Private A Matter of Perspective

[AMCO]

It came as no surprise that Amani did not know the details of what had happened there, and truthfully neither did he. It took place before his time, after all. Perhaps the Jedi had truly been ignorant of the local situation, perhaps they had even been foolish enough to believe that the Light in its truest, most destructive form could still be wielded as one would a scalpel.

It seemed just like them to harbour such misimpressions, after all.

"Indeed. Should be in the Silver Jedi archives as well, though obviously accounts based on warfare tend to vary drastically."

Though he focused his attention on the nascent limb to give her some time to think, it was not long before she had questions pertaining to that too; good, he had always had a fondness for those with a thirst for knowledge. "Laying the foundation for the entire project; I am shaping the very bone into a conduit of sorts, it should be well-suited for raw power, leaving the finer details to the flesh around it."

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

AMCO​

Amani furrowed her brow and shrugged her shoulders in resignation, “Yeah, I guess so…” Warfare wasn’t exactly her specialty to begin with, though violence in general seemed to be a reoccurring theme as of late. It never made much sense to the young padawan, and she held no fondness for it. The latest revelation regarding Mirial was more than enough to kill her mood for that particular subject for the time being.

The arm, however, was coming along quite nicely. She assumed, at least.

“So, you said there would be no attachment to the Dark with this. But, you have to use the Dark to create it in the first place, don’t you?” Amani’s monochrome view of the Force still lingered on the subject. “Or even if it was wholly centered on Light, could it still be used to manipulate the Dark Side?” Her voice trailed off, another glint of curiosity not particularly well hidden.

 

[AMCO]

Letting the matter of Mirial rest, he was happy to see her focus return to the arm slowly forming within the transparent walls of his ludicrously expensive custom-made bioprinter. A bit unusual for a Sith, perhaps, but he had never much liked being the bearer of bad news.

"That's just the thing - to reduce the Force to just the Light and the Dark and their constant struggle is a gross oversimplification. Regardless of what you believe as to its nature, there will always be grey areas, plentiful grey areas." Nodding towards the limb, his voice was eagre. "Think of what I am doing as shaping a tool with a tool, I am not imbuing it with the Dark, per se, but rather shaping it with it. An important difference."

Flashing her a brilliant smile, he nodded along.

"Aha, now that's an interesting one - it's likely to vary significantly from item to item, but it's certainly not uncommon." Most Sith Talismans, for example, could be used by Jedi fairly easily. It was one of the reason the Order had developed Talismans of Ensnarement. "I don't have as much experience with items crafted by Lightsiders, for obvious reasons, but most of mine could be used by a Jedi, though most would avoid it anyway."

Thus why he was making such an effort to squash even the faintest hint of the Dark Side's "corruption" within her new arm.

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

AMCO​

Amani had heard similar things before, about the shades of gray between both aspects of the Force. From an old Jedi mentor of hers no less. At the time she was too young and naive to comprehend it in full, though the same could still be argued now. Still, the repetition of said philosophy by both a Jedi and Sith now struck her attention.

“I’ve always looked at them as mutually exclusive. It just makes sense, you can’t be light and dark. They’re opposites.” The padawan shrugged, “Though I guess that makes my situation a bit… complicated.” Events on Yurb and Yavin had proved she wasn’t exactly one side or the other.

“That… makes sense.” She shrugged. Adrian’s explanation of the dark side as a tool was reasonable enough at least, even if it didn’t solve her deeper moral quandaries.

“Okay. So, if I did use the dark side. Hypothetically. It wouldn’t backfire or anything? I know the arm's main focus is for healing-- Is there such a thing as dark side healing?” Amani’s interest was a bit too palpable. Good intentions mingling with her growing curiosity for the dark side’s applications.

 

[AMCO]

She was more experienced in the ways of the Dark Side as he had initially assumed, it seemed. Had tasted its lure once or twice, if he was to guess, most likely in a stressful situation, when survival or success seemed more important than unyielding codes and the advice of distant Masters.

It went a long way to explaining the fertile soil his suggestions had found in her, for few Jedi would be so trusting of one such as he.

"Quite. I have never been able to touch the Light myself, but then it's always been more elusive than the swift power of the Dark." Smiling innocently, his follow-up a bit unusual for a Sith. "Power which should absolutely be restrained, controlled, bound to your will... if ever you use it."

Gaze turning thoughtful, he considered her question for a long moment before producing another talisman from a sleeve.

"The arm would work just as well with either, but as for the healing... it's complicated. It is doable with the Dark, but not as easily as with the Light. Usually, a tool is used, such as this talisman or, indeed, that arm. I would imagine one's state of mind matters too, as does individual aptitudes."

