Ask If Everyone Was Listening

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat had heard many things about the Sith. Most of the mercenaries who came through the Cauldron said they paid well, but it was just as likely they would kill you after the fact. Some of the Jedi she had chatted with claimed the Sith were a collection of super-jerks who can do no good. The average Rattataki, when asked about the Sith, would quirk their heads and say 'who?'

But Kat had never met a Sith, at least not to her knowledge. She didn't know anything about them. She didn't know where they came from, what they looked like, what they believed in. What does one do when presented with a group of people you don't know anything about and that the majority opinion says are up to no good?

Invite them for dinner!

Kat had been burning with curiosity the moment she had heard of the Sith. Magic was such a strange phenomenon and a whole order of people who utilized its mysteries were undoubtedly even more so! She wanted to meet them, because she had so many questions, and because she wasn't going to trust other people to tell her what to think.

The Cauldron is a hollowed-out semi-active volcano, and it was the place Kat had made her home. It was also one of the few places on Rattatak that a ship could land safely, thanks to the carved landing pads in the mountain. The Caldera bubbled and churned with active lava flow, and noxious gasses wafted up into the air. Kat relaxed on a reclining chair at the rim of the caldera, stargazing while waiting for her new friend to arrive. She caught a glimpse of a shooting star, which soon descended. The detail filled in, displaying the ship she was looking for, descending down to one of the landing pads.

Kat grinned, kicked down the footrest, and navigated her way through the Cauldron's many tunnels to greet her guest. The ship was just landing by the time she arrived, so she waited patiently, with a big smile and her hands on her hips.

@ByakuyaXVMarkov

 

[Cassandra Victus]

.

This was an interesting event she was getting into.

She had travelled far to meet this person. To a volcano of all places. The area was quite scorched and dangerous, something fitting for her as Sith. But she wasn't here to meet a Sith... someone neutral and someone quite curious. Why would they pick her of all people? Why contact a Sith Sorceress of all people? Maybe they're more interesting and pensive in their ideals?

Cassandra Victus of the Sith Order expected to rack her brains on Sith Philosophy; something she was incredibly persistent and vocal about. She was always a devote extremist of the Sith Code, both normally and even as a Sith Inquisitor, and identity she of course keeps secret from anyone not in her hierarchy. Once her ship landed, she exited her ship, not wearing a mask in her garbs; she only would use one in her alternate identity or in battles requiring it.

This woman already struck her curiosity. She seemed to be already extremely enthusiastic compared to most people she have met. Maybe she will give some insight. Maybe Katherine would be someone she genuinely liked. Maybe... she could do more with this...

"You must be Katherine. You seem to want to meet up with someone like me?" Cassie asked with the usual muse and flurry in her voice.

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat beamed at the other woman. "Yep! Call me Kat. You must be Cassandra!" She said, chipper as could be. She looked around to see if anyone else was coming down the ramp, but seeing no one else; she merely shrugged and returned her attention to the Sith woman. There was a feeling Kat got from her that was odd. It was the same kind of feeling she got when Celeste healed her. A cold, slithery kind of slimy feeling.

It's probably just her imagination! Cassandra looks very lovely, and if she hadn't been told time and again that hugging people you didn't know was inappropriate, Kat would have given her a big hug! "I've never met any Sith before, people always have different opinions on you guys, so I wanted to see what you were like for myself!" She said with a conspiratorial chuckle.

"Come on! I made some supper; it should be ready by now." She said, waving for Cassandra to follow along. "The Cauldron is a big damn warren, so follow me and let's try not to get lost!" She led the woman deep into the mountain, carelessly showing the allegedly very dangerous religious Warlock her back.

"I like your eyes; they are very pretty!" She complemented absently. "Do the Sith usually do much traveling? I wouldn't want to have made this trip an imposition for you." Kat asked because she didn't know where the other, slightly shorter woman had come from.

@ByakuyaXVMarkov

 

[Cassandra Victus]

.

Cassandra felt indifferent to the excitement and enthusiasm of Kat. I mean, she really hasn’t met anyone similar, so maybe it shifted towards her own curiosity. She seemed so malleable and naive. She’d smile as she’d follow Kat into her humble abode.

