Ask Great Expectations

[Darth Tiamat]

Great Hall, Castle Serenno​

It was by invitation only, but everyone with any relation to the major houses were present filling the great hall quickly. It was being labelled an anniversary for some noble, but really it was just a cover for everyone to get together and gossip on the latest falling of House Demici, and other galactic affairs that seemed to tickle their boring lives. It was no less impressive, so much credits were poured into every detail; from the grand piano and stringed quartet providing music to the finest of wines the galaxy had to offer. It was all grandiose, over the top, excessive, but any less would receive criticism and backlash, and even generational embarrassment.

Tiamat, though not part of any of the houses, came by invitation from House Nalju; there was more of an interest in her marrying one of the many single gentlemen of the houses, rather than her paying for the debts they have accumulated over the centuries. The redheaded woman had no interest in such a antiqued practice, but she didn't see the hurt in getting in with gossip, conjuring up rumors and drama, and drink their wine. She arrived in no less, grandiose fashion and striking confidence; her gown shimmered like the stars she ruled, and her red hair draped in loose curls over her shoulders. She took extra caution in her steps, keeping her limp nearly undetected as her blaster wound still healed from her jailhouse shuffle to ensure house Demici would not be here this evening.

Offered a glass of red wine, it was followed up by a suitor sent from house Nalju who took the opportunity to mansplain the differences of hyperspace travel. She couldn't decide if he were trying to impress her by pretending to know what she knew, or if he were just a complete idiot. It could have been both and it took her much willpower not to melt his brain from the annoyance that was sprouting.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

Music​

There were whispers about who he truly was. There was gossip. He was privy to all of it, and he denied none of it. What would anyone do? With him lining the pockets of the Greater Houses, would a single one of them ever speak out against him? Would they risk losing their precious standing after they witnessed what became of House Demici, one of the oldest and most ironclad Greater Houses on Serenno? They learned quickly it was better to fall in line and appease him, especially as it lined their pockets, and he found himself in the front of the line for Count of the entire planet.

He kept some of his Emryc Thorne habits even if he did not appear the same. The hair was perfect, he smelled exquisite, he carried himself with grace that should have been impossible for someone as twisted as the galaxy made him out to be. But then wasn’t that always the case? The worst monsters found ways to be the most beautiful. Why else would humanity’s full time effort be to spend a lifetime resisting it? To fight so hard to stay on the right path of morality instead of indulging in their darkest desires? He was the manifestation of all of that, and that’s exactly why he thrived in a high class society fueled by greed and pleasure.

The Anzat had fed for the night, so he was content in all the ways he needed for now. He was sampling some of the wine, avoiding the food for now. He leaned against a column, sipping from his goblet and dressed to represent his high society standing. Crimson eyes scanned the crowds and he reveled in the debauchery stewing in the minds of most around him. Someone as skilled as him in the psychic applications of the Force could easily draw from thoughts of lesser beings, and this room was full of them.

There was one that gave him pause, one that felt like an iron wall. And so very familiar. A couple that was dancing twirled to the side and gave him a glimpse. He may have been Emryc Thorne for many years, but he was not as emotionally bland as that man. The Anzat allowed himself a genuinely amused chuckle when his gaze fell on Tiamat. He raised his glass in toast from across the room before he lifted it to his lips, red eyes gleaming as he gazed at her.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

The suitor continued on and on, and Tiamat was nearly convinced he was a Force user using some sort of mind dumbing trick on her when she felt something push against her mind. Her head titled upward, looking over the shoulder of the rambling noble to see him, Raze. Instantly she felt some annoyance, more so, feeling flustered that he was looking at her, raising his glass in a small toast and the woman felt herself nod in recognition as she took a sip from her wine glass also. She mentally kicked herself knowing she shouldn't be surprised he was here, as Winchester trying to court himself a noblewoman.

The dancing couples interrupted her line of sight and she turned back to the nobleman who cleared his throat, trying to get her attention. However, Tia failed to mask the boredom she was feeling around this guy and he immediately begun to interject something snarky when the woman walked away. Luckily he was quickly picked up by another girl who was listening to him nearby and seemingly interested in his banter.

