First Reply Corporate Authority

[Alina Tremiru]

Appearance changing was easy. Makeup was the basis of a lot of it usually, but for Alina? Just the subtle manipulation of Anima could change her form to whatever she wanted. Now, her form was herself, if when she was sill human. With blue eyes, of course. People were quick to see the yellow and scream Sith, as they should. It made this all so much better though. This face, her mother's face and her mother's before her, she'd hated it. Hated being such a perfect copy.

Now, though, it would be the ideal face. Her face, once more.

So she walked the streets of Denon. Not the lower end streets of course, but the end where the Corporate Authority ruled greatest of all. She was here on business, to make some deals and improve her own standing. Make herself something valuable. She smiled to those who walked by, gave a little wave even as she sipped her drink. A smoothie of some sort, she honestly couldn't taste anything. Part of what she was now.

She sat down at one of the tables outside the smoothie shop, sipping again as she nestled back all comfortable like. This was a good day to just chill in the richest parts of town.

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina Calis moved through the opulent streets of Denon with a purpose veiled behind a mask of casual interest. Her golden blonde hair, normally cascading in waves, was pulled back into a neat braid to blend in with the city's elite, who favored such practical yet elegant styles. Her Jedi robes had been exchanged for attire more fitting for Denon's upper echelons—a flowing, muted green tunic with intricate silver embroidery that hinted at her noble origins on Chandrila, paired with dark, fitted trousers that allowed for ease of movement.

Her piercing blue eyes, usually alight with a curious and ambitious spark, today observed the bustling urban landscape with a calculated detachment. Serina was here not for leisure but driven by a deeper, more urgent quest for knowledge that could further her understanding of the Force.

As she navigated through the throngs of the city's wealthy denizens, her senses remained attuned to the undercurrents of power and influence that flowed through the area. The Corporate Authority's dominance here was palpable, manifesting in the grandiose architecture and the opulent displays of wealth. To an untrained observer, Serina appeared to be just another affluent tourist or perhaps a minor bureaucrat. However, her true intent was far from mundane.

Approaching a luxurious smoothie shop frequented by the upper crust, Serina's attention was drawn to a particular figure—a woman sitting comfortably at one of the outdoor tables, her demeanor one of ease and contentment. The woman's eyes, a striking blue, seemed oddly familiar in a way that piqued Serina's interest. There was something about her, something that whispered of hidden depths and secrets.

Choosing a table with a clear view of the woman, Serina ordered a simple herbal tea, its steaming fragrance a soothing presence amidst the hubbub of the city. As she sipped her tea, her gaze occasionally swept over the woman, taking in the subtle cues of her posture and the interactions that spoke of a confidence born of power and purpose.

The light from the setting sun cast a golden glow over the scene, illuminating the woman's features with a warmth that seemed at odds with the cool calculation in her eyes. Serina felt a twinge of recognition, a sense that their paths were intertwined in ways she could not yet fully understand.

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"I'll break the awkward staring and building up the courage to ask something and invite you to ask." Alina spoke calm as ever as she took another drink of her smoothie. Altered blue eyes settled on Serina, watching and studying, at least for the moment. Then it was back to her smoothie. People stared, often enough. Part of being a Sangnir was that, the unconscious pull strangers felt to look her way, to be curious. To lower their guard.

It made feeding easier.

But this stranger? They were looking at something more, weren't they.

"Come, sit. Ask your questions. Or do you just make a habbit of staring awkwardly?"

Serina Calis

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina rose gracefully from her table, her movements fluid as she approached Alina with a serene smile that touched the corners of her eyes, softening the intense gaze she had fixed on her moments earlier. She accepted the invitation with a nod, her demeanor confident yet subtly inviting as she took the seat opposite Alina. The smoothie shop buzzed with the low hum of conversations and the clinking of glasses, but for Serina, the world seemed to narrow down to the intriguing figure before her.

"Thank you for the invitation," Serina began, her voice a melodious blend that carried an undercurrent of warmth, hinting at her refined upbringing. "I apologize if my curiosity seemed less than polite. It's not often that one encounters a presence as... compelling as yours." Her eyes sparkled with a playful light, but behind that playfulness was a keen intelligence, analyzing every reaction, every shift in Alina's demeanor.

