Ask When the Old Meets the New

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion watched the wall open, while he put his knife back on his belt. He immediately retrieved a handkerchief and used it to stop the blood flow. Unfortunately, the Annfyn had forgotten to bring a bacta patch, since he didn’t expect that he would find a door locked behind a blood ritual. The Prince would only be able to completely heal it once he returned to his ship.

However, the pain that he was feeling at the moment was worthy of the prize, because as soon as the door opened, the two Sith were able to see a holocron. Caerllion smiled, such an item was very precious. Palpatine was right in hiding it behind such elaborate ritual. “I told you that this warehouse was going to have interesting things.”

He approached her, wanting to have a better look at the holocron. If the form and color wasn’t enough, the darkness that came out of it showed that they were holding one that was made by a Sith. However, it opened the question: who had made it? Had it been created by Palpatine himself?

“I think that we should leave. My ship is in a hangar of the spaceport, we can open the holocron here.” he wanted to investigate it as soon as possible. “I can order the workers to grab anything else that we want from the warehouse and store it in the forest. Then we grab it later.”

@René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi nodded at Caerllion's suggestion, tucking the holocron safely into a pouch on their belt. No need to open their prize here in the middle of the forest, especially a Sith holocron. Who knew not just what secrets it held, but if there were any kind of defenses to keep those secrets from the unworthy; better to open it in a more controlled environment. The Tiefling led the way out of the warehouse, leaving Caerllion to instruct the workers to do as he'd mentioned while they prepped the speeder bike for the ride back to Lay Pa-Sidian.

It was a short ride back to the city thanks in large part to Ayomi's breakneck speeds, though they let up at the end to avoid Caer throwing up or something. Speed didn't agree with everyone. Hopefully the Annfyn was still in good enough condition to effectively open the holocron. "So," the champion asked with a hushed tone as they walked towards the hangar where Caerllion's ship was, "any guesses as to what we've got here? It's obviously someone important, but given that it was here on G'wenee and not Exegol I can't imagine it was something Palpatine made himself, or needed to use regularly."

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

With Ayomi agreeing to open the holocron in a safer place, Caerllion went to command his puppets. He left clear instructions for them to move some of the most valuable items to a clearing and use leaves to cover them. Until it was done, they would be released from his spell and forget about everything that happened. When the authorities discovered that the warehouse was raided, the workers would need to deal with it.

After doing it, Caerllion followed the Tiefling toward the speeder bike. They were already waiting here, prepared to pilot it. The Annfyn swallowed dry, remembering how they drove the vehicle early. He immediately wrapped his arms around their waist, holding it tightly. His hold became more tight while they moved through the streets at full speed. At some point, he even hid his face on their neck, while his eyes were closed.

He didn’t want to feel nausea because of the fast turning of the speeder bike.

Even when the speeder bike finally stopped, Caerllion was still holding Ayomi, only letting go of them when they started to climb down the vehicle. He did the same, before guiding them toward his ship. “It's possible. Palpatine had collected several artifacts. It could have been a holocron owned by one of the previous Sith.” the Annfyn also doubted that it was made by Sidious.

They walked for some time, until they reached the hangar where his ship was. It was the frigate that he stole in Nar Shaddaa, while still inconspicuous, the shuttle had been cleaned. “Welcome, dear. I hope that you like the place.” he said, while smiling at them.

@René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi couldn't deny that Caerllion's hold on them was—what was the word again—cute? They certainly didn't mind; his touch was exhilarating. As the pair dismounted from the speeder bike, the Tiefling reminded themselves to be careful with these newfound feelings towards the Annfyn. They were Sith, and so was he. Engaging in some kind of physical pleasure would be one thing, but more than that...? It would be dangerous, and make one or both of them weak. They would not be the one to succumb to such weakness.

Ayomi continued following the other Sith onto his ship, admiring the design and relative compactness of its design. "I hope that's not the line you use for everyone." they responded to Caer, a teasing tone in their voice and the lightest of blushes on their face. If all these other Sith were going to tease them, why not give it a try themselves? "It is a nice ship though; a lot better suited for long travels than my TIE." they added.

Hitting the button to close the boarding ramp, Ayomi moved into the nearby main hold and took a seat, removing the Sith's prize from its pouch on their belt and setting it upon the table. Its dull red aura seemed to pulse, as if beckoning the two champions. "Shall we begin?" the Tiefling asked Caerllion. Once he was ready, they closed their eyes and began focusing their power onto the holocron, meeting its darkness with their own while the Annfyn next to them undoubtedly did the same.