With each step she approached Raze, something pulled inside her, purposely locked away after Raze was released and it begged to be freed. A part of herself, one of many that she had to push aside to focus on Theia and securing a foothold in hyperspace travel with Asteria Industries. She could feel her heart beat just a little bit faster the close she got; the woman placed her wine glass down on a passing tray and took a deep breath, feeling as though she were a teen ready to ask her crush on a date.

With a small bow of respect, Tiamat greeted Raze, "Good evening, would you care to dance?" she asked him, extending her hand.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

Of course she was walking towards him. And of course he did not budge an inch to move towards her. It was the way of things for decades now. A passing tray suddenly had his empty glass on it, every subtle gesture practiced and slight. He was no longer a 7 ft tall half Sephi, but he somehow stood taller and more imposing than ever before. Even through the gaunt features, and porcelain skin with a build that looked almost delicate by comparison to the monstrous bearing of Emryc Thorne. And yet he commanded the same, if not higher level of unyielding presence.

Her request was met with a glint in his crimson gaze, the corner of his lips tugging towards a grin, “Oh Lyra,” His voice rumbled. It was not the stony baritone that she had grown accustomed to hearing since she was a teen, but it was the sophisticated drawl of cool, casual confidence, “We haven’t stopped dancing since that day on Eriadu.”

The Sith took her by the hand, his skin cool to touch. They had danced many times before, and she knew where she stood each time. There was the illusion of whether she led or Emryc led, but it was different this time. Raze always led and Raze was always controlling the narrative. She only had to stay interesting enough to stay in his story.

He spun her easily enough, gliding across the floor with unnatural fluency and elegance. Emryc Thorne was far too rigid to move like this and the Anzat achieved new heights in his dancing proficiencies. He dipped her to allow her to gaze up at the chandeliers in the ceiling or at the jealous faces of men and women lining the corners of the chambers. But would she look at any of that? Or would she gaze only at him now that he was in the flesh and in her grasp - the elusive bane of her pillars of righteousness. The manifestation of her sins and everything she wanted to escape and yet craved so readily. Was she ashamed or did she embrace it?

“When are you going to stop blaming the mask, my dear?” He purred as he gazed down at her during another dip, “It was you all along,” He said barely above a whisper before he tugged her up and sent her into a twirl as if he hadn’t just crushed her grasp of reality right then.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

It was always surprising to hear her birth name spoken out loud, it was foreign, a life she discarded for who she was now. The corner of her lip pulled into a smirk as he took her hand, reminding her of the dance they were intertwined since her training on Eriadu. He was right, it had never stopped, even when her partners alternated, she still found her best dance with him. He took her hand, his touch was cold against the warmth of her skin, but the woman welcomed it as he lead her to the dance floor.

She followed his lead, complementing in sync with each step, each twist as her steps glided effortlessly along the marble floor. She didn't need to think about what she would do next, the flow came instinctively. He dipped her back and the woman relaxed her head, letting it fall, and her red hair just barely touching the dance floor. She could see the jealous looks of the noble men and woman alike of the houses as they had been competing for a chance with Raze or even herself. A grin widened to their envy and she met the gaze of the being as he took her around for another dip. He whispered so only she would hear as she twirled out, her eyebrows rose in interest as he spoke of the mask.

"Me?" she questioned and spun back to him, "It was a bit of a group effort." she hummed; it had been a constant fight to remain in control, to avoid being consumed immediately. She would admit she relished in being able to use the different personas, a collective of the strongest warriors and their knowledge was her own. "They are a part of me as much I am a part of them..."

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

“Only you,” He said coolly. He wasn’t concerned whether she believed it or not - it was actually entertaining watching humanoids and their moral dilemmas. Their self-loathing, their guilt, their unfulfilled desires. Their weak little attachments. Why did Lyra’s daughter exist? To fill a void. The same reason that Arla existed.

He twirled her once more, his gaze briefly flicking over to take in sight of Malvern and other Houses that mingled in the distance. Raze turned his attention back to Tiamat. She would see the face of an Anzat, up close to the face she chose to serve as a vessel for Raze. If she imagined how Raze appeared, was this it? Did she picture something different? She had seen his monstrous form in the realm of the Force.