She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table, her fingers tentatively reaching for her tea. The gesture was casual, yet every move was calculated to convey openness and interest. "This city, with all its layers and masks, makes one appreciate the rare moments of genuine intrigue," she continued, her gaze locked with Alina's, inviting her into a dance of words and hidden meanings.

Her smile widened just a fraction, turning more genuine as she decided to venture a little deeper into the conversation, her tone lowering to a more intimate murmur. "But to answer your question, no, I don't make it a habit to stare—unless, of course, I'm looking at something—or someone—truly fascinating. And you, my dear, are quite the mystery. Perhaps you could help me understand... what makes you so different from everyone else here?"

Serina's approach was deliberately flirtatious, designed to flatter and disarm. Yet, there was a genuine curiosity that flickered in her blue eyes, a desire to peel back the layers of the enigma sitting across from her. This was more than mere flirtation; it was a probe, a delicate testing of waters in the vast ocean of secrets that she sensed Alina held.

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Amusement flooded Alina's expression. At first, just the smile as it widened. Then a genuine laugh, a chuckle even, before she took another tasteless sip of her smoothie. "Dear, is it? I'm flattered, but I'm much too old for you." Not that she looked it. Eternal youth, at the cost of devouring the life from others. She idly swirled her drink, humming a little tune for just a brief moment.

What made her so interesting, though, was it?

"The easy answer is I've no tech installed. But that's not what you mean, right? What is it you think makes me different?"

Serina Calis

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina's lips curled into a smile, a delicate balance between amusement and intrigue. "Too old, you say? Age, as I've come to understand, is often just a number, especially for those touched by... certain powers." Her eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief, reflecting the golden hues of the setting sun. She leaned back, her posture relaxed yet poised, as if every movement was a note in a symphony she conducted with effortless grace.

Her fingers traced the rim of her tea cup lightly, a subtle signal of her comfort in the unfolding dialogue. "And yes, 'dear'—a term of endearment where I come from, but I hope it doesn't offend." Serina's tone was smooth, like velvet, designed to soothe and entice. Her charm was natural, a tool honed over years of navigating the complex social structures of the Jedi, a tool her family used to deal with the elite of Chandrila.

She paused, her gaze intensifying as she delved deeper into the conversation. "But let us speak of mysteries and differences," she continued, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "You see, I find myself drawn not to the superficial tech or lack thereof, but to the essence of a person. And you, Alina, emanate something quite... captivating."

At this juncture, Serina allowed a sliver of her own darkness to surface, a subtle undercurrent of her deep connection with the Force. It was a risky maneuver, but one calculated to test the waters, to see if Alina sensed the same shadows that Serina often danced with. "It's a resonance, a depth that few possess or even comprehend. A dark allure, if you will."

She paused, watching Alina's reaction closely, her eyes sharp yet still warmly engaging. "I wonder, do you feel it too? This pull, this... dance of shadows we play within the currents of the Force. Is it what makes us kindred spirits, perhaps, or merely two souls caught in the same intricate web of power and mystery?"

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Just a number, is it." Another chuckle, another bemused smile into another sip of her smoothie. Charm was unfortunately not something that worked on a Sangnir. It was superficial, a tool for food. Alina often used it herself when she had to, though it was enhanced furthered by the Force itself. The smile she wore stopped reaching her eyes. She took a breath as she closed those eyes.

"I'm not one for beating around the bush or overly flowery language. Denon is an Alliance world. You shouldn't be so quick to reveal your nature to strangers here if you want to avoid getting in trouble. I hear the senate was in talks about making even the Dark side illegal."

She straightened up in her seat, her eyes opening again. For a brief moment blood red in her irises. As quick as it was there, though, the blue returned.

"So, I ask again. What is it you want? You've not even shared a name but you're quite flirty."

Serina Calis

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina's expression remained composed, a faint smile playing at the edges of her lips as she absorbed Alina's caution and the brief, telling flash of red in her eyes. The revelation was not lost on her; rather, it added another layer to the intriguing puzzle she found herself piecing together.

