A Hot Night In The Library (Phylis/Josh)

[Josh Dragovalor]

Well, that'd been..... Interesting.

Of course, he was referring to earlier in the day, thinking back to Selena randomly inviting the Council to a night to relax in the hot tub she'd found. Normally, it wasn't his thing, but after Ossus, and Korriban coming soon, Josh would have been stupid to reject a ways to relax and heal the sores all over his body from being mauled with a full tree by Krag. His pride had to be pushed aside if he was going to preserve himself, so he'd accepted. Of course, he hadn't counted on Selena and Iella being naked, nor did he count on Selena most likely scarring him for life by accidentally... Well, he hoped it was accidentally... Shoving her bare posterior, or as Josh and Diana affectionately nicknamed it, the Grandbooty, dead in his face. Not exactly what he'd woken up that morning planning on happening. And then of course, Carn came along, and was a spoiled sport, and Phyllis had enough and left... The latter to which Josh felt bad about, as well as admittedly disappointed as Phyllis was one of the people who he had been hoping to perhaps get to know during that bit of off time, but some things just aren't meant to happen it seems.

Regardless, after their little hot tub party had ended, Josh had taken to the archives to do a bit of light reading. He was sitting cross legged in the reading area, studying a holocron describing the conditions and terrain of Korriban, where they would be deployed to in just a matter of days. Once again, Josh was preparing for war in a way that people might not expect.

Something that piqued his curiousity were the files hinting on the graves of dead Sith Lords on Korriban having sources of force power still lurking within them.... Could they be harnessed by the Sith in the coming battle? He'd have to delve further into the subject... Surprisingly, Josh was an unlikely bookworm, something he didn't usually show with the other Jedi, since in most cases he did his studying at home. For now though, he couldn't bring himself to study at home. He spent as little time as he could there, too many memories of Saoirse. He knew it would pass in time, but for now, this was how he was going to heal.

 

[Phylis Alince]

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]
This writer, and others, have noted the name sounds suspiciously like certain non-PG-13 films which showed up on the holonet. Of course Phylis knew nothing of these.

Regardless, the Library and archives were the domain of Phylis Alince.
"Padawan Baegi, what have I told you about marking books?"
"It's only pencil, Master!" the luckless Padawan said.
"Only pencil?! Erase it this moment and report later for restacking duties. Only pencil indeed, hmmph!"

Her tour of the archives took her past where Joshua was sitting. She approached. "Ah, Master Dragonsflame, I see the Council's Bathroom session is over?" she asked. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

@[member="Phylis Alince"]
The writer has edited the name to embrace it's non-PG-ness. Of course, Josh didn't know anything about this sort of thing, which might explain why the ass of a 30 year old grumpy grandmaster inches from his face mortified him.

Josh didn't know much about Phyllis, or her obsession with the library, but regardless he was pleasantly surprised when the Jedi Master made her way over to him.

A friendly smile crossed his face as he put the holocron down, getting to his feet to look Phyllis in the eyes, a courtesy, as he spoke.

"The session may be over, but the memories will forever be etched in my dreams" he joked, shuddering a bit. "But... Honestly?" he began. "I could use a little help, actually, if you are able to spare the time, Master Alince" he responded politely.

"You see... I've been doing some studying of Korriban, since my experience with the planet is incredibly minimal. But what I've been reading has made hints of the statues that lie inside the tombs of long dead Sith Lords, powerful ones, such as Marco Ragnos, may I add, holding some sort of untapped dark side power that could be extracted. Do you know of any holocrons or files in the archives that might have anything to do with the graves of said Sith Lords, or maybe even something that might provide a little more insight on the matter? It seems like a tall tale, to be frank. But Korriban has always been shrouded in mystery. It is so synonymous with the Sith and it's teachings, it's culture, it's history.... That I'm almost inclined to believe that remnants of these Sith Lords may still hold presence in the Force in their burial place. The reason it drives concern is, obviously, because we're set to invade Korriban in a matter of days. Any possible advantage or weapon that the Sith may have at their disposal to take the advantage should be investigated and neutralized as soon as possible, if at all possible. I'd just like to see if there's any information on that, so I may be able to make it a priority should I get the chance when we invade" he explained, taking a breath as he leaned against a pillar, his eyes never leaving hers as he finished speaking.

