Private Heart to Heart

[Darth Strosius]

A simple hum served as his response to her apology, a subtle hint that he had moved beyond that discussion already. Musing on the past never quite worked out unless it was to fuel his power really. Too many strong emotions and memories that weren't worth remembering. Faces that he would never see again, the only ones left being those that he wished not to see. Such was the price of living a longer life he supposed, the price of surviving all that he had done. The price that the living had to pay to the dead.

Thankfully Revna was just as enraptured by his words of wisdom and experimentation as he was excited to spout them. "It is quite a spectacular ability yes. One that never fails to leave quite the shocked expression on those that are subjected to it." A little snort escaped the masked man at his own joke before he quickly cleared his throat and continued. "Yes, even the most potent and powerful of rituals and alchemical enhancements are no real substitute for individual training and practice. Discipline and willpower triumph over all in the end."

A grin spread across his hidden features as she accused him of purposely tempting her with knowledge of such rituals, a hand pressing against his chest as he feigned an offended expression. "I have no idea what you mean my Disciple, I was simply satisfying your curiosity." There were absolutely no doubts that Darth Strosius knew exactly what he had been doing. Revna would always be one to chase after more information and learning, and as a result more power, and he knew better than to let her run wild with it.

If she was allowed to let her curiosity and burning desire for learning to go without sating then she would inevitably find something or someone else to quench her thirst and that he could not allow. There were far too many enemies and ill-intentions lingering around in the Order for that. But with a few offhanded remarks and explanations she could be reined in and focused right at what he wanted her to, keeping her from exploring and potentially winding up in trouble due to it.

A simple trick but one that had proven fairly effective thus far. "However, I won't put you on the schedule for any significant rituals as of yet. Perhaps some minor ones but nothing too extravagant." He dropped the façade as quickly as he had adopted it, crossing his arms behind his back once more after gesturing towards her. "I've yet to see any need for you to have such things. Half the reason that I have Sith undergo it is because their potential is limited, their top strength and capability lacking without any real room to grow. These rituals and enhancements help them reach the level that they should be rather than leaving them as they are. You are an entirely different case however."

There weren't many Force Sensitives to be found in the Outer Rim to begin with, at least not among the common slave population that he often saved and recruited from, and the ones that were present were decidedly lacking in power. Most other Sith Lords wouldn't consider them worth the time of day but as usual Darth Strosius was different. Everyone had value, everyone could be useful, all could be Sith with proper dedication and work. He would never deny the opportunity even to those that could never reach his level of power and ability.

"Your potential thus far has exceeded all of my initial assumptions and expectations, unprecedented among the typical enslaved blessed ones that I find. I can only assume that your Marr heritage is to thank for that." Another factor that most Sith Lords never seemed to consider with weaker Force Sensitives, the longer term. For whatever reason Force Sensitivity did have a genetic factor and one that only seemed to compound and grow with the generations provided that it was cultivated properly.

Now he may have a cult full of weak Sith but within a few generations he might just have an army of Sith that none could match. A risky gambit admittedly but one that he was more than willing to make if it had the chance of succeeding. He did have time on his side after all, provided that he didn't get himself killed he would live more than long enough to see the fruits of such labor. "As such you have to work harder, no shortcuts and no half measures. As is befitting one of my Disciples. Instead, I would like to teach you how to perform such rituals and imbuements yourself."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Revna snorted and smirked in amusement herself with the man’s joke, and couldn’t help a small roll to her eyes - though truthfully she found the moment to be quite special. She didn’t get to see this side of her High Priest very often, and when she did it was very fleeting. As she knew he would, he cleared his throat and moved on, but she could still feel a sense of almost lightheartedness lingering in the space around them and between them.

It sure was better than how tense the atmosphere had been earlier on in their conversation.

The lightheartedness continued as her Master took mock offense to her accusations, eliciting a scoff and a raised eyebrow from Revna. They both knew what he was doing, however. Over time, he had learned her and no doubt he would continue to do so the longer they remained together as Master and apprentice. And perhaps even beyond.