The lined designs in the holocron glowed bright crimson as the two halves of its octahedron spun in opposite directions and separated, illuminating a holographic figure in between. It was a human woman, with dark tattoos under her eyes and curly ringlets of hair falling out from under the hood drawn over her head. The image flickered for a moment before speaking.

"Should you prove yourself worthy of my knowledge, know that this holocron contains the complete gathered knowledge of the true Sith; myself, the Dark Lord Darth Zannah, and my master Darth Bane before me."

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion raised an eyebrow with Ayomi’s comment, impressed with their teasing. So far, the Annfyn had thought that they weren’t good with this type of situation. Although the slight blush on their cheeks showed that it was indeed the case. “Nah, I only use it when I need to travel incognito. I use a yacht when I want to impress people. I can show it to you someday.” he winked at them, before walking inside the vessel.

Once the boarding ramp was closed, the two Sith would have privacy to open the holocron. Caerllion was still curious about who had made it, considering that it should have been an important Sith, since Palpatine had hidden it behind a door that required blood to open. It reminded him that he still had an open wound on his palm that needed some bacta.

While Ayomi took a seat, Caerllion retrieved a bacta patch and applied it to his wound. “Yes.” he said, before finding a place for himself in the chair opposite to her. Between them was the holocron, their great prize. He closed his eyes and focused the Force on it, filling the already dark object with even more darkness.

The effort of the two Champions was enough to make the holocron reveal its secrets. The voice of Darth Zannah filled the space and Caerllion immediately forced his attention in what was being said, wondering what secrets she had hidden inside it.

@René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi allowed a satisfied smirk on their face as the nature of their prize was revealed. There would be time to investigate Darth Zannah's secrets later though, when the two Sith were better prepared for whatever challenge guarded them. The Tiefling gradually pulled back their Dark Side-infused hold on the Holocron, allowing it to deactivate and gently touch down on the table in front of them. They turned to look at Caerllion next to them, excited at the prospect of what they'd found.

"It seems this little adventure was more fruitful than J had initially imagined." Ayomi told him, relaxing ever so slightly as their crimson eyes gazed into his onyx ones. "I look forward to learning its secrets together... because, uh, because we found it together of course. No uh... other reason." The champion silently swore to themselves; why did they let Caer have this kind of effect on them? And yet they wanted more of that fluttering feeling he gave them, like some kind of sick addiction. Their next thought seemed to possess them, as the Tiefling's mouth felt like it was moving on its own. "Perhaps we should do something to... celebrate this success?" They asked.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

He couldn’t avoid feeling excited with the holocron, not having expected that they would find something useful like it when raiding the warehouse. Caerllion expected some books, statues and even an artifact or two that had a connection with the Dark Side. It ended up being better than he had expected.

“I was thinking exactly that.” he smiled at Ayomi, while adjusting himself in the chair. At some point during Darth Zannah’s explanation, the Annfyn had leaned against the table so he could better see the hologram. Now that he thought about it, this was a bit stupid. It wasn’t as if the dead Sith would give more details only because he showed more interest in her words.

While the Tiefling talked, Caerllion’s smile grew. They could be struggling to express themselves, but the Annfyn understood the meaning behind their words half way while they were being said. “I’ll appreciate the chance. I’m curious to see what secrets Zannah had hidden inside this. Besides…” he leaned on the table, his onyx-colored eyes staring intently at Ayomi’s red ones. “I like to spend time with you.”

The other surprise of the day was Ayomi inviting him to go out. He was a bit relieved for not being the one pushing for a date because it could give the impression that he was desperate. “Of course! We could grab some food and go dance. We never had the opportunity to finish that dance, remember?”

@René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi fought the urge to look away as Caerllion talked to them; the subtle gentleness of his voice, the intensity of his onyx gaze, the shifts in his posture. It pulled on some string like nothing the Tiefling had ever felt before. They'd been physically attracted to others before—hell, anything with the Annfyn wouldn't even be the first time they'd acted on that primal instinct—but being around him was something else entirely. That desire for Caer to look their way, to be close, to stay with them. Peace is a lie, there is only passion. The champion had always interpreted that line to mean powerful emotions in general not... that "L" word. Through passion I gain strength. Then why did it make them feel so vulnerable, so exposed?

For better or worse, Ayomi was rescued from their thoughts by Caerllion's reminder of the dance they owed each other. "Oh, right..." they replied, blushing as they remembered Nar Shaddaa; well, the puking part at least. Feifi had been eager to fill her master in on the rest since the Sith's memory of the dance itself was hazy at best. "I suppose we should finish that dance. I'll warn you again though, Caer: the only dance I know is that with a blade, not people." Then again, perhaps their flexibility and fluid movements would translate. They were cautiously excited to find out. "Perhaps we should avoid anywhere that sells burritos this time, Hutt space or not."

