Ask Naboo Völuspá

[Lilith Vye]

Völuspá - The Prophecy of the Seeress

Sól varp sunnan, sinni mána,
hendi inni hœgri um himinjódyr;
sól þat ne vissi hvar hon sali átti,
máni þat ne vissi hvat hann megins átti.

The sun, the mirror | of the moon, from the south,
Her right hand cast | over heaven's rim;
No knowledge she had | where her home should be,
The moon knew not | what might was he.
​

Naboo's sun kissed Lilith's pale skin and chased away darkness to behind the nearby trees. Though the young Sith still had her weapons on her belt, she'd chosen to wear simple clothing with softer white and browns in order to blend into the crowd.

She stood near a cliff edge deeper in one of Naboo's forests and tried to enjoy the warmth and scenery. But she could never bring herself to truly enjoy the beauty of anything anymore. So much had happened that robbed her of that ability, but the numbness and pain left behind also granted her strength.

Ever since Gree, she'd been on her ship trying to become fluent in the language to better understand it's technology. This was spurred on not just because of the trip, but the upsetting last chat she'd had with Talak there. To avoid dealing with her feelings she'd simply drowned herself in studies and work.

She was certain Talak would be able to sense her lingering upset when he arrived. She'd been interrupted by another message from him, asking her to meet up. He hadn't included any other information outside of the location. Lilith hadn't bothered asking either, she'd just agreed to the meeting and now she waited.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak liked Naboo. He'd come here before on several occasions, and had half a mind to get an apartment or home here if he ever actually settled down... as unlikely as that was.

He flexed the hand of his "new" hand as he descended out of the Nomad. It was a habit he'd picked up until he adjusted to the new extremity. He wondered how long it would be until it simply became second nature.

He had several people he needed to talk to, and he was dreading this one. The last meeting he'd had with Lilith hadn't gone particularly well. He'd explained his doubts and hesitations regarding the Sith and she'd been quite angry.

Now, he'd just gone and made things worse by killing Sol Puara. He'd helped a Jedi do it, and left the Sith behind. It wasn't going to go over well when he told her. Add that to the fact that he could still feel the residual anger floating around her and not even the beautiful scenery could calm Talak's anxiety.

Like a bacta patch, just rip it off, he told himself, offering himself little consolation as usual.

Hi, Lilith, he said, walking up near her. He paused a moment, waiting to see if she'd already heard the news. No doubt, if she had, then she'd have words of her own. Thanks for meeting me, he said. @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

Lilith knew something was wrong as Talak started to approach and it did not help her mood. Her eyes snapped to his hand first. "What the kark happened?" she asked, pointing to his hand. "Do I need to stab someone or did you already do that?" Whoever did it to him was probably dead, if it was a someone and not some sort of accident, which she would also want to know about because she was snoopy.

When she was done with the hand her mind went to the other disturbing thing, "Why are you anxious?" she asked, the emotion permeated the air all around him. She'd felt her master worry or get nervous during combat or dangerous situations but there was no danger here... or was there?

Lilith looked around and spread out her senses to see if there was anyone else around, but as far as she could tell there was only little blips in life forces which tended to be animals. She turned back to him after with a confused look.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak forced a sad smile as she asked what happened and if she needed to stab someone. He held his hand up in front of him and flexed the fingers. The metal was a dulled grey and clearly not flesh, but he'd begun to grow used to it.

He's dead, he said quietly, but there wasn't a great deal of joy in his tone because he knew who had been killed. It was a man who would change his own life and likely Lilith's as well.

Because I have news, he said. He knew that she was nervous now. He could sense her tensing as if they were under attack, but there was no one. Just the two of them alone.

It was Sol Puara, he said, and he let the reality sink in for a moment. If Sol had done it and Sol was dead, it didn't take a genius.

I went to stop the killing at the prison, he said. He knew she would be angry and perhaps even hurt. It hurt him that that would be the case. He didn't know if she would come with him, but he would offer. She had stood by his side when she probably shouldn't have, and now he was actually on a better path for the first time. @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

When what he'd done and what it meant hit her it felt like the entire world froze. There was no wind, no sounds of birds or the shuffling of leaves. There was nothing but the feeling of her heart beating too fast and the sound of blood rushing through her ears.

A flood of emotions had hit her so hard she hadn't been able to process them right away, but slowly she was able to get a hold of herself. There was anger there. There was a lot of anger but it was being drowned beneath a sea of disappointment and dejection.

Everything she'd done had been pointless, hadn't it? All the time and energy and faith put into a better future. All it had done was left her numb to most people and fraught with these nearly unbearable emotions. But this was all her fault, wasn't it? She'd put her faith into something, she'd opened herself up and now she was paying the price for her stupidity.