It was not his forte; a shame, really, for it was something he very much wished to be capable off without having to jump through sorcerous hoops.

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

“Never? Have you ever tried?” She nosed, curiosity shifting to him for a moment. His next comment only made her more inquisitive; The mention of restraint in particular sounded rather atypical of a Sith, at least to her understanding of their order. Amani’s own experiences with the dark side had been marked by a lack of control. Explosive, and unrefined. “Is that… easy to do?”

The glint of the new talisman caught her eye, and she leaned in for a closer look. “Sure. Healing always came natural to me. So, maybe…” for a moment Amani reached out absentmindedly, as if to touch the talisman, before her attention fell back to the arm.

“Well, this Alchemy stuff. It can be repurposed for similar means, can’t it? It’s not the same as healing, obviously, but it could be… medical adjacent, at least.” Again she spoke imaginatively about a topic she didn’t fully understand, but the key applications of biological manipulation were their restorative properties. To her, anyway.

AMCO​

 

[AMCO]

Smiling wryly, Adrian's reply was hard to read, but possibly mildly embarrassed. "Once or twice, but I never could get the hang of it. Jedi teachings are rather focused on the will of the Force, after all, whereas I see it as an impersonal force of nature. A rather fundamental difference in perspective."

Chuckling mellifluously at her follow up, he shook his head. "No, no it is most certainly not easy - but then worthwhile things rarely are. Make no mistake, the Dark Side might be an easier path to power than the Light, but to master it, to keep from losing one's individuality to it, is no easier."

It was more worthwhile, in his mind, but then the feats achieved by the mightiest of the Sith spoke for themselves.

Nodding along as the considered the medical applications of the alchemical arts, his icy eyes positively gleamed. "Oh yes, absolutely. My own workings are less triage, more long-term, but with time much more can be achieved than with the Light. The reconstruction of bodies is the least of it, mix in a bit of Sorcery and it is possible to capture a Soul and transfer it to a suitable vessel at a later date. A clone, perhaps."

That was far, far beyond the average Alchemist, of course, but that did not make it any less possible.

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani weighed Adrian’s view of the Force against her own. To her it was almost quasi-divine. Indeed she believed in the will of the Force, but she had always questioned what role she played within it.

The thought of losing her individuality, her very person, struck with the young padawan. But it could be risen above. If others could, why couldn’t she? “It is possible, at least.” The path she was considering to walk was dangerous, that she could see. Just how dangerous, Amani did not fully understand on her own.

Their return to the topic of alchemy had piqued her interest greatly. “The possibilities for its medical application could be limitless. It’s like you said before, the removal of so many different afflictions…” It was an idea that appealed to her sensibilities like no other, curing diseases once thought incurable, saving countless lives, if it could just be accessed.

Sorcery was an even more alien concept to her, but interesting all the same. “Transferring a soul? A consciousness? Something that would be, effectively, immortality, wouldn't it?" Would she even want that? Something about the idea of living forever didn’t feel right to her. But premature deaths were of little suit to her either, which brought to mind a new question, “...Could a person be resurrected? And I don’t mean like… a zombie.” She had trouble with zombies once. Never again.

AMCO​

 

[AMCO]

He could see the idea growing on her in real-time, could see pre-learned rules and ideals slowly melt away as she became cognizant of the ways in which the practices of the Sith were unbound by the teachings of the Jedi. Unbound, unchained, all-but limitless in their potential.

"Yes, the possibilities are as endless as the sum of one's imagination, power, and dedication. To the Master Alchemist, reality itself is a canvass."

Smiling wickedly as the truly impressive became the subject of discussion, he felt a twinge of satisfaction; he was, after all, always happy to discuss the newest innovations by himself and his peers, and recent efforts had yielded much knowledge about the mystery that was "the soul".

"Oh yes, though as you've probably guessed zombies are far, far easier. After all, they don't typically involve the soul at all."

The resurrection in the proper sense of the word of an individual was a much greater challenge, of course. "If you truly wish to bring someone back, the difficult part is the Soul. I have created vessels to store someone's essence at the moment of passing, but without such a thing one would have to pull them back from the Netherworld itself. Not an easy feat, doubly so since individuals tend to, well, become one with the Force."

Sith were easier, in that regard. Some held on for millennia out of selfish determination. All were worn down eventually, however.

Death had been overcome, at times, but entropy? Entropy yet reigned unchallenged.

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

“Yeah… I’ve had less than enjoyable experiences with zombies, so far.”

She rubbed her chin as she mused over their continued discussion. “You can do that?” She understood the concept of Force Ghosts returning from death well enough, but to actually be forced back from, well, the Force, was different. “Could you do that even with non-Force sensitives?”

