'cause I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it [Nessa/Asterion] ~ Complete

[Scherezade deWinter]

Korriban

It had been over a year since she was here last. The space was now taken by the Republic, bordered by the Mandalorians. Two bodies that that the Sith Sorceress disliked. Yet it was not a planet that she could ignore or avoid. Her godfather and her father had both spent a good amount of their lives on it, training and growing. Slaves, or close enough to. And they had both broken away from that, and it had made them stronger.

It was thanks to her Sith Infiltrator that she knew her arrival was more or less safe. Only those who commanded the Force would know she was there at all, and with the swiftness of something swifty, she could use her Sorcery to make herself appear as a Jedi. Other Sith, she knew, would not be quick to fling themselves at her unless they had a death wish.

Not that she thought herself to be invincible. Nessarose was quite well aware of all of her limitations. And that was why she knew how much it would take to actually enter a fight, and why she would not do it. Her usual entourage was not there with her, handmaidens and handudes all gone. She was alone.

And the thing was, she had no idea why.

Walking among the desert of the Valley of Lords, her green eyes looked up at the statutes, the green glow of them almost dimmed entirely. This was Korriban. This was the place of her father and her godfather.

This was not her place.


@[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

The bad thing about not being able to control the Force within him, was that he never knew if it was talking to him or not. The ripple in the Force he had felt moments before worried him, but he assumed it was due to the volume of dark history he was surrounded by that he now called home.

Sat on the highest steps of one of the large, eerie statues dominating the Valley of the Lords on Korriban, this was the daily routine for Asterion, a man lost in the galaxy and trying to pave his way in it. He sat with the holopad that he had taken from his stolen scavenger ship, now deserted on the valley below, and sat hunched up, researching as much of the galactic history of the Sith and Dark Side Force users that he could.

He rubbed his fingers along his softly stubbled jaw as the hair on the back of his neck pricked up yet again and a chill ran up his body. Raising his head, the soft sunlight was bearing down over the planet in a warm, rich glow, the Valley a breathtaking sight below him.

Looking down, he didn't know what he was looking for, but he felt something. Someone. Some....

There.

He slipped the holopad off his knee and span around to kneel behind the tall statue. He would be a spec against the backdrop of the structure that towered above him, his white vest covered with specs of sand, dust and motor oil. He leant out and squinted at the figure walking through the valley.

A girl, at least it looked like a girl. Who would be here on Korriban on their own? Another explorer? Scavenger? Or worse. There was nothing here of worth, at least not to his knowledge, and the old Sith Academy was abandoned at the far end of the Valley...as far as he knew anyway.

He wasn't afraid, but he didn't want anyone to get in his way, not again. If she was to be trouble, he would have to deal with her. He had no ties to anyone or anything since his abandonment. He had much to do, and if she was going to get in his way, she would have to die.

@[member="Nessarose deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Looking at her surroundings, Nessarose bit her lower lip. She had seen the 'verse and traveled the Galaxy far and wide, but few places could make her feel as creeped out as this place could. But what was there for her to do? Lost in her thoughts, she did not even register the presence of others, something that in other places could've easily spelled her death out. Guard down, Nessa. Not good. Not good at all.

Turning her back to the sun, she glared at the distance. She knew the ancient Sith Academy was there. Her mother had told her much of it as she was growing up. But what reason did Nessa have to go there? She had no clue. And more than that - she had will.

Grumping, she sat down on the sands. She was hungry. The Sorceress closed her eyes and spread her presence through the Force now, as far and wide as it would go. To those who were nearby, it would have felt like a wave of Darkness, mingled with something that she could never hide - an ever so tiny touch of sweetness.

Within moments he came - her droid, her beloved Sith Droid, whom she had named Booger. He was a special kind of a Sith Droid. She'd created him for specifically one purpose, and that was to make her candy floss sticks.

Force, she was hungry.

@[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

He pressed up on the warm stone statue and stood up, craning forward to see what she was doing. Stepping out from his cover, he slid back onto the steps and watched.