“I am both like and unlike many Sith. Let’s see what your opinions last upon what I think.” she said smoothly as more questions piled on the Sith. There was already much to answer, but until she got to a more settled place, she’d mainly observe and nod with agreement and acknowledgment to what Katherine commented on.

She appreciated the hospitality, however. Usually a Sith wouldn’t be treated so respectfully and amicably by an outsider. Her sea-green eyes would look upon the place they’d be having their discussion, and maybe Cassandra’s pitches and ideas. “The nature of the Sith means we enjoy our home worlds but we also travel and move alot depending on our mission and where the force leads our ambitions..”

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

They neared the rooms Kat was living in. Kat led Cassandra without much thought, moving almost only by force of habit. "And what is the average Sith like? Hearsay says that a Sith is never to be trusted because they seek power for power's sake. Though I think it's rather mean to paint all of you with the same brush." She said just as they reached her room.

The entrance was just a little too short for Kat, so she absently ducked her head and went on through. The rooms were not opulent, the entrance a mere hallway leading to a small sitting room and kitchen. A small table sat in the room adjacent to the kitchen, surrounded by plastic chairs. Other than the kitchen, most of the place seems unfurnished. "I've only been living here for about a month, so please excuse the state of this place." She said a little awkwardly, still presenting a smile.

"Have a seat," She pointed to one of the chairs around the small circular stone table. "I'll get us some plates and bring out the food! In the meantime, tell me about yourself! What made you become Sith? What kind of worlds have you seen? I haven't had the chance to do much traveling just yet," She said, abashed. "So anything you could tell me would be amazing!"

@ByakuyaXVMarkov

 

[Cassandra Victus]

.

Cassandra entered the interesting looking room. Despite the mess in the room, she found it quite comfy. She really never got to experience hospitality and amicability even as a child in Serenno, so this was a welcome change of pace. "Power is a tool to gain victory, and victory breaks our chains and gives us our ultimate freedom. Many Sith only play power games, but myself? I want the ultimate freedom." she stated as she sat down, her eyes wandering as she made her observations. She'd make herself at home as the curious Kat would proceed with more questions. Perhaps now was the time for persuasion and intrigue.

"I joined the Sith for freedom. I was raised on Serenno but my house collapsed due to their force-sensitive discrimination, so I was abandoned and then forced into trafficking and slavery. Years of that oppression led to the Sith once I gained the opportunity, and their ideals have always stuck to me. I hunger for more knowledge and more ways to express my passion and follow the Sith Code... The Sith Empire has given me more freedoms than the Jedi or any other group could. I have been across the galaxy on missions both sanctioned and unsanctioned for fueling my ambitions. This visit is no exception." Cassandra spoke, sowing her ideas of the Sith in as deep as she could, giving a positive presence however she can. While she spoke, she kept a fixed eye contact and attempted to make observations on Katherine, assessing her and seeing what kind of relationship they could build off of this...

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat placed the heavy ceramic plate's on the table, accompanied by cutlery. She returned to the kitchen for glasses of water, which she also placed down for herself and her guest. Next came the food, roasted Star-Adder meat, harvested after a recent hunt. Some meager vegetables adorned the plates, but the selection was relatively poor on Rattatak. "Careful of bones; the void snakes the Rattataki worship and hunt are tasty but very boney," Kat warned after waiting patiently for Cassandra to finish talking.

Kat sat primly as she considered what the Sith had said. She was sympathetic to her story; much of it echoed Kat's own experiences as a slave, though she was relegated to heavy labor instead of more lurid positions. "I'm sorry that all happened to you," Kat said, "I'm curious what you believe this 'ultimate freedom' to be?" Kat wondered.

"I was a slave myself, beholden to the whims of an immortal Warlock and his chosen men. I never knew my mother or father, and I resented the other slaves for their fortune, as they had families and I did not. I fled with my comrades during a moment of supposed apotheosis, forcing a flight master to fly us out of the system only to crash on Tatooine as the only survivor." Kat explained, trying to commiserate.