 

[Phylis Alince]

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]
Whilst Phylis was not a radical femnazi like the Eldorai were, she did have something of a distorted picture of most men when it came to these matters. "I am sure they will be pleasant dreams for you," she said sourly.

But then there was actual work to do. And, because Phylis liked nothing more than to give a lecture, she duly gave one!
"Hmmph, well, I think you have been watching too many holodramas such as 'Corellia Jonas and the Lost Sith', but there is a grain of truth in what you say. The Force presence of one exceptionally strong in it does not necessarily dissipate when they die, especially Sith. Objects and especially the bodies of those individuals can become beacons of the Dark Side of the Force. This power can last for centuries or millennia even. Korriban is already strong in the Dark Side, and these tombs are indeed deeply tainted by the Dark Side. However, the known tombs on Korriban were robbed and emptied before even the Jedi Civil War. Five thousand years on there's little chance that anything remains to power this. Korriban is a challenging environment to be on for a Jedi, but the tombs themselves have little power anymore. Unless you were to uncover an unspoilt tomb you have little chance of finding such energy. You should beware more the corrupting influence of Korriban itself. However, I do have some texts to read, texts from before the Dark Ages which detail exactly the tombs and their known conditions."

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He raised an eyebrow at her response, a bit hurt by her tone, but it wasn't like he wasn't used to being judged before people got to know him. "Oh I'm sure" he said, shaking his head with a slight chuckle. "I'm sure I'll have pleasant dreams after that little mini heart attack" he joked with a slight smile.

He listened to her large lecture, bobbing and nodding his head along the way in understanding. He figured as much, really. It would be daft to think that if such a thing existed, the Sith wouldn't have found it by now.

"You have a point" he said, nodding in agreement. "I'll take a look at those texts if you can find them though. Might as well do a bit of research just in case. Never know when it might do me some good" he said with a chuckle. "Jedi never stop learning after all. Even after hitting the rank of Master..... We continue to learn, while also continuing to teach. There's no real ceiling for us. And we'll continue to learn until we pass on from this world, into the force"

"But alas...." he began. "Thank you, Master Alince, I appreciate it. You know... Why haven't we really spoken in the past?" he asked curiously. "The only time I've seen you aside from meetings was that whole Tracyn thing, when I watched you get hugged near to death" he said. "Actually, when we got tasked for that, Kiskla and I had arranged a little prep meeting at the local diner to discuss the thing with Tracyn, get a bit of insight on all fronts, and plan things out. We couldn't find you though, you'd disappeared completely and nobody knew where you were, so we just went ourselves" he explained.

"Ah.... Tracyn" he said, biting his lip a bit. "It's a shame how that turned out. I really thought we could save him. I believed in the fact that we could, but.... I suppose his turn to the dark side was inevitable. I just wish we could have done more, somehow"

@[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

“Nothing is inevitable, Joshua. However…Tracyn’s nature meant that the poison merely seemed to accentuate a problem rather than create it. I’m sorry about him, but I fear it was not unexpected to me.”
“Well, I tend to avoid social gatherings. I’m always been a little…uneasy…around a lot of people,” she admitted. “I prefer to stay here with my studies, because as you say, a Jedi’s learning is never complete. But if you ever need to find me, come to here. If I am out on a dig, like I was that time, the junior archivists will know where I am.”
“As for the texts, I’ll take you down there and show you. It’s in the restricted area of course, but that shouldn’t be an issue since we’re both on the Council. Come this way, Master DragonsFlame. I trust you’ve been down in the vaults before?”

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

(Kark, looks like my reply got bamboozle-ated. Looks like I gotta make a new one)

He sighed at her reaction to Tracyn, but nodded in agreement. "I agree.... It was inevitable" he said. "Probably one of the hardest things about being a Jedi, is seeing your closest friends in the Order turn to the dark side. It leaves you feeling almost powerless. It leaves a hole in your very core that never heals. Maybe that's why the order of old practiced not feeling attachments, it's a strength at times, but a weakness in others. It has brought me success many a time, but there have been a few instances where it has caused me a great deal of pain. Losing Saoirse and my child, along with my reaction and the aftermath would serve as a shining example as to how it can serve as a weakness" he said calmly, shaking his head. "As for Tracyn... There is nothing we can do for him now. This is a path he walks alone. I just hope he eventually takes the right one"

He smirked a bit at her quipp about social gatherings. "Well, remind me to cross taking you out to dinner off my list" the Jedi Master joked, a slight smile crossing his face. "Kind of a shame, not being able to take a beautiful woman out to dinner, but... I'll live" he cracked, laughing slightly.