What was she doing? Just standing, and looking and searching, but for what.

Suddenly, Asterion's spine tingled again and his hairs stood on end as a wave of darkness washed over him, but it also soothed and warmed him. It was perfect, the sort of darkness he relished. He could only think he was connecting to something around him, the planet was speaking out to him perhaps?
Or maybe, it was she?

The girl sat down. She sat, and made herself comfortable. Another figure caught his eye coming towards her. It was a droid, possibly Astromech? He wasn't sure from up there. Time to make himself known and find out what she was doing on his planet.

Grabbing his black and gold jacket and holopad, he let the Force flow around him making him feel almost invincible, as his boots slowly crunched down the dozens of steps leading to the Valley. The faint whir and whistle of the droid could be heard as he reached the Valley floor and watched her for a moment.

@[member="Nessarose deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

And suddenly she was up and alert. The presence she could feel - someone was approaching. Who? What? The last time she had been on this planet, a cult had managed to trick her through the Force, make her see and feel and sense things that weren't there. Until she knew better, she could only assume that whatever it was, there were no guarantees that it would not be someone or something along those lines.

The Sorceress' left hand came into the air, blowing the wind in the direction the presence was coming from and adding stronger currents to it. This was not last time. She was not the confused girl she'd been last time.

This time, she was not going to come out the weaker one.

@[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

He wasn't going to wait around for longer, he had things to do and a destiny to find and with scavengers around Korriban, it would be harder for him to go about his business. He gripped his jacket and set his sights on the dark haired girl, who suddenly was on her feet, which surprised him as he was out of her view.

She must has sensed him.

Damn! With the Force inside him, he still couldn't use it to his advantage.

The wind picked up, blowing out of nowhere towards Asterion and spitting up the sand and dust beneath his feet, pelting him, forcing him to raise his arm to shield his sight.

She was controlling it. She was using the Force. He could feel her pushing out to him.

Pressing on as best he could, he was suddenly fighting a force greater than what he had expected; a current pushing him back. It hurled around him like a sandstorm, pushing and pummelling him until he lost his balance.

Falling sideways, the strength sent him back a few feet on his side and across the sharp sand and rock beneath him.

The fall winded him, and he just laid there, holding his ground as best he could, fighting to get his breath and shuffle out towards the stairs he just came from to gain his footing once more.

@[member="Nessarose deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Now she knew better. The Sith Sorceress had him pinpointed, feeling his exact location. Now... Now things would be easier. Her speed was fastened by the Force, appearing momentarily ass a pink blur as she closed the distance between them, releasing the winds back to their nature.

Standing above him, blocking the sun from his view, her bright eyes looked down on him, not a hint of a smile upon her face. The features he supported seem somewhat familiar, but she could easily tell that the two had never met. Nessarose never forgot the feel of a person through the Force.

Raising her right arm, a hold out blaster was in it, ready to fire at any who would do her harm.


@[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

He was deflated - his blaster and lightsaber were in his ship, not that he was ready to wield one anaway. His back was sore and he was too busy getting his breath back to fight back.

The image of the girl loomed over him, thankfully shielding from the sun.

He propped himself up on his elbow, snarling up at her. She was very beautiful, and it seemed quite powerful too, another master of the Force. His eyes flicked over to see her blaster trained at him.

Asterion smirked. "Watch where you point that thing sweetheart."

She wore no expression at all.

"Are you going to help me up since you knocked me down?"

Just a few steps to help him and he would have her.


@[member="Nessarose deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

"Sweet is pointed at you," Nessarose said with indifference. he knew how to aim blasters from this distance. From further away, it was mostly for show, and to scare people off. But at two feet from the spot between his eyes? She was ready to fire.

Another blaster was pulled into her left hand, "And now so is Sour."

But help him? Why would she help a potential threat? "If you are in such a state that you cannot get up by yourself, perhaps I should just put you to eternal sleep, like a good puppie. There is no place for the weak on this planet."

@[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

He smirked at her cute little response, obviously she was trying to prove a point.