"I found myself here on Rattatak, captured and forced to fight others as a slave. I again fought my way free, and here I remain. Why do you believe you are not free? Or that I am not because I am not a Sith?" She asked curiously. She wanted to ask about this 'Serenno' but didn't want to dredge up bad memories for her new friend. "Also, would you like a hug?" She added that because Cassandra had gone through an ordeal, hugs always made Kat feel better after a big day.

@ByakuyaXVMarkov

 

[Cassandra Victus]

.

She'd begin eating the Star-Adder meat, enjoying the food more than she'd expect as she would be given the next set of questions. She felt Kat's sympathy and was warmed whenever she revealed how she relates to Cassandra in that way. Slavery was something the Sith Champion absolutely despised and wanted to rid the entire galaxy of, even the Sith itself if she had it her way. They gave her way to freedom, so why not everyone? Kat's story seemed more more epic and cool than her own, but that did not matter.

She listened more as she was offered a hug. Surprised by this, she raised her eyebrows and nodded with agreement. She had really never received a hug from anyone. That was even more heartwarming to her. Never had Cassandra felt so much attention emotionally from someone. This made her more intrigued and into the conversation.

"My ultimate freedom? I want the Force to guide me in a life I can enjoy and indulge myself in. I want to fight for what is right in my eyes and achieve it. I believe in my ambitions I can give more people in the Galaxy more freedom from their oppressions they live in right now. The Empire in my opinion does things much better than the other governments in the galaxy.." she stated, eating a bit more before she continued.

"I still have to fight for my rights as a Sith. There is constant wars from the Jedi and the Republic and their allies. War-Mongerers. I want to stop them... Perhaps the Sith can be a way to obtain your calling... You are powerful enough to fight your way out of freedom, and Rule of the Strong is one of the main doctrines.." she nodded, Cassandra making more observances, sensing the potential in the force within her. "The Force within you is quite prevalent.. It needs to be released.."

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat watched Cassandra take her first bite of the snake apprehensively. It was a curious texture that made her doubt the other woman would enjoy it, yet the happy face Cassandra made put to rest her worries. Kat beamed at the Sith's enjoyment of her cooking; she never felt she was particularly good at cooking, so the other woman's happy face was quite the compliment!

At the Sith's nod, Kat got up and gently pulled the smaller woman to her feet before wrapping her arms around her in a warm hug while she talked. She didn't pull away until Cassandra did, letting her end the hug whenever she started feeling uncomfortable. The Sith was tense, but that was to be expected. When Kat was a child, it took quite a bit of time to learn that physical contact could be good and nice instead of painful.

"Thanks!" Kat exclaimed because while she didn't know precisely what this 'Force' was, she was still being complimented on her strength, and that was very nice. Then, her face quirked curiously, still free of judgment. "It sounds like you have achieved your goal!" Kat said happily. "You have the freedom to do what you want, fight for your ambitions as you please, and go anywhere you wish. You are as free as free can be, so congratulations!" She said earnestly.

"The Rattataki have a saying, 'I will win but never fight.' They believe that excellence in war is never engaging in battle to begin with and still coming out on top. Perhaps the Jedi and this 'Republic' are best avoided instead of confronted? The Galaxy is huge! I'm sure there is space for all of us." Kat said speculatively. "Maybe some time without fighting will show how similar you all are! And then you could be friends." She smiled.

"What's this Force, though? I have heard Warlock's use some kind of force called magic. Is this what you are talking about?"

@ByakuyaXVMarkov

 

[Cassandra Victus]

.

Cassandra listened further to Kat's bouts of conversation as she ate more. She indulged into her meal as she was hugged. She genuinely enjoyed having physical touch. This was amazing to her; something new and something both she is learning from as well as having a feeling she's never had before.

"The main reason the Jedi and Sith fight constantly is because the Jedi attacked and oppressed our ideas, preventing our ideas from expanding since they see them as all-evil and all malevolent. If it was completely malevolent I wouldn't be a Sith.. The Sith believe they're right mostly and the Jedi thinks they're the only people who can be right in the galaxy. They're stuck up and blind to their own cynicism." The Sith answered. "I personally don't participate in combat as much as Sith. If I do, I use the force much more than other people and I prefer to persuade and use my emotions and voice to move people to Sith ideologies.."