He nodded as she led the way toward the texts. "I have, from time to time" he admitted, turning his head to look at her. "Usually for the sake of getting information on people, such as Sith, or someone I plan to encounter if their information is there. Most recently, I came here looking for information on a Sith Knight. That Sith Knight, I would then proceed to capture on Korriban. The farthest and most restricted reaches of them though... Admittedly, I have not. I haven't had a reason to, as of yet" he admitted.

@[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]
Phylis herself continued to practice the habit of not having attachments. Not of that sort anyway! However her reasons were not as easily and immediately apparent. Certainly some of it was based on her reverence for the Old Republic, but some of it was also personal preference.
She didn’t really know what to say in reaction to his words. Should she express regret for his loss or not? It was always so complicated.
“I…it is certainly a difficulty,” she said lamely. “I have always tried to not let such dependencies distract me.” Was that bad taste?
“Tracyn will turn up again and many of our more militant brethren would likely want to see him destroyed. We shall see.”

She flushed slightly at his words. “I don’t think it would be appropriate,” she managed to say, coughing slightly to cover her embarrassment.

Now she could cover a topic she knew well and didn’t have all sorts of emotional landmines included.
“Knowledge is power, Joshua, and like all power, if there are no limits on it then it will corrupt. The deepest vaults of the Archives are dangerous place not just because of the Dark Side objects there. In many ways those are less dangerous than the perfectly mundane datapads, scrolls and tablets there. Still, I will show you down there if you wish, but you must follow my orders exactly.”

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He nodded a bit. "Tracyn is a destructive sort. I have no doubt in my mind that he will return, in order to wreck havoc in his wake. That has always been how Tracyn operates, and now it is against us"

It pained him to say that. But it was true, and all they could do was prepare for him.

He understood what she was saying about attachments though. Everyone had a different interpretation of how emotions and attachments should be handled, especially in the Jedi. Phylis was just... One of those people. But at least she wasn't as bad as the Scissors Sisters, so that was a relief at least. Josh didn't think he could take another super cold fish Jedi Master on the Council. It was as if they were half run by droids.

He smirked a bit at her embarrassed reaction to his joke. While amusing, he respected her wishes. "Maybe I'll just take Kiskla or Rianna out instead" he joked, grinning slightly.

She seemed more comfortable as she went into bookworm mode though, and he listened carefully, nodding along.

"I understand" the Jedi Master said calmly. "I'll trust you on this and follow what you have to say then" he said. Cripes, how far in the archives did she plan on taking him? If he didn't know any better, he'd think she was trying to bring him somewhere sealed off to be alone.

@[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

“I think Kiskla or Rianna might appreciate it more, though I wouldn’t mind seeing you more for business if you need it,” Phylis said with a shy smile. Her colour was rising again, even if she wasn’t quite sure why.

Unexpectedly she had a bit of a spark in her. “Hmmph, well you’ll be the first. Whenever people come down here it’s always ‘can I touch this?’ or ‘why is this here?’. They’re down there for good reasons, and you may not touch them.” She gave Joshua a stern look before leading him into the library.

The thought of trapping them both in the archives for shenanigans was something that honestly would never cross her mind. The awkwardness would probably break reality.

As for attachments and emotions, it wasn’t that Phylis was incapable of feeling them, it was that she was incapable of expressing them correctly. She felt like an outsider looking in at a whole, intricate dance she didn’t understand.
She could agree though that the blade sisters were about as emotive as bricks with lightsabres though.

As they headed deep into the library the crowds vanished and they came to a large door. There was no key, but Phylis moved her hands in a complicated pattern so small pieces of metal moved. The door opened.

“These are the archives, but even Jedi Knights are allowed here. These are merely old and delicate works, or mundane items we do not want to be seen. The really dangerous items are down here….”