However, her final comment fuelled the darkness inside him. She knew nothing about this planet and weakness.

Abandoned by his failure of a mother, he had survived on Korriban alone way before this pretty creature had arrive, and had killed those who had got in his way of sourcing the legacy of the Sith Lords. She had no idea.

His boots dug down and he pushed himself up on his arms, specks of rock and dust and blood over the rear of his arms and vest.

Asterion stared death down the barrel of her "Sweet" blaster. Without warning he snapped up his left hand and grabbed her wrist tight.

"How about I rip that pretty little head from your shoulders right now and we will see who is the weak one?"

The anger was bubbling inside him and he held back from tearing her apart for a moment.


@[member="Nessarose deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Nessarose giggled.

Boom. This was exactly why she used such mundane weapons. Or rather, showed intent on using them. Did she need to use blasters, or any kind of weapons come to think of it? The answer was... Absolutely not. Nessarose had always been a playful one, and the massive amount of weapons she carried upon her body was but part of the game.

Taking a single deep breath, she let him keep his hand just where it was. This was, after all, Korriban, and there was no one here but her to cut his arm off for touching the Queen without permission. Yet a she let him do that, her concentration moved to the Force.

To know the wind and to know the air meant more than the ability to push a breeze, cause a whirlwind, or even aide a storm. When one controlled the air, one controlled another's breathing. Giggling again, the Sith Sorceress began to pull the air directly out of the man's lungs. There was nothing showy about it; any onlooker would have only seen a man holding the wrist of a girl who was standing still and laughing. But if he did not a way to stop her soon, he would find himself lacking oxygen, with nothing but her giggles to wave him off to an unhappy death.



@[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

He could only frown as the pretty girl giggled. And giggled more.

She didn't look phased at all, and that an-

His breath, he was losing his breath. Trying to breath in, it was as if his lungs closed up each time, and every breath out as getting tighter.

Looking into those deep green eyes, his hand let go of her wrist and he grabbed her lapels, trying to pull her close in some show of...what? Agression? Fear? Panic? Again, his lack of knowledge of the Force was going to kill him.

Panic was set in, his knees went weak and his hands slipped down her body, down to her feet as he sank, fighting for a breath.

She was killing him.


@[member="Nessarose deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Her hand was free now. She remained unphased as he touched her on his way to the ground. Not until he was a few lack of breathes away from passing out did she cease her doings, permitting the man to resume breathing.

Taking a step back, her handout blasters flew from the ground back into her hands. Her Sweet 'n Sour.

"What was that you were trying to say about being weak?" she laughed, and her voice was as light and as playful as the sound of tinker bells.

@[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

All of a sudden, the lock holding his lungs closed broke and he gasped loudly, the oxygen pouring into him, filling his lungs once more with fresh air.

He hung his head, collecting his breath and steadying his trembling nervous system.

He saw the girl still stood before him, but was done with her. He was furious, and humiliated.

The soft words so purred burnt his pride.

"Get the hell out of here."

Asterion closed his eyes.

"Get the hell away from me."


@[member="Nessarose deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

"I seriously think you need to reconsider the hierarchical chain of command between us," Nessarose answered with a satisfied nod.

Leaning down ever so slightly, her hands came to cup his cheeks, and she poked her nose into his hair, inhaling deeply. When she stood up straight again a moment later, it took her a moment of thought before she spoke again.

"You smell like a Sith," she said, but there was puzzlement now in her light and chattery voice, "but you don't act like one. What kind of a Sith gives up so quickly? You're supposed to try to like, kill me. Or something. Or go for a complete harakiri. That works too. Or pledge your soul to me and be my servant. That's a totally awesome option. And then we could sit down and watch some holovids while you pedicure my feet and let me put mascara on your eyes. It really makes the anger pop up much faster that way. Picture purrfect anger."

@[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Worn out and just angry at what had happened, he didn't resist the soft, soothing touch of the girl on his face and she took him in. He watched her and didn't put up a fight. It'd be so easy to attack her from this position, but he was still gathering his thoughts and his breath from a stunning show of Force power he couldn't yet match.