"Indeed, 'just a number' might be a simplification," Serina acknowledged with a nod, her voice calm and even. "As for my openness, you needn't worry. My position as a Jedi affords me certain... liberties, even on an Alliance world like Denon." Her confidence was not arrogance but a statement of fact, reflecting her secure standing within the Order.

She paused, allowing her words to settle before continuing, her gaze now more intense, more purposeful. "As for what I seek, Alina, it's perhaps something deeper than what these superficial exchanges can offer. You see, I had a vision—vivid and compelling. In that vision, I was here, in this very place, speaking with you." Serina's eyes held Alina's, conveying the sincerity and depth of her experience. "Before today, I knew your name, and I knew that this meeting held significance, though I'm still unraveling its threads."

Her demeanor softened, the Jedi's innate charisma woven through her words as she leaned slightly forward, bridging the gap between curiosity and revelation. "I am Serina Calis, a Padawan of the New Jedi Order, committed to understanding the mysteries of the Force. And in you, I sense a connection to these mysteries, a piece of a puzzle I am destined to solve. What importance you hold for me, or I for you, I cannot yet say. But the Force does not guide us to such encounters without reason."

She let the words hang between them, a silent offering of trust and an invitation to deeper discourse. "I am here to learn, Alina. About you, about the vision, and about whatever role we are to play in each other's stories. Your presence in my vision was no mere coincidence, and I hope to discover why the Force has woven our paths together like this."

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"A Padawan who believes their standing is secure enough to flash around how dark they are. You don't even see how much danger you're in, do you? Your order is filled with ex Sith. They know the tricks. I picked here on Denon because they usually avoid it." Alina clicked her tongue, again sipping her smoothie. A Padawan, so entrenched in the dark. The New Jedi Order was slacking to allow this, weren't they? Then again, this girl new her name. A trap was much more likely than a Padawan able to keep themselves hidden from that circle of wolves and traitors.

"Only a fool lets themselves serve at the whim of the Force, Padawan. What they teach you is lies, but you know that already. You don't want to be Jedi, do you? You grandstand about this meeting being fate, but it's an excuse to validate your feelings, right? That the Jedi are wrong. The real question is, though, why shouldn't I kill you?"

And like that, the pleasantry was gone. Alina kept her smile, fanged and all, as she tilted her head. "People aren't supposed to know who I am here. People don't, but you somehow do. That's a problem for me. So, tell me what in this vision of yours keeps me from leaving you dead here?"

Serina Calis

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina met Alina's stark declaration and thinly veiled threat with an unflinching gaze, her expression calm yet undeniably intense. Her smile, though slight, carried an undercurrent of daring and confidence that seemed to transcend the palpable tension between them.

"Alina, your concerns are not unfounded," Serina began, her voice low and steady, maintaining her flirtatious edge as a means of softening the gravity of the confession she was about to make. "But let me assure you, my actions, however bold or reckless they might seem, are deeply calculated."

She paused, ensuring she held Alina's attention fully before continuing. "In my quarters at the Jedi Temple lies a Sith holocron—a relic I discovered on my very first mission. It's not just any holocron, but one created by Darth Malak himself." Serina's eyes shimmered with a mix of reverence and ambition, revealing the depth of her engagement with the dark artifact. "From it, I have learned much, not merely about the dark arts, but about the nature of power and dominion."

"The vision that brought me to you was steeped in the Dark Side's influence," she confessed, leaning closer, her voice a whisper now, conspiratorial yet enticing. "At Rakata Prime, I faced death. In that moment of ultimate vulnerability, the Dark Side spoke, not to threaten, but to offer a vision of what I could become. It asked me to dominate it, to wield it as one might wield a blade—precisely and with intent."

She spoke with feverous passion. "After that, I saw it, Revan, Malak, The final battle on the Star Forge, as if I was there when it happened, I heard and felt those final words, that nothingness..."

Her demeanor softened, the edges of her words blurring into a more seductive tone. "This vision I had this morning, Alina, it wasn't merely a call to power—it was a revelation of potential paths, of intersections with souls like yours. Souls that challenge, that compel, that intrigue."