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

A smile appeared at Caerllion’s lips when Ayomi blushed. He was still fascinated with how they became cute with their cheeks purple due to the blush. The Annfyn moved his right hand and touched their cheek, his thumb caressing the skin. He was really happy for the Tiefling not being drunk like when they talked for the first time during that party in Nar Shaddaa.

“It's fine.” he said, while immediately removing his hand from their cheek. The Annfyn didn't want to look as if he was too clingy with them, like how he acted during the party. “I told you before that I was going to teach you how to dance.” he smiled, before rising from the chair. “The offer remains.”

Caerllion offered a hand to them. “I know a good restaurant where we can have dinner and a cool nightclub that we can go afterwards.” the Annfyn hoped that the Tiefling wasn’t going to question how he had found these places. They didn’t need to know that he had searched about it as soon as they had accepted his invitation.

Even less that he had booked a table in the restaurant for dinner.

@René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi leaned ever so slightly into Caerllion's touch, enjoying the warmth and softness of his hand against their purple-tinged cheek. It was a fleeting feeling as the Annfyn pulled his hand back relatively quickly, but one the Tiefling found themselves craving more of regardless. Caer was clearly having a much easier time squaring his feelings with their choice of profession; he appeared to be calm, lightly eager, yet gentle. It seemed that he knew what he was doing. The same could bot be said for the other champion in the room.

Ayomi stood up from their seat as the other Sith explained his promise and extended a hand with the invitation of dinner. They tentatively took it, blue fingers intertwining with Caerllion's pale ones. The sensation brought a renewed heat to their face as their tail slowly flicked back and forth. "S-sounds like a whole plan then." The Tiefling responded as they followed the Annfyn out of his ship. As they walked, they decided to engage with him some more: that's what's people usually did in these situations, right? As if whatever was happening could possibly be some kind of normal. "You've never told me much about yourself Caer." Ayomi began as they walked together. "Where are you from? How'd you end up with the Order?"

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion was surprised when Ayomi leaned on his touch. Their reaction was new. He thought that they would get away from him, blushing even more. The fact that it didn’t happen and that the Tiefling showed pleasure with it made the Annfyn’s smile grow. He was happy for being able to cause these feelings in the other Champion.

He held their hand, trying to ignore how the feeling of their skin against his sent faint goosebumps through his body. “Nice.” he muttered, his eyes not leaving Ayomi’s beautiful face. The realization that he was probably staring at them without saying or doing anything made Caerllion turn away and fake a cough. “I mean, the restaurant is nice and the food is good. I think that you are going to like it.” he had no idea if the place was really good, but the ratings in the Holonet were very high.

And the price was equally high, with his credit card still recovering from the stab.

They left the ship, with Caerllion still holding Ayomi’s hand. He looked at them briefly when the Tiefling asked their question. “I’m from Annwfyn, a planet in the Pacanth Reach. My family had some old ties with the Sith, when I was identified as Force sensitive, my father immediately supported my training.” this was only a resume, there was too much to be said and nothing of it could be revealed in public.

“Why did you join the Sith?” he asked, curious to know more about them. After all, Ayomi also didn't told him about themselves. "Where you live?"

@René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi listened to Caerllion's answers as the pair walked out of the spaceport and into the city, hands clasped together with anxious excitement. The feeling was almost surreal; wrong yet right, something completely foreign yet somewhat familiar. The Annfyn himself didn't explain much, but the pair did have to be careful given that they were in public and either of their heads would catch someone a large bounty.

When he finished, it was Caer's turn to ask the Tiefling the same question they'd asked him. It was a fair question, given that they'd not talked much about themselves either in the limited time the two had spent together. "I'm from Dantooine, originally." Ayomi explained. "I was a little too much for my parents to handle, I guess. I always needed to prove I was the best among the other kids nearby. Got into a lot of fights, caused several injuries when my Force sensitivity began to manifest. A Sith recruiter came snooping one day, noticed me, and my parents were more than happy to ship me away."

The Tiefling stared at the ground for a moment as they walked, lost in contemplation of their past. They finally looked up, a hint of yellow creeping into their eyes. "Not that I much cared. I guess I never really grew out of that chip on my shoulder, that need to prove myself." They mused. "I have a place back on Dantooine now, but I just use it to sleep and train." Ayomi glanced nervously at Caerllion beside them, hoping the background story wasn't too much. Normally they didn't care much about scaring people off—or people in general, for that matter—but with the Annfyn it felt different, like they didn't want him to leave.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion listened to Ayomi with interest. Their childhood was mostly different from his own, since his parents always loved him. However, they shared the same desire to be better than their peers. “I’ll not lie to you, my father loves me.” the last piece of his mother still alive in the Galaxy, the older Annfyn would say. He would dare to say that his father loved him more than he loved his half-brother. “My mother too, until she was assassinated.” there was no need for him to hide this fact anymore, since he had already learned the truth.

