tried to intervene often found themselves within the proverbial no-mans land and ending up being the sole target of both of the female's fury "My Advice, keep out of the argument. No matter what you say, you will be wrong" Eisa cautioned with a playful grin, although she figured that the High Judge had enough experience to know her words to carry some truth.

Nodding in acknowledgement to the High Judge's release of her, Eisa flashed a parting smile as she bowed her head. "Yes My Lord" she spoke as she raised her head up to regard the Sith Lord "I'll await your further direction" she added before casting a final bow before turning on her heal to step away and leave the Sith Lord to himself. The light footsteps coming to a stop as the teen slowly turned her head to the side. "Just in case you get any reports of explosions coming from the old Slaver camp we leveled" The teen added as she came to at stop. "That will be me, I am in the midst of trying to master the Dark Spear ability I had used during the Gauntlet trails, It seemed far enough away to not pose an issue, but just in case I figured it would be best to let you know" she continued, offering an explanation as to what she would be up to during her coming down time. More as a curtesy to the Sith Lord so that his time is not wasted looking into reports of distant explosions being raised by those under his charge.