His cool fingers brushed along the side of her face, chilling, almost teasing, amusement always glinting in his eye to remind her of what he was, “Why have you come here?” He asked her. High society and stuffy parties were hardly her scene. But his question ran deeper - what was her goal on Serenno. And even more importantly, did that goal benefit him?

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat grinned when he reassured it was just her making the decisions and the woman grinned, "Just I..." perhaps some lining of truth held with his words. She was very much capable of doing the things whether with or without the mask, to murder and torment, to twist and dig at the suffering of others until they complied or submitted to their untimely fates. She had done it many times before, it was second nature to the woman, skills mastered over the years; and though she took time to raise Theia, it was ever so easy, and perhaps easier to exercise her mastery.

He pulled her closely too him, the last she had been this close was when she was dragging the body back for him to complete the transfer. She thought it was coincidence that it was a form that was attractive by many standards, however, it was no where in comparison to his true form. His cold finger ran against her cheek, quickly sending a welcoming shiver down her spine as he asked her why she was here.

An eyebrow rose as though it would be obvious, "To see if you want to fuck later...or now..." the woman shrugged.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

If the Anzat was surprised, it didn’t manifest on his face. That glint of amusement never left his eyes. The finger that traced along her cheek proceeded to graze over her lips, the touch like an ice cube slithering across her skin. From this up close, she would recognize just how unnatural everything about him was. Even by Anzat standards, there was something entirely unsettling about him. But that was perhaps exactly what drove her wild this whole time.

“Naughty,” He murmured quietly, “What would your little family think?” He chuckled, thoroughly entertained. He drew back, resuming the dance. His hands traced down the curve of her back, knowing exactly where to touch and where to apply pressure. He knew how to play her like a fiddle and make her squirm. But it was her mind that enticed him the most. Her mind was where he truly wanted to penetrate her and take her in every way possible. Her mind is what was exquisite to him and made his blood rush.

He spun her around, her back pressed against his chest. His hips ground into her from behind where they danced, externally appearing remarkably classy. But Tia would feel the quiet strength behind his gesture, the domineering nature of it, the way he would make her feel submissive and like a fawn caught in a trap. The way he could make her involuntarily tremble or shiver in an otherwise warm room.

The two kept dancing and she would notice him guiding her towards an emptier spot within the vast halls. The lighting was low and they were out of sight. She wouldn’t entirely realize what was happening, but she would see an unnatural green mist around her. There was one more spin and the setting around her would blur into an abstract.

Another twirl and she would realize she was now standing somewhere else entirely. They were in a cottage of some sort in a village miles away from Castle Serenno. It was where he often fed on unnamed, poor villagers when he needed a quick snack. She would know there was torment and despair here, but it was also a form of 'home' for the beast.

“Now,” He stated flatly as he looked at her, finally answering her question. It was a command.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

He continued, unflinching to her response, something she was clearly used to after all the years she had known Emryc. However, she knew he liked something about it as his finger touched her lips and along her skin. It was far from the touch of any one else she had been with, giving it an air of mystery, but yet novel and excitement from someone or yet, something so perfect forged in the dark side. Despite the mystery, she knew exactly what he was, there were no surprises, no ambivalent feelings, no question to what any of it would be or is, a chaos that she was undeniably unashamed in allowing it into her life; the same chaos that constantly continued to uproot anything in her life.

He mentioned her family and Tia was unmoved to the thought, Lyra was unmoved, there was nothing from the woman as Raze mused. The presence of Raze in the galaxy since his return to this realm, had its effects, the Force pressed back against the twisted corruption that was quickly rooting in the galaxy, but for some like Tia, it brought forth something primal, a hunger that craved the despair, pain, and the power. Despite the illusion of having control, the dark wound opened by the mask in Tiamat never healed, and slowly and patiently its effects seeped into the woman's mind and soul. The darkness knew her tricks as well as Raze knew her; suggestions, pushes, subtle changes on how things were all to slowly erode away any attachments that wasn't for the darkside.