He still needed to avenge her, but it could be planned later.

“But I understand how it’s prove yourself everyday. The nobility of my homeworld is brutal, I need to be better than my cousin if I want to inherit the throne after my aunt.” Caerllion said, forgetting that he never mentioned to Ayomi that he was a prince. “They are always watching you, judging your movements, seeking something that could make you fall.”

This conversation was going to a path that Caerllion didn’t want, signaled by his black-eyes occasionally shining red. He decided to bring it back to something more pleasant. “A house on Dantooine, you say? I would like to visit it someday…” he winked at Ayomi, before turning to look at the speeder bike. “I’ll drive!” the Annfyn said, before rushing to take the pilot position.

He had enough of a mortal race through the streets of the city.

@René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi couldn't help but smirk slightly as Caerllion mentioned his father's affection. They didn't care that their own parents didn't, and frankly it was interesting to know a Sith who broke the mold of coming from terrible families. The smirk quickly disappeared as the Tiefling's companion mentioned his mothers' fate. "I'm sorry to hear that." Ayomi replied. "I hope those responsible fall by your hand." It was a simple sentiment, but one conveyed with the most genuine comfort they could offer.

They continued listening to the Annfyn as he explained his own background in more detail, but their focus lingered on one word. Throne. The charming raven-haired Sith had always looked the part of a prince in Ayomi's eyes, but legitimate royalty? They hadn't seen that coming, but there were worse surprises to be had. As things stood they didn't care about his prospective throne, at least not for themself; that said, helping Caer take his home planet in the future was an opportunity to show what they could do. To show their worth. The Tiefling nodded along to the other champion's explanations of his situation, a slight eyebrow raise the only outward sign that they'd noticed his revelation. They could ask him about it later.

Luckily for both, the conversation turned back to lighter matters as Caerllion mentioned visiting Ayomi on Dantooine. "I uh... I think I'd like that." They told him, the blush returning to their face at the thought. A laugh joined the mix of emotions as the Annfyn basically sprinted to get into the driver seat of the speeder bike. They took the seat behind him, wrapping toned arms around his waist as the Tiefling's chest pressed into his back. Holding onto Caer felt warm, comfortable even; it was unlike anything they'd ever felt before. "Take us away, rightful king of Annfwyn." Ayomi whispered into his ear.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

”He will. It’s only a matter of time.” Caerllion had been planning his revenge since he discovered his uncle’s participation in the assassination of his mother. He only needed to find the allies to help him with it. He looked at Ayomi for a moment, wondering if they would be interested in helping him.

It was something that he would ask later.

A shiver ran down Caerllion’s back when Ayomi whispered in his ear. Not only because he felt their body so close to his, but because it was the first time that someone called him king. It sounded so good to hear that a large smile appeared on his lips. “You don’t need to ask twice.” he said, before hitting the accelerator.

Obviously, the Annfyn didn’t pilot the speeder bike like a speed devil, only going fast enough to arrive at the restaurant before the sun started to set in the horizon. The place that he chose for them was a famous and expensive one. It would look like that Caerllion, a prince, couldn’t eat in any cheap place.

In reality he did it to impress Ayomi.

Once in front of the building, Caerllion would stop the speeder bike and offer a hand for Ayomi to climb down. Did he think that they needed his help? Obviously not, but he was going to be a gentleman and cover the other Sith with attention. Then he would give the vehicle to one of the valet parking so they could do their job.

“Our table is up there. We’ll be able to see the sun disappearing in the horizon while eating.” he said, while following a maitre through a stairway. A beautiful sight waited for them when they arrived at the end.

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi held onto Caerllion loosely as they drove, with no need for them to hold on as tightly as he had when the Tiefling was driving. His approach was a little more... relaxed. As much as a slower speed usually bored them to death, Ayomi found themselves enjoying the experience nonetheless. Before long the pair had arrived at the restaurant Caer had mentioned, which looked like one of the more impressive buildings in the city. The champion moved to dismount the speeder on their own, but stopped short as they realized the other Sith was extending his hand to help. They blushed again, the purple hue spreading across the middle of their face and cheeks.

