Ain't No Sass in Our Kaas [Silver Sanctum Dominion of Dromund Kaas]

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

That was the moment she needed and was getting it, impaling the creature from the side and then quickly pulling back before she stabbed again from the side to finish it off before she was focusing the force energies to sense it and stop it. "I am sorry." It hadn't been willing to give them much choice when it didn't run scared so she was concentrating on soothing it as the heart stopped and slowed with its beating heart. She remained there and collapsed the saber to its normal size before returning to her hip and she moved over towards Sorel showing concern on her face. "Are you alright?" She said it while offering her arms and looking for where she had seen her get hurt a little.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

[member="Orihime Ike"]

The relief washed over Sorel. They had successfully negotiated the creature and they were both alive. She was sore but she had all of her limbs and so the outcome was broadly positive. Of course it would have been better not to have killed the creature but the alternative was to allow it to live and potentially kill the next person to stumble across it.

She struggled to her feet, feeling the pain in her ribs. ”I’ll live,” she said, forcing a smile to her lips. ”So that puts me one up on that creature.” She wandered over to it. ”A vine cat, maybe? Regardless, we should proceed with caution.”

She fumbled in her pockets and pulled out a med. Injecting it into her side, the pain from the rib quickly abated. She could have the bone re-set later. ”So, do we continue?”

Spoiler

300 posts - smaller woot

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime nodded in agreement, she was guessing it was that but couldn't be certain. She'd have to remember to ask her mother to compile and make an index for identifying creatures in the galaxy and the like so padawans or others could have it on hand. Additional information would be important before her hands went over a few of the things there. "We should, we've scouted several areas here and there is still plenty to explore aroun the palace." She looked around and it seemed to be quiet again while the smell of rain and wet soil was there just outside. It made her senses flare out as she could smell it on the vine cat as well.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

[member="Orihime Ike"]

Sorel was many things, but she was no quitter. She would not continue if she put another’s life in danger, but apart from being careful not to stretch too much, she knew all she had to focus on was being aware and keeping her movements precise. Besides, plenty more to explore sounded like a lot of fun.

”You’re the expert here, you should lead the way again. The last time I did we found this thing. As much fun as it was, I can live without finding one in a better fed state.”

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"Alright, I shall." She was looking at her and after recollecting herself was thinking about where they could go as she offered her hand again unconsciously to Sorel when she started walking. Feeling the force energies all around her walking into one of the stairwells leading up. All of her thoughts going to what they might find while going up and up past the different levels and the outside view was a rain filled picture of some beautiful The ruined city offered plenty to look at in awe before her eyes drifted to the ships that were finished taking off and that there wasn't many issues with some of the things like before.

"The rain is still coming down fairly hard." Not a bad thing and going up higher she could see little streams going through the city while they came out into a large chamber with high arches and stained glass. If she didn't know she was in the heart of something evil it would almost be very beautiful in her opinion as the fresh scent of rain replaced what had been down below. Here in the palace, she could see the section of floor that was semi cracked and out of place that opened into that large pit they had been at the bottom of. THe padawan going to the side of it and looking at murals of sith battles.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

[member="Orihime Ike"]

At times there was a fine line between beauty and repulsiveness. Sorel did not generally consider the physical allure of most items – be they people, scenery or even buildings. Often those that appeared pleasing to the eye were the most evil. A wonderful vista often held untold traps for the unwary, even a glorious sunset was often caused by space debris or the death of a star somewhere. And so with buildings, that were often ornate and to the casual observer captivating but to those knowledgeable were the scenes of atrocities or even built by those that could only be described as evil.

Just like this palace that outwardly was everything a tourist would drink in as stunning. But like people, beauty was often only skin deep and further investigation of the pretty murals would see scenes so indescribable that even a hardened Jedi might flinch.

”You can’t deny it’s impressive,” Sorel said. ”It’s just not for me.” Then she looked down the pit. ”So that’s where we were? At least we took the more direct and less dangerous route.” She smiled wryly and wondered where her friend would show her to now.

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime gave a small frown mostly for show when Sorel said that while impressive it wasn't for her.... So many jokes went through her head though while she was looking over a few of the different things. Taking in the hole and she whistled a little at the height. "Yeah at least we didn't go down there the direct way. Still." She was looking around the chamber and going around while they had sections of the palace to look over different things. Her and Sorel were in here and down below there were the lights of the drones as they were recovering the sithspawns hide to use in things. She had a few ideas for it as well. She was looking over the ruined throne with a few of the things before looking towards the large doors across the gap.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel racked her brains for any information that might help her and her friend find things of note. The planet was steeped in dark-side history and there had to be so much to see and do. "Do you know anything about the Prophets of the Dark Side? Weren't they based here? And didn't they have a great understanding of prophecies."

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"I believe they did." There was a look while she thought about it bringing a hand around with some of the sections looking over the place. "If they were we might be able to ask Quiet. She has access to the archives and databanks. We have plenty f ways to find out when we return to the temple," All of her attention ws on some of the other things around them before she spoke. "Who knows what else there might be, that creature down below with the droids recovering it we might be able to make something nice from it once the material has been worked and treated."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel liked Orihime. Like her mother, was was profoundly practical. If a beat was defeated, it would make food for worms - or it could be put to good use. Sorel thought the idea of using the hide both practical and showing that waste was not to be tolerated.

"I could make a tabard out of it?" she said. "Or perhaps a more practical use? For more people?"

She looked around. "I should have asked already. Who is Quiet?"

