A New Meaning of Cold

[Riamah]

The ice cold planet of Helska IV was a sort of home for Ra. There were facilities set up to manufacture troops, a small army for herself or anybody she considered an ally. Having previously used some of her forces, she knew what to do with them. They weren't why she was here though.

That reason was Drogh, a man she had come across in the past and thought of as an adversary. However, since becoming a lord, that had changed. While still not exactly friends, a sort of working arrangement had been established. He was her apprentice. Full trust was out of the question, but a small bit had been accomplished on their short trip here.

She gave him a tour of the facilities, but avoided going to the more common area where her people stayed. In time, he would learn of them, but by then hopefully he wouldn't be the uncontrollable, murderous person he was now. Right now, he was chaotic and needed to learn control.

Once the tour was complete, she showed him where he would be sleeping while staying on Helska. It was a simple room, but had its refresher which she hoped he knew how to use.

"Make yourself at home in here and then meet me outside. Bring your cloak, it's going to be cold."

With her words, she turned and left the room. There wasn't much he could get into that would put them in danger where they would be living while there. Ra just hoped he would come outside when he was ready.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Helska IV was a cold hell. Bitter winds blast against skin, the dreaded snow bearing down on you. Drogh hated it here, it was lifeless, nothing grew here nothing lived here, other then what ever was sent here. Why anyone would want to work, let alone live here was beyond Drogh. He could not say he was living in luxury before this, but it was at the very least habitable. Yet he was protected by the thick metallic walls of this industrial complex. The large facilitates, built in place of a dead empire and still remaining, where the money to support this was coming from was beyond Drogh. He had seen only some of the metallic grey buildings towering high in this snowy wasteland. They were often small dark places, flickering lights and the cold often sneaked in to the metal halls.

Drogh hated her, no doubt. Yet she had a small degree of trust. Drogh didn't trust her in any sense. He greatly mistrusted her, the only thing keeping him from killing her was the fear of her immense power, both in the force and in the vast resources she commanded. Yet, as Drogh was hardly any real threat to her, she would most likely let her guard down. Which she did when she trusted him, even in the slightest of ways. If she had any sense, she would of killed Drogh long ago, but she is softer then most Sith. Blinded by some stupid moral compass which Drogh will exploit to every degree he can. Drogh will shatter her code, destroy her hopes and dreams. His hatred was immense, deep and boiling like a vast lake of lava. Drogh could not realistically win any fight against her, she had the power, the resources and the immense wealth. But she lacked the mind, she believed her self to be so superior to Drogh in the mind, her ego is her greatest weakness, her denial to believe she can't possibly loose is what will destroy her, her view that she is absolutely right and Drogh is absolutely wrong is what will bring her down. Still, early days. One thing at a time, now we wait now we wait patiently, Drogh like we've always done.


Drogh faced the cold bland room, it had little to no furniture save for a bed and table and chair. All being built into the room, and a little refresher, a nod to his unwashed ways. Drogh in his defense was more clean then usual, the soot and dark chemicals that often reeked his body were fading in the immense cold of Helska. Yet a shiver down his spine as she mentioned the outdoors annoyed Drogh. He wanted to remain indoors were it was only mildly freezing, yet he was forced to be outside. Perhaps she had forgotten he was wearing his signature long cloak, that he nearly always wore.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

The tour completed, she had left him alone inside to follow when he was ready. This wasn't a sign of trust, but to see if he would do as she asked. If they were going to be master and apprentice, he needed to learn when to follow her requests and when to fight back. At the moment, it was just a simple test.

Knowing what the weather was like here, Ra was prepared for the bitter wind, ice and cold. The exercises she hoped to put him through would keep them warm enough. He may laugh at her, but she wore a scarf under her hood. That made her think, he didn't actually show any emotion other than rage, anger and hate. This man was way darker than she was, the partnership would certainly be interesting.

Wrapping her hands around her arms as she paced, Ra waited for Drogh to join her outside. Up her sleeves were her two short saber hilts. On her hips were her blaster she had acquired in one of their meetings and her repaired double lightsaber hilt. In her boots were two regular knives and at the end of her braid was the spiked ball she normally wore.

