Open Onderon Penitence

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

The inky expanse of the Onderon night was punctuated by distant fires and an even more distant cacophony. Having stabilized the situation at Fortress Kira, Zorya's journey led her to Iziz, the iconic city threatened by abominations. Once a beacon of Onderon's strength, its walls now trembled, echoes of screams and growls painting the foreboding scenario.

Zorya's silver dreads swayed in the night breeze as she scaled the citadel's walls. Why was she here? The Sith exile was a storm of contradictions. She had been betrayed, cast out, and had her very identity ripped from her, yet here she stood, driven to defend her homeworld. There was anger, yes, a need for retribution. But beneath that veneer of vengeance, there existed a desperate search for a purpose, a raison d'être, ever since her banishment.

The walls of Iziz, illuminated by arcane light, bore an unsettling scene. Eldritch horrors, unlike any beasts of legend or lore, clawed and climbed. One bore multiple, bulbous eyes that blinked asynchronously; another was a mass of writhing tentacles that seemed to writhe and whisper dark promises; a third, grotesque in its beauty, emitted an otherworldly glow, its transparent skin revealing pulsating organs within. Their origins, unclear. Their intentions, malevolent.

A deep breath drew in the scent of impending rain, intermingled with the pungency of fear. As Zorya steeled herself for the imminent conflict, there was an unexpected calm that settled in her, a momentary serenity amidst the chaos. She felt like a lone sentinel, standing against a sea of desolation. The weight of her scorched hand seemed amplified in the silence, a constant reminder of past mistakes, urging her not to falter now.

Suddenly, piercing the tranquility, a horde of Drexls soared overhead, their majestic wings slicing through the haze. Upon their backs were the Beast Riders of Onderon, a once-revered clan now rallying to protect their land. They plunged fearlessly into the writhing mass, their creatures biting, slashing, and holding the line. Their fierce loyalty to Onderon was palpable even from a distance.

Zorya's gaze roamed the parapets, searching for allies in the upcoming battle. Every face she scanned told a story - some of grim determination, others of despair, but all were unified in their resistance. Still, who among them would stand with her? She might have once been revered, but now, she was an outsider, an exile. Trust was a currency she couldn't be sure she owned.

//CPvP: Anyone can join. The more the merrier.
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[Kaldar]

It was weird to Kaldar how much things ahd changed on Onderon. It was the same planet, of course, but the way that things had shifted left a different aura in the air. There was fear now that hadn't been there before, and he now had an influence here that he hadn't quite expected.

Of course, he was no face to the planet, and he never would be. He understood the truth: proximity to power didn't mean he was the one who wielded it. Raze had power. Kaldar had dues to pay. It wasn't to say that he had no influence - and now with his hooks deep in the mind of Lady Taevarion - he had actual power here. It was satisfying.

But as one would expect, resistance still existed. There were always those who would rage and fight, kicking against the goad despite the fact that it would only cause them harm. Better to snuff those people out early and let both their ideas and bloodlines die out with them.

It made it all the easier when those individuals came and openly attacked. Troops from the Taevarion guards and those who had chosen assimilation to annihilation had already scrambled to fend off the creature-riding troops, and Kaldar snatched the helmet from his closet and slipped it on before setting out to the streets to confront whatever was out here. Better to keep his identity concealed if he turned to saber-swinging, after all. Made his job easier overall.

He preferred not to do the whole "direct conflict" thing, but sometimes there weren't many other options. Sometimes you needed to get your hands dirty.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

Amidst the chaotic chorus of shouts, roars, and clangs, Zorya’s acute senses captured the ominous shuffle of an approaching monstrosity. Her feet planted firmly on the stone beneath her, she felt the vibrations intensify with the approaching abomination.

This particular creature seemed even more grotesque up close. Its mouth was an agape abyss, seemingly big enough to engulf a human whole, lined with rows of misaligned, jagged teeth. Its form was an amorphous blend of muscle and pulsating shadow, moving and contorting with every step. But what caught Zorya's attention most were its eyes — vast voids, devoid of soul, yet brimming with a hunger that felt all too sentient.

