A Dark Blade (Kara)

[Darth Shadow]

@Kära Vi'dreya

He was waiting for her when she came to Shadow’s tower. The edifice, built near her palace on Felucia, was Shadow’s own little domain. It was his own kingdom, and more than that it was where he could go to work in peace.

But now he had called the young Sith Lady to him because he had something for her. Or rather, he would.

“Welcome, Darth Kyros. You are well, I trust?” he asked politely.

 

[Lief]

@[member="Darth Shadow"]
@[member='Tegaea Alcori']

It was time to get down to business and prepare for the oncoming battles which she knew would inevitably face her. The Bladeborn were being trained, each miniature legion growing stronger by the day as their innocence was shed. The mines on Dal'demnic and Gromas were in the process of being shut down and manned, so that raw materials were not needlessly wasted. It was time for her to step up the game and truly rule her sector, and that meant getting to know those who had pledged themselves to her, or her service... Or in some cases, those who hung around of their own bidding.

Such was the way things worked with one Shadow, an Ancient Sith Master in his own right. His summoning had been a surprise, a welcome one although she would not voice as much aloud. As such she took time away to visit him in his tower. Upon entering she gauged the interior of the room he was situated within. "As always, Darth Shadow; a quiet abode you have..." And she meant it, Kara enjoyed humble surroundings, not in the way a Jedi might but because frivolity wasn't a thing she encouraged. Like Alcohol, Gambling and Drugs... Signs of weak minded fools who cannot control themselves.

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]
“Free from the distractions of the palace and settlements. I cannot abide the teeming ignorance and noise of the masses. However, I did not ask you here for that, but to discuss a matter of importance with you.”

Looking out over the fields of fungus he looked back to her.
“You have established yourself as a strong Satrap in this area of space. However, I note the weapons you use are not up to the task. Some might say that the Force is the only weapon a True Sith needs, but that is arrogance.”

He held up his lightsabre. It was a thing of utility, not beauty. “I have a mind to replace this, and I considered I may be able to assist you by forging a weapon which you might find useful as well. Seeing as we are for now allies and partners in this Shadow Order.”

He stowed the lightsabre once more. “I know much of the old Sith methods of creation, and I can promise you a weapon of great power if you are willing to assist me in forging it.”

 

[Lief]

Kara listened in thoughtful silence as the older Master spoke; she may have been on par with him but she was no fool, and there was wisdom to be had from one who had lived through the ages. She did not interrupt for now, instead her gaze was likewise set upon the vibrant landscape seen through the tower's window. One of many... But was it enough? While Kara had no strong urges to rule above her present station she did want something to be done about expansion and spreading of ideas, their once mighty Empire barely scratching the surface. But that will come when the Jedi fail once more.

"I see..." So he did regard them as allied to a cause, this was good if harnessed in the right manner. "What exactly did you have in mind? And I assure you, I am no stranger to the forge; although I have a feeling what you might propose goes a small step beyond metallurgy."

@[member="Darth Shadow"] @[member='Tegaea Alcori']

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]
“Far beyond. Whilst forging a sword of good steel is an art, the power of imbuing that blade with Sith magic is something else entirely. It is a talent few have, for so long the lightsabre has been the weapon of choice of Jedi and Sith. That is not without merit, for the lightsabre is powerful, a weapon of intimidation as well as slaughter.”

“However, a sword can do just as much, and more. The weapons I plan on forging will take advantage of two assets your sector has; Phrik from Gromas, and venom from the native creatures of Felucia. It will make a blade, which when combined with Sith Sorcery, able to resist lightsabres and blasters, but also inflict poisoned wounds on your foe.”

Shadow let out a small chuckle. “Do not think of this as currying favour though. More, this is a way to help a chosen ally. I foresee great things for you, Darth Kyros…should you survive to do them.”

 

[Lief]

Kara listened to what he had to say, a ponderous look appearing upon her face. He spoke of requiring phrik and poison, the former she would have to grant him clearance for - after all, she had just established lockdown on the mines to stop people from dipping their hands into the dwindling resources. As for the poison... "Yerdua... They will provide the poison required."

