A Diamond in the Rough

[Jacob Crawford]

Jacob hadn't paused in his plans, ever since the Asylum had finished construciton he had been ever moving with the next move. Even amongst the stuff he was doing with the Sith Empire, he made time to return to Maena and continue with his experiments.

He had procured his Chief Scientist, selected both staff and subjects to be moved into the lower levels. And most recently had acquired a new batch of drugs to break down and experiment with.

There had been some base level tests, using the more experimental concoctions that had already been created. But it wasn't enough. The test subjects he had currently were either former residents of the Unit or people Jacob had plucked away from the Slums and New City. He wanted something more fresh, minds lacking the pollution of being surrounded by technology on a daily basis.

So he had dispatched scouts, searching across the galaxy to find planets that would have ideal candidates. A number of results had come back quick, planets such a Dathomir that contained a more primitive culture when it came to technology. But there was one in particular that had caught Jacob's eye, a planet that didn't even have a name. Just a simple designation - 5251977.

It was relatively small in comparison to the galaxy as a whole, nestled away in a corner forgotten and cast aside. The reports he had received from the ground revealed there was limited technology, with only a moderate sized city as their capital. Jacob wondered how such a place could exist, perhaps the Gulag Plague had ravaged it to a point it had been sent it into the dark ages again.

But there was one specific thing that truly caught Jacob's attention, the thing that had ultimately drew him to setting foot there himself.

They had no knowledge of the Force. They did not know what it was. Jacob had grinned like the cat who caught the canary upon discovering that.

From the time it took to reach the planet, further reports had come to him. Ones revealing an incident that had occurred in one of the neighbouring towns. A murder had happened, where a group of kids had been killed and the culprit had been apprehended. Done without supposedly lifting a finger against them. That had sent all types of warning flags in Jacob's mind, all good ones too.

Landing in the city's starport, he had made a beeline towards the town. And eventually found himself stepping into their prison, or 'security station' as the locals called it.

Jacob could feel it. Power was coiling about from deeper in the building, calling to him like a siren's song. He knew he had found what he was searching for. He had found her.

"Good evening, I'm Doctor Crawford, I'm come to see about your little freak problem." He was stood before the reception desk, a security guard seated on the other side. The lie was woven beneath a smooth tongue and professional manner. Arms held behind his back as he awaited for the man's response.

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

It was rare for planet 5251977 to get visitors and it was even more rare for those visitors to announce themselves as Doctors. A shining beacon of hope in the eyes of the locals, and especially in the eyes of the security woman posted at the front desk. The girl locked in the depths of their basement had been nothing but a nuisance since she was born. If one were to ask the secretary she would tell you the girl was even more of a nuisance residing there. She’d rather have the girl starve to death in the musty cells below then ever have her see the light of day again.

There was no room for compassion when it came to Imogen. A murderer and a freak - a pest that should be squashed under the ratty boots of the citizens where she would be better off. Where they would be better off.

The woman behind the counter glanced up at Doctor Crawford in misplaced and misguided awe. He would be the talk of the town for the weeks to come. A man sent to them by whatever higher power lay out there to help them. To eradicate their problem, to hopefully take Imogen far far away from them. She was all too quick to jump up from her seat.

“Oh yes of course! Good evening and thank you Doctor Crawford. We will take any help we can get with her. Though, If I do say so myself there isn’t much that can be done with her. She is too far gone.” Ramblings of a gossipy hen, words that truly didn’t matter and held almost zero value.

Fumbling around in the top drawer of her desk for a moment she eventually pulled out a set of keys - keys that to her and the rest of the town kept them safe. It kept the monster inside. Clearing her throat she offered a crooked smile at the man before leading him towards the steps that lead down towards the cells, where Imogen was kept.

Their steps echoed loudly in the dimly lit hallway as they made their way towards the girl, alerting her of their presence. Imogen was small and used it to her advantage as she kept back in the shadows. The only time she had visitors it was to either deliver the scraps of food they had left over, some of it days expired - or to gawk at her like she was some caged animal, a species they had never seen before. In some ways she was.

Moving quickly, shoulders squared and chin tilted up as if to appear brave, the secretary moved towards the door, banging on it and grinning in satisfaction as the girl jumped at the loud noise. Keys jangled and clanked, metal against metal as the door was unlocked.

“Up you get girl. You’ve got a visitor.” With a final warning to the Doctor about how to be careful with her she retreated all too quickly, happy to be as far from Imogen as possible.

Imogen had been sitting in the corner of the cell on a flat blanket meant to be a bed, head leant against the wall as she stared at the newcomer. Slowly raising herself up to her full height, which wasn’t very tall she took a few tentative steps forward and into the light.

There was nothing physical about her appearance that screamed monster or freak, in fact she looked perfectly normal. Aside from gaunt cheekbones from a lack of nutrition, cracked lips, and her hair being messed up a bit she looked like any other human girl. Some might even find her attractive. But there was a sense of power that radiated off of her, something dark and cold that had most running away in the opposite direction.

A hand reached over to grasp onto the forearm of her other arm, holding them before her as she met the stranger's eyes. Blue on green, Imogen was surprised that he wasn’t looking at her like everyone else she had ever met.

“Why are you here?” She didn’t ask who he was, for she figured that would come but she did want to know why someone would go out of their way to visit her. It was the first of many questions she could and would ask, but that was all in due time.

It was only the beginning.

[member="Jacob Crawford"]​

 

[Jacob Crawford]

Jacob was not impressed.