A chorus of murmurs raced through the few bystanders. Zorya sensed their fear, palpable in the air like a thick mist. But she had been through the crucible of the Void, faced foes that words could barely describe, and though her heart raced, it did so with determination rather than dread.

Opting to avoid the glow of her lightsaber, Zorya summoned forth her Force mastery. She projected a mental assault upon the beast, seeking to ensnare its primitive mind and drive it back. The air around her crackled with palpable energy, her silver dreads lifting slightly as if electrified.

The creature, sensing an unseen attack, halted momentarily. Its grotesque head tilted with a palpable confusion, and it let out an anguished roar that seemed to reverberate through the very stones of Iziz.

Yet, the abomination's resilience was impressive. Shaking off the mental onslaught, it lunged at her with an agility belied by its bulk. Zorya, graceful and swift, sidestepped the direct assault, reaching out to manipulate the Force and topple a nearby debris onto its path. The rubble clashed against the creature, but it writhed and twisted, undeterred.

Sensing the increasing peril, Zorya’s resolve hardened. She reached deep into her Sith teachings, summoning chains of dark energy that lashed out, seeking to bind and subdue the creature. It shrieked, thrashing against the ethereal restraints, the very air around it seeming to wail in torment.

In the backdrop of this confrontation, an armored figure, helmet concealing his identity, moved purposefully, saber unsheathed, entering the fray. Though Zorya's attention was predominantly on the abomination, she felt an uncanny recognition through the Force, a familiar echo that she couldn’t quite place but was unmistakably there.

But for Zorya, in that moment, all that mattered was the abomination before her, the embodiment of the chaos that had engulfed her world. The outcome of their clash was yet uncertain, but one thing was clear: Zorya would not yield.

@Phoenix
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[Kaldar]

Kaldar proceeded down to the street as blasterfire began to tear through the sky, cutting down rider and beast alike even as those riders swarmed in to pick off the lone and isolated soldiers who had allowed themselves to be separated from their partners.

He progressed at a steady pace through the streets, almost lazy in his movements, though in truth this was a lie. He was studying what was happening, letting his senses leak out into the fighting ahead of him. The air crackled with energy as one of the larger abominations - a "hulk" as Kaldar had named it - moved in to fight against the lone woman whose Force energies he was sensing.

Imagine his surprise as he grew closer to see just who that woman was. Well, kriff, it's Zorya, he thought to himself. This, of course, brought a whole slew of its own questions: what was she doing here? Why was she fighting against Raze and his abominations? What was she hoping to accomplish here.

Zorya was many things. He hadn't gotten to know her well, but she was certainly no stranger to him. She was ambitious and passionate, and as he could now sense, she was more powerful than last they had met.

His eyes instinctively darted around to search for the Imp, but he failed to spot him amongst the fighting. Though that made some amount of sense, didn't it? He wasn't really a combatant per se.

And then his saber lit. A blood red glow in the recesses of a nearby building. He stood under a balcony, saber carving deeply into one of the pillars near to him. It was almost a beacon that betrayed his fearlessness to be seen.

Kaldar didn't interfere in the fight right away, instead continuing to opt for watching her, letting her wear herself out on the monsters that moved in to kill her.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

Zorya's eyes narrowed as her ethereal chains began to fracture, the abomination before her demonstrating a resilience that verged on the sacrilegious. The air was thick with the smell of smoldering rubble, the stench of alien ichor, and the sulfurous trace of spent blaster bolts. Her chains were weakening; she could feel the energy dissipate like mist under a relentless sun.

Simultaneously, Zorya sensed another layer to the chaos, an undercurrent in the Force she hadn't considered before. Her realization came like a lightning bolt: the abomination was not merely an organism; it was a crucible of dark energies, a conduit through which darker wills could act.

"Two can play at that game," Zorya thought to herself, tendrils of her silver dreadlocks floating in an aura of dark energies.

Stretching out with her consciousness, she sought not to dominate the abomination's mind but to tap into the same currents that powered it. Her dark eyes blazed as she harmonized with the eldritch energy, pulling it toward her and threading it through her being, mingling it with her own dark energies. The flow of power felt like a torrent of ice-cold water and molten lava combined, a paradox that would tear lesser beings asunder.