A process effectively shown now as it whispered playfully in her ears as it described the pain and despair it would do to them if they knew. The dance continued, pulling her back to himself as she faced the rest of the guests, a move so alluring, she trembled, barely holding onto reality as their dance took them further from the others. He lead, she followed, perfected footwork that never faltered over the years, a dance, as he stated, that they never stopped. She twirled and suddenly she physically felt her whole world twist around her in a way that make her skin crawl, her head spun as the breath was taken from her lungs, and a rush that was like no other she had experienced. She blinked, feeling herself fall to caution when she realized they were no longer in the castle, but Raze was still present and the aura of this place...Tiamat consumed it.

He spoke, just one word, it was the permission she needed, a gold glint in her blue eyes answered. She pulled her arms from her sleeves, letting the top of her dress drape around her waist as she hurried to pull the clothes off Raze. Quickly and hungrily she found his flesh, finger tips digging into his skin, leaving imprints of her nails as she ran her hands around his waist. Her lips traced along his collar and down his chest as she shimmed out of the rest of her gown, pulling away whatever articles remained on him and taking his hands to her hair.

There would be no doubt how starved the dark woman had become after all these years.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

If she had expected anything like what she experienced back when he was Emryc Thorne, she was in for a rude awakening. She would learn very quickly that she was never permitted to be in control in any form of the word in his presence. He used her in every way he pleased, tossed her around, and reminded her of her place. It was an unbridled, animalistic passion that manifested both physically and mentally. He tested her fortitude in every manner, overwhelming her at times and stripping away every pillar of dignity she had built up for herself. She was not allowed to be galactic genius Tiamat here. She was not allowed to be the queen of the stars here. She was nothing more than his plaything.

He drew back a while later, the wounds she inflicted on his torso all rapidly closing as he siphoned energy from her through the Force. He had little regard for her wellbeing and would use her life force to heal any abrasions she left on him. He took a look at her, sprawled across the bed over a tangled mess of bedding, with etchings and bite marks on the headboard, with scratch marks and torn sheets, with all the evidence of the most brutal forms of ecstasy. And that was before his gaze roamed over the chains, the binds, the spikes.

And yet he still found that look of satisfaction on her face, just as he expected. The Anzat chuckled to himself, stepping away to gaze into a mirror. He would never get used to the face staring back at him. He tilted his pallid countenance, spotting blood at the corner of his lips. He couldn’t tell if it was his or Lyra’s, but he licked it off all the same, finding that copper taste far more appealing in this new body than he ever had before.

“Now this is a work of art,” He said smoothly as he fixed strands of his hair and turned to regard her. He walked off to the side, put his clothing on.

And then he left.

She would be bound and left just like that until whenever he felt like returning. Until he felt like releasing her. She would learn very quickly that this was not Emryc Thorne. This was only Raze.


@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

No, it was nothing like Emryc Thorne and it was everything she deserved.

Every pull, every push, throw, twist, it was not just his face she saw, his hands she felt, it was the strength of every evil and vile creature the darkside could dig from her mind that now committed to their twisted pleasure within her. He pushed her and she didn't have to do a thing but let him. A release from the control she committed herself to lift her above the shadows, to keep her from seeing the wounds that remained, and to turn a blind eye from the wounds that were being torn open by the shadows that long ago that seeded themselves deep within her psyche.

There was no hiding, it was every much a twisted game in pleasure as it was torment and pain. Her body and mind flooded at once, there was no thinking, no deciding, only obedience for him. As much as she cried out in desperation and anguish as her body was shaped to his desire, she also laughed, moaned, and whimpered to the cruelty of such acts that were performed. When she thought he was satisfied, he came back for more and soon she no longer knew how long it had been since they left the castle. Eventually as Raze tore apart at her, there was the faintest cry, a memory yet to be corroded by the entities that resided inside Lyra. It poured over her like ice water, the fires that normally burned inside were rushed with chill, and she recognized it as fear.

She had not felt it such a while, it had come on as unfamiliar, igniting panic instead and then...it stopped. Relief and reward flooded her senses, giving the illusion of safety and an addictive rush through her body.

Lyra felt pin pricks as Raze siphoned her life force to heal his own injuries, quickly draining what energy she had left, but the rush left a twisted satisfaction. She heard him moving, but didn't have the energy to open her eyes or to turn her head as she lied in stillness; he spoke of something being a work of art and couldn't agree more, that he was indeed a work of art, a perfect specimen that the darkside has gifted the galaxy, and then he was gone.