There was a vault door before them, massive and imposing. It looked forbidding.
“Whatever you do, Master DragonsFlame, keep focused and do not believe anything you see down here without thinking it through. Focus on the Force, and the Light.”

With that grim warning, she began to open the vault….

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

That first comment was.... Unexpected. His eyes darted to meet hers the second she said it. He noticed the color in her cheeks, and tilted his head. But quickly, he smiled. It was good to have at least one of them keep composure in a situation like that. "I think that could be arranged, whenever I might need a bit of help on business" he responded, trying to reassure her or at least relax her with a smile. He hadn't expected blush from Phylis of all people, but at least she wasn't a Scissors Sister Droid.

He smirked at her next statement. He pointed at her shoulder. "Can I touch this?" he joked, grinning. "Only kidding, Master Alince. I'm sure physical contact between two beings is beyond you" he joked.

Josh would never consider being trapped in the archives with Phylis for shenanigans, and if Phylis was ever intoxicated enough for it to happen, Josh would spend the hour dealing the DragonsFlame Headbutt Of Chastity... Unless he was intoxicated himself in which he would probably try and break something down to get out. With his head.

He watched as the crowds vanished around them. They were truly alone now, in the archives. Deep inside.

Sith spit that sounded dirty.

He watched as Phylis did her hocus pocus with interest toward the door.

“These are the archives, but even Jedi Knights are allowed here. These are merely old and delicate works, or mundane items we do not want to be seen. The really dangerous items are down here… she had said. He nodded in understanding, letting Phylis have her roll.


There was a vault door before them, massive and imposing. It looked forbidding.
“Whatever you do, Master DragonsFlame, keep focused and do not believe anything you see down here without thinking it through. Focus on the Force, and the Light.”

"Yes, Phylly dear" he said with a fake salute. He took a breath and watched as the vault began to open....

@[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

“Phylly dear?!” she said, scowling. “If you cannot be proper I will treat you like a misbehaving Padawan. I am Master Alince until you can be sensible,” she said sternly.

“Hmmph, physical contact is not the problem. It’s what happens afterwards!” she said, somewhat surprisingly, most likely. She did not elaborate, possibly for the best.

“Anyway, down we go. Hmm, keep yourself ready.”

The door opened. Locks like a canal network slid back and the door opened. Immediately the room felt warmer, somehow greasy with the sense of contained Force energy. Inside the vault the feeling of oppression and containment was stronger. Despite the bright lights it seemed somehow dim and gloomy.

Rack upon rack of small sealed alcoves lifted fifteen feet into the air and lay a dozen shelves deep.
Phylis consulted a datapad, and then led Joshua down a row.

Something odd was happening. The ground seemed to become softer, wanting to suck them in like quicksand.

“Resist it. It’s an illusion,” Phylis told him, holding up her hand to resist the intrusion.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Master Alince, it was a jest" he said calmly, his demeanor changing back to a serious one. He sighed and shook his head. Cripes, was every Jedi on this council cold and stingy? Well, except maybe Rianna, and Kiskla on a good day. At least they had a sense of humor.

“Hmmph, physical contact is not the problem. It’s what happens afterwards!” she had said. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" he responded, shaking his head. Was she loopy or paranoid?

He took a breath and prepared for the worst as it opened. As he walked with her, he felt like he was being sucked into the quicksand below...

“Resist it. It’s an illusion,” Phylis told him, holding up her hand to resist the intrusion. Josh reacted quickly, holding up his hands and doing his best to resist. He'd dealt with illusions before, but he doubted this would be a cakewalk.

@[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

Phylis gave him a little wink back when he had asked what she meant. “Oh, you know, marriage, children, not easy to pay for on a Jedi’s salary, considering we don’t get paid. Well, except in the love and respect of the Republic’s citizenry,” she joked.

Now down in the vault she combined with Joshua and managed to stave off the intrusion. Soon the floor was just permacrete again.
“The locations of the tombs was mapped in a Sith holocron created during the return of the Exiled Empire during the Cold War. But, as you can imagine, such a holocron is dangerous.”

They came to a locked alcove. The Dark Side was thick about the door despite the protective lining of lead.
“Ready?”