And then she reversed the flow.

The abomination shuddered, its misshapen limbs trembling as though resisting an immense weight. With an otherworldly howl, it burst into an incandescent mist of dark energy that quickly dispersed, leaving nothing but a void in its wake.

Panting, Zorya turned her attention to the escalating battle. Beast Riders astride Drexls swooped across the sky, their monstrous steeds snarling and launching themselves at hulking abominations, rending with talons and fangs. The clash of primal might against unnatural horror filled the air with a cacophonous symphony of roars and shrieks.

Despite the immediacy of combat, her mind pondered the implications of her recent realization. Had she not been an outcast, her actions might have had the blessing of an institution, a cause beyond her personal vendettas. But her exile had left her rudderless, chasing threads of purpose like a leaf adrift in a storm.

Yet, as her gaze turned toward the masked figure she sensed earlier, still radiating an inscrutable blend of familiarity and malice, she felt a new resolve harden within her. The stranger felt like a familiar wraith, a revenant of confrontations past, yet this was no time for rumination. Whether it was the shadow of destiny or a darker web being woven, she couldn't say.

@Phoenix
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[Kaldar]

Kaldar finally stepped back from the pillar, seeing that she was still intent on fighting the monstrosity across the way. For a moment more, he didn't move, simply watching and soaking in the feeling of power and death that hung in the air.

He watched her with curiosity, once again wondering where her companion was. Could she even speak without him? How was that going to work? Why was she here? Was O'Bogg dead? That would have been a shame...

He considered rushing over and overwhelming her while she fought the creature, but he instead paused a moment before raising a hand when she looked his direction and motioning for her to come over.

Come here! he shouted. He supposed he'd wait to see whether she actually approached or not, but maybe curiosity had gotten the better of him. He wasn't exactly your "conventional" Sith, after all.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

Staggering back from her visceral confrontation with the hulking abomination, Zorya's breathing grew ragged, each inhalation sharp as blades. The physical ordeal was demanding, yet the toll it took on her psyche far surpassed mere fatigue. It was an oppressive weight, a dreadful dance of memories and combat that converged in an unceasing tide.

A summon then, drifting to her from the shadows. The call was distinctive, a voice she should remember, but the momentary tumult in her spirit rendered her uncertain. She turned slowly, her dark eyes fixing on the masked silhouette — a nexus of power, obscured yet tantalizingly familiar.

A frisson of recognition washed over her, the sensation chilling and perplexing. The figure's resonance within the Force tugged at memories buried deep. Yet, how was it that she could not truly discern this specter from her past?

Ethereal tendrils of the Force wound around her, acting both as a shield and a sensory extension. Silently, she appraised him, every ripple in his cloak and glint of his armor probed for some semblance of an answer to the puzzle before her.

Defensively poised, she shifted her weight, left foot extended slightly forward, right foot behind. A muted question swirled in the depths of her eyes, a silent demand for him to reveal himself, or at least, his intentions.

Though Zorya didn't possess the means to voice her myriad thoughts, the very atmosphere around her palpitated with anticipation. The threads of her being vibrated with a silent demand: who are you?

@Phoenix
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[Kaldar]

Kaldar could practically feel the question in the Force. It wasn't really telepathy per se, but it was close enough. It was a demand for an answer. Of course, he couldn't blame her for not remembering him. If she could see his face, then he'd have been more offended, but a presence in the Force and a single sentence was hardly enough to pull anything more than familiarity.

Now, now, Zorya, don't tell me you've already forgotten about me? he said. His tone was relaxed, but he was still alert should she choose to simply lash out and attempt to kill him then and there.

I'm sure O'Bog wouldn't have, he said, making a tsk noise with his tongue from behind his helmet. He gave her a few moments to place his voice, though his helmet would remain on simply for the sake of his own concealed identity.