Turning slowly she faced him, head tilted to one side. "As for the phrik, consider yourself cleared for access. Just try not to deplete the resources." The latter was just a coy expression, she meant nothing by it as she knew he wouldn't anyway - he didn't seem to be that kind of person, of course she did not know him well enough to be a judge of that. She was a Sith, and thus could not find herself comfortable where allies were concerned.

"I wonder if you might endow your knowledge of this construction upon me? I can forge well enough, but Sith Magic is an art I've only recently begun to explore..." And truth be told there were so few good teachers of it out there that she welcomed the notion of learning from Shadow. A Master and Lady she might have been, but one could not be too proud to assert themselves where potential increase in power was concerned.

@[member="Darth Shadow"] @[member='Tegaea Alcori']

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

Shadow smiled slightly. "But of course, Darth Kyros. What is skill without having someone to pass it to? Though of course it is a long process and will take many years to master. Still, you have time to perfect it before you reach your peak."

"I have no intention of pilfering your supplies. Such crass self interest has always disgusted me. Treachery is the way of the Sith, but only where it strengthens both the Empire and yourself."

"Still, we may as well begin. You have forged a blade before then, I trust? That is well, for I have no need to teach you that. We therefore have three things we must do before we can begin the forging; obtain the Phrik and Tyderium needed for the blade, obtain the Yerdua for the venom, and begin the task of teaching you alchemy and imbuing. Where would you like to start?"

 

[Lief]

With a slight nod of her head Kyros seemed pleased, stepping across the room in thought to herself as she pondered the strange situation by which she had been summoned here. "I will have supplies mined and collected, and will send someone to pick them up while sending orders for the mine's restrictions to be placed" this she said more or less to herself, yet aloud all the same. "How much phrik will we be needing?"

Turning back to face him a small, very rare, smile appeared upon her lips. "Alchemy is not something you shall have to worry for, I have been practising metallurgy for a decade now." Masks, blades, hilts, amulets... Kara had created her fair share of alchemical items in the past twelve years. Yet still I lack where biological manipulation is concerned. Yet she knew that it would come - infact she still retained knowledge acquired from the poisoned holocron back when she was but a child. At the time her 'reward' for surviving the gauntlet Bane had set her on was useless to her... But now? Perhaps it is time I inquired of him the knowledge he bestowed.

As an after thought she added; "We shall head to Gromas to sort out the transaction." The rest she could acquire effortlessly, but considering the command to begin locking down the mines was like as not on its way right now... It was best to catch the facility before it ceased mining, otherwise it would definitely take longer. "In the meantime I'll have the other supplies seen to."

@[member='Tegaea Alcori']

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Darth Kyros"]
Shadow’s writer, who didn’t realise this thread had been posted to over a week ago, apologises for the delay. Doubtless this failure will be punished by the Order of the Torch’s crack ‘literacy workshop’ team.

Shadow nodded his head. “Yes, we should go there at once. The amount we shall need is dependent on whether the ore is processed or not. If not, I suspect we may need as much as fifty kilos of ore to smelt and refine down into pure metal. If it is processed in blocks of pure metal, than no more than ten kilograms will be needed.”

“I am glad to hear that you have been researching this craft for so long. However, I must still discover if you are at a level necessary for such a weapon’s construction. If not then it could fail catastrophically.”

“Do you have a ship, or should I call mine?”

 

[Lief]

Kyros pondered on this for a moment, before nodding her head once. “There is a refinement facility on Gromas, which is still running to process the ore which had been extracted prior to the closure of the mines. With luck there will be enough for what we require.” It was still very odd to her, that so much of this Empire was hers; the people she could enslave, and had, the resources she could use, and would, the troops she could command, the planets she dominated. A small smile appeared upon her lips, but it did not reach her icy gaze.

