Ask Still Cold

[Darth Invictus]

Ender just watched her carefully before exhaling slowly and carefully. It was clear to him that with her history of her being a doctor, she was stuck to this moral code or whatever reason that came to mind for her to hold on to her humanity. She offered herself as an "ally" but there no room for someone to only stick one foot in and she would have to find out the hard way apparently. "An ally." He simply repeated but still let her continue speaking.

The truth was both did know little about each other, having only worked together a handful of times to combat the infected. But even in their few encounters, a lot could be learned, especially in battle and a small unspoken trust was there between the two. It was enough for him to respect her decision but the only thing that she could offer to him as a doctor was if he was ever disfigured enough to need her and that was about it. Ilana's future is what interested him and that is what he sought but then she mentioned Kai once more. Ender's eyebrow arched slightly as she spoke of him and simply stated this for her, "I am not Kai but I won't press the subject about it anymore." The two had met a handful of times and one of them is when he defeated him and locked him away.

The Sith didn't really know what to say after she had finished, more of picking his own words instead of processing what she said but before he could speak, she offered something to him and without much detail. His gaze remained on her for a moment before he eventually nodded, "Why not. It couldn't hurt." Ender stretched out his leg so they were both flat on the ground while he crossed his arms across his chest to see what her gift was.

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She nodded once, then rose without another word.

When she returned, something was cradled within her hands. Its' light was baleful, dark crimson, muted with its' inactivity. She set it at his feet, then settled at the log, amber eyes calm as she stared at him.

"This knowledge can't be used by anyone else. I trust you to use it well, far better than I have." She stared at him calmly, watching his expressions, anything to betray him. "Its' knowledge is useless to me. My ambitions have changed, now that I have some of the answers I need; may you find better peace with it than I have."

She already learned its' secrets, it was useless to her.

She understood now why Kai might have wanted it... she wasn't blind to the fact she wasn't the one he would have wanted by his side. And look where he left her. No. She could never bring him back... but their knowledge wouldn't die alone, waiting to be found by someone less worthy of its' knowledge.

If he would take it, it was up to Hal. But if not, she would take it back, and leave it for another worthy of one of her many secrets.

@Orbit

 

[Darth Invictus]

Hal watched with intrigue but caution as well, his eyes tracking her the entire time until she left him in peace for a few moments. When she returned, she held something in her hands, and when his gaze drifted down to see what it actually was, his jaw clenched at the sight of it. It called out to him even though it was the first time the item and Ender were placed next to each other. The design was immaculate and obviously of sith origin, the crimson color inside of it seemed to swirl as it reacted to the presence of a Sith next to it.

Ender barely noticed when Ilana sat on the log near him, his gaze still locked on the holocron. After a few moments, he eventually lifted his hand slightly and the holocron was lifted in the air and gently brought in front of him as it levitated in the air. The light reflected in his eyes and clashed with the cool silver oceans he had. Eventually, he tore his gaze from it to peer at Ilana with a questioning look. "Why are you giving this to me?" He trusted her in a weird sense but this was convenient.

"If you're just giving to me, what's the catch? Either it's useless to you and most likely myself or something about it makes you want to offload it to me." Ender didn't reject it as the holocron still levitated in front of him and spun idly as he examined it. He tore his gaze off it once more to look at Illana next to him, "So, what is it Doc? Or is this just out of the good of your heart?"

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Flickers of emotion seemed to flare to life from Hal, and she kept amber eyes on him as she settled down, curious. His reaction was what she expected, but she didn't react. Not initially. Instead her fingers laced together as she braced her elbows on her knees, voice soft.

"Equivalent exchange," she spoke softly, meeting his silvery-eyed gaze with a calm amber look. "You've offered information; I've offered information in exchange. It's useful, but... I don't need it."

However, she let out a huff of a near-laugh at his comment about her heart, lips twisting into a faint grimace of a smile. "Do I even have one? I don't think so." Amber eyes flickered coldly, features smoothing once more into a cool mask. "If I want to find someone within the Sith... someone with information to... alchemy. Where could I find them?" She kept her eyes on him the entire time.

If he didn't want to share, that was fine. But the offer was given. He could take it or reject it, either way she wanted to show she would accept his knowledge. Just not today.

@Orbit

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender smirked slightly as he listened to her intently, replaying her words over and over in his mind. He gave her a look before responding and pointing out the slight contradiction, "Then it wasn't that useful, was it?" But there was sarcasm in his voice as he redirected his attention back to the holocron. It reflected in his eyes, the red hue and carefully crafted pyramid that it was. He always yearned to learn and know more but for information that could be worth it.

When she laughed about his comment about her heart, he slowly turned to stare at her but there wasn't any humor embedded in his face. "I wouldn't dismiss your heart so easily. It's quite powerful. I've had my heart broken before and I've never tasted strength like that." Ender held their gaze for a moment longer until he returned it to the holocron, his thoughts returning to Talak and the duel that fell between them. The pain had been crippling but the power had been intoxicating.

A few seconds passed before eventually he repeated her phrase, "Equivalent exchange." With a flick of his hand, the holocron flew up and into his palm as he closed his fingers around it. Ender eventually slid it into one of his pockets before turning around to face Ilana, "I have no clue." He gave her a shrug but continued on, "There aren't many in the Sith who know such arts but there is a culture who does."

He pulled out his comm-pad and pressed a few buttons before tossing it to her, an overlay of a planet projected from it and in front of her. It was Dathomir and she would feel something tug inside her, just like him, at the presence of it. "Reportedly, there are witches there who delve heavily into alchemy. We'll most likely find the answers you want there if they don't try to kill us first but it is still a longshot." If she had already known about these rumors, then she would at least have a Sith to accompany her to investigate them and discover the validity of them. If that wasn't a suitable option for her, then he assumed they could search for a fellow Sith but it would be a tedious process.

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She nodded once, pausing when he mentioned feeling greater power when heartbroken; she exhaled slowly, amber eyes flickering in the lambent light. "...When they abandon you by choice, it's hard to ever forgive them, isn't it?" she asked quietly. But really... it wasn't a question she intended him to answer. Instead she slowly rose, then glanced over to him, dusting her palms off.

We... he had said we. She nodded once, the faintest smile touching her lips. "I will teach you what I know... and we'll learn more. I like this arrangement. Very well, Hal." She then paused before handing the datapad back... her voice then soft.

"...Thank you, Hal. I owe you a favor." Eyes of amber met eyes of silver. "When we meet again, I hope that it will be of some use for both of us."

And with that, she would turn away to let him pursue his answers at leisure, going deeper into the forests alone.

She still had much to consider.

//End Thread