Now why would you and Tempest want to pick a fight with Raze of all people? he went on. Surely there were easier targets in the galaxy than the real Dark Lord of the Sith to attempt to fight. Sure, you could argue that Kaldar was one of them, but for the moment, the Champion was simply a tool of his master. He wondered if Raze would avenge him if he died. He actually wasn't so sure. Probably not because of any affection for the Champion, but simply because he couldn't imagine that Raze would like having his toys taken away. An interesting question for Kaldar to ponder, perhaps.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

The mask obscured much, yet the voice was too reminiscent to remain entirely inscrutable. Every syllable, every inflection reverberated, beckoning fragments of memory to coalesce. But it was the mention of O'Bogg that rendered her momentarily paralyzed, like a blow of ice driven deep into her chest. Those memories were tender, a raw wound beneath the veneer of her composed exterior.

Mention of Tempest, however, was like a curveball. If O'Bogg's name had been a blade's edge to her core, then Tempest's was a serrated dagger twisting. It was a poignant reminder of betrayal, of her fractured bond and subsequent banishment. Few would know about the peculiarity of her partnership with O'bog, yet ignore her falling out with Tempest. The story was only partially unveiled, and Zorya's curiosity thrummed alongside her caution.

Eschewing traditional means of communication due to her muteness, she drew upon her connection to the Force. With delicate precision, she reached out, attempting to establish a tentative telepathic link with the masked figure. If he allowed it, he'd be greeted by a voice unlike any heard aloud — it was potent and resonant, filled with smoldering intensity. It bore the weight of suppressed emotion, like sulfur permeating the air before a volcanic eruption.

"Tempest's machinations have ever been that of a bumbling child playing at a game far too grand for her comprehension. I bow to no master. I follow only the dictates of my desires and my ambitions." Her mental tone was direct, unyielding, yet the silence of her physical presence added a weight to it, making it all the more compelling.

She paused, allowing the message to sink in. There was a silent assertion, a challenge to the figure, that while she might be seeking answers, she was far from defenseless or subservient.

@Phoenix
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[Kaldar]

Kaldar felt the spike of distress radiating through the Force like a flare through darkness. Was O'bog dead? Was that why he wasn't present? Truthfully, Kaldar had no idea. It had been months since he had seen either of them, and the mention of Tempest only seemed to compound the question.

And it was a question. Kaldar now had a mystery in front of him, and although curiosity was a dangerous street, it was also one that could lead to the richest of prizes.

He felt the touch against his mind, and allowed her voice to resonate within. Strong words and ones that were filled with anger and pain. She had been cut or hurt, it seemed. Or maybe she'd just grown tired of serving the "Sith Order" as it existed in the mainstream. Kaldar could hardly blame her for that. He had gone to Raze because he, too, saw another route to power.

It sounds like you've been through a lot, he said.

Leaving the Order took guts, but is picking a fight with Raze really the best next step? he asked. It was a simple question simply designed to bring to the forefront a very logical question. It was said with no malice or slight in his tone.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

The streets of Onderon were in tumultuous chaos, but within the circumscribed cocoon of their interaction, an eerie stillness took hold. Zorya's very being vibrated with suppressed emotion, and the masked figure's words, bereft of any discernible mockery, only deepened her introspection. She felt an unexpected pull to share, to clarify, and despite her better judgment, she succumbed to that pull.

Still utilizing the telepathic link, her ethereal voice seeped into the masked figure's consciousness once more, its timbre echoing a hint of vulnerability amidst its strength. "I owe no explanations, least of all to obscured phantoms bearing cryptic words and hidden faces. Yet, I'll humor your query."

There was a pause, a fleeting one, where the background noises of the distant battles, the calls of Onderon's wild fauna, and the pulsations of the Force seemed to crescendo. Zorya's thoughts flowed with an unrehearsed authenticity, "Onderon is not just a world. It's the echo of my lineage, a testament to my past, and a beacon for my future. My very essence is intertwined with its history. I don't seek a confrontation with Raze. What would I gain by challenging a titan? But reclaiming my place, my right on Onderon... that's non-negotiable. I have lost too much."

She paused, letting the sincerity of her words weigh in the charged atmosphere. There was a calculated vulnerability in her admission, one that masked the strategic mind constantly churning beneath. She continued, her telepathic voice laced with a hint of defiance, "Raze may be the epitome of Sith power, but Onderon... Onderon is my birthright."

The shadows around them played tricks, their silhouettes dancing in harmony with the flickering lights of distant blasters. A quiet tension threaded the air, and in this silent symphony of Force interplay, Zorya awaited a response.