While he kept his professional facade up for the woman, buried beneath he was glaring at her. Wanting nothing more than just send her through a mental loop where her deep seeded fears came to life. But he restrained himself, focusing on keeping up the lie until he had access to the one they had locked up.

That strummed at the anger her felt. They had someone with such potential locked away, like some beast they wanted to cast aside and not look at again. Part of him wondered why they hadn't simply killed her, but the other half recognized the fact everyone feared her.

Good. That meant she had a taste of it already. Now it was a matter of showing her the benefits of that, if she wasn't already aware.

"Too far gone? Hmm, I think I'll be the judge of that." He spoke evenly, watching as the woman fumbled about with the draw. Was she fidgeting out of excitement?

Jacob's gloved hands twitched, itching just to reach out...

But instead he simply followed the woman as she led him further into the building, and down towards the cells. A lot of them were empty, or perhaps they had locked away their 'freak' as far away from the other prisoners as possible. Either way, it was clear they were eager to be rid of the girl.

He didn't even acknowledge the woman any further once she had unlocked the door, instead he looked upon Imogen. She was much shorter than him, thinner too from obvious malnutrition. That would have to be remedied soon and over time. But what interested him the most, was the power flowing from her.

Physically small, but her presence in the Force eclipsed her.

Without a hint of fear or hesitance in his step, Jacob walked into the cell and looked down at Imogen.

"I'm here to take you from this place, my name is Jacob Crawford." As he spoke, the Sith gradually let his presence in the Force slip out. Like serpents slithering out of the shadows and spreading across the room. Dark and twisted, not what Imogen was use to. But she would recognize it as familiar, he was like her.

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

Her entire life was made up of fearful glances, too-long stares, and if anyone were to approach Imogen it was shaky - like a baby taking its first steps and often ended in either them being yanked away or them back-tracking all together. Imogen soon to be put in the farthest recesses of their minds, a memory hoped to be long forgotten. That ended up not being the case for Jacob Crawford.

The man approached her as an equal and introduced himself as Jacob Crawford - a name Imogen was sure she wouldn’t forget anytime soon. What really made him stand out though was the presence that seemed to slowly slither out of him. It weaved its way towards her, winding around her ankles and crawling further up her body until it wrapped around her like a warm hug - it was odd, it was new, but somehow it was familiar.

It took her only a breaths pause to realize - he was like her. Imogen didn’t realize what exactly that meant or what it would entail, but there was something about Jacob that made her feel less of a freak, less lonely almost. If he was like her did that mean there even more out in the galaxy that were just the same?

Jacob had seemed angered, though it was obviously not directed toward Imogen. She could feel the hum of it in the air, a small vibration of sorts that had Imogen wondering if the security woman was just purposely ignoring the sensation or was just too stupid to comprehend it. Imogen was sure it was the latter.

Imogen didn’t question his motives nor did she throw herself into his arms crying out her thanks. That was far too emotional for her liking and if she were honest, she didn’t quite know how to be ‘affectionate’. It was an emotion she had never received though she had viewed it through many. Parents holding their children lovingly, couples hand in hand walking through the streets as though there wasn’t a care in the world they had. She had also seen the mess it could make of things. Fights and angry tears, voices lost on the wind as people continued to berate each other, hoping to drown the other out. It was entirely too messy, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to experience it.

Taking a few steps forward her feet padded quietly on the floor. Her shoes had been taken from her along with any other possessions she had on her when she had been brought to the security station, not that she had a lot to begin with. A nod of her head followed as she tilted her head up to keep eye contact with Jacob, words following shortly after.

“Where are we going?”

It was a loaded question, one that held many answers behind it and some she was sure she would be unable to get an answer to. A part of her mind briefly wondered if he was there to take her to a mental asylum of sorts and her thoughts on him being like her were just that - thoughts. A fleeting attempt at not feeling so different from everyone else.

[member="Jacob Crawford"] ​

 

[Jacob Crawford]

She was like an open book to him, her surface thoughts giving away to the emotions that were swirling deeper within.

Hesitation. Curiosity. Kin.

Jacob saw a blank slate..no he saw a broken slate. Torn down by the emotional and mental abuse Imogen had suffered over the years, ever since her Force potential had begun to show and everyone around shunned her away. But somewhere along the line she had picked the pieces up, reforged them the only way she could without a firm control of her abilities.

He smiled, his reasons unknown to the young woman. But it was welcoming all the same.

"Away from here, off this planet even. I'm going to take you somewhere, where I can help you." With a soft nudge of the Force, Jacob reached out and grabbed the plate on the floor, tiny scraps still littering it. It hovered over and between them. He could see Imogen's eyes glued to it, before shifting back to him.

Blue meeting green.

"There's a whole galaxy out there full of people like you and me. So come, we shall leave immediately." He turned and walked out of the cell, the plate slowly lowering to the ground even with his attention away from it. Jacob looked over at Imogen, and gestured for her to follow.

It was a sign of things to come. He would guide her, but not hold her hand.

They walked back towards the entrance, where the woman had returned too after unlocking the door.

“Ah, Doctor Crawford! I see that you have-" Any further words died on her tongue as Jacob moved aside to reveal Imogen. “Wh-what are you doing. D-don't let her anywhere near me!"

"She'll be out of your hair soon enough, but first I want the keys."

“T-the keys? Why do you want them?" Jacob turned on his heels to face Imogen.

"Stay there." He spoke with a stern tone, to the woman he was continuing the act. But in reality he was stretching across the Force, touching Imogen's mind and passing over her mental barriers. Natural walls constructed from the suffering she had endured, but entirely weak when it came to a mentalist. Jacob spoke, like a whisper as though he was right beside her. Watch and enjoy.

