Ask Dathomir Magic Words

[Darth Stolas]

Renfry's suggestion that she visit sometime was met with a mildly amused little grin. The hostility of locals aside, it was also a high gravity world, though in this instance Morgan didn't feel terribly inclined to inform her. After all, where would the fun be in that? None at all, he decided, and he moved right along.

"Excellent." Slender fingers reached up to a recessed bit of the wall that contained different bottles of spices, a thumb removing the top of one, and a collection of red flakes were dropped across the meat in the pan. With practiced grace he tossed the food to coat it in the cooking oil and seasoning, doing so vigorously for a short time before letting it sit again. He would repeat this process several times intermittently.

Morgan didn't look back at Renfry when she asked her question, almost as if he hadn't heard her at all. But after a few seconds a slow grin spread across his face, bright with razor fangs and darkened with hints of cruelest malice. The young Sith knew well what he wanted out of life, very much so. When he eventually turned to regard Renfry again his golden eyes seemed almost luminescent.

"I am no lord, Renfry. Only Sith. But I thank you for the vote of confidence." He paused a moment, expression briefly pensive. He tossed the food again without looking at it.

"I want everything worth having. Will that do?"

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry had a coy smirk as he corrected her. She could sense a subtle shift in him at her question and statements, but made no mention of it. She was growing accustomed to the way that Sith - actually, she did it as well - transitioned between a neutral and truly dark state.

I know what I said, she said, offering no further explanation or motive.

Her question was, of course, met with another answer that wasn't an answer, but that seemed to be the way with him. If she were less stubborn she probably would have stopped asking questions, but... well, she was stubborn.

Her face showed a hint of amusement at his answer, but she didn't actually say anything. Perhaps the most generic of answers that he could have chosen. He was "only Sith." He almost gave the impression he wanted to be forgotten.

She considered asking yet another question, but held her tongue, instead pushing off from where she was leaning and heading over to look at the books before selecting one at random. She had no idea what it would be and opted not to even read the title until she'd picked it up.

 

[Darth Stolas]

The young Sith simply kept on doing what he was doing, adding the chopped vegetables to the mix and tossing them through. Renfry's comment garnered no real response beyond a small smirk. She was certainly full of questions, but it was still better than the melodramatic dialogues about soaking in hatred and death some of the Eternal seemed to favour over speaking like a person. Although, to be fair, many of them hadn't had much chance to develop those skills he supposed.

Even so, even Sith soldier boys could be silver-tongued and suave sometimes.

Jazzy hums filled the air in lieu of simple silence, sizzling joining as if in chorus from Morgan's efforts.

Like many things on the young Sith's shelf, the sosye's selection was a work of fact rather than fiction. A collection of philosophical works originally penned by a middling and otherwise unimportant official during the time of the Imperial Republica, ruminations on the successes and failures of that old government and those who had come before. It was primarily a moral, economic, and organizational overlook mixed with the hows and whys of thought and structure of such things, why they did or did not work in practice or theory.

You know, nerd stuff.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry was fine with silence, particularly now that she had a book to absorb her attention. She'd happily help him with cooking if he'd like, but apart from getting direct orders on what to do, she was pretty worthless for anything other than preparing various types of meat and game.

Instead, she cracked open the book about the Imperial Republica. Galactic history was far from her strong suit, but Emryc had given her a two or three hour run down of the history of the first Sith when they'd met. Given the Republica's role in that, she had at least a cursory understanding of what they were.

So, history buff, who had it right? Old Empire or Imperial Republica? she asked, looking up. Rule of strength, Sith at the helm, controlling everything with an iron fist... or politics, bureaucracy, and the sluggishness that comes with it? she asked.

 

[Darth Stolas]

The smells of cooking meat and vegetables wafted through the air, paired with a distinctly spicy undertone, slightly fruity but definitely hot. Morgan tossed the food again a few times to move it around, then dropped some kind of sweet-smelling wine around the edge and into the food, the liquid sizzling loudly for a few seconds.

"Neither." A few more flips and then he flicked off the stove and began scooping the food into a pair of ceramic bowls with his cooking implement. "They both failed." Which was true, objectively. The Old Empire had flourished for a long time, but eventually it was overthrown under a descendant's rule. It had become inflexible and bogged down in internal and external strife, the bane of many an empire, and the Drast dynasty was cast out. The Republica had overcompensated and their rule had been too weak as a result.

"The Old Empire did it best," he said eventually, moving the two bowls to the two-person table with an impassive expression. From a small fridge he retrieved a bottle of brandy from which he poured portions into a pair of glasses before they too were set on the table alongside a metal fork each.

Morgan sat down and began to eat his food in relative silence.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry listened to his answer, but didn't comment. The smell of the food pulled her attention, and her stomach growled again slightly, prompting her to shift a bit in the hopes of getting it to shut up. She closed the book and set it back on the shelf as he moved the food over and began to eat.