@Phoenix
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[Kaldar]

Kaldar quite liked the sound of that. Her words saw to the heart of him more than most, though he wondered if even she understood it. He was a phantom with cryptic words and hidden face. Rarely did anyone see through the fog of half-truths and deception that was Kaldar, and that was how he preferred it. The vulnerability of genuineness was a weakness he could ill afford.

Yes, he rather liked that description.

And so she spoke. She told him of her history with this world, and the emotional attachment that it held to her. So that was why she was here. Of course, it complicated the matters because he doubted there was any getting her to "simply leave." But then, why not? She was a Sith, after all. There were stories of Sidious conspiring against his own people and planet, willing to sell them out.

You don't need chains like that holding you back, he said, intentionally using the word "chains" to hearken back to the Sith Code. Attachment may have been the more accurate word, but attachment was the better word. Once again, the words weren't said with judgment, but as simple fact. He braced mentally in case she chose to lash out in anger.

Loss is the only way we let go enough to be free, he added. He knew loss better than most. He knew nothing but loss. It was what would forge him into Mandalorian iron.

Kaldar didn't seem to care about the fighting in the distance. It was irrelevant in their pocket at the eye of the storm. The death of others that hung in the air and the screams that followed it were just... white noise. Nothingness.

Let's say we fight. Let's even say you kill me... he began. He had no intention of simply rolling over and dying, but he - like her - would be a fool not to consider all the possibilities ...how will you overthrow Raze's army? Lead a rebellion to overthrow the Noble House? To overthrow an army? To overthrow Raze? he asked. It was beyond a daunting task, and the sheer weight of it would crush down on her. If only because of the person who waited at the end. Even if she made it over all those obstacles, there was still the most deadly man in the galaxy at the other end.

No, you're too smart for that. You can either find a new planet to conquer, die here on this world... he said, pausing for a moment ...or you could become one of Raze's Exalted, he said.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

The stranger's counsel reverberated through the intricate corridors of Zorya's psyche, each word a stone skipping across the still waters of her resolve. The masked man spoke of chains, invoking the very tenets of the Sith Code, a doctrine she had both embraced and contested over tumultuous years. "Chains? Loss?" Her mental voice was a sibilant whisper, a delicate fusion of doubt and derision.

"I'd argue my attachment to Onderon is not a shackle but an anchor, grounding me amidst the fickle currents of Sith politics. Loss might incite growth, but it can also engender a corrosive bitterness—a malignant discontent that becomes an even weightier chain."

His soliloquy on loss had struck something resonant yet dissonant in her, arousing a gnawing sense of shared experience. Was it possible they'd both tread the dolorous path of sorrow? Was this an overture to empathy? If so, it was a strange form of camaraderie—kinship born not from allegiance but from mutual suffering.

As the masked figure broached the daunting obstacles lying in her path, she weighed the gravity of his implications. Behind her impassive visage, the cogs of calculation incessantly turned. "Even if I could sever your life thread here and now," her psychic voice flitted back, tinged with cerebral curiosity, "dethroning Raze would remain an impossible endeavor. Your point is not without merit."

But then he offered a third option—a place among Raze's Exalted. A play for her allegiance, perhaps? A snare woven with threads of temptation?

"Exalted? A congregation of servility masked as prestige?" The idea was repellent, yet strategically intriguing. Zorya continued, her telepathic tone one of veiled inquiry, "What would I gain from such subservience? My allegiance cannot be bartered like some trinket in a market stall. Convince me of its benefit, and perhaps, just perhaps, I might entertain the notion."

In their sanctuary away from the battlefield, where the death wails and the stench of bloodshed infiltrated like distant apparitions, Zorya stood firm. As much as she craved the viscerality of combat, she also understood the potency of words. It was as if they were dueling in an arena of ideas and intentions. An intellectual fencing match, the lightsabers of their minds clashing in a dazzling dance of wills.

In this transient moment, hanging precariously between rivalry and strange accord, she waited for his retort. If words were indeed the precursor to any consequential action, let them first be honed to a razor's edge. After all, in the labyrinthine game of power and identity, a well-spoken phrase could be just as lethal as any blade.