As Jacob turned back around, keeping his hands behind his back. He pulled his right glove off, revealing the hidden metal beneath it.

"The keys, if you would." He looked to the woman, a cold hard stare fixed solely on her. With a shaky hand, she held the set of keys up for him to take, which he did. But he then suddenly pulled her too with his right hand. A small needle piercing through her wrist as she did.

“Wha-what did you do to me...no. No! Please go away!" The woman began to scramble backwards until she hit the wall behind her, sliding down it as she began rambling incoherently. What she was seeing as her nightmares come to life, personally for only her. Jacob approached, reaching out with a lot more force as she pushed the woman's mind further along her terrors.

With that done, he threw keys over to Imogen.

"You can get whatever belongings you had, if you want."

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

Being taken off this forsaken planet had been a dream of Imogen’s since she was little. The planet was small, something she was all too familiar with; and there were only a limited amount of places she could escape to when things got rough.

To dream of it and to actually have it in front of her were two different things. Now that it was presented in front of her she didn’t quite know how to immediately react. Thoughts were swirling - running rampant through her mind at high speeds leaving her slightly dizzy from its effects.

That wasn’t to say that Imogen wasn’t going to jump at the chance to leave though. She would do whatever she needed to to ensure her getting out of there. Her thoughts were immediately interrupted when her plate that had been sitting in the corner of the room started raising and moving in between them.

Imogen was impressed. Not necessarily at the plate moving, as she had times where things moved when she thoroughly concentrated, but it stood out to her in the way that he wasn't lying. He was like her, and apparently there were countless others out in the galaxy who were the same. This was the kind of knowledge that would send the townspeople hyperventilating at the idea of there being more than just her with strange powers.

She found herself welcoming the idea. It was cruel, twisted, and dark but she found herself not caring. They didn't when it came to her and to Imogen they deserved a lot crueler punishments than what she had been dealt.

When her eyes met his, she nodded, following him out and along the damp hallway a cold chill creeping up her spine. It moved slowly, encasing every nerve until it sent shock waves through her limbs. Something was about to happen.

A matter of things happened in the next few moments. First, Jacob was addressed as ‘Doctor’ which had Imogen raising an eyebrow slightly. Second, the security guards reaction to seeing her free was priceless and had a small grin being form on her lips. Third, Jacob had done something - something Imogen wasn’t exactly sure of, but it sent the woman reeling.

It sent Imogen’s mind spinning - in all the best ways.

To see someone hold so much power over another individual was intoxicating. She barely had time to process what was going on before Jacob tossed her the keys and she took off to grab her belongings. They weren’t much - a ratty pair of shoes and a warmer shirt. Quickly throwing them on and rejoining Jacob she gave him an amused smile.

Eyes turning towards the woman on the ground before shifting back to him, “Are you really a Doctor?”

[member="Jacob Crawford"]​

 

[Jacob Crawford]

While Imogen was occupied with reacquiring her possessions, Jacob was focused on the woman, crouched down in front of her. She was now curled up against the wall, her ramblings had lessened to nothing more than frightened murmurs. Body was shaking, sweat glistening down her skin.

Hmm, interesting. Side effects of the drug's original properties?

Jacob filed that observation away for later.

Although it wasn't too surprising, these were after all a group of people that had zero knowledge of the Force, and no exposure to it. Meaning there was little in the ways of defence when it came knocking. It was no wonder they were terrified of someone who could wield it.

He watched as her eyes flickered about, looking at him but seemed to not realize he was there. Her gaze was vacant, full of fear.

“Are you really a Doctor?”

His eyes found Imogen's again, looking over to her.

"Force no, I'd make a terrible Doctor." Jacob slowly stood up to his full height, looking back over to the cowering security guard before returning to Imogen. "Just a handy facade for this occasion."

With nothing more to do there, Jacob led the way out of the building with Imogen in tow. They left through the entrance to find his speeder out there, with two men standing by it. Both were dressed in outfits commonly seen on the planet, intended to blend in for lengthy period of times.

"You two are to stay here and continue observing the populace. Document any of particular note and make preparations." Both men nodded, parting ways around Jacob and headed into the building they had just departed from. He turned to Imogen and motioned for her to get into the speeder. Once they were both settled in, Jacob kicked it into gear and drove them towards the city.

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

A ruse, something meant to deceive someone into believing one thing in order to achieve their desired results. Imogen may have been from a spec of a planet - a place no one in their right mind would want to willingly call home, but it was to her benefit in situations such as these. Having been practically forced into isolation the girl had more than enough time to watch the interactions of others, to learn little things in individuals body language that gave them away, and as such, teach herself some of the same things. Like deception.

Incredibly handy, incredibly useful - and just scored her her escape from this place, thanks to Jacob. Following him outside she had to pause, feet stumbling over each other as the bright light of the sun hit her in the face.

It was blinding and ridiculously warm, something Imogen had not felt for such a long time. She wasn’t sure how long she had been locked away below ground, she had lost count after the first three weeks but she welcomed the feeling nonetheless. Imogen’s skin was tingling from the sensation, slowly warming her ever present chill as she raised her arm up - a makeshift shield to cover her eyes until she could adjust. It took only a few moments before her eyes adjusted enough to make out the figure of Jacob heading towards a ship, two men guarding the outside.