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He laughed a bit. "It's why I have investments in certain businesses and properties. It actually happened by accident, but it's kept me nicely supported financially, which is good because since I'm a guy who's already had a pregnant girlfriend, I'll probably NEED those finances eventually" he said. Half joking, but he was serious all the same. He was a relationships kind of guy, but he wasn't going in unprepared. Actually, he was probably one of the few Jedi who WANTED to be a family man, despite his status.

Down in the vault, they managed to stave off the illusions, causing the floor to return to normal.

"Cripes" the Jedi Master said, shaking the cobwebs from his head. "All of this for a couple of texts? This is insane"

Regardless, the dark side was everywhere as they came to a locked door. How far was Phylis willing to go to get them alone where nobody would find them?

"Let's do it" the Jedi Master said, taking a breath, not realizing that the aforementioned saying could go well as an innuendo to go with the crossed out text, but who reads the crossed out stuff?

@[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]
Phylis made no comment about the pregnant girlfriend, the investments, the money power. Other Jedi did things differently, there was nothing wrong with that.
"Insane? You know the power of the Force well. That power can be infused into items. If the power so infused is of the Dark Side...I think you can see how it is a problem and a concern."
Again she moved her hands in a complicated pattern, calling on the Force to move parts of the door, which acted as a lock.

Inside was a triangle of black metal set with eerily glowing blue crystals. Phylis put on some thick gloves and retrieved the holocron, taking it to a small stone plinth and setting it down.
"This is the holocron of a Sith Lord known as...Darth Shadow. Unfortunately he's still around, all this time later. However, this is our best lead."

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He nodded a bit, not commenting just yet. Just watching. It concerned him that so much dark power was stored in the Jedi Temple of all things. It had potential to cause trouble, and endanger the lives of the Jedi inside. But it hadn't killed them yet, perhaps they had a good way to contain them.

.... Who was "they"? Wasn't he one of "them" now? Sith spit, his head hurt.

He watched as she took out the holocron, and nodded as she set it down.

"Darth Shadow... Where have I heard that name before..." he muttered.... "What an original name....."

He looked from her, to the holocron. "Is it safe?"

@[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

Phylis raised an eyebrow. "Unoriginal it might be, but he's had it for nearly 5,000 years. I suppose that is partly allowed. Besides, most of the other Darth names are hardly original, though they often cloak that simplicity with dead languages and judicious spelling changes. Is Darth Keraunos a better name because it's in a foreign tongue? How original is Darth Thunderbolt, which is the translation?"
Her partly 4th wall breaking commentary on Sith titles complete, Phylis moved to the holocron.

"It is safe so long as you do not underestimate it. Part of the Sith Lord's spirit is contained within, so be wary of deception."
Phylis gestured and the holocron lit up. A shadowy figure of an old man appeared, looking at the pair of them in silence.
"Ask your questions, Joshua."

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He shrugs. "Well, we didn't wage war on the Sith because they were vastly intelligent" he snarked, sighing a bit.

He watched the holocron curiously. He didn't know if this was safe... If they should be doing this.... All of this, for a bit of information? What else could this hellhole of a place wage on them?

He watched as the shadowy figure appeared... And he took a breath.

"Has there ever been power stored within the tombs of old Sith Lords on Korriban, and if so, have they been sapped already? If so, how long ago? Are there any left that still have vast amounts of force power in them?"

He asked them confidently. Even with a holocron, he would not show nerves or weakness.

@[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

The holocron looked between the two of them, seemingly possessing a bit of its owner's haughty demeanour.
"The Jedi activate me after all this time to ask me this? And you boy, you weave around the direct question like Rodian. Your words are all based on a fallacy. The power of the Dark Side is not something you put in a bottle for storage like it was water. It is something you infuse into an item, and it forever becomes ingrained with the Dark Side. Surely the Jedi do not need to tell them this?" he sniffed condescendingly.
"Behave, or I will alter your programming again," Phylis warned.
"Oh, it's you. She is not content with stealing my possessions, she feels she must scold me like a school mistress. Well I was a Lord of the Sith millennia before you were born, and I will not be commanded by...."
Phylis turned the holocron mid-rant. "Even in this form he's a pain in the ass," she muttered.