Katherine didn't seem informed about the voice. This was both disappointing but also potential. Perhaps she could teach her about it. "The force is what surrounds us entirely. It's what makes life. Some cultures see it as a religion or magic... People like ourselves are sensitive to it and are able to manipulate the force to our wills... Perhaps I can teach you about the force and how to use it yourself..." Cassandra said pensively.

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat released her companion and again took her place at the table. She took some bites of snake and vegetable, listening to Cassandra intently. Her descriptions of the Jedi were far and away different from Kat's own experiences with the order, but she didn't know the history, so she would defer to the Sith on this matter.

"So the Sith, as you say, believe that the strong should rule? Why? I was jealous of the slaves who were granted an education because I knew they would know more than me. Doesn't it make sense that those educated in governance would be the ones to execute that governance? I am strong, but what if I don't want to rule?" Kat questioned conversationally.

"My greatest dream is to build my own city! Not because I want to rule as its tyrant, but because it's something I can make with my own hands. What do the Sith build? All I ever hear about them is of war, but what have they- What have you built? Does gratitude make you wish to be Sith, or do you really believe in what they say? Why?" Kat babbled, trying not to be mean. She didn't understand, but she never felt very diplomatic when asking questions.

"The Force sounds neat!" She exclaimed chipperly. "Still, I'm not sure I could commit to joining your Cult when I still know so little about it!" She said wryly, smiling.

@ByakuyaXVMarkov

 

[Cassandra Victus]

.

She ate more as questions came before. Cassandra knew there would be more convincing and persuasion needed, so she was ready to demonstrate after she would answer the current queue of questions.

"The Rule of the Strong doesn't just mean powerful. It means the best rise to the test and survive. I am not as much of a fighter as other Sith. I prefer diplomacy and studying and implementing the Force rather than using my saber. Only the ones who want to rule will end up ruling ultimately.. Determination and Ambition flames the rise of power to all Sith who succeed and precede us.." she started, eating a bit before continuing.

"The Jedi always call us war mongerers, and they're just as bad. The Sith intend to build and expand upon what places we end up claiming and spreading our philosophy to. Once we colonized Drommund Kaas it went from a jungle wild life to a massive metroplex. Your ideas of having a City can most certainly be fulfilled from us... For the Force, allow me to demonstrate.." she grinned as she placed her food down and let her hand out:

With slight concentration she would take an object in the room that's at the end and pull it towards her, letting it float in the air for a second, she made it push back away to its original spot. Once that occurred, she let sparks flow through her hand; the basics of force lightning.

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat listened intently while absently pulling a thin bone from her mouth. She noticed that the questions she had directed specifically about Cassandra had been left unanswered, but she wasn't going to press if the other woman was uncomfortable with it. That would just be rude! Still, it felt like Cassandra had something personal against the Jedi. Kat would be honest and say that she doesn't know the Jedi very well; Cassandra could be entirely right for all she knows. However, the same could be true for the woman in front of her. The Sith might very well be all they're accused of.

"It's comforting to know that there are many ways to be Sith. I love a good fight, but it's not something I want all the time, you know what I mean? It's also great to hear about this Drommund Kaas! I've never been, but it sounds pretty cool!" Kat exclaimed before taking another bite of food. She glanced back up to see Cassandra's demonstration. She had seen the effects of magic before, but the sense of wonder she felt about it never went away. Her eyes grew big and wide, and a smile pulled across her face.

"Woah! That's so cool! You would teach me how to do that? All right!" Kat laughed, pumping her fist. Learning how to make things float sounded wicked cool, and the possibility of not needing to bend over to get her tools was super tempting. "I can't pay you for the training, though; we don't have much on Rattatak." She said, raining on her own parade. She slumped a little because floating items were really cool, and she wanted to learn how to do it, but she had to be realistic. She doesn't have the resources to pay anyone for training. Everything she has gained on Rattatak has been fought tooth and nail for, and everything else is already committed to the war.

@ByakuyaXVMarkov