Catching the end of the one - sided conversation, Imogen found her brows furrowing as Jacob told his men to stay behind and report back to him with any observations. It made her mind tick and whirl, questioning if he had sent men out previous that she may have seen but never took note of, that were taking note of her. It only made sense, how else would he find out about her?

Normally, she felt that information would make her reel away from anyone and everyone, distrust and horror dancing behind her eyes - yet this wasn’t the case when it came to Jacob. He had come to free her of this horrid place, told her - showed her that there were others like her and she wasn’t a freakish anomaly as she had come to think. She didn’t fully trust him yet, how could she? His overall intentions were unknown but she found herself pushing the worry to the back of her mind and following him onto the speeder.

It made a chuckle slip past her lips, her first time on a speeder and it was only after breaking out of a security station - how fitting. Taking her seat Jacob directed her towards she paused, allowing him to get things set up and ready and taking off before she spoke - voice even and full of curiosity.

“Jacob - did you…” The words fell silent on her lips, not outwardly wanting to ask if he had sent people to observe her, so she changed it up slightly. “How did you find me on such a small planet like this?”

[member="Jacob Crawford"]​

 

[Jacob Crawford]

Jacob piloted the land speeder with ease, driving across the trek of road between the town and city. It was a relatively calm day, with only the wind blowing in their faces as they zipped along. Although, Jacob watched Imogen from the corner of his eye. She was looking around, almost in a childlike curiosity at anything and everything they zipped past. He was almost tempted to purposely slow down, allow her to get a better look of things.

It made him wonder though, had Imogen been so isolated and sheltered that she had never gotten to chance to see what laid beyond the town she lived in. Everything so far had told him that the young woman had been abandoned, parents likely cast her aside soon after she had begun to show her 'freak powers'. And in some respects Jacob couldn't blame them. He could certainly imagine how terrified they were upon seeing their daughter suddenly lifting objects in the air without touching them. Temper tantrums were things were suddenly thrown around the room.

The Force was indeed a scary thing, especially when left untrained in someone like Imogen.

Eventually they reached the city itself, and with the previous train of thought still in Jacob's mind, he decided to take a more scenic route. The city here was barely anything in comparison to the ones out in the galaxy. He couldn't wait to see Imogen's reaction when she eventually saw planets like Coruscant, or Maena.

“Jacob - did you…”

"Did I what?" He asked, gaze flickering back over to the young woman. He immediately noted how she referred to him, but he made no effort to correct her nor was particularly bothered by it. Eventually she continued her sentence. "How did I find you? Well, by chance, luck or perhaps it was the Force?" Jacob chuckled lightly as he paused, catching the look Imogen had given him in response. "I have dispatched people; scouts you could say. I've been looking for certain types of people that I require...and you aren't one of them." He deliberately paused as he turned the landspeeder to a stop just outside the starport.

"You're so much more than I expected to ever find." There was a faint smile there, cloaking all the various plans he had whirling about in his mind.

He guided the way into the starport, keeping Imogen fairly close as they threaded through the crowds. He had no idea how the young woman reacted to being in such a compacted space, but he was not about to lose sight of someone as prospective as her. It took several minutes, but eventually they reached the hangar where Jacob's ship was. It was fairly sizable, a decent freighter. As they walked up to it however, Jacob suddenly turned around and blocked the way up the ramp.

"This is your last chance, Imogen. By setting foot on my ship, you will be entering my service. I will teach you what you need to know, learn what you need to harness the powers you have. But it will come at a cost, one that is unknown to even me right now." It wasn't the entire truth, he didn't know for definite what the cost would be, he had plans in mind for Imogen, to mold her into something strong and powerful, but it wasn't going to be without pain and suffering.

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

His admittance that he had been looking for certain types of people, people he required struck Imogen as odd. Even more so when he mentioned she was more than he ever expected to find. She knew she was dancing with fire, there was a darkness that seemed to just ooze from every inch of him but instead of making her want to run away and cower in fear it lured her in.

The sensation was very much a mix of what Imogen would liken to an insect crawling over your skin - uncomfortable and leaving her wanting to scratch her skin until it was bloody and raw the feeling going away as her skin grew numb, and a warm fire on a cold night.

She welcomed it, choosing to ignore the parts of her brain that warned this could be dangerous. Everything could be viewed as dangerous to her as it was her first time ‘free’ to be her own person. Imogen would have to learn in time what was good for her and what was not and make her own decisions - and right now? She chose to follow Jacob.

Keeping quiet, Imogen instead focused her energy on following him through the crowds. What could she say anyway? She could tell him he was a weirdo for having his men watch her. But that was rude and so far unjustified. That was another thing too - his men. This implied he was a man of importance, a man with power. Imogen may have been isolated and terrible with conversation, but even she knew that was a poor choice to make.

When they arrived at his ship she had to take a moment to stare at it in wonder. She had never been so close to one before and it made her feel even smaller than she already was. Her mind wondered for a moment just what it would be like to control one of those.

Her gaze shifted to Jacob, blue eyes seemingly staring into the farthest parts of his mind that they could and they screamed a thousand words.

Fear, uncertainty, but most of all determination. She was willing to do what she had to to harness her powers, to learn who she truly was and what she could become. Imogen would go under his service, whatever price she may have to pay pushed to the furthest recesses of her mind - a thought to be dabbled on later.

“I don't know who you are Jacob Crawford, not yet at least. But I can assure you there is no going back for me. You and I both know what would be my fate if I were to go back, and that seems like an awful waste of your time.”

There was no turning back for her, for turning back meant death and while the future was uncertain she knew she would handle it the best she could.