@Phoenix
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[Kaldar]

He seemed to have broken through on some level to her. At least they weren't coming to blows yet, though the actual outcome of their "confrontation" was still to be determined.

He didn't argue with her about whether Onderon was anchor or chain because at the end of the day, he wasn't sure it mattered. Not really if she was ambitious as he believed she was. She had shown that ambition already in both interactions they had had and situations that he had now heard of.

I'm not here to "convince" you of anything. I'm not nearly that desperate and Raze even less so, he said. He wouldn't beg or barter for her to join the Exalted because he didn't need to.

But I'd have expected you not to just lash out and disparage something you don't even understand, he said. Come on, you're smarter than that. And more ambitious than that. Name me a single Sith who didn't start out as an apprentice, he said. Pride was the undoing of so many Sith, and they waited on the precipice to see whether or not it would be hers.

Unless you do know what the Exalted are? he asked. He knew that she didn't because few truly did. Few truly understood the power that Raze offered.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

Even as the masked man's retort spread through the vast expanse of her cognition, Zorya couldn't help but perceive the incisive sting of his remarks. His words, adroitly chosen, were layered with nuanced challenges—deft provocations designed to stir the fires of her ambition. "You suggest my derision stems from ignorance?" Her telepathic voice bore a cold edge.

"Perhaps. But remember, skepticism is not borne from disdain but from a circumspect nature. It is a shield against the gilded illusions many peddle." She paused momentarily, allowing her thoughts to coalesce.

"You speak of apprenticeship as a universal rite, and indeed, all Sith tread that path at some juncture. Yet, it's not the title but the journey—what one learns, how one grows—that defines the essence of a Sith. So, enlighten me. What are the Exalted? Are they mere marionettes in Raze's grand theater or true wielders of power?"

Zorya was no naive neophyte; she'd been immersed in the cutthroat crucible of Sith politics long enough to appreciate the chessboard's complexities. Her gaze, though unwavering, held a spark of genuine interest. Despite her aloof exterior, a core of her remained ever-thirsty for knowledge, and if Kaldar held the chalice of insight, she'd deign to sip from it.

The ambiance around them vibrated with tension, thick like the prelude to a thunderstorm. The clash of their minds echoed louder than any physical confrontation. And yet, in this intimate dance of intellect and intent, Zorya remained poised on a precipice—willing to listen but prepared to leap if the winds changed.

@Phoenix
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[Kaldar]

It's not? he asked in retort. He couldn't help himself, but to prod slightly, though at the end of the day, he let her mind consider and turn it over. The decision was no small one, of that he was certain, and it required consideration. If she were too reckless in throwing her soul away, perhaps he'd have been even more concerned. Or perhaps not.

He smiled slightly behind the mask as he listened to her words and the consideration she gave. His own decision to step into Raze's entourage had not been made lightly either.

They are beings infused with the power of the Dark Side. Directly, he said. They are able to tap into a power that few are capable of and step beyond their own limits, though at the cost of becoming a vector of death, he said. They were ballistic in their abominable forms, and knew no restraint or discernment. They knew only how to spread death and destruction. Berserkers. And yet, that had its uses when released at the proper time and place.

They lead Raze's armies and conquer worlds, he said. The words may have sounded like a boast, but they were simple facts.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

Zorya assimilated his words, feeling them sift through the vast repository of her understanding. Behind the delicate mask of her silent demeanor, a tumultuous sea of contemplation raged. He spoke of the Exalted as transcendent agents of annihilation—vessels forged from the crucible of the Dark Side, devoid of restraint. The description was both tantalizing and obscure, a shadowy picture painted with broad strokes.

It didn't escape her sharp intellect that the masked man was eloquently circumspect about the exact cost of such formidable power. After all, power never came without a price. But therein lay the bait—this was an avenue of potential, a means to reestablish herself in a universe where allegiances shifted as swiftly as shadows in the twilight.