When she could finally hear the world around her again she thought to say something to Talak. For a handful of heartbeats she just stared at him, but then she looked away. What was the point of that? He'd already crossed the line by killing Sol Puara, there was no going back even if it was possible to convince him of anything. Lilith just turned and walked away.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak could feel the emotion within her. He knew her well and he was familiar with her presence in the Force. He could feel the swirling red with nearly overwhelming potency. It was growing and swelling nearly as it had on Endor.

Still he said nothing. She needed to process this in her own head, but he was ever aware if her decision to process it resulted in violence against him.

He expected her to lash out at him or scream at him or something else, but he hadn't expected her to just turn and walk away. Did he try to stop her? What'd he say? Of course he needed to stop her. Or at least try.

So that's it, then? Just walk away without a word? he asked. He supposed he couldn't blame her. She felt betrayed, and perhaps she had been betrayed, but he couldn't apologize for what he'd done. He'd have done it again because it was the way.

I'm here because... he cared about her. Why was that so difficult for him to say? He didn't know, but it always had been.

I care about you, Lilith, he said. At this point it might be too little too late, but it was true. And I've done you wrong, he said. From Endor onward. He had introduced her to the darkness just as she had with Ender, and no matter how difficult, he wouldn't simply abandon them to a fate he had helped direct them toward.

 

[Lilith Vye]

What else is there to say? she thought, but his following words caused her to stop. It also caused her anger to come far above the surface.

What was she suppose to do with that information now? She hated herself for being stupid, she hated him for what he'd done, but she still cared about him and now she knew he cared about her. It was too much.

"Why now?!" she yelled, finally turning around. "Why did you have to tell me now. Now when all I should be feeling is pure hatred towards you. I'm...I'm so tired of being conflicted. It's always been this way with you..."

She finally brought her black hilted lightsaber to her right hand, feeling the Dark Side calling her. It fed into the huge surge of nearly uncontrollable emotions, yet she had enough strength-a sliver-to not ignite it because of who she faced. Her hand shook as she struggled with her internal battle, even if she didnt want to let herself go that far, she knew she might.

"I just want to karking hate you," she growled between her teeth, gripping her lightsaber hilt even tighter, to the point it hurt her own hand. "SO KARK OFF! Kark off and leave me alone or kill me, like you should have done on Endor."

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak didn't move as she spun and yelled at him. It was far more in line with what he had expected. He saw her snatch the saber off her belt, but it didn't light. His focus on her became intense, but he didn't grab his own saber. He knew the numbers. He knew at this distance he could have his saber out in time to defend himself if she decided to attack him. Moreover, he didn't think she really wanted to kill him.

The "why now" is because after this you might end up hating me. But if you hate me, I want it to be for true reasons. Because I would wager you feel betrayed and hurt, and... you're probably right to... he said. There was an element of betrayal to what had happened. He had turned his back on the group they were both a part of and the goals they had been working toward.

...but I don't want you to think that I don't care, he said. He did care. If he didn't, he certainly wouldn't have been here. This wasn't a pleasant moment for him either. If she meant nothing to him, he would have either killed her or simply never seen her again.

You're right, I created conflict in you because I was conflicted, he said. The use of the past tense may or may not be unnoticed. For the first time in years he didn't feel at his wit's end.

I don't want to kark off or kill you because that'd be easier. But that would be fair to you, and I've already put you in a bad enough position, he said. @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

This time the way he said it... hurt her heart because she knew it was true. It didn't make her angrier. She even felt some of the anger slip away, enough for her hand to stop shaking. But his caring didn't change the reality of the situation. Everything had been a waste, everything, and now she was left with nothing but this brokenness.

"I already hate you," she spat back, bringing her left hand up and sending a small burst of her anger in the form of lightning near his feet. Despite some anger subsiding, there was still a tremendous amount there within the sea of pain. "Even if... even if I believe you care, what does it matter?"

That he admitted to creating conflict in her, or that he spoke in past tense, neither thing went unnoticed but for some reason she simply didn't care. Maybe she was just done with this all.

"No, my stupidity put me in this position," she said looking away. If she had just distanced herself from Talak, or didn't extend that trust or belief in a person she wouldn't be standing here today. "Something I won't allow to happen again." Lilith brought her saber up, but held it near her and stared down at it. A lot of thoughts went through her mind at that moment.

"Talak," she said, her voice more somber. "Just go away."

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak listened to her anger, and though she said she hated him, he wasn't sure he believed it. That doubt didn't keep the words from still cutting him and his jaw clenched together.