Watching the door for him, she figured out what she was going to do first. If they could actually have a conversation and not try to kill each other, it would go much smoother. Knowing him though, that wasn't going to happen.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

The outside was a horrid nightmare for Drogh. Flashes of raging storms echoing outside in misery. Drogh feared for all, for his own sake he wished not to leave this place. These metallic walls guarding him and protecting against the cold reaping skin of ice. Yet, Drogh had no choice. Perhaps he refused and denied her this small victory of domination by agreeing with her, and bowing his head in sorrow. Perhaps he would rise up against her, refuse her on every turn and mock her. Perhaps, or perhaps it mattered not and the outcome would be the same either way. Drogh thought in these flashes of his mind, refuting to believe that he would ever want her to train him. That he ever wanted her to help him or guide him. Truth was Drogh was desperately lonely in a dark world that voided him and hated him, he in turn dug his bitter teeth into the flesh of this universe. Yet, what could she teach him? What lessons could he learn? Those of force and wind, power and control? Yet, these lessons felt oddly hollow and empty in this winter husk. What insight could she share with him, what demented lessons of her corruption could she spread to Drogh? Was Drogh the corruption, did she have any darkside left in her, was there any to begin with? Drogh could smell the force like red fire, and she was more on the lighter side, that held to goodness, morality and the rightfulness of this dark, demented and wholly evil world. Perhaps Drogh could give a lesson in the reality of things, the reason for love and life, the reason for hatred and disease, the reason for madness and madness...

Drogh felt like she lacked the understanding of these things so badly, this world was but fantasy to her, as it was millions of others. Did she suffer? Of course she suffered, yet is she suffering? No, she is happy. Still, heed the commands of our master, do as she says and bend to her will as she would command. Know that we are better then her, because we know what she refuses to accept. She would keep her demons at bay and hold them back with a strangling leash, while we would embrace with our defeatist arms opening wide. She can command her demented men that she orders with little more then hollow coin, while we serve her because we hate her, more passionate and more loving then any of these foolish drones could provide. She will not thank us for this, she will not thank us for hating her.

So Drogh nodded his head and followed her into the clouded mist.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

The bitter cold of Helska was perfect for her. Harsh and bitter wind blew the loose dusty snow so fine it looked like it was a cloudy mist.

She felt the hate coming off Drogh for her. Yet he had decided to take her offer. Why had he done this? Master and apprentice worked both ways in reality. While she had more power and knowledge within the Force, perhaps he had lessons for her. What she would learn from him, Ra didn't know but welcomed what she did.

Today the wind blew from behind her and to the base. The snow collected in the corners and against the wall into drifts. Here there was no escape for either of them. Here they would live or die together.

On the way here, their time together had been tense, silent and Ra had learned nothing of what Drogh knew. That was going to change now.

Facing her enemy, Ra looked at him. The pathetic form huddled in his cloak and stared grimly at her. Behind his mask, his eyes glared and gleamed that hatred she felt. Why didn't he lash out? What was holding him back? Maybe he was scared of her, doubting that very much she still wondered why.

"Please show me what you know. This way I can know how to train you. You will not like me, you will hate me more by the time we are done."

He thought she was soft, but he had yet to see her true power. The extent of control she maintained over them and her emotions. Being sith wasn't about being dark, chaotic and evil to her. It was about their code. A code he may or may not know...

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

The snow rapture around them, Drogh hated the cold winds against his skin. Like thin icicles against his flesh. Drogh cared little for what she had to offer, or what he had to show. Drogh was a oddity, being gifted with the force and drawn to the darkside, yet desired no power nor wanted it. In truth Drogh would of happy in his gutter in Coruscant, where he could of suffered and let him self rot. Sadly, as much as Drogh desired it, he was not permitted to do so. He was forced out into the cold and deeply annoyed, deeply angered. Now she asked, what Drogh could do. Drogh took out his hand, trembling in the cold, this suffering only added to his power. His pale hands not only of pigment, but of cold lifted the snow up. It floated in midair. Drogh even knew the force use of lighting, being able to summons bolts while faintly, all the same he knew a complex spell. Yet, he had a almost natural gift in cloaking him self from others in the force, usually sub-consciously. But perhaps, most shocking all of was his natural and skill with force crush. Drogh's ability with the force is narrow, but not weak. Crushing has always come naturally to him, twisting bone and breaking flesh was always a found way of killing his foes. Drogh showed this, as the snow clogged together, being squeezed until lit was almost like a brick, before it splattered apart breaking as fragments fell all around them. Still, this was all he knew and little else was of use.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Ra had expected Drogh to direct his skills at her, to display to her his power. In him performing it on a large clump of snow, it showed her he had a sense of control. Even if he didn't know it himself. It would be something she could exploit as she taught him.

Though she had changed bodies since they last fought, one of her hands fell to her stomach. Looking at him after his display she nodded before speaking, "I also know you are able to find use of items around to be weapons."

The wind blew her braid to the front as she faced him and she approached. "Now there are no physical weapons you can use. What do you know of hand to hand?"

They had fought three times, each time they had parted ways. This was before she knew what she was and the knowledge that had come with it. Even now, she relied more on the training she had then when it came to fighting.

"Do not employ the use the Force."