"I'm not a Sith." Asterion spat.

"I have researched and documented the Sith and the ones here laid to rest on Korriban. But that's all."

He rested his hands on his dusty black trousers.

"There's nothing that I would like to do more than kill you right now and maim your body but with your...power, I know I wouldn't last long. Teach me some dark magic and then let me at you, we'll see who walks away smiling then."

Half serious, half joking, Asterion couldn't help smirk a little at his predicament. He never thought he'd be on his knees in front of a woman like this.


@[member="Nessarose deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Not a Sith? "Yet you reek of the Darkside," she whispered,her hands that had caressed his face now so close to his nose, permitting him to sniff them, to absorb the scent of it and see for himself. What one believed... Mattered very little. What one was, however...

"But you do not have the potential to become a Sorcerer," she shrugged, taking her hands back to her, and moving a few steps away from him, leaving him empty without her touch.

Nessarose had spent almost of her entire energy not just in ruling Endelaan, but in becoming one. Her people, and she among them, believed that they all had a role, and those who controlled the Force held the most important roles of all. Yet even they were not unified in anything but their banner. Like ying and yang they came, for everywhere must two; a Warrior, and a Sorceress.

She had quickly established her own position. And she had learned what to see and what to feel in others to understand what they were without the need to ask. Even those who were naive enough to claim neutrality swung a tiny touch stronger to one side of the pendulum.

"My gifts would be entirely wasted on you," she resumed, "you are not a Sorcerer, but a Warrior... Or at least, you could be. But why should I give you the tools and the education to become one, when you already show yourself as so eager to give in?"

@[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

He blew out a breath, his body once more under control. He pushed down on his knees and stood before the girl. He was angry, and he wanted to get rid of her.

"I don't want your help, nor do I want to be a Sorceress. Don't make me laugh."

Asterion held his posture and didn't move as she backed away.

"You're simple tricks and nonsense will get you far but I don't have a need for that. I have a path to follow out there somewhere and you're not invited."

Walking towards her, he stood beside her, turning his head slightly to take in her scent; dark and sweet.

"And if I had given up, you'd have killed me by now wouldn't you?"

His hand came up to grab her arm.

"Your confidence is admirable over someone without your knowledge, but that confidence will get you killed one day and I look forward to being the one to be there when it does. Remember that."

Backing away again, Asterion pointed to her droid behind them.

"Take your tin-can and get the hell out of here back to where you belong."



@[member="Nessarose deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Now that he was standing, one could easily confuse the power relations between the two. Next to his height, although being a tall girl herself, she seemed nearly tiny, a girl wrapped in childhood pinks. But it didn't matter.

"I could make you laugh, and giggle, and chuckle," Nessarose said, the mask of complete and utter seriousity breaking as her lips streched into a wide and sweet grin.

Using the arm she hadn't touched, she twirled her finger. The air around them moved once more, picking the sand up from the ground as it began to circle the man.

"And someone I could so easily make laugh, and giggle, and chuckle, holds no power over me and cannot tell me where to go or what to do," she resumed, closing the space between them again. The tip of her nose touched his shoulder ever so slightly for but the briefest of moments, "we are in the Vally of the Lords, pet. And my claim to this place preceeds yours by far. And there is absolutely nothing you can do about it."

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Standing strong, he felt the anger brewing in him again at this girl. Toying with him. Playing with him. Goading him.

Let her goad. She was getting too big for her shiny, sparkly boots.

As she stood by him, the darkness inside him let the Force reach out to her. He saw the mist wrap around her perfectly smooth throat and squeeze. Hard.

"This is MY planet. MY home. YOU are not welcome here."

Harder.

"Stop toying with me. I'm not in the mood."

He let go, fearing what could happen should he lose control of a power he didn't understand. His gaze met hers and he said nothing.

Turning his back to the Sorceress, he moved towards the Sith statues.


[member="Nessarose deWinter"]