Thank you, she said politely as she took a seat. She took her first bite and if he looked at her, he would find a comical display set across her face over the course of a few bites. She was from a world of customarily bland and unexciting food, and this qualified as anything but that.

Her eyebrows went up as she took her first bite, shocked at how delicious it was. Her eyes went wider with the next one and she fully savored it for a moment before looking directly at Morgan.

This is delicious, she said after she swallowed. It was perfectly spicy, packed with flavor, filled with high quality meats, and just all around phenomenal. While she was typically fairly easy to please in this regard, it was evident that she was quite blown away.

 

[Darth Stolas]

Morgan merely nodded in reply and kept eating, going at a fairly moderate pace and taking the time to actually taste the food. He moved with a simple grace, keeping hands and lips clean and regularly drinking from his glass. A spare glance was afforded toward Renfry and caught the look on her face, no small amusement slipping across his face. The young Sith sipped his brandy.

"Thank you," he answered smoothly, smiling softly and tilting his head in a very slight nod. "The fruit of much practice." Most of his half of the meal was eaten in relative silence. When his bowl was empty he stood and retrieved the plate of sliced and arranged fruits, dusted the other half in the red powder, and placed it atop the table between the two of them.

The purple flesh of the fruit had been lightly and fairly evenly sprinkled in the tiny red grains, a mixture of salt, sugar, and dried chili powder, and cut so small and thin as to be edible in a single bite. Morgan delicately picked a piece up and popped it into his mouth, humming softly in a satisfied sort of way and took another drink.

"What is a Sith?"

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry quirked her eyebrow when he said it was the fruit of much practice.

No, it's sorcery, she said deadpan, realizing the irony that she of all people was saying that. It was a joke, though, and she happily continued munching away at dinner, sipping at the glass between bites. She was positively in the height of glory right then, and had a totally full mouth when he asked her a question. It was just as well, however, because she wanted the time to think about her answer.

Depends on who you ask, doesn't it? she said. She reckoned if you asked Emryc you'd get a very different answer than if you asked the Eternal.

She shrugged. Simplest answer is that it's someone who follows the Sith Code, she said, but that was an incredibly simplistic answer.

But I have a feeling that's not the answer you're looking for, she said, smiling. She didn't feel the need to hide an answer, but with more clarity he might find what he was looking for if anything. After all, it was her wont to answer questions precisely as they were asked. Wow, she was one of the infuriating Sith that gave non-answers, wasn't she?! She hadn't even realized.

 

[Darth Stolas]

Another piece of fruit was eaten while Renfry muddled over his question, the young Sith quite content to simply wait. They had an abundance of spare time while the salvage crew made their way to Dathomir and he was in no rush. He was just there to make sure they could retrieve and move the ship without some incident complicating things.

Her answer, however, forced Morgan to look up from his meal with a look of annoyance mixed with bemusement. He meticulously cleaned the tips of his fingers on a napkin for a moment and took a sip of his drink afterwards.

Sharp golden eyes stared across the table at Renfry, intense and predatory, almost as if they were looking somewhere through or beyond her physical self. Eyes that analyzed and searched at all times, a hawk's keen gaze finding every movement and muscle twitch in the grasslands below. His brows furrowed.

"I asked you."

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry could sense the annoyance in her answer, and yet she didn't seem particularly fazed by it. In fact, she almost found a bit of humor.

I answered, didn't I? she said, technically truthfully. She considered simply leaving the answer at that, but decided being unnecessarily difficult never really got her anything, did it? Stubborn could be a valuable asset, but stubborn just for the sake of stubborn perhaps not.

Sith are predators, she said after a moment more. The answer wasn't at all what most would have said, and she wasn't even sure that it fully encompassed what she thought, but it was a piece. If he wanted a full philosophical discussion about it, she'd actually be quite interested in and happy to do that, but if he wanted a simple answer it was there.

Think about where the first Sith came from. Out of the Jedi who were opposed to using their power to prey on anything, she said, her choice of words very particular.

Why do you ask? she asked.

 

[Darth Stolas]

Morgan only stared at her initial answer, though the annoyance faded when she elaborated a little more and he went back to the slices of fruit. Another two pieces were finished off and he pushed the plate slightly toward Renfry, cleaning off his hands again before refilling his brandy and taking a sip.

"There are as many Sith philosophies as there are Sith," was his answer, a small grin settling over his features. Even within the antiquated Rule of Two, Sith never seemed to fully agree on what being a Sith actually meant. The code had existed for a very long time, but owing to their nature those who followed it frequently had wildly differing interpretations. The Eternal's collection of Sith only managed to further muddy the waters.