Serina's smile broadened, disarmingly genuine. "I do not wish to fight you, nor do I have any desire to see this encounter end in violence. I am here simply to talk, to understand, and to explore the web of fate the Force seems to have woven for us both. You are as much a mystery to me as I am to you, and all I seek today is a conversation."

She leaned back, allowing her words to settle, her eyes still locked on Alina's. "So, tell me, Alina, what can we learn from each other? What threads can we unravel together? I am as curious about your story as you seem to be about the implications of mine." Her voice, ever charming, hinted at deeper layers of shared understanding and mutual intrigue, inviting Alina to see beyond the immediate threat and consider the potential benefits of this unexpected alliance.

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Padawan, do I really need to remind you of just how out of your league you are right now? You would be wise to avoid speaking so much, less you come across as condescending to your betters. The Jedi might abide it, but many of the Sith you so clearly long for will sooner wring your neck and leave you for the rats than listen to you try to bargain with them."

She paused again to take a much longer sip of her smoothie. Then smiled. A real smile this time.

"Others don't mind as much. Consider that a free lesson, learn your audience. Big thing for me, I don't listen to the fate the Force dares to try and force me along. Most Sith don't like that idea, belonging to the web the Force laid out. Our goal is to break the chains it would bind us with. The web, as you put it, razed to the ground. What I want to see, though?"

She leaned forward, her smile growing ever wider still.

"What you'll be when you break those damn chains you so clearly have."

Serina Calis

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina absorbed Alina's reprimand with an unshaken composure, her gaze steady and thoughtful. Her smile remained, albeit tinged with a hint of humility—a subtle acknowledgment of the gravity of Alina's words.

"Your counsel is appreciated, Alina, and your point well taken," Serina replied, her voice measured, reflecting a mature understanding. "Perhaps my candor does extend beyond what might be considered prudent. But let me assure you, it is not borne of naivety or a lack of awareness of the dangers that such openness might entail."

She paused, choosing her next words with care, ensuring they conveyed both respect and a deeper layer of her own journey. "I have indeed faced the ultimate consequence of my arrogance once before. Darth Imperius himself deemed it necessary to end my life for the very traits you warn against." Her eyes held a somber depth as she recounted the event, her tone serious yet devoid of fear. "I was resurrected, not just physically but with a renewed understanding of my path and the forces that shape it."

Serina leaned forward slightly, mirroring Alina's earlier gesture, her voice lowering to a near-whisper, intimate and earnest. "I speak openly of these things not to boast or to jostle with those who might be my superiors in power and experience, but to prove my trustworthiness and to demonstrate my commitment to transparency. You were quite startled when I mentioned I was Jedi."

She then addressed the philosophical core of their discussion, her demeanor still charming but underscored by a sharp intellect. "And while I understand the Sith's disdain for the constraints of any code, including their own, it's a poignant irony that in their quest to break the chains of the Force, they often forge new ones for themselves."

Serina's eyes sparkled with a combination of earnestness and a hint of playfulness as she concluded, "What will I be when I break my chains? That is the question that drives me. But I'm equally intrigued, Alina, by what we might both discover about our own chains through this dialogue. I want to understand why I was brought here," she paused purposefully, allowing her words to hang in the air. "Who are you?"

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Why do you speak like that? I don't care much for nobility speak. It's annoying. Speak plain. Friends don't need to speak like we're at my family's lifeday party trying to make nice with the other nobility." Death was the ultimate equalizer. To hear she had been killed already usually would've meant a humbling, perhaps. But she found something in death, hadn't she?

Her smile remained as she leaned back comfortably, nodding her head.

"You know a lot for a kid. Too wise for your years. You're not here to help me, though, Serina. The last person I'd ever turn to would be a Padawan of the New Jedi Order to help me solve my chains or the like. As for who I am? Alina, of Aurora Industries. A corpo through and through." Was that the truth? No, not the whole truth anyway. But she certainly wasn't going to give any more to a Padawan of her enemy.