Bitter memories surfaced unbidden: Tempest's treachery, the humiliating exile, the crushing sense of isolation. Once, she had harbored the naïve hope of navigating her path away from Tempest's snares and Raze's overarching designs. Yet, her dreams lay in tatters. With O'bog's status a looming uncertainty and allies scarce, the prospect of siding with Raze held a perverse appeal. It could be a temporary alliance—a stepping stone until she could command her own destiny and reshape the galaxy in her image.

"Your words have... weight," Zorya communicated, telepathic tendrils tinged with measured respect. "But I would be remiss if I rushed to a conclusion without due deliberation. You've granted me a perspective, one I must meditate upon."

Drawing herself up with regal grace, her next query dripped with the curiosity that had been simmering within. "Yet, before we part, I have but one enigma to unravel. Your identity remains shrouded, a mystery in this intricate dance of ours. Few are privy to my bond with O'bog." The mention of his name felt like a keen blade grazing her soul, a poignant reminder of connections lost. "So, how do I ascertain the veracity of your words? How do I ensure Raze will honor any accord we might strike?" The question was a gamble, a challenge, and an invitation—all wrapped into one.

@Phoenix
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[Kaldar]

Kaldar stood in silence, drinking in her thoughts as they flowed out. Not that her mind was open to him, but he caught glimpses of the way his words had taken seed. How they would sprout and grow. She was uncertain, and while he didn't provide certainty, he did provide a new path.

Eventually, she "spoke" again and confirmed what he suspected. He still didn't know what path had led her here, but whatever it was, he could surmise it wasn't good.

Agreed, he said. He wasn't going to try to pressure her into a decision here and now. He knew that it would be foolish and probably simply drive away the answer he was looking for.

You're right. Few knew, so I'm sure you'll put it together eventually, he said, an almost joking tone in his voice. She would get there eventually, and if not, he would reveal himself if and when she made her decision. Until then, it was mostly risk and no reward.

He laughed slightly at her final question, though.

I think we both know that if you want guarantees about things then you're in the wrong business. Both of us are, for that matter, he said, but seemed to relent after a moment. What guarantee could she get? The truth was absolutely none, and this wasn't one he would lie about.

Truth is, I've yet to see Raze go back on a deal, he said and shrugged. Doesn't mean he won't, but he's not the type to shoot himself in the foot, he said, leaving it to her to interpret those words. Of course, he could just eat her at their first meeting, and that wasn't something Kaldar entirely ruled out, but if she played her cards right, it was unlikely... probably.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
P E N I T E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

In the vast, silent abyss of Zorya's psyche, echoes of the masked man's words resounded. The quiver in the air, the distant sounds of battle fading, even the scent of burning Onderon foliage—all seemed to blur into an indistinct backdrop. The crux of their conversation had pivoted to matters of trust and identity, treacherous waters she had to tread with utmost precision.

His light laughter, the timbre of jest in his voice, the enigmatic dance around the disclosure of his identity—it all intrigued her as much as it perturbed. His admittance on the unpredictability of Raze was an odd source of relief. In its candor, she found something unexpectedly grounding. The galaxy was a sum of calculated risks, betrayals, and unforeseen alignments.

"Then let us conclude this tête-à-tête with an understanding," she conveyed, standing firm yet poised, her cerulean eyes reflecting both decision and contemplation. "I shall consider your proposition and approach Raze when the stars of my destiny deem it right. But know this—when we next meet, and we will, I expect our enigmatic masquerade to have reached its denouement. I shall seek to know the face behind the mask."

With a silent, telepathic nod, Zorya turned, her dark robes swishing against the charred terrain, moving with regal grace towards the horizon, where new challenges and choices awaited.

@Phoenix
/exit
.

 

[Kaldar]

Wow, that's a big word, I'm not quite that smart, he quipped, though he got the general gist nonetheless. Still, the seeds were planted, and for the moment the attack seemed that it would cease. Perhaps she'd come back to him so they could go to Hoth. Perhaps she wouldn't. Time would tell, and Kaldar would eagerly await the outcome.

Until next time, then, he said, and gave a slightly exaggerated bow as she walked away, never truly taking his eyes off of her.

Be careful out there. I hear the streets are dangerous these days, he said, and watched her walk away. Yes, they would meet again to be sure, and Kaldar was very interested in how that would unfold.

//Thread @Aberforth