Ayomi followed Caerllion and the waiter into the restaurant, up a winding set of stairs, and out onto a wide open terrace overlooking everything beyond the city. Their red eyes widened at bit as they took in the sight, the dark black of their outfit contrasting with the orange light of the setting sun. The Tiefling raised an eyebrow while glancing over to Caer and his own dazzling appearance in the dwindling light. "You just knew a place, huh?" they lightly teased, quite impressed but suspecting that the situation wasn't as random as the Annfyn had made it seem.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Once they arrived at their table, Caerllion immediately moved to drag a chair for Ayomi to sit. By this point, the Annfyn was already invested in showing to them that he was a complete gentleman. He wanted to show to the Tiefling that he wasn’t only good looking, but was also a nice guy.

Well, as nice as a Sith could be.

Their comment made Caerllion smile. “Well, maybe I had made a longer search for a good place before.” he said, while seated at the opposite side of the table. “But what can I say? I wanted to show you a nice place and we needed somewhere to eat. It was a win-win situation.”

Then, a waiter approached them to take the order. Caerllion immediately turned to look at Ayomi. “What do you think of you choosing the food and drinks? I don’t want to impose the stuff that I like.” it would be a good opportunity for him to know what they liked to eat. Then he could plan a nice picnic for the two.

Do they like chocolates? He would pay attention to the dessert that they wanted.

@René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi accepted the seat Caerllion offered with an appreciative nod, noting that his manners were as elegant as he appeared to be. It was becoming rapidly apparent to them that he was no ordinary Sith, nor some ordinary rich kid who thought he deserved everything; not that they'd ever thought that way about the Annfyn, but Sith who came from literal nobility weren't always the most self aware. For every Caer, there were half a dozen acolytes who thought their family's long ties to the Sith would get them special treatment and an easy path to power. Clearly the Tiefling's new... companion? date?... understood that all were equal before the Dark Side, and those who wanted something seized it for themselves.

Is that all this was? Ayomi wondered as they sat down and watched Caerllion do the same. Was the Annfyn simply delving into their mind, playing on stupid subconscious desires? Collecting allies to build his own power? This was the Sith after all; they'd been a fool not to consider what was happening sooner, but they'd been so caught up in the attention to think properly. A worried look flashed across the Tiefling's face as they glanced towards Caer. "I suppose it is a win-win situation." they responded, their expression softening again.

"I uh... I'll do a steak, rare please. And uhh... some Corellian bourbon. No ice." Ayomi told the waiter, allowing Caerllion the opportunity to follow their lead or pick for himself. The Tiefling had their own preferences based on what their body and their training regimen required, as they were sure the Annfyn did as well.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

”Indeed.” Caerllion said, a smile soon appearing on his lips. While he seemed calm, the Annfyn had noticed the slight changes in Ayomi’s face. They briefly seemed worried, making the Champion wonder if he was pressing too much with his flirting. He had already reduced it to what he considered as an acceptable number, but perhaps his companion still felt too flustered by it.

Which was a total shame, Ayomi looked lovely and flustered.

After Ayomi finished, Caerllion turned to the waiter. “I want your cashew cream and ancho chilli elotes and a Lothalian currant wine.” since he didn’t know if the animals were killed according to Annfyn’s precepts, he wasn’t going to eat. The Champion went with the vegan option.

While they waited for the food to arrive, Caerllion decided to continue with their conversation. The last thing that he wanted was to have an uncomfortable silence fall on their table. “How are your apprentices doing? I heard that you picked two of them.”

@René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi raised an eyebrow in an amused look as Caerllion rattled off his order. Whether it was as complicated as it sounded remained to be seen, but it certainly belied the Annfyn's apparently princely elegance. They'd always thought he looked rather extravagant, but they were still surprised that he was actual royalty.

Luckily for Ayomi, Caerllion found a way to revive the conversation rather quickly and they were happy to oblige. Less time spent actually thinking about the implications of whatever was happening here. "My apprentices?" the Tiefling began. "Very ambitious, both of them, and quite talented. Yet they have a tendency to bite off a bit more than they can chew at times; a bit like any acolytes, I suppose. Feifi at least is quite driven by her father's death, and I offered my training to S'kenji after he impressed me training on Umbara. An insurance policy for the Mandalorian girl's more... erratic tendencies at first, but a fine apprentice in his own right."

The Tiefling took a long sip of water, flashing pointed teeth in a small grimace as the cold liquid made its way down their throat. "You had an apprentice not to long ago, if my memory serves me. That Pureblood, Trodai. I can only wonder how your ears made it through that experience." Ayomi joked, hoping to keep the mood light; they weren't sure how much Caerllion knew about their rivalry with the Pureblood, and they didn't feel like explaining it when everything was going so well.

@LouJoVi