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Drogh scoffed at what she said, pretending to hold some sway of wisdom, she deluded her self with words she barely understood, basic common was not her strong suit, as her sentence made little sense. "Do not employ he use the force", did she expect Drogh to taker her seriously? Drogh looked at her eyes, burning like brazen hell, yet still there was a gentler side to her, a quiet soft flame that burnt comfortably bright. Drogh was no fire of burning passion and desire, he was a black hole, a void of depression and disgust. Drogh had embraced the darkness not in power, but in weakness and frailty, embracing the worse elements and not reaping the benefits. And he churned with power beyond Ra, for he understood the darkness better then she possibly could hope too. Ra was naïve, trusting and kind at heart, yet the dragon still stirred. Drogh never was a dragon, more a Womp Rat. Cowardly, bitter, weak. He was no proud beast of power, he was happy to rot in the underworld, decaying and melting away as time killed him. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Yet this was stolen from him, so many saw a tool to be used. Drogh might be cowardly, spiteful, paranoid and weak. But he was more free then most. The force gnawed at him yes, but he was not consumed for the lust for power that had driven to many to their death, Drogh was beyond that. He was no tool, and try as she might, she could do nothing to bend him to her will. Not as this pathetic excuse for a sith. She may have powers [/SIZE]beyond[SIZE=10.5pt] Drogh's [/SIZE]imagination[SIZE=10.5pt]. But Drogh could understand the darkside, it's gripping depression ,it's gnawing voices, the decay of the soul. Ra was nothing to him, she was just some girl playing dress up as a Sith lord. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Drogh growing ever more annoyed with Ra spoke, with no respect in his voice, just a [/SIZE]irritated[SIZE=10.5pt] undertone. "You know nothing Ra, do not pretend there is any insight [/SIZE]beyond[SIZE=10.5pt] raw power you can teach me, you are naive as staring gazing child, and just as [/SIZE]ignorant. "You may have your little games and toys, your credits and wealth, your powers and such." Drogh took a moment to realize how petty and pointless this all was. "But I have guided my self though the halls of darkness, I know the darkside better then you do, you cling on to the remnants of light still left burning in you, I was born without a fire Ra, I was born cold."

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Ra felt the raving madness of emotions boiling within Drogh. He was almost chaos personified. The realization came to her that what she wanted to do to him was hopeless and pointless. What she wanted to teach him mostly was control and he just didn't have the willpower or desire to do it.

"You say I know nothing, yet I stand here a lord and you wallow in the misery you have made of your life. Knowing nothing of what brought me to where I am, what room do you have to speak of what I know or don't know, Drogh."

He was self taught and assumed that his way was the only correct way.

"Ah, just because I don't run about causing mass pain and destruction, you think I cling to the light? Why is that?"

The chill wind blew between them, throwing a wall of snow that obscured their view of one another. Taking the opportunity, Ra closed the distance between them to throw a punch at him. She had brought him out here to fight and he wouldn't make the first move, so she did.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh hit the ground in a thunderous thud. The snow cushioned the fall, but the feel of her fist was like metal against face. His mask had a horrid metallic crouching sound to it. She was fast, faster then Drogh had expected, faster then he react, yet rage needed no time to respond. She had provoked a storm, unrefined perhaps, undisciplined, but storms can tear cities down, drown the lands in rain and thunder, and gash it with powerful storms. Ra was a master, a baroness, power she had but hollow it was. To Drogh what was she? A child, powerful yes but so is a child of a wealthy family, she inherited power, she did little to gain it. While it was true he knew little of Ra, he could read people like books. Drogh was some thing more, chaos, madness, the dark side in it's rawest purest form. Drogh would show Ra what a storm he was, as his dark hand emerged from his ragged robes, grappling her leg with a fierce grip of long unkempt crude nails, digging into her flesh like talons. With all his mad might, he pulled as hard as he could, wrenching Ra from the ground.

In fierce response and spite, Drogh said these words in hollow respect. "Your wealth and power is nothing to me, my suffering has made me strong with the darkside, it's gnawing teeth pecking away at my soul, it empowers me, it hurts me and I am stronger for it, my suffering is my strength". His mouth was muffled in metal, blood and snow, yet his words rang with a black piercing effect, his bitter voice as cold as ice.

"I can see the light, Ra, you need not be a slaughter to hold onto the light, you hold onto it desperately, you are Sith by title only."
@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Her training paid off and while Drogh had his hold on her leg, she went with his pull. Instead of landing like a clumsy oaf, she landed lightly with her other foot pulled back. Aiming another hit at his head, she launched that kick.

"My wealth and power, I got by my own hands. Everything that is mine, I got because of my power. Drogh, you are just learning what power is."

If the kick connected, Ra would rise to feet and look at him. He said he could see the light in her and that she was sith by a title alone. He had known her since before she knew what she was. He still had his mind clouded by those days. It was time to show him what she really was.

Opening herself to him, he would see just how dark she really was. If there was any light in her, it was only her honor and love for children. Drogh would see just how dark Ra truly was. This was not showing any form of trust and all about a display of her power.

"You think I didn't earn what I have. Your suffering is your strength...while I am my own strength, Drogh."

[member="Drogh"]