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Those were some good ideas and she could work on some of the things while her attention on the padawan... how did she... and then she realized the silly thing... Well not everyone used it and the AI was in some places but not all. "It is the information AI my mother creted to store databanks of knowledge on holocrons, planets, navigational charts and sects of the force. My mother has spent years compiling the knowledge and filling it up so the knowledge can be accessed by ayone who needs it and not just those in favor of the ones in charge." She offered a smile thinking about ways to use the hide that she could use with the other padawan. "We'll find a nice use for the hide and I can think of something we could use."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

They had only just met, but Sorel felt at ease with her fellow Padawan. Enough to share a secret.

“Do you know, I have never contemplated the dark side. Indeed, I have never understood how anyone could fall. But when I think of the Prophets, I realise I was thinking about it in the wrong way. I was always thinking that there was a single way to fall. A lone reason. But now it occurs to me that we are all different and so we would all have a unique reason. Take the Prophets. Of all the powers the dark granted its adepts, the greatest was Darksight. Not to predict the future but to create the future. Now that would surely be tempting to someone like me. Greater than Battle Meditation, to have the ability to use the Force to power a visualization of a desired outcome to subtly shift probabilities?”

“Not to predict or see the future, but to chose that future. That exact future. A future without the Sith.” She shook her head. “But I’m not that gullible. That would not be the end if that was the journey I started on. I am an idealist but I am no fool.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

She was looking at her. "My mother told me that was the real power of the darkside, taking something like an idea and perverting it to something evil. Good intentions turned on their head instead of just outright evil. Sure there are those who are evil and just want to kill or see worlds burn... but there are also the ones who do bad things and can claim it was for the right reasons that no one else can understand. We've all seen them and faced them. I've met several padawans with that mindset or seen some of the masters." She stayed there looking at Sorel while she shrugged. "But I don't believe them that they can have control there is a reason it is considered wrong and dangerous, it isn't they were afraid of being powerful it is they understood the need for more control I think then people like to admit." She said it while offering a smile on her face. "Plus being a jedi means I have a friend like you as opposed to being a dark jedi where we'd be trying to kill each other because some reason like your bangs are better then mine."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel listened to her friend. It was funny how a moment like this could give clarity where before there was no understanding. Turning to the darks side was not just about angry and misunderstood Jedi wishing personal power. It was a journey started sometimes out of the noblest of intentions. People who forgot that the end did not always justify the means and the path to a good intention was often difficult to remain on and not stray.

And she smiled at how Orihime made it seem almost funny to be a Dark Jedi. “Do you believe in redemption, or should we remove any threat unless they immediately surrender?” Sorel didn’t use the word kill, but it was clearly what she meant.

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

She had experience... or at least had an idea based on what she had seen. "I think redemption is something to be valued but too often it is sullied. I saw someone get redeemed because of love but I have seen more people get redeemed only to fall and then they decided they want to be good again... then go in the middle somewhere, darkside and back to good. That I have seen more often and it makes it seem not as important. The jedi like my mother who have done things others dislike but then turn around and do far worse while still condemning her make it hard to want to stay as a jedi. THey are not worth the effort to try and remember what will make them upset... While some truely do seek to atone and be redeemed in peoples eyes."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel felt saddened by Orihime’s words. She was revealing information about her mother – Sorel’s Master, and it hurt the young Padawan. “In my limited experience, redemption becomes too subjective. In principle I believe everyone should be redeemed, no exceptions. And every effort should be made to allow that to happen. The death of a dark-sider is never a good thing and banishment? Well I’m not sure what that’s supposed to solve. But for every Jedi that wants to redeem, it seems we have two more who just want to condemn. Which simply is not the Jedi way as I see it.”

“But the realist in me understands that none of us are perfect. That’s why people fall and why people condemn. Neither is right – regardless of what they think. But it is not my place to tell them so. So instead I just do what is right by me and allow the Force to judge me.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

That she could agree with while looking around and she stood there. Looking out over everything while her attention went to the ruined throne and the sections that were still left over. The controls glowed softly as she was touching them and the sound of mechanical grinding came while a section of the dias they were standing on raised out of the floor partially getting the padawan to gasp. "Interesting." She was in agreement with Sorel but further trying to explain it was very hard and might just make it a circle while she was crouching down looking at something inside of it. A glass tube filled with two prongs to hold it while she was pulling at the thing to raise it up. "I can see something."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

She was aware she was looking internally and not focused on the here and now and snapped out of it when she saw Orihime take in their surroundings and she realised she’d not been paying attention to them.

The place was a ruin, but that didn’t mean it was valueless, or even without danger. They needed their wits about them, so Sorel refocused on the task at hand. The sound of mechanical grinding caught her attention and she wondered what her friend had activated. Then she realised they were being raised and thought this was way more than interesting, but held her tongue.

And her eyes went to where Orihime was. She could see something but her friend partially blocked the view. “What is it?” she asked, a balance of nervousness and excitement in her voice.

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

She wasn't exactly certain but getting it out enough she crouched down looking at the glass casing. A smile on her face moving forward with her attention going to Sorel. "It is a cube, I think it might be a holocron they were keeping on the planet." Her best guess but then she was sitting on her butt and kicking the glass to rock the stand off its track and to the side for removal. as she moved to pick it up and hld it. "How good are you at picking locks? Smashign it might damage the holocron inside." She was looking over parts of it for her enjoyment now and then with some attention on the area round them while holding it in her arms.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel smiled. "Did you say locks?" She looked at the glass case and fortunately it was electronic.

She lay a hand on the mechanism and closed her eyes. She connected to the Force and pushed it down her arm and focused on the lock. She still wasn't sure how she did it, but she wasn't worried right now. All she knew was that a purple haze formed around her fingers and tiny arcs of purple lightning arced to the lock. She started gently at first, not wishing to risk the contents of the glass case. Slowly she fed more power into the lock until she felt a subtle change in the electronics and an audible click.

She opened her eyes and touched the lock. It opened easily - effectively stunned by her efforts.

"Over to you again," she said.

[member="Orihime Ike"]