The lightning at his foot caused him to jerk back, reaching for his saber as he thought she was attacking him before he stood down again. It was clear he was tense and half expected her to try to kill him, but he wasn't here for that. Not unless he was forced to defend himself.

She told him to go away, and he didn't say anything, but he didn't move either. For a long moment, he just stood there in silence.

What is it you want, Lilith? he asked after a moment. He wondered the same from her before, and the question wasn't with regard to what she wanted from him, but what she wanted in all. She was angry that the Empire felt as if it had been stolen out from under her, but was that truly what she wanted? Did she want someone to care about her? Did she want to become filled with the darkness? The new Eternal? Or did she simply seek some form of peace? Perhaps she wouldn't tell him, but... perhaps she would. @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

"I want to know if you got karking brain damage during your fight with Sol," she snapped, looking back at him. "Since you obviously aren't getting the whole, you know, kark off part."

She grunted after. He was still prying, and he wasn't karking leaving. What was there to lose? She was a ball of emotion ready to explode, so she just spat it all out, "I want a reason to live, something beyond just surviving." Her anger swirled around her more violently and her sickly yellow eyes pierced into Talak as spoke her next words, "And I had that with the Empire."

Lilith brought up her lightsaber near her face and stared at it after. "And I want... wanted a purpose or project or person to drowned myself completely in, to distract me from the memories that haunt and plague me. Memories that claw at my mind and play in my head and over and over and over again..." she stopped to fight back the tears that threatened to burst from her. "...that slowly eat away at my will." And they had only become more intense, more frequent since her first encounter with the Dark Side. Even spice and alcohol hadn't been able as effective lately.

The young Sith turned away, knowing she couldn't fight long what she was fighting back. "But maybe I've been a fool. Maybe there is no escape..."

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak stood immovable as she spat her initially venomous words before deciding to actually be honest. There was no judgment in his look or what he did. He simply stood, looking at her. He could sense the pain in her. It swirled red under the surface of grey. Despite the violence she had perpetrated in the past she lacked the inky black of many Sith.

You watched me struggle for years with the darkness. Conflicted and never at peace, he said. She had seen it many, many times over the years. There was no doubt about what he said.

You and I aren't that different, he said. You want to bury the anger and the emptiness, but the darkness won't do that. No matter how much you try to bury it, he said. That might not be what she wanted to hear, but it was true, and deep down she would know it.

I'm here because I'm not abandoning you, and I want to help you escape. Maybe your path isn't the same as mine, but there is escape, and I can help you find it, he said. He didn't expect she would believe him now, but the seeds were planted. Perhaps there was still hope for her to be pulled from the path that he had set her on.

For the first time in years, the conflict... he shrugged ...it's finally gone, he said, and the statement was shocking given his history. @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

She couldn't deny his struggle, obviously it had rubbed off on her and she'd seen the similarities between them in the past.

But she wasn't sure she could listen to his advice or teachings now without there being a heavy amount of doubt lingering over her. "You told me I that could learn to bury them!" she yelled, referring to their conversation on Gree. "And now you're saying I can't?!"

She clenched her jaw when he mentioned not abandoning her. The words were hard to hear and she had mixed feelings about them. Hadn't he abandoned her by abandoning everything they worked towards? But he was here. There was so much conflict withiin her she was going to explode if she didn't do something soon.

And when he mentioned the conflict being gone, how could she know it was permanent? "How can I trust your guidance anymore, or anything you say?" she hissed, and while there was anger, there was a hint of sadness to her words. She wanted to believe in him. She wanted him to help her escape this. He had been her master, the only person she trusted for three years but he obliterated that trust, ripped everything from beneath her feet and now took back things he'd said.

She couldn't believe him.

A few tears escaped but she managed to hold most of them back, and she started walking away again since she was already turned from him. Even if he spoke she'd keep going. If he wouldn't leave, she'd leave. She had to do something. Every time he spoke it only injected more conflict into her, more pain.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak could hear the pain in her voice and feel the hurt in her voice. She was agonizing over this, and it hurt him that he had put her in this place.

I was wrong. All I can do is try to set it right now, he said. There was nothing more he could say to that. He could see the tears streaking down her face now and she turned to walk away.

There's still a way to escape, Lilith. Even if you're not ready now, he said with sorrow in his voice. He wouldn't try to stop her. Chasing would accomplish nothing, and there was nothing more from him she was willing to hear. He shook his head quietly as he watched her walk away, and he wondered how it had come to this. All those who had been friends and family to him were gone, but even now... he knew he wouldn't have recanted his decision to leave.

@Dread //Thread