__________​

Remaining where she was, she was left unmoved, bound, and left with the whispers of the shadows that not only resided inside herself, but also in this place. The dark woman didn't fight it, it was what they will have as her own mind was twisted from the eternal's wound. Don't change what you were meant to become... Lyra

Lyra...
Come along...
It was never us...
Not us...Only you...
Only you...
There is only pain...
Only pain...
Lyra...
You were made...
for this long ago...
Only you...​

The voices followed wherever Lyra tried to hide in her mind, Razes' destruction was like a turbulent storm, leveling anywhere she could seek shelter. It was what he wanted, he wanted her to feel trapped, no where to go and still she felt as they suggested, the galaxy created her for this. Never in this time as she waited for Raze's return did she think about her daughter or the twins, let alone Emryc or Jaikus. There was no need, she had gravely mistaken who she was as her place was here finally, waiting for him to use her to please himself, to twist and torture any remanent of attachment she had.

Though the thought of him never returning, if he would to just leave her here until her body no longer could sustain itself, seemed also just as delightful in its own corrupted way.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

He arrived and left several times, admitting her little breaks every now and then. She would witness him bringing unwilling humanoids to feast, sometimes using them for other purposes before he devoured them. They all ended the same - an empty husk with ghastly eyes and gaunt faces. He was unapologetic about who he was and there was no Emryc Thorne to chain him back in a box. She would begin to understand the depraved and twisted creature that shared Emryc’s mind for so many years and the burden it was to keep such a beast chained.

And of course he had his way with Tiamat in between it all, though she didn’t need reminding of her place. The galaxy was burning, worlds were falling to his creatures, and he was spending leisure time playing and feasting. After a few days, he finally decided it was time to get back to work. He was reminded that Tiamat’s mind was brilliant not for the database it contained, but because of her ability to thread things together to find impossible solutions. It was what set her apart from most people, and it was exactly what spared her from feasting. Draining her thoughts and consuming her knowledge wouldn’t give Raze the ability to apply critical reasoning and solutioning entirely new concepts. Raze was clever enough to recognize the value in keeping her alive, so he did.

She would be weakened, sore, used up, but he commanded her to join him on a trip back to Hoth. The ship itself was nothing like Ship, instead a luxury yacht that fit his extravagant appetite. It was piloted not by droids, but by humanoids he broke mentally. It would only be a few hours before they arrived on the frozen planet.

“You ought to embrace Lyra,” He said as he opened his eyes from meditation, “What has Tiamat ever gotten you?”

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Time seemed to slowly become non-existent as she remained in the cottage, there were no clocks, it was almost a constant darkness, but it would give her what she needed as she dug into the deepest parts of her psyche in between Raze's visits. She knew Tiamat was livid, Lyra was always destructive, angry, constantly searching for pain either by her own infliction or by someone else. It always undermined Tiamat's order and control, she would twist Lyra's urges into something productive, something she would benefit from without becoming consumed by the wildfire that she was, untamable and chaotic, unable to just have a little bit, and whether she meant it or not, Lyra always burned everything in her path.

So when Raze returned, of course Lyra was enthralled as she watched him torment and feast upon the unwilling. It was power, power in a form that she craved to have for herself, power that was shown to her many years ago by Siris' spirit... power that was capped by Tiamat.

You go too far...
Tiamat would say, but Lyra pushed back, curious to see how far she could go as Raze returned to play several times over.

Eventually, it was time to leave and she joined Raze on his ship, already nearing her own limits as her body trembled from weakened muscles and fatigue she pushed onward. A stark contrast to the type of ship that Emryc adored, but she could admire luxury and saw nothing wrong with flaunting with the best. Years on the streets had shown her how miserable one can be without nothing and there was no reason not to have it if one had the credits.

Raze remained in meditation and the dark woman sat quietly, though there seemed now to be a battle within her as she looked to reestablish her identity as to who she was, Lyra, or Tiamat. No doubt Raze would have noticed the differences long ago, and his remark seemed to flame the already burning tension within the woman as Tiamat seemed bewildered to such a choice.

