Rebuilding: Relations

[Wess]

Not once had he complained about the Korriban heat. Even as dull as it was, Ylandis found himself thankful for the opportunity to rebuild the temple, to modernize it, even if so much of its history had been lost. The fragmented pieces of sandstone etched with archaic runes and designs no longer fazed him as he assisted in loading them onto hovertrucks. Even lifting the large pieces with telekinesis wasn’t too bad; in due time, a greater monument would stand. In due time, a greater testament to the Dark Side would stand.

As he sat, legs tucked under him as he rested in one of the popup tents that housed a canteen, Ylandis couldn’t think about how strange his predicament was. Months ago, he would have felt that the very notion of him doing slave labor was beneath him, at least until he had seen the Supreme Leader leading the movement herself. He had certainly been entrapped by her devotion, now believing that no matter their station, the Sith had to come together if they were to survive. And despite the constant plays for power that the Lords were known for, he felt strangely at peace.

He was by no means the strongest Sith, but he was a rather skilled assassin. His grey outlook, however, separated him from many of his brethren: Rather than demonize the Light side, he strangely sympathized with it. Here he was, hating the Jedi who simply followed another form of the almighty, driving power that kept their very galaxy together. It made little sense, how the zealots of either side drove them to war, particularly when they very well may have accomplished more as one.

The teenager rolled his eyes; he was getting philosophical again, and he hadn’t the time for it. Soon, he would have to return to work; his next assignment wasn’t on Korriban though. Eventually, it would lead him back there, but with such a big project ahead of them, the Sith needed assistance in securing goods. Thus was the fate of the assassin: Forgoing his specialty for the greater good.

Strangely, Ylandis felt rather valiant. He couldn’t hide the smile on his face, even as he sipped on his Bantha milkshake, clutching onto one of the long couch's satin pillows.

 

[Deviant]

Dying light filtered through the front of the tarp. Ebbing and slackened at the mandate of a fading horizon. Cool air wafted under the shade the pavilion, accompanied by the scent of stifled liquor and the clamor of conversation. Not that he was complaining. To be finally out of the sweltering bane of the wasteland that was Korriban was a pleasure in and of itself.

Unwrapping tendrils of fabric from his staunch form, conceding a resting grimace underneath a hooded guise. The barkeeper, originally upset at the thought of a slave entering the exclusive canteen, instantly lit up with consternation at the recognition of the Sith Lord. As they struggled to maintain their composure at the bewildering sight of such a man, especially one replete in sweat and adorned in cheap attire, Eryn approached the sleek pub.

Chapped lips wrinkled, he brushed a hand daubed in sand over the countertop. "Corellian Ale, please."

The tone was hoarse, but layered throughout good will. It was far more to that of a humble request, rather a trivial demand: an aspect exemplary in his nature. As the bartender carefully passed over a decorative bottle of what looked to be his prized ale, the Sith nodded his head gratefully and melted away from the counter. Tossing his disheveled form onto an adjacent couch, elongated and topped with lustrous pillows and a single young man, Eryn observed the bottle before fundamentally inhaling half of the beguiling ale in a single swoop.

Well, he was thirsty, after all.

Spoiler: OOC

@Wess
Pardon a little brief post. 'Twas late, I'm tired, and I'm a lazy prick. Sorry!

 

[Wess]

Even before the Sith Lord sat down next to him, Ylandis had already felt his strength. Perhaps it was out of habit, but the teenager had a bad habit of tasting the air so to speak. Like tendrils, his presence swept over everything new or foreign, for as an assassin, finding his mark was of the utmost importance, as well as identifying anyone or anything that might try to prevent him from achieving his goal. Even in a friendly setting, such as a bar on a Sith-controlled world, nothing could break habit. One wrong move, and he could be toast at any given point. Ylandis, effectively, was always on edge.

In fact, he even jumped a little when the man plopped down next to him – the sudden application of weight caused the entire couch to shift slightly and the straw the teenager was sipping on to pop out of his mouth and slide across his face.

He couldn’t help but to roll his eyes as he wiped the residue from his face, tapping his fingers together as if he were trying to rid himself from the stickiness. Rather than say anything immediately though, Ylandis instead decided to size the Sith lord up and down. Like him, he had been working, although it was rather evident that he had been doing a bit more than Ylandis had. Lacking the brute strength many of his brethren had, the Echani instead made up for it in his force usage, whereas this man appeared to have been toiling.

Ylandis found himself tucking his legs further behind him as he observed the man before finally realizing that like many of the others, he had been staring. He looked away, blushing. He felt rude, and more importantly, he wasn’t sure how the Lord would react. If anything, he very well could wind up with a fight on his hands – some Sith weren’t like he and the Supreme Leader were. They believed in unity and the preservation of a way of life while others only sought power. It was a difficult balance.