It seemed a dubious concept at best, surely if such things were meant to be tampered with, the Jedi would have done so long ago. But her thoughts could not help but dwell. Would it not be the will of the Force? Would it be so wrong to give lives a second chance to fulfill their intended purpose on this material realm?

Lives like those of her parents?

“Could I...” Amani muttered, more audibly than she had intended. The mirialan pursed her lips shut as her attention moved back to the forming arm. In that moment she was struck with a sudden epiphany, simultaneous clarity and confusion over her recent actions. Amani shook her head, “Even if I did look into this… Alchemy stuff... there’s no way I’d be able to get away with it.”

AMCO​

 

[AMCO]

Perhaps best not to mention his own zombie-related projects, given the circumstances. Even he found them disgusting in their decayed inelegance, though the logic of repurposing the bodies of the dead as cannon fodder to spare the lives of those who yet lived (on his side) was sound.

Eyes thoughtful, the nod he gave in response was somewhat hesitant. "Yes, but the difficult part is locating the Soul. I know the Valkyries - an all-female order of Sith with strong ties to the Nether - has done such a thing, but it is difficult. Impossible if their spirit has already... faded away."

There were some things even the most obscure of Alchemies, the highest of Sorceries, could not accomplish.

He had never been one to peddle false hope, not even to those starting to lean towards his way of doing things.

Noting her growing hesitation, his smile turned mischievous. "Not necessarily. The Jedi are ever-wary of anything even remotely touched by the Dark, but there are always subtler ways. If a Sith like Lady Raaf can hide within your Order for years, turning others to her cause all the while, then I doubt careful experimentation guarantees discovery. Besides, I know for a fact that some make use of similar techniques..."

"... if built on a more neutral foundation."

Of course, they hardly called it Sith Alchemy, even though the Sith had been the ones to pioneer that great art.

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

"Yes, but the difficult part is locating the Soul. I know the Valkyries - an all-female order of Sith with strong ties to the Nether - has done such a thing, but it is difficult. Impossible if their spirit has already... faded away."

Amani nodded, quickly accepting the answer without much further consideration. She presumed it to be a far-fetched dream anyway. Especially the idea of it turning out exactly how she would hope for it too. There was always a catch with such things, as she was ever-slowly realizing in life. “I figured that would be the case.” The slightest hint of disappointment still managing to slip out, in spite of her efforts to portray otherwise.

Her gaze lingered on the arm for a while longer, until what Adrian said made her slowly return focus to him. The padawan’s tone changed back as quickly as it had the first time. Yes, if she was careful, perhaps there was a chance. And even more so…

“Similar techniques?” Amani closed the distance between them, “What similar techniques?” If anything, she was more invested now than ever before.

AMCO​

 

[AMCO]

There was something uniquely saddening about the blossoming of soon-to-be-crushed hope, about learning of the manifold possibilities out there only to realize soon after that some things remained out of reach. He had experienced much the same thing himself, once, if under different circumstances.

Such limitations notwithstanding, a great shifting kaleidoscope of potential yet remained, just waiting to be explored.

Smiling brilliantly as his latest comment caught her attention, Adrian nodded. "Oh yes - the basics of Alchemy is not, in fact, inherently Dark, despite its origins with Sith and Dark Jedi. The Jedi of the past rejected such manipulations of the fabric of reality as unnatural, against the will of the Force, but in truth there is little moral difference between altering physical matter and, say, bending the weather to one's will."

Smile widening, he waved a hand dismissively. "What is Alchemy but in-depth force enhancement?"

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

What Adrian said had managed to click into place in her mind. What he told her was true. From a certain point of view. And indeed if its origins were not inherently dark…

“That’s one way to look at it.” Amani chewed her lip in silent contemplation, her gaze drifting back to the arm as she did. There were about a million other questions she should ask first. About the arm. About Alchemy. But she was already this invested, she hand-waved the need for more precautions.

“...How would I get started?”

AMCO​

 

[AMCO]

"... how would I get started?"

There it was, acknowledgement, the spark that would light the metaphorical fire. She had seen the potential, had seen the ways it could be used for good in place of evil, but had kept to the theoretical. Had kept to the noncommital. Until now.

Smiling cheerfully, he nodded towards her half-formed arm, taking the opportunity to tinker with it for a while as he talked.

"This could be of some help, actually. If your interest is primarily in Alchemy's medical applications, in tinkering with the body to alleviate flaws, then I can see it being both a useful tool and a source of inspiration." Pouring energy into the limb to prepare it for its intended purpose, he paused.

After some consideration, he nodded to himself. "Yes, attempting to go ever so slightly beyond the limits of conventional healing would be your best bet, though tinkering with simple material alteration is a good option as well. I could recommend some good guides on one or both."