[member="Jacob Crawford"]​

 

[Jacob Crawford]

There was no denying that Jacob was pleased with the answer, although there wasn't much of a question to begin with, they both recognized that. Who would want to go back that kind of existence. Locked away, their potential chained and not allowed to flourish. That was no way to live, and anyone would've jumped at the chance to simply get away.

Whether she would stick around was another thing entirely.

It was something taking someone who already knew about the Force, luring them from the Light to the Dark. Imogen's situation was different, already steeped in Dark Side but mostly oblivious to what that was and what it meant. Jacob had his work cut out for him, who knew what the future would entail.

"Excellent," he said as a small grin appeared on his face. "Welcome aboard, Imogen."

With that, Jacob guided the young woman up the ramp and onto his ship. Immediately her eyes were going everywhere, that look of wonder returning in full force as they walked through the vessel. Perhaps if he were someone else, Jacob might've cut to the chase and took them straight to the cockpit. But someone like Imogen had to be nurtured with new information, things she had dreamed of seeing.

Not an inch of the ship was left unexplored, the engine room, storage, medical bay, dormitories, the cargo hold and so on. Each room was accompanied with questions from Imogen, ones Jacob was happy to supply.

During that time, Jacob had realized that part way through the tour Imogen had never been in a ship when it had entered hyperspace. As such, he had made it a point to make a bit of a spectacle of it. After all in this day and age, how often did you get the chance to show someone that for the first time?

"Go on, take a seat." He looked at Imogen, watching as she looked back at him with some measure of confusion. Jacob chuckled, waving a hand towards the co-pilot's seat. "Trust me, you'll want a front row seat for this."

Jacob settled himself in the pilot seat, immediately slipping into the process of getting the ship ready to go. He didn't need to glance over to Imogen to know she was watching, eyes following each switch he flicked, dial turned and button pushed. Jacob had said nothing about 'not touching anything' as he suspected his companion knew that well enough already. Instead he focused on setting things up, gradually shifting the ship out of the starport and off the planet.

That's when he did glance over, watching as Imogen's eyes were fixed on watching everything outside of the viewport in front of them. Once they were clear of the planet's atmosphere, Jacob began the hyperspace jump, plotting in the coordinates for Maena and sat back. His eyes were on Imogen, as the window before them was sharped shifted from black to a swirling blue.

"Now that just then was something called a hyperspace jump..." That was the beginning of a rather lengthy discussion, one that occupied the majority of their journey. Something the pair were going to get very use to in the coming months.

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

Imogen wasn’t expecting a tour.

Hell, she wasn’t expecting any niceties from the man.

Anything she had possibly ever read about the makeup of ships had been blown out of the water as soon as she had actually stepped inside one. Imogen felt like a child - someone who wandered along, lost and completely enchanted by all the new sights, all the new sounds.

But even the tour did little in comparison to what Imogen felt sitting in the co-pilot's seat, with a front row view. Imogen admittedly stared at Jacob with a mix of confusion and and wonder. Another nicety that she didn’t expect and yet was handed without so much as mentions of a service yet to be repaid for the action. It was unfamiliar, it was odd, but it was welcomed.

For a fleeting moment as she took a seat in the co-pilot’s chair a thought flitted past her mind - one filled to the brim with betrayal and pain. It was a dark thought, bubbling up like molten lava and slowly burning away at the farthest recesses of her mind. It was painful, and she could only hope that the thought didn’t come to fruition. Imogen hated how her mind would so easily assume the worst in situations, but it was like a bad habit she tried fruitfully to break.

Maybe in due time.

Imogen sat patiently, eyes trained on where and how he moved dials, pressed buttons, and in which order. Questions popped up in her mind that she immediately squashed. Even she with her general lack of knowledge about things such as this, knew to not touch anything or distract him when he was trying to get them set up to leave.

She continued to stay quiet as they started moving - taking in the views she almost forgot about the man she was with. Imogen couldn’t however keep herself quiet when the ship jumped into hyperspace. A mumble of ‘woah’ slipped past her lips, eyes wide in wonder, her body leant forward and momentarily she was angered Jacob hadn’t warned her about such a thing but then - no.

Imogen understood why he would keep such an incredible experience a secret. It was far more exciting - she would bet for him as well, to experience it like this and to watch how she reacted to such a thing.

Eyes lit with mirth, a mirth that hadn’t been there for many years, she turned to Jacob. Her curiosity was peaked, and she found herself launched into a back and forth question and answer with him for most of the ride, until one last question popped into her mind - just before their arrival.

“What is your home planet like?”

[member="Jacob Crawford"]​

 

[Jacob Crawford]

There was no mistaking the amusement in Jacob's eyes, glanced over to Imogen as they had jumped into hyperspace. His silence up until that point had been entirely for that reaction, but also so he could focus on getting the ship up and off the planet.

From there Imogen launched into a series of questions, each with enthusiasm that never waned for a second. Jacob couldn't help but smile, returning each question with a suitable answer that pulled from his own knowledge. It had been a long time since he had silently thanked 'Old Man Zanix' and all the various workshops he had worked in during his childhood.

The questions mainly revolved around the ship, a continuation from the tour previously. How it worked, what model was it, how did the hyperdrive function, and so on. It became apparent Imogen had read up on them in some capacity. But it was how eager she was to listen and learn that interested Jacob the most, it was a very good sign of things to come.

At one point she had asked where he had gotten the ship. Jacob had hand waved a simple 'I purchased it' answer, not particularly wanting at the moment to reveal the fact he had killed his father and took it.

