When an Unfettered Pragmatist meets a Pretty Sociopath.

[Alexander Roth]

@Lucia Rose

Another Ziostian night, wait, it was night wasn’t it? Alexander pulled his personal datapad from the inner left pocket of his jacket and checked the local time. 19:33 Yep, technically night. Not that it really mattered when the Sith Academy was located deep underground, far from the bone chilling wastes above. Residents at the academy were essentially free to live by whatever schedule they desired, there was never truly a time of designated rest only the times of specific classes. With a light sigh the pocket-sized datapad was returned to Alexander’s inner jacket pocket, then with a faint grunt he pushed himself out of the chair he was resting in. He needed something to occupy his mind while still allowing it to rest.

As he thought on the subject Alexander paced about his quarters, habitually stroking his beard with his right hand and propping up his right elbow with his left. He was dressed in a custom set of grey insulated light military combat/training apparel, which was modified with a ring of dark-grey fur around the collar and patches of dark-gray synth-leather reinforcing the joints and common areas of wear and tear. The symbol of the Sith was marked upon the back of his jacket, which was overlaying the symbol of the Imperial Armed Forces. His room was meager and bland, the standard temporary quarters given to Acolytes but without any personal touches applied to them. Alex wasn’t really one to decorate. The matte black hilt of his lightsaber rested at his right waist, as did a small rectangular box located a little further towards the front of his right waist.

If he tried to read through another holo-manual today he’d probably get a headache from the eyestrain, and he didn’t want to overtax himself attempting another focus exercise. He needed something else, something more reactional and situational. Alexander’s pondering gaze widened slightly as an idea popped into his head. If he wanted something reactive or situational then why not practice his ability to read people rather than documents. Yes, that’s what he would do to occupy himself, but first an added precaution. Alexander grabbed his holstered K938 Blaster Pistol, or ‘Canine’ as most like to call it, from its biometrically sealed case and attached it to the outside of his left thigh. One can never be too careful. After slipping the case back into a drawer of his desk Alexander proceeded to lock up and wander through the chilly academy halls in search of a suitable “test subject”.

 

[Lucia Rose]

The evening ( or maybe it wasn't even evening, she couldn't tell when the academy was underground ) was another typical one, and consisted of pretty much nothing. Lucia was just sitting on her bed, meditating on her emotions, anger, bloodlust, and ladylike things like that, and trying to practice some of her skills with the force, though it wasn't working as well as she hoped. Yes, she could control a basic object, but only for a limited amount of time. She needed a real master to help her. Meditating became boring after a while, and she was getting frustrated by attempting to use the force in her cramped quarters.

She formulated a nice, simple plan of how she was to entertain herself. It wasn't very extravagant, but at least the girl would have something to do unlike her other nights. Lucia was going to go about the halls and see if anyone was out there she could talk to, or at least interact with. She had pretty much blocked herself out from the rest of humanity for the last couple of days, so human interaction couldn't hurt more than help. Or maybe it would be interaction with some other species other than humans, who knows. Hopefully nothing too serious would break out since everyone roaming these halls were Sith Acolytes and not too skilled with their weapons yet.

Looking at her small mirror, she brushed a strand of caramel colored hair out of her face and straightened her robes, making sure to look at least somewhat presentable when she met someone - if she met someone at all. Just in case, Lucia grabbed her beloved dagger and new lightsaber too, she could never be too prepared. Although extremely unlikely, there could be enemies roaming these hall so she never wanted to be alone without a proper weapon or two. She definitely didn't want to die in her first week of becoming a Sith. That would truly be pathetic.

She creaked open the old and somewhat flimsy door of her small quarters, and walked outside into the chilly hallway. The hall was considerably colder than her personal room, maybe that was because her room had her body heat and was so much smaller and the hallway was completely exposed to the cold. Looking around, Lucia saw a calculating looking man with a dark beard. She was a bit surprised; she sort of expected all of the Acolytes to be teenagers and not in their thirties, well, as she looked closer she could see that behind his beard he was more likely to be in his late twenties. Lucia walked over the the man, "Hello," she greeted. She didn't know what else to say, so stuck to simply saying that.