“I began when I was but a child, little more than ten years of age. I hope what I know will suffice – I have only recently moved away from Metallurgy itself. But needs must, and if my knowledge is insufficient I trust you will educate me further. I am not brazen enough to believe my training in the Force to be complete, nor too proud to ask for it – at least, not from the right kind of person.”

Finally she added “I have a ship, let us go.” With that she ventured to the entrance of Shadow’s tower, on her way to the hangar where the Vhailor awaited them.

@[member='Tegaea Alcori']

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Darth Kyros"]

Shadow nodded his agreement and followed Kyros from the tower.
“Pride is useful, but as you have wisely said, it can be a trap as well.”

The Sith Lord was not the sort to randomly dispense words of wisdom, so he followed Kyros to her ship. The Sith Empire, unknown even to him, would soon be suffering undreamt of reverses which would make Shadow seriously doubt his allegiance to these ‘Sith’. For now though life was simple and his goal was to forge a pair of blades able to defeat any enemy.

 

[Lief]

"Wise words as ever, Shadow." It was comforting, in many ways, to have a man such as this on side with one's cause. Making her way across the mossy, fungi filled fields of Felucia she made a slight detour away from the Palace to instead stumble upon a Hangar which none save Kyros and a handful of individuals knew about. Now Shadow would be privy to it, also. Inside was Vhailor, her personal ship, which had more than ample space to store what was required.

Beginning the sequence which would bring the ship up and away from the planet she leant back in the seat and watched as the world changed through the transparisteel viewing port. "Why the Shadow Sith?" she inquired, as the ship broke through the atmospheric and orbital barriers of the planet, and made its way across the Sector toward Gromas.

@[member='Tamara']

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Darth Kyros"]
Shadow turned from the window to glance at Kara a moment, and then back out.
“Because the ‘Sith Empire’ is a collection of witless fools who will soon fall apart. How many ‘Emperors’ have we had, and how many of them have been worth the throne they’ve sat on? Now the Jedi attack and defeat us at every turn, even the Mandalorians are moving on us with new strength. And what has our great and noble Emperor done? Nothing but to anger them more. It’s as though he wants the Empire to fall apart.”
“So I joined your group because you at least seem to have some idea of how the Sith should work. Better than they anyway. So for now we will watch and wait, as I have ever done for all these centuries. I suppose I was overly optimistic in thinking that a reformed Sith Empire would be able to finally eradicate the Jedi and bring order to the galaxy. I was mistaken, so with you I shall ride…for now.”
The ship jumped into hyperspace for the short trip to Gromas….

 

[Lief]

@[member='Tamara']
Silence.

Kära had nothing to retort, for she agreed with him wholeheartedly. To have remarked would have been meaningless, a waste of breath and words. That in itself went against much of her philosophy. Instead her sights were turned to the viewing port as the ship danced through the stars, much to her delight. They still fascinated her after all these years, and for just a moment the twitching signs of a smile portrayed themselves upon her lips.

But the moment did not last.

When they arrived at Gromas it was noted how still the dusty little moon was. The droids remained well maintained and active, yet there was nothing for them to do now that the mines had been ordered to close, at her own bidding. “Come,” she said, as she rose from the pilot seat and made her way out of the Vhailor. Inside the Factory, within which they had docked, she found her gaze surveying the area. Onward she walked, until they made it to the refinement facility, inside which the room was aglow. The remaining Phrik which had been procured from the mines was being processed, and there was ample enough within the storage facilities.

Gesturing toward the latter, which consisted of a side-building just off the refinement facility, she spoke softly. “Help yourself to that which is required, there ought to be enough for this project of yours.”

[Sorry it's late - LOA on Roleplay is finally lifted]

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]
(<_< Ahem....)

The storage shed was considerable in size, and Shadow found several large crates stored near the loading dock. Each of them contained the processed ore in heavy ingots. With a gesture he lifted one of the processed Phrik ingots out and held it. More crates contained the unrefined ore, but he wasn't interested in that.
"We will take this one," he said, gesturing to the crate. There was at least fifty kilos in it, and it would do perfectly for their purposes. A gesture and the lid slammed down, and the heavy box started to move obediently back towards the ship.
"What do you plan to do with the rest? You never know what might happen. Raiders and criminals might try to steal it."