"The Force is a wild thing, though, to bring you to me. I'm just as curious what it was thinking considering what I can do. What do you think it is? What do you think you'll find here?"

Serina Calis

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina's demeanor shifted markedly as the conversation took on a new gravity. Her voice, previously lilting with the nuanced cadences of diplomacy and charm, now carried a stark, unadorned directness. She leaned in slightly, her blue eyes locking with Alina's, clear and earnest.

"I appreciate directness," Serina began, her tone stripped of any previous flourish. "I'm from Chandrila—it's ingrained in us to speak in a certain way, but I understand it can be off-putting in settings like these. Let's speak plainly then."

She paused briefly, her gaze shifting towards the burgeoning protest on the streets nearby, noting the swift response of the police. The disturbance seemed a distant echo compared to the intensity of the conversation at hand.

"I've had my fill of the Jedi Order's doctrines and their limitations," she continued, her voice low, carrying a weight of conviction. "I have worked alongside many who you might call Sith, learning what I can, planning something that transcends the traditional boundaries set by the Jedi. My loyalty isn't with the Order—it hasn't been for some time."

Serina's eyes returned to Alina, probing, searching for an indication of understanding or perhaps an ally. "What I seek—what I hope to find in you—is insight into the darker aspects of the Force. The vision that led me here wasn't just random; it was a directive, a nudge towards something—or someone—who can offer a different perspective, a deeper understanding."

The noise of the protest grew, chants and shouts weaving through the air, but Serina's focus remained unbroken, her voice steady. "You mention being a part of Aurora Industries, but I sense there's more to you than corporate titles and affiliations. I'm looking for someone who can guide me further into the shadows of the Force, beyond what the Jedi or even the Sith openly discuss. Someone who can help me see what lies beyond the chains we both seek to break."

Serina leaned back, her expression one of open curiosity mixed with a hint of urgency. "The Force doesn't act without intent. It brought me to you for a reason, Alina."

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Seriously, I don't do this fate thing either. What the Force wants, I don't care about. I'm sure it'd kill me if it could, if it was that aware. I don't think it is. Understanding it's power, though, that is something I can agree with. What is it we can do? What are our limits? Are there any, if you search hard enough?" Alina mused idly as she swirled around her drink. "Then again, we both died once. If the Force had it's way, we'd remain such. Or perhaps because I eat the Force I don't much care for the whims and reasons of my food."

A shrug of her shoulders, another sip of her drink. The Sangnir devoured Anima, the very living part of the Force. All through blood, but some who gained mastery over the Anima that burned through the Maw that had replaced their heart could feast on the purest forms. She paused her drinking, head tilted to the side.

"You dabble and speak with many Sith, huh? Do you have one you actually serve? Or are you just begging for scraps from those you find?"

Serina Calis

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina's gaze remained steady as she listened, absorbing Alina's musings with the same intensity that characterized her every move. When Alina finished, Serina took a measured breath, her expression contemplative before her voice cut through the air with the weight of certainty.

"The Force didn't leave me to death," she began, her tone calm but resolute. "When Darth Imperius struck me down on Rakata Prime, it wasn't skill or will that pulled me back. It was the Dark Side itself. It acted—not passively, not by chance, but with intent. It revived me, filled me with its essence, and in that moment, I understood something fundamental: the determinism of this galaxy isn't just theory. It's real. I lived it."

She leaned forward, her hands resting lightly on the table, her voice dropping lower. "Whatever the Force's whims or lack of awareness, I know this: at that moment, it chose to intervene. Why? I don't claim to fully understand. Perhaps it saw potential, or perhaps it simply needed me alive for its own purposes. But I've seen the hand of fate in action, Alina, and that's not something I can dismiss lightly."

Serina's demeanor shifted slightly, a flicker of her characteristic charm returning as she addressed Alina's more pointed inquiry. "As for the Sith I've encountered… those meetings have been coincidences. The galaxy is vast, but when you wander its darker corridors, it's only a matter of time before you cross paths with those who walk them more frequently." She allowed a small, knowing smile to play on her lips. "Chance or design, who's to say?"