Unfortunately, the nihilistic death cult angle makes for a poor power base.

Morgan collected the dishes that had been used from the small table and piled them next to the sink for the moment. He returned with an ashtray and his pack of cigarras, one of which he offered to Renfry.

"What is it a predator does?"

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry was silent for a long moment as she ate, not just because she wanted to think about the answer to the question, but because she thought about what he was asking and thinking. She noted the fact that he didn't actually answer her question, but decided to continue to answer his for the time being.

Predators act. They dominate and drive things. Without predators, everything falls apart from the top down, she said. What was it she'd once read that an old Sith Lord had said? Was it Darth Vrael of the Old Emprie? She couldn't recall for sure, but someone had said the rancor didn't concern itself with the opinion of the bantha. There was an element of truth to that, though not wholly accurate.

But they also aren't senseless, she said, offering no explanation for why she felt the need to add that part. She shook her head at the offer of a cigarra.

But you didn't answer my question, she said. His "answer" was as much an answer as her original answer. Yes, there were many opinions among the Sith, but why was he asking her. She got the impression he wasn't the type to do things without reason.

 

[Darth Stolas]

A cigarra was drawn from the pack and lit while Renfry thought about her answer, pack placed down by the tray and a cloud of smoke floating idly through the air. Golden eyes watched the woman while Morgan took a proper drag and he listened as she spoke. A small nod and satisfied expression signaled his approval of her answer after she was finished.

Then Morgan gave her another look, more bemused than annoyed this time. She still hadn't caught on quite yet, though she was getting better about picking up cues.

"To hear your perspective," the young Sith said, a more clear explanation than the last answer. Morgan had already determined Renfry was competent and had her own skillset, and she was far from the madness of some other Eternal Sith. Gold eyes were always watching, after all.

Morgan sighed resignedly.

"Our philosophies are compatible." Slender fingers casually waved his cigarra through the air, leaving a spiraling trail where it past. "Which is what I wanted to know." Maybe a hint would keep things more interesting, though he decided to consider it another loss for Renfry all the same. While the young Sith could appreciate an attractive individual, it was the things that went around their head that really drew any amount of real interest.

That, and he didn't much want to associate with a hardcore death cultist if he could avoid it. They tended to cause trouble where it wasn't needed.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry got that impression that he was judging her again, and it wasn't a feeling she particularly enjoyed. So their philosophies were compatible for what reason? She had a couple of guesses, but didn't ask. At this point, she didn't think she'd get a straight answer anyway.

And yet, he seemed pleased with her answer anyway. Did she care? Perhaps on some level, but not enough to change her answers to try to suit his opinions. She took a sip from her drink, looking at him as she set her glass down.

You enjoy playing with your food, don't you? she asked. She didn't really say any more than that, but reached her arms out behind her to stretch.

I'm going to go for a walk, care to join me? she asked after another moment. Unless he somehow objected, she would stand and clear her dishes before preparing to head out.

 

[Darth Stolas]

Morgan grinned after Renfry's question then took another drag, blowing the smoke directly toward a nearby vent.

"Of course not." The young Sith indicated his head slightly toward the dishes. At the prospect of going for a walk the Firrerreo's head turned to look at a wall-mounted timepiece. He looked thoughtfully at it for several seconds, then shrugged and moved to stand. The cigarra was put out in the ash tray, itself moved back to the little shelf it belonged on.

"I will join you," he answered, clearing his own part of the table and finishing his drink. Before long the two of them would head out of the ship and down the ramp, back into the humid air of Dathomir. The downed ship lay there just as before, the cooling air of evening alive with the sounds of wildlife and wind rushing through trees.

A small and colourful bird with a wickedly curved beak flew from one side of the clearing to the other and Morgan watched it pass with mild interest as they walked. The little thing began to beat a nut it found against a tree branch, adding to the sounds around them.

"Anywhere in particular?"

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Oh yes, of course not, he would never, how could she think that? He would never do something like that! The smile told the whole story, though, didn't it?

She took a deep breath as they left his ship, breathing in the night air that she was infinitely familiar with. It was relaxing to her, and the world shifted entirely as the red sun went down. A whole new set of wildlife would make its way out and even some of the plants seemed different. In the distance, an odd type of mushroom seemed to glow slightly in the dark and many of the plants had retracted into themselves.

She set out, breaking out of the plants and into a more open portion of the outdoors. It was the more arid area and a valley lay just ahead. She walked over to the edge of the cliff, looking out and down at the drop below. The sun still glowed just enough in the distance to be able to make out bits of the geography even if others were obscured.

Nowhere in particular, she said, enjoying the view for a moment She could hear rustling in the bushes nearby, but paid no mind to it just now. She sensed no danger just yet even if whatever it was may have been dangerous.