 

[Alexander Roth]

Alexander was a little surprised by how quickly he found a prime candidate to test his “reading” skills, and how that candidate actually presented themself for that matter. A young human woman with pale skin and long caramel colored hair had just exited one of the many Acolytes quarters lining the hall, just down from Alexander’s own room for that matter. She looked to be in her late teens, perhaps early twenties; roughly a foot shorter than him; probably a good hundred or so pounds lighter. Her robes did make the guesswork of her physique a bit difficult, but they were great to keep weapons hidden from sight. At least that’s what Alexander would use a robe for, and a young woman of her stature would need to be resourceful in a place like this.

Oddly enough it was she that approached Alexander first. ”Hello.” Considering he was visibly armed, quite a bit larger, and probably didn’t look like the most approachable Acolyte around Alex didn’t expect someone like her to simply walk up and say hi. Either she was somewhat sheltered and very new to the whole Sith Acolyte thing or she was very confident in her abilities to assess a threat and defend herself should need be. Or she could be a little crazy, Alex couldn’t dismiss that possibility. He’d have to keep an eye on her. ”Hello…?” Alexander replied, his voice expressing a tone of curiosity that was visually reflected by a raised brow upon his face. ”Is there something I can help you with?”

 

[Lucia Rose]

The man seemed to scan Lucia's physical appearance and stature for around a minute, and then replied to her, a rather awkward hello and asking if she needed help. Great. He probably thought she was mentally insane just for saying "Hello". She thought about pulling out her dagger since she felt a slight bit threatened, but went against that violent thought: she didn't want to start an unnecessary fight in the middle of a hallway with rooms filled with other acolytes. Plus, what did this man ever do to her? Sometimes she had no true reason behind her violence and bloodlust, but it was just there. Just for her own enjoyment. There was no way she would be trying to fight him - he was much taller than her and over a hundred pounds heavier. No, she would rather befriend him or just become nice, friendly, Sith acquaintances.

"I do not need anything," she snapped. "And no, even though I dared to say "hello" when I was awfully bored doesn't indicate that I'm crazy." Lucia held back the urge to roll her eyes like an adolescent girl, and simply stood there. "Really, if you try to step outside into a hallway and do anything relatively normal people suddenly think you're insane. And just because I'm saying this, you probably think I'm off my rocker or something. Even though I'm a nineteen year old Sith lady who could be considered evil by much of the Galaxy and I say 'hello' to a considerably larger and more equipped man doesn't mean that I'm crazy. You're the only one besides me in this hall, as well." She sighed as she finished ranting. She probably did seem a little crazy.

 

[Alexander Roth]

"I do not need anything, and no, even though I dared to say "hello" when I was awfully bored doesn't indicate that I'm crazy." A verbal snap and a rather astute guess at what Alexander was pondering, though she could just as well be used to people thinking that whenever someone was polite in a Sith Academy. It was a rather rare attribute when an Acolyte isn't in the presence of someone higher ranking. "Really, if you try to step outside into a hallway and do anything relatively normal people suddenly think you're insane. And just because I'm saying this you probably think I'm off my rocker or something. Even though I'm a nineteen year old Sith lady who could be considered evil by much of the Galaxy and I say 'hello' to a considerably larger and more equipped man doesn't mean that I'm crazy. You're the only one besides me in this hall, as well."

Quite a rant, but she did have a point. "Actually, if that response is anything to go by I'd say you're one of the saner individuals within this Academy..." Alexander spoke in a relaxed, somewhat friendly tone. "... Though I guess those of us that would pass as 'normal' elsewhere may be considered the abnormal here." Alexander sighed lightly and shrugged. "I'd apologize for my... 'wariness', but this is a Sith Academy after all. There are some of us that'd rather see our fellow Acolytes 'fall' than allow them to rise on their own." While he hoped the young woman would understand his perspective Alexander would still keep an eye on her just as well. One of the biggest threats to anything is that which doesn't appear to be one, just under that which is completely unknown as far as Alex was concerned.

"Why don't we start again. Good evening, my name is Alexander Roth. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss...?" Alexander paused for a moment, hopefully for the young woman to give her name, while extending his right hand for her to shake if she desired it. He was raised to be a gentleman, and it was showing. If that was advantageous or not still had to be seen. Nonetheless whether or not she decided to give her name or shake his hand Alex would follow up with another question, though only if she clearly didn't want to say something herself. "So, is there anything you'd like to discuss? I find myself with a rather similar case of boredom and a pleasant conversation would be a nice change of pace."