Her eyes locked on Alina's, unyielding yet inviting. "You say you don't care for the Force's intent, and perhaps that's true. But tell me, Alina—if you truly believed it had no hold on you, would you feel the need to test its limits, to push against it as you do? Perhaps it's not so much the Force itself you rebel against but the idea that it might be more powerful than you want it to be."

She let the question hang, her words weaving into the noise of the nearby protest, which had grown louder, closer, as though the chaos outside mirrored the turbulence of their conversation.

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Riiight sure, sure. Whatever you say, kid."

She shrugged her shoulders indifferently. Being talked at wasn't something that really kept her interest in the slightest. This faith and worship she seemed to have for the Force brought about a sense of dejavu, though. Darth Strosius was the same way in his faith, for better or worse. But faith wasn't something Alina cared for. There was science here, with how the Force worked.

"You didn't come to me to debate, or tell me how the Force works, or whatever it is you're doing. I'm willing to answer your questions to help you out, but if you're going to try and tell me I need more faith or look deeper or anything else you're currently doing preaching to me, it's no surprise this Darth Imperius killed you. You don't get just how fragile a position you're in. Lock it up, kid, before you get killed for good."

Serina Calis

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina's expression hardened, her usual composure giving way to a more focused and no-nonsense demeanor. The subtle shifts in her tone and posture carried the weight of someone who understood the stakes and was no longer interested in veiled niceties.

"Fine. No more preaching, no more debates," Serina said, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. She leaned forward, her gaze sharp and unyielding. "You're right—I didn't come here to tell you what I believe. I came here because I need answers."

She paused, letting her words settle for a moment before continuing, her voice unwavering. "The Dark Side revived me. It didn't whisper or guide—it acted. It pulled me back from the void, filled me with its energy, and gave me another chance. I need to know how and why. What force of the universe—what mechanism—could intervene so directly? Was it simply raw power responding to my presence, or is there something deeper at play?"

Her eyes locked onto Alina's with a piercing intensity, her usual charm stripped away entirely. "You said it yourself—you've seen the Force in ways others haven't. You devour its essence, its anima. You understand its mechanics in a way few can. If anyone here has insight into what happened to me, it's you."

She leaned back slightly but kept her gaze locked on Alina, the intensity of her words hanging heavily in the air. "So, what do you know, Alina? What can you tell me about what happened to me?"

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Someone wants you alive. It's that simple. This isn't the Force's will or anything like what the Jedi would have you believe. Someone had to pull the strings on bringing you back, because the Force itself sure as hell doesn't let people go." Alina herself was ripped from it to return to the living. Alina hummed as she sipped her drink again, her brow furrowed in thought.

"You should figure out whoever it was that brought you back. I know several beings in the Nether love toying with the lives of those here. There's probably some deal or the like going on in the background."

Serina Calis

 

[Serina Calis]

Tag: Alina Tremiru

Serina's brows knit together as she processed Alina's words, her piercing blue eyes narrowing thoughtfully. She leaned forward slightly, her voice calm but edged with curiosity and determination.

"You think it's someone pulling the strings? That someone intervened to bring me back?" she echoed, the idea clearly settling into her thoughts. "But what if it wasn't a someone? What if it was simply the Dark Side itself?"

Her gaze remained fixed on Alina, unblinking. "The Dark Side is not just a tool or a resource. It's a living force—an entity with its own instincts, its own currents. It doesn't act like the Light; it's more primal, more chaotic. Couldn't it have responded to me, to my presence, my connection to it? Not as an external manipulator, but as a force of nature reclaiming what it found valuable?"

Serina paused, her tone shifting to one of almost academic interest. "I've felt its pull in moments of desperation, its power surging through me when I've touched its depths. When I died, it didn't feel like an outside hand plucking me from the void—it felt like the Dark Side itself surged through me, as if it refused to let me go."

Her voice lowered, quieter but no less intense. "Could it be that simple? That the Dark Side has its own will—not a conscious one, but an instinct to preserve and empower those it sees as worthy of wielding it? If so, what does that mean for those it chooses to touch?"

She leaned back, her focus unwavering. "What do you think, Alina? Do you have any names that I could go off? Anyone that could help me on this question?"