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

Finally admitting her interest in pursuing this undertaking felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, only for another weight to take its place. A degree of clarity hit her as she realized what she may be getting herself into. But she was committed now. The unknown could be scary, but it was also the gateway to limitless potential.

Amani followed him back to the arm as he began to tinker with it. “Yes, that sounds… perfect.” As perfect as she could envision, anyway. She studied the process carefully, watching the Sith Lord’s efforts in hopes to learn from them as much as she could. Her robotic fingers twitched in anticipation.

“There’s… guides?” she perked up, “By all means, do share.” Why couldn’t everything be as easy as going to your local library and finding a book on How to Revive the Dead or How to Transmute the Makeup of Biological Organisms on the Molecular Level?

AMCO​

 

[AMCO]

He had a feeling she would see it that way - she wanted knowledge and she wanted to help people, and Alchemy could give her both. It could be argued that he was simply saying what she needed to hear to take another step towards the Dark, but Adrian himself would consider that an oversimplification. He was not, after all, a liar - there was power to be found in casting off the chains of taboo, in bending reality to one's will...

... and despite what the warnings said, power was as likely to save as it was to corrupt. It was, after all, a mere tool.

"Of course there are guides, can't have every Alchemist reinventing the wheel, can we?" Smiling warmly to make it clear the question hadn't truly been a bad one, for most would never lay eyes on instructions for that occult science, he pushed up a sleeve revealing a sleek wrist computer. Tapping away at it for a long moment, he eventually nodded to himself and turned it towards her, revealing... a share function?

"HoloMail address?" A mischievous glint in his eyes, he gestured grandly. "Or would you rather have the copy of a copy of a copy of a Sith spellbook originally transcribed before the Exiles arrived on Korriban and altered a dozen dozen times since then? Personally, I find a text file easier."

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

“Huh,” She shrugged, content with the simplicity of the transaction. “I dunno. I guess I just figured it would be more… complicated than that.” Seeking dark and powerful knowledge usually seemed to involve some sort of dungeon-delving or tomb-raiding. Perhaps it was time to stop watching holodramas.

Not that she could complain. The sooner she could reach her own goals the better. If alchemy’s properties were really as ubiquitous as he promoted, the healer saw plenty of opportunities for its application already. No reason to burn precious time.

“O-oh,” With little thought to it, Amani pulled out her own personal datapad, letting the other gadget link to her holomail. Just add sharing her holomail address with a Sith Lord to the growing list of curious decisions she’d made tonight. “Um, yeah, the text file sounds just fine.”

"So that's it, then. Right?"

Sith weren’t the type to just go around casually uploading malware into other people’s tech for no good reason, right? Oh well. If so, and she was gullible enough to get this far, she supposed she might as well be asking for it.

AMCO​

 

[AMCO]

A quick command or two later and she was the proud owner of a beginner's guide to Alchemy; hardly the depth of arcane grimoires or the individualised teachings of a Holocron, but sufficient to get her started, he was sure. Perhaps, if she took to it properly, she would end up seeking out the Sith for more, now wouldn't that be something?

"That's it, it's that simple. At least for now. If you end up delving into the depths of Alchemy you will have to do your own research eventually, of course."

Turning back towards her soon-to-be attached arm, he nodded approvingly. "As for this, it's coming along nicely. Do pay close attention as I finish it up, could be useful for your own projects - and for understanding what will soon be a part of you!"

Without further ado, he went to work, shaping flesh much like the potter did clay.

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

A ping sounded off of the datapad once the file had been transferred. Amani gave the text a quick once-over before tucking it away. Just like that, she was now in possession of a sith alchemy for dummies guide. The idea that something so simple and innocuous, on the surface at least, was suddenly her biggest kept secret, felt odd. And all it took was a chance meeting, with a total stranger, at a club she hadn’t even meant to go to.

It left a strange tingling sensation in the back of her head. Nervousness? Curiosity? Anticipation? She couldn’t decide. But she had made the choice, and she had full intentions of seeing it through. If it could really be used to help people, was it really all that wrong?

“...Think anyone’s going to ask questions if I just show back up with a fresh, normal arm again?”

She glanced down at her robotic hand, still damaged from events on Yavin. The fingers wiggled, and mechanical servos whirred in response. Certainly someone would. Not that there was any backing out to be done now.

Amani studied the detail of Adrian's work with intense focus. She remained in still, silent observation for some time before she spoke again abruptly, “Um, thanks, by the way. I don’t remember if I said it already but… Thanks.”

It’s not every day you get your arm back, and then some, for free.

AMCO​