 

[Lucia Rose]

Lucia was pleased that the man didn't seem to think that she was completely insane, which was a pleasant thing, though who knew, maybe inside he thought she was crazy though he could hide his true feelings rather well. "Actually, if that response is anything to go by I'd say you're one of the saner individuals within this Academy..." He seemed to be talking in a friendly voice of all things - his tone had changed from questioning her sanity to casual very quickly. "... Though I guess those of us that would pass as 'normal' elsewhere may be considered the abnormal here." Alexander sighed lightly and shrugged. "I'd apologize for my... 'wariness', but this is a Sith Academy after all. There are some of us that'd rather see our fellow Acolytes 'fall' than allow them to rise on their own." Even though he talked in a friendly tone, he still seemed to be a bit suspicious of her true intentions, though she ignored it.

"Why don't we start again. Good evening, my name is Alexander Roth. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss...?" She was slightly shocked by her fellow acolyte - Alexander to go into a proper introduction and offer his hand to shake, but she returned the polite gesture anyway, shaking her own hand with his larger one. "Lucia Rose," she replied, blushing a slight bit. Her name didn't seem anything close to intimidating: Lucia was a common name for a sweet young girl and a rose was a lovely flower. She had always liked her surname she gave herself, though: a rose was beautiful and lovely to look at but harmful if its thorns touched you. "So, is there anything you'd like to discuss? I find myself with a rather similar case of boredom and a pleasant conversation would be a nice change of pace," Alexander told her. She thought for a moment. There wasn't anything in particular she would like to discuss, but starting a conversation wouldn't hurt. "I really don't know what we should talk about, but a nice conversation would be nice," she laughed for a moment. It was a most unlikely situation: two Sith Acolytes, one in his late twenties, well armed, and rather tall, and one delicate young woman of the age of nineteen starting a regular conversation in a hallway. "Well, we both are pretty new to this Sith Academy - or maybe you aren't and have just been stuck as an Acolyte - so how did you end up here?" Lucia definitely had a story to tell.

 

[Alexander Roth]

It seemed Alexander's sudden switch to a more gentlemanlike tone and demeanor managed to surprise the young Acolyte in front of him, at least to some small extent. "Lucia Rose." A beautiful name, every bit befitting for the young woman, though who's to say what's lying beneath the surface. Alexander subtly took note of the slight blushing of Lucia's cheeks, which actually surprised him a bit. Alex wasn't exactly an expert in the area of deceptive facial guises but he couldn't imagine a blush being something easily faked as it was a subconscious reaction, meaning that in all likelihood it was real. It shouldn't surprise him, she was still a young woman afterall. A delicate name like Lucia Rose is rather uncommon in halls such as these, or perhaps it was due to Alex's sudden polite disposition, or both. Who knows.

Alexander mentally shrugged off the that course of reading into Lucia, just as she was getting ready to reply to him it seemed. "I really don't know what we should talk about, but a nice conversation would be nice." Alex smiled lightly and nodded in agreement as Lucia laughed faintly to herself, presumably in response to her own comment or perhaps the odd turn their meeting took. "Well, we both are pretty new to this Sith Academy - or maybe you aren't and have just been stuck as an Acolyte - so how did you end up here?" How he ended up here? A good place to start for a pleasant conversation as any. "You're right about me being around for a little while, though I wouldn't exactly use the word stuck to describe my predicament..." Alex shrugged lightly laughed faintly as he reached the word 'stuck'.

"As for how I got here my story isn't all that grand. I was singled out as a force potential back in Stormtrooper Academy and recruited upon graduation. Essentially I just went from one academy to the other so I could learn how to 'move things with my mind' and wield a ridiculously hot 'rod of plasma' without dismembering myself." Alexander replied in a casual tone, with a subtle comedic undertone accompanying his nominalization of learning to use the force and the art of the lightsaber. "How about you Miss Rose? How did you wind up as an Acolyte?" Alexander asked in a polite and curious tone. He genuinely wanted to hear how a young woman like Lucia came to be a Sith potential, or even the story she decides to make up if it turns out to be fake.