Lyra over herself? She had given her all that she truly deserves, without her, Lyra would be a hermit in her work, she had made her a queen, a renowned galactic scientist. Lyra of course, continued with her own rebuttal inside her mind, reminding Tiamat of how it took her genius and skill to even get there.

"Tiamat was just to be a mask, but after Tatooine...Lyra needed to be ringed in, I needed to make sure she didn't mess things up." The woman shook her head, blinking quickly as she pressed back for control over her mind; she took in a deep breath, ready to be off the ship. "I miss being Lyra. I've had too many names over the years."

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

He rose from where he was meditating, walking past her to gaze out the large windows that overlooked the icy surface of the planet. If Lyra stood beside him, she would begin to see the thousands of dots on the frozen mass. She would know right away it was the army he was building. The wraith stood in silence for a long while.

“If you are gazing upon this, I own you,” He said rather casually, “Every inch of you. Mind and body,” He didn’t care what she had to say on the topic - she didn’t have the privilege of objecting anymore.

“The sooner you forget your worthless spawn the better,” Raze said dismissively before he turned and returned to the cockpit until their arrival. The ship would land a respectable distance away from his fortress, and Lyra would realize there was a mixture of both abominations and Hapan soldiers guarding it.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

When he rose, the woman pushed herself to a low crouch, head bowed as he passed her to look out the window. She stood and silently followed, seeing the icy landscape below, but it wasn't just snow and ice, but also figures and structures. For someplace that was supposed to be inhabitable, it was surprising to see how busy it was on the surface. He spoke again, reminding her of her place while in his presence. It was no surprise to her, nor did she flinch to the knowledge, exhausted, it was a welcome relief; she was tired of the fight inside, the masks she had to wear over the years.

He then mentioned forgetting another and she couldn't find an argument for herself, her mind blank except for the words, "Yes, my lord." she said as he returned to the cockpit. Lyra stepped closer to the window, seeing the dark castle in the distance, but was able to look closer to who dotted the surface of the snowy plane. There were a mix of creatures, a grin slowly pulled on the corners of her lips as she realized how busy Raze has been and his creations. They were more beautiful as she witnessed them now than from the grainy film of a holo report. She inhaled slowly, feeling the dark power that resided here and finding an eerie calm within the chaos of darkness.

Once the ship landed, Lyra stood quietly, waiting for Raze's further instruction.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

He led her towards where he had set up all his alchemy. She had known him as Emryc Thorne, the man that had a love of artifacts and Sith things, but she had never seen him create. It was an outlet that was never allowed by the half Sephi. She would see what appeared to be a complete lab built beneath the icy caverns that lined Hoth. There were rows of frozen, dead bodies, limbs scattered everywhere, and unnatural things molded together.

Raze kept walking, pausing only when he came across a massive orb hovering slightly above the ground. It hummed with power and darkness, and Lyra would feel a familiar pulse. It was created by Renfry, after all. He gazed upon it, standing in silence for a moment.

“This allows me to create my forces,” Raze explained. He turned to regard her, “It is an inefficient process. I need the ability to create them at other locations.”

Lyra would understand then why she was still alive. Her mind needed to be put to use to continue to justify breathing, “Give me the designs for efficiency,” He commanded. She wasn’t strong enough to craft it herself, but with her ingenuity, he knew they could achieve a desirable outcome.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Quietly Lyra followed Raze inside his alchemy lab, confused and curious to the many bodies, frozen, some partially intact, others entirely other things all together that lined the walls and caverns of this underground lab. Questions popped into her mind as who was doing this work, but the woman would come to the realization that he was. This was all his, creating things from curiosity and intrigue, asking questions of what if, and seeing if he were successful. She never remembered Emryc dabbling into alchemy such as this, though he often listened to her ramble about her own studies and projects, but for him to partake, she was certain it would have been apparent.