Still, he couldn’t help but look at the man from the corner of his eye. He couldn’t possibly be like that – if anything, he had to be like Ylandis. After all…

“I see that you also took Darth Sigrun’s demonstration to heart.”

Spoiler: OOC

@Deviant

No worries! I can be equally lazy and/or prickish.

 

[Deviant]

The ichor of satisfaction poured down his throat. Celestial, divine: the brew was more than the Eryn could conceivably imagine. Bearing with it the comfort of insobriety, as well as a hint of fulfillment, the liquor spilled into his veins, renewing his restrained scowl into a soft brow of his lips. Perching the bottle at his side, he glanced over to inspect the still flustered poise of a younger Sith. At a standstill, his features had evolved into an clear image, one arousing the curiosity of the restive Sith Lord. Silver hair, pale and lustrous in stark comparison to the austral desert. Pale sapphire softened in his gaze. The Echani was of mesmeric origin, undoubtedly, but Eryn refrained himself from glancing too long. Yet, as a single finger traced the lip of his bottle, he instantly tensed up at the unexpected retort.

Finally turning to face the younger man, regard at its peak, his hand glissaded over the couch restlessly. A smile surfaced his jowl, but only for a moment, before giving way to his reply. "Beggars can't be choosers."

Banter, followed by a subdued chuckle. "But, yes. Darth Sigrun always has a way with words, no matter how cheesy they are."

His eyes flickered away clumsily, landing back to the edge of his ale. With a faded simper, he swallowed down another round of the alcohol. Allowing the drink to alleviate the final thread of his unease, Eryn returned his gaze back to the Echani eyeful.

"So, what brings you here to Korriban? Just here to eye the new Supreme Lord?"

 

[Wess]

“To eye her?” The boy scoffed, an amused air cascading over his features. “Hardly. Nay, I came to listen, to see if all this babble about unity was true.” He took another sip from the cup of frozen dairy, eventually reaching his hand inside the cup to produce a red cherry before he plopped the entire thing in his mouth, stem and all. There was no apparent movement from him for a few seconds; Ylandis for the most part seemed lost in thought or in deep concentration.

After the moment passed, he opened his mouth and held his tongue out, the newly tied stem floating ever so delicately into the air before hurtling into a nearby waste bin. Ylandis cocked his head to the side once more, gazing upon the Sith Lord next to him. He couldn’t help but to chuckle nervously, wringing his hands together nervously. It wasn’t so much the fact that he was scared of the man as much as it was that he was uncertain. It wasn’t like someone so powerful to show up in a place like this, especially in broad daylight.

Ylandis found himself shrinking away for a moment before he eventually straightened up and regained his poise and figure. He shrugged, wondering why he felt so out of place, and why he was worrying himself over nothing.

“So, do forgive me if this seems out of line, but… What are you doing in a place like this? I figured someone like you would be mapping out reconstruction efforts; Darth Sigrun’s demonstration was for a reason, but I honestly didn’t think I’d see someone… like you toiling away in this hot sun.”

Spoiler: OOC

@Deviant
I'm sorry for taking so long to respond! Performing is killing me lol.

 

[Deviant]

Guided by modesty, Eryn coasted his silvered gaze to the floor. A wiry smile peaked on the edge of his jowl. His teeth bit back a faint laugh as he recoiled back to gleam at the youthful Sith. Though the question was perfectly viable, especially for someone of his statute, he couldn't help but find enjoyment at such tenuous surprise. Pursing his lips, he answered the Echani with lax reserve. "I simply do what I do for the good of the Sith."

The palm of his hand caressed the hem of the lounge, as if he was leaning ever closer to the younger man.

"But the labor is the least of my concerns. There are still many Sith I have to keep an eye out for, and many more I have yet to meet."

His eyes darted from the ale placed in his lap, and back to the young man. "Though I don't believe we've met before. Odd, especially since it'd be hard to overlook someone with looks as good as your own."

Coquettish banter, urged on both temptation and inebriation, rolled forward, before being followed by an awkward chuckle. Never a man of flirtatious facet, to feel himself advance for the younger man was undoubtedly bizarre. Yet, there was no resisting the appeal of enthrallment.

"Banter aside, what was your name? Just so I don't forget your face, if that's possible, of course."

Spoiler: OoC

@Wess
It's not a problem! Apologies for own late response as well. Responsibilities, both RL & SWRP, tends to kill my muse.

But, I'm alive for now!