 

[Lief]

[Let's get this show back on the road, eh Peter? <3]

She watched idly from the side while Shadow moved through the boxes, her own gaze drifting to one of the overseer droids who had entered the facility. One gesture from Kära was all it took for the droid to realise and understand who she was. It did not even make a noise, simply turning away and exiting the facility one more. Kära had not been idle in her Sector, especially not where mining operations were concerned. And oh did she have plans for the mines.

Turning around to face Shadow when he chose she simply inclined her head. "Then that one it shall be, Lord Shadow." Her lips twitched into a rather fond smile - he had been around her since she was younger, a child more or less. He was ever so blunt at times, but it was a refreshing quality for one who was raised in deception, a trait which had continued on through her induction into the Empire.

"Do with it, My Lord? Well, worry not; no raider or criminal will have chance to steal any of it, you mark my word." Because Kyros already had her plans in motion, all she was waiting on was the response of one particular Merrill. "Is this all we are requiring from Gromas?" While there was very little else of interest, it was difficult at times to pinpoint the desires and plans of the man before her.

@[member='Tamara']

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]
(Shush you.... )

Shadow gazed around at the planet. His mouth was set in the sneer of one who viewed much of the galaxy as truly beneath him.
"Yes, there is nothing more we require here. Let us go." To the Sith Lord what happened to the other Phrik did not concern him one bit, he had a duty though to ensure that Kara did not fail spectacularly before she started her rise though. She was his candidate for eventual mastery of the Sith...with him of course as loyal and faithful councillor of course!

With the precious cargo obtained without recourse for mindless violence or criminal deals, they were set to return to Felucia to actually begin construction.
As they headed into space the Sith Lord stared out into space. "Did you know, Kyros, that this expedition feels like it has taken much longer than it should," he said idly. And with more than a little 4th wall breaking too.

 

[Lief]

Glad to be getting away from the dusty moon, the young woman turned away and began to head back towards the ship. "As you wish, Lord Shadow." With one last glance at the soon to be redundant mines the young woman led him back to Vhailor, with the phrik in tow. His words brought a slight knowing smile to her lips. "I do not doubt it does, My Lord" - it felt as if it should have been completed months ago.

Once aboard the ship she set off right away, there was little need to waste time. Especially not when they had a task at hand. Instead the ship set off back towards Felucia, her planet of choice... For now. I mean, sheesh, the Empire should be gone by now, right? Not for these two...

@[member="Darth Shadow"]

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

Time did pass oddly in this reality. Perhaps it was how Shadow always felt, seeing change slowly and from a distance rather than embracing it all at once.
Or perhaps it’s just because it’s taken these two writers three months to do a dev thread?

Either way, on their return to Shadow’s tower he started the forges so that they could begin the real task. Many years before (for Kara anyway) he had taught her to smith, now he would teach her to imbue. It was good to have someone taught by a good source; IE himself.

“Prepare yourself, my dear, and we will begin.”

This writer debates whether to start referring to her as Shera, or whether that would earn him a beating.

 

[Lief]

It would indeed earn him a beating, and as such he is a very wise Sith for not doing so. The route back was much the same as any other, with Kära spending it gazing out at the mesmerising stars. And soon enough they were back on Felucia, at the tower Shadow had claimed as his own. Finally time seemed to be speeding up and returning to its usual rate, which was a nice addition. Boy did they seem to be on Gromas for an eternity.

Heading into the tower after Shadow she glanced around, the Forge was as ever warm and by now her eyes adjusted far faster than they used to when exposed to the bright light of the fire and the glowing metal ore.

Removing her outer robe the woman stripped down to just a tunic and trousers, ensuring that there was nothing flowing to get tied up with or set alight. Then she nodded her head. "Ready as ever, My Lord." It felt good to be learning from him once again.

@[member="Darth Shadow"]