“What is your home planet like?”

That made Jacob pause, immediately thinking of Nar Shaddaa. His lips thinned, brow furrowed as he was reminded of his childhood. A sense of anger began to flood out from Jacob, but he quickly pulled it back in.

"I was born on Nar Shaddaa...it's not a good place." From there he began to describe it, revealing facts here and there. Namely that it was actually one of Nal Hutta's moons, and was commonly referred to as the 'Smuggler's Moon'. The name alone being enough of an indicator of what exactly happened there, the type of people that resided and frequented there.

He was interrupted by the console before him beeping. A knowing smile spread across Jacob's face, he glanced over to see Imogen's confused expression. But he didn't answer, instead he returned his focus as the ship finally exited hyperspace. Before them was a large planet a mix of obsidian and lava.

"Welcome to Maena," he said with a warm smile on his face. Perhaps Imogen would sense it, that feeling in the back of her mind. An innate ability to sense, to feel the darkness that lingered on the planet, that it was the same type of thing she had felt from Jacob.

The ship flew towards the planet, gliding down through the atmosphere. He intentionally flew them past the various vistas; New City, the Slums, the Tower and the Unit. Jacob didn't even need to look over at Imogen to know she was watching with keen eyes. Thoughts of exploration dominating her mind as they flew past. Eventually they moved passed it, travelling across the Wastelands. Heading straight towards Jacob's home, the Asylum.

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

Nar Shaddaa - the name Imogen felt, would echo through her mind for some time to come. The way Jacob described it, left her feeling dirty - like it was a dark and dirty place that she would only ever visit to submerse herself in a completely different setting.

It was not a welcomed feeling - yet she felt drawn. A thirst for knowledge and she wanted to know more. She had seen so much already, so much that made her feel incredibly overwhelmed but in the best way. It would surely leave her feeling exhausted but for now she was going to run with it.

Her attention was drawn away from Jacob and towards the planet as they exited hyperspace. The color of the planet and the familiar feeling niggling at the back of her mind left her breathless. It felt like home.

Imogen had never felt at home at the planet Jacob had taken her from. It was cold, lonely, and severely lacking in knowledge about pretty much everything. It was a culture shock of sorts to be seeing and doing things she never dreamed of so soon.

But Maena… she could already feel a connection to the smoldering planet and wanted to explore as soon as she could.

Imogen couldn’t take her eyes off the planet as they got closer, and found herself unable to speak to Jacob - something he might just be thankful for, some peace and quiet from the girl for a moment. She took in New City, The Towers, The Slums, and the Unit. It was all so built up - so far advanced than any town she had travelled to on her home planet.

By the time the two of them reached The Asylum Imogen was practically ready to get off the ship. She waited for him to give the okay before she was out of the seat and down the ramp as soon as it touched ground.

The darkness of Maena encased her. Weaving and wrapping around her in a slow suffocation that started to weigh down on her almost instantly, the sensation of her feet sinking further into the ground as the darkness consumed her.

Turning to Jacob, her gaze lingered on him, watching him carefully she tried to assess if the same thing was happening to him but after a moment she realized it was just her. Imogen settled for the idea of her being ‘fresh meat’ - someone, something new to consume.

“This place...this planet. It feels like it’s...calling to me.”

[member="Jacob Crawford"]​

 

[Jacob Crawford]

As he finally landed the ship, Jacob looked over at Imogen to see the young woman was staring at him. Hell she was practically bouncing in her seat ready to leave. The fact she was seemingly waiting for him to give her permission, amused Jacob greatly.

With a small nod, she was gone. Jumped out of the co-pilot seat and dashing towards the ship's ramp.

Jacob was tempted to leave it, let her wait for him to catch up and lower it from that end. But he didn't, instead he activated it from the cockpit and by the time Imogen would reach that part of the ship she was able to descending it immediately.

By the time he had managed to depart, Imogen was already on the landing pad, standing there asborbing everything around her. He grinned, watching as he felt darkness swirl around her in response. Inquisitive, searching; looking for something within. Jacob joined her, stopping by her side and closing his eyes.

He could feel how the darkness was moving around Imogen, like a predator circling a fresh piece of meat. It wanted to test her, provoke her, see what made her tick and what she would do. Amongst all of that Jacob felt it pulling against him; towards her, one already molded by it pushed to continue that trend.

Jacob opened his eyes again, and he looked over to see Imogen was staring at him, searching for something. She wouldn't find a similiar feeling in him, as he had already been taken and absorbed into the darkness.

Wrapped in its chrysalis and reborn a new person.

"Good." He said, listening to Imogen's words. "Let it, take it. It will help forge you into the person you are meant to be." Someone he would help guide along to the path for as long as he could, before he cast her into the abyss and watched to see what would climb back out.

Jacob led the way, walking along the lengthy walkway towards the two doors. They swung open in their wake, allowing the pair to enter without a hitch in their stride. Before them was the reception desk, a rather plain looking protocol droid seated behind it.

"Welcome home, Master Crawford!" He spoke in a rather chipper tone, looking to the man in question before his optics shifted over to Imogen. "Oh, who is this?"

"Activate visual recognition programming. Submit new entry to database; name, Imogen Daniels." Jacob didn't miss a beat, and he stepped aside to allow the droid to scan Imogen. The droid's body suddenly went rigid as it stared at her, but it didn't take long before it was finished.

"Entry recorded." The droid seemed to spring back to life, and if he had a capability of smiling, he probably would've been. "Greetings, Miss Daniels! Welcome to the Asylum."