Eventually he stopped and it took her a moment to realize what she was looking at as her gaze went from the horrendous experiments to the orb that floated before them. There was something that oddly felt familiar to her as Raze explained its purpose and his problem, and when he turned to her, she suddenly recognize the presence of Renfry's signature. She wondered how the Dathomirian would feel knowing Raze had her creation. There was of course no time to process or be stunned by the former queen's creation despite how much it left her awe-struck on the magnitude of its impact on the galaxy. However, Raze needed her to make him something efficient and she could feel the corner of her lip tug into an excitable grin to be honored with such a challenge. She found something satisfying in knowing she was needed for this; being an executive was limiting, research had to be reviewed, questioned, one could not just do it and test at their own accord.

"It will be done, my lord." Lyra said bowing her head, her eyes immediately seeing a work table and she would begin. Piles of books, scripts, previous plans were at her finger tips as she took in what she could find on the orb itself, its properties and how much of it could she pull from the science before needing to dabble into alchemy and technomancy in order to create something he could take from world to world. She measured its energy output and input, created formulas and algorithms to give explanation to the unexplainable. Much of the work was similar to how she crafted her hypergates, she had to take what she knew and fill in with either old and unexplainable science, or create new science to replicate them.

Her workspace became cluttered with her work and she became immersed in her research, writing things out before scratching it out and starting again. Running thousands of sets of numbers through algorithms to ensure the creation would work. There was no telling for the woman how long she had been down in his lab, time no longer existed and she measured in only progress. She dreamed in her work, ate while studying her work, and no where did she have time to think about anything or anyone else in her life. And strangely enough, the woman reveled in answering the unknown, to create from the impossible, and felt as though she had purpose.

Her work was detailed and thorough, explaining the properties of each piece of material that would be able to move from system to system and blending it with known technology. Once she was in the drafting phase, she begun to search for the most efficient design, proving it was just as much as challenge. She scribbled on each paper, ideas, how it would be moved, how it would be activated, before finally settling on columns that would each project a radius of five meters, and together would reach the maximum thirty meters when aligned correctly in an hexagonal pattern to trap several hordes of individuals to be converted to his children. Even losing or having a damaged column wouldn't disable the whole thing, the radius would shrink by five meters; this would allow Raze to continue to turn beings without losing the entire device.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

Days passed and he allowed her all the time she wanted to work. In the meantime, he was dealing with Jedi meddling in his affairs in the Core worlds. Though he was typically above emotional whims, this was enough to start enraging him. They figured out about purifying the nexuses created in the aftermath of his attacks. This just meant he needed to get more efficient and bigger with his strikes. He needed more allies. He needed to hit harder.

The Anzat drifted into the lab after days of watching the Senate proceedings that made it clear the galaxy was finally identifying him as a serious threat. Raze arrived and took a seat, staring at the strewn pages and books on the desks. His thoughts were far away, and he was silently seething.

The wraith turned to regard Tiamat for a long moment. He had a manner of speaking with others, but he knew how to speak to her. The Anzat met her gaze, seeing right through her and the heart beneath her chest that beat for him for decades now, “You will be at my side? Until the end?” He didn’t clarify what the end meant. For him or her? For them both? Or for the galaxy? For everything she loved?

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

The woman was hunched over a large table with pieces of circuit boards, wires and other hardware grouped together as she worked; simple soldering, but reinforcing with a blend of materials that would create an alloy to minimize crumbling. She felt the growing presence of Raze approaching and she rose her head, seeing him seated at a nearby table. He seemed to be deep in thought, but she wasn't ignorant to the galactic affairs that had been occurring. Regardless what they did, there was a feeling of ease being present where she was now.

His gaze met her own as she quietly approached, he didn't say anything immediately, but when he did speak, her curiosity was sparked. She was uncertain of what he meant, but to be here, it felt normal; she didn't need to pretend she was someone else, to live among lies, to practiced unrealistic restraint to not using the very darkness that shaped and molded her to who she was presently. A part of her was pushed away as she played mom, aunt, and friend, roles that required an uncomfortable amount of attachment. However, there was a twisted consistency to the darkness that Raze represented; no more silly idealistic dreams that she held on so tightly as a kid, no tricking herself into thinking she was made for better things in life.

Life was cruel, and she was reminded how just it seemed to fall under the suffering of Raze.

"I will stand at your side until my breath is stolen, my Lord. " she stated without hesitation.

@Sreeya