Jacob felt the pang of concern coming from Imogen, one of her previous worries bubbling to the surface. He reached out with the Force to calm her; appease the fact that no, he hadn't brought her to a mental asylum. At least not with the intent of throwing her into one of the cells below. After that, he guided her further into the building, to the right and through the doorway into the entry hall.

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

It continued to encase her, even as Jacob spoke to her - though her defences eventually crept down just enough to let it continue it’s climb up, ever consuming her. It continued even after he lead the way towards his home.

The Asylum was huge, leaving Imogen feeling like nothing more than a grain of sand in comparison - this feeling only increased as they walked inside.

Her attention was immediately drawn to the droid sitting behind the desk. It was her first time seeing one up close - she felt meeting Jacob would lead her to many firsts to come - and she was mesmerized by the plain droid. She offered the droid a smile with a polite hello after he input her into the system though she went rigid when this place they were in, that Jacob brought her to was so aptly named ‘The Asylum’.

Imogen was taken back instantly, to her rescue. How he was referred to as Doctor Crawford, how he had told her he wasn’t - how it was all just a colorful ruse to be able to get her out. She wasn’t so sure anymore. It was like a chill settling deep into her bones and she felt fear. A true fear that triumphed over every other time she ever felt that emotion. She stumbled a few feet away from him, staring at him in a mix of disbelief and horror.

Had he lied to her to lure her here? Only to plan on locking her away like the freak she was? Jacob had mentioned that he was looking for specific people, and that she had blown away every expectation he had of what he was looking for.

Imogen’s thoughts were flying a mile a minute, bouncing between calculating Jacob’s moves and intentions, and if that droid that had caught her attention, that had recorded her into their system was a sure fire way of always being able to find her. She realized Jacob had begun walking away and with a quick stutter of his name she followed him - no longer looking forward to experiencing new things, but instead looking for answers.

“The Asylum? Jacob... I thought you said you weren’t a doctor..”

[member="Jacob Crawford"]​

 

[Jacob Crawford]

Jacob had felt it, like a nudge in the back of his mind. He could feel the sudden shift in Imogen's emotions as she tried to catch up with him, words slipping from her lips in a stutter. Initially he didn't respond, but when he felt that nagging feeling in his mind throb, he turned around to face her.

Suspicion. Doubt. Fear.

In that moment, Jacob figured he could just sense her emotions because Imogen wasn't trained, didn't know how to conceal them through the Force.

But it never crossed his mind that something deeper had started to form, even if it was the slightest of sparks at that point.

"I'm not a doctor, Imogen." She wasn't convinced, not with the look she was still giving him. "I'm not. It was a facade back on that planet, and it still is now." There was sincerity in his words, with a dash of frustration mixed on. Jacob cursed to himself, realizing he should've mentioned where exactly they would be going during their journey to Maena. And yet he hadn't, instead he had gotten so easily caught up in just answer all of Imogen's questions that he hadn't even thought about it. Now they were in this situation...

He sighed.

"Yes, this place is called The Asylum because beneath our feet there is an entire level dedicated to housing the clinically insane." He spoke matter of fact, but his expression softened as he looked at Imogen. "This is not why I brought you here, far from it. You're not a freak Imogen, what you have; what you're capable of wielding is called the Force. It's...a very encompassing subject matter to talk about, one I do fully intend on teaching you on."

Jacob took a step towards the right side of the entrance hall, where the single elevator was. Then he turned back around, holding out a hand for her to take.

"Trust me, Imogen. I haven't just brought you here to lock you away in a padded room." The cost that Jacob had mentioned before lingered unspoken in the air. But it was clear that whatever it would be, it wouldn't involve the young woman being thrown into another cell.

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

She understood his frustration - it was clear as day. Jacob had spent a large portion of his time searching for Imogen, taking her away from her previous home and bringing her here, bringing her to Maena only to feel like he was taking a few steps back as soon as she learned what this place was.

While he was frustrated something tinkered in the back of Imogen’s mind that he understood where she was coming from. It was a frightening new experience and she had to place a lot of her trust into someone she had only just met. A difficult task added more so to having stopped placing her trust in people a long time ago.

Imogen didn’t want to make mistakes this early on, and this was why she was hesitant towards him even just slightly. It would have been foolish of her to throw herself into this situation without looking for any red flags, keeping an eye out for them but she knew they had to work together to achieve whatever goals either of them had.

For her, it was first and foremost to learn as much as she could about the power that stirred within her. For that to happen, she had to follow Jacob - she had to trust him.

It helped that his expression was softened when speaking to her about what resided just under their feet,and with his words and a little bit of trust placed into him on her part - her hand slipped into his. Walking into the elevator Imogen felt her heart rate increase just a bit. Her fingers curled around Jacob’s - something that had completely slipped her mind until just then. Quickly releasing his hand she gave him a sheepish smile.

“I’m sorry - I didn’t even realize.”
While still slightly apprehensive, Imogen couldn’t stop herself from asking yet another question, her curiosity peaked fully.

“How long have you been here Jacob?”

[member="Jacob Crawford"]​

 

[Jacob Crawford]

It had been a motion of trust, Jacob holding his hand out to Imogen. How she reacted would determine what he would do from that point on, but it seemed the both of them were on the same level of understanding. He recognized why she was showing hesitance and distrust, and she understood the frustration in his voice.

She trusted him, but at the same time remained wary. Something Jacob could not fault her on, as he'd be precisely the same if the roles were reversed.

But it will certainly make things interesting in the near future, for the both of them.

As they stepped into the elevator, Jacob hadn't expected to feel Imogen's fingers wrap around his hand. He glanced over in that moment and saw she hadn't realized it at first. Then a second later she did and Imogen quickly retracted her hand. Jacob chuckled, a raised eyebrow aimed towards her in clear amusement over her reaction.

"Come, let me give you tour around the upper levels." With that, he pressed the button second from the top and the elevator rumbled to life.

“How long have you been here Jacob?”

That was a very good question, one he had to think on for a moment. It had seemingly flown past him to quickly that Jacob couldn't really keep track of just how long it had been since he had first landed on Maena.

"I think it's been over a year at least? Honestly I don't think I can quite but an accurate number to it." The construction of the Asylum had taken a number of months alone, but that had been started not long after he had became Matsu's apprentice. After a few minutes the elevator finally stopped moving and the door slid open. Jacob stepped out, leading the way down a short hallway. At either side were a couple doors, presumably leading to other rooms. But their destination was the one at the far end.

As Jacob moved towards the door, it slid open in his wake and allowed the duo to enter his personal quarters. It was a sizable room, to the right was a set of doors that led to the balcony and to the left was a large bed. Between the two was plenty of open space, some of it occupied with the usual stuff. A wardrobe, side tables, a smaller desk and so on. It was decorated in a mix dark auburn and dark brown. Finely decorated with wealth, but favoured comfort over pointless shows of luxury.

"These are my quarters, if I'm not found anywhere else in the Asylum then I'll likely be up here. Or more specifically, in this room..." He walked over to a side door, that led into his office. It was roughly about half the size, contained a similar theme but had a large desk in the centre with several bookshelves and the like lining the walls. He let Imogen look around a bit, watching as her attention focused on the books more than anything else. Jacob smirked, seeing a glimpse of what the young woman's reaction was going to be when she saw the library.

With a motion of his hand, Jacob led them back out of his quarters. They trekked down the hallway again, but stopped at one of the the side doors.

"And this is where you'll be staying, this'll be your room." Jacob hadn't initially planned to have Imogen stay up here, especially given the fact these were usually reserved for guests and friends that were staying a night. But again, he wasn't about to throw her in a cell down below. She was much more than just a potential subject now, she was someone he could teach.

"Go on, have a look inside. We'll continue the tour afterwards."

[member="Imogen Daniels"]​

 

[Imogen Daniels]

It was fairly obvious from the outside that the Asylum was massive. Imogen had previously only been able to guess just how wide it actually expanded on the inside. She had never been in a place such as this, nor a place as big as this and as soon as she was in the entrance hall she knew no matter what her mind could conjure up - it would pale in comparison to the Asylum itself.

Imogen listened to his story - rather short but then again her question wasn’t very provoking either. She was surprised Jacob had only been living inside of the Asylum for a little over a year however. A part of her brain had imagined him living there for no less than five years and she didn’t have an exact reason as to why she thought that.

She followed him to the first door he went to, steps light against the floor and she reckoned she was more so careful in her steps as she didn’t know exactly where they were going first.

Imogen had learned over time to expect the unexpected, and because of the way she had grown up she had a hard time going into any situation without a little bit of distrust. So she was constantly on her toes, ready to react in a situation that called for fast timing.

Her nerves settled down however, when the door was opened - only to reveal a bedroom, his bedroom.

It was without a doubt, the biggest bedroom Imogen had ever seen - which wasn’t much to compare to as her only comparisons were a cell and the hole in the wall place she could afford back home. Wide eyes looked over the entire room, taking in every detail she possibly could, eyes glancing over towards the balcony more than once.

Speechless, she nodded her head in Jacob’s direction, taking a tentative step into his quarters but not moving any further in. It felt like a breech of his privacy, so she stood just a few inches in his room, eyes watching carefully as he showed her his office. After he noticed her hesitance Jacob chuckled, motioning her forward and so she did as he asked. Walking slowly she entered his office, curious eyes glancing around until they landed on the bookcase.

Like metal to a magnet she was immediately drawn towards it, fingers dancing along the spines of the books as she took in each title. Imogen couldn’t help the question that came out next. “Can - can I read these at some point?”

A bright smile took over her features when he nodded, and she felt a strange sense of calm wash over her in that moment. Imogen had to give it to Jacob, he had been thus far more accommodating than she would have ever hoped for.

They continued the tour shortly after - though she wasn’t expecting to stop so soon. To say she had been surprised when he offered her a room to stay was an understatement. She let out a noise of surprise - eyes wide and turning towards him.

“What? This is mine? No… Jacob I couldn’t possibly… this is wow”.

Speechless she opened the door and walked into the room, eyes raking over the space in detail - even more than when she was taking in Jacob’s quarters. Imogen couldn’t quite believe this was ‘hers’. The furnishings weren’t as extravagant as Jacob’s own, the room filled with matching pieces, mahogany wood making up the bed frame, dressers, and desk. The sheets on the bed were a maroon, complementing the wood perfectly. In time, Imogen could see her adding more decorations, giving the room a more lived in feel, but it was absolutely perfect regardless.

Were they closer friends she may have hugged him in that moment, an overwhelming rush of emotions taking over her. Instead she met his eyes with the blues of her own. They were incredibly easy to read in that moment. She was thankful - not just for the room, but for taking her away from her old life, allowing her to start new.

“Thank you Jacob… I can’t begin to express enough how much this all means. Whatever I can do to repay you, I’ll do it.”

[member="Jacob Crawford"]​