“...yeah, sure. We’ll go with that.” She growled, still playful, before their discussion returned back to being more serious and focused on the topics at hand. Revna was mildly intrigued to hear him say that he didn’t think she needed such enhancements, explaining that the reason why he utilized them at all was to help bolster the Sith in his service that were rather lacking in the skills and power department, but she did not fall into that category. A dusting of pink touched her cheekbones as Strosius told her that she had thus far exceeded his expectations and assumptions about her, especially when she had first arrived and come under his instruction. And when he said that he suspected her Marr heritage to be behind this, Revna lowered her gaze to stare at her hands for a few moments before looking back into the darkened visor of his mask.

“My mother wasn’t Force sensitive, even though she was a Marr. She had the red eyes, but she had no power. And because of that…she was cast out of the family.” She said quietly to the man before her. “So I don’t think my sensitivity came from her side but from…”

Revna paused as there came a sudden and rather painful constriction around her heart that also seemed to squeeze off her throat as well. She collected herself after a moment, though she was suddenly far more vulnerable than she would have liked to be in the moment.

“I…I think that might have come from the one, from …whoever my father is.” she said in a far more quiet, subdued tone of voice. “But I’m not sure about that. Mother never spoke of him, and shut down all my attempts to ask her about him.”

Many times, young Revna had pondered on the existence of her father, the one who had helped bring her into existence. Every attempt she had made to talk about him with her mother had been met with a sharp rebuke. But it never helped to heal the wound left behind in not knowing who he was. Or even if he was still alive, somewhere, out in the galaxy. Did he even know of her existence?

This was the biggest reason why she had been so driven in finding young Veradun a family…she had wanted him to have something she never had herself, and to experience life and growing up under the guidance and care of a mother and a father.

As Revna regarded the Sith Lord before her, she felt another stab of pain to her heart. Briefly, memories of her capture and interrogation by the one known as Ordo resurfaced within her mind, the first time she had ever confessed aloud how she truly saw her Master. But she was too much of a coward to tell him to his face. She couldn’t bear the thought of exposing that most vulnerable part of her soul, only to have it spurned and denied or rejected completely. So she kept it to herself, saying that one day she might find the courage to tell him who he really was to her.

But now was not that time.

Revna was quiet as he continued, and nodded in understanding when she was told that, due to her own greater potential over the others, she would have to work harder. There would be no shortcuts for her, no half measures as a chosen Disciple. It only made sense; she had far more responsibility on her shoulders than many of the others, and had far more to prove. She had to measure up to the expectations of Darth Strosius, and she was determined to do so.

Her somberness drifted away as another eager and hungry glint reappeared in her sulfur hued eyes.

“You know I won’t say no to you teaching me and showing me the ways of the Dark side. Beats having to expend the extra energy to go find someone else who will, anyway.” She added with a provoking smirk.

“But I suppose that is something we can maybe touch further on after I get this fancy healing implant?”


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

There was a subtle pause in his movements as Revna mentioned her mother, idly recalling a memory that he had gleaned from her mind some time ago regarding a red eyed woman that must have been her. While part of him was disgusted at the notion of a child being cast out of a family for such a simple reason, albeit given they were nobility it was to be expected, her own pause and assertion that her mother wasn't the source of her power was what caught his attention. Not that he made that known of course.

A simple hum served as his immediate reaction to the scant information regarding her father, something to note for later. It wasn't unusual for families to be separated in the slave trade after all. Or for new ones to be sired amidst said trade. Regardless it seemed that either her mother must have regretted the little tryst that led to Revna or that the father had met some grim fate that wasn't to be spoken of. Either was likely, perhaps even both, but there was no way to know for sure.

"The blessings of the Force are not so simply spread like hair and eye color, Disciple." Darth Strosius noted to fill the silence. "It can often skip entire generations. Had my parents or grandparents displayed any inklings of Force Sensitivity then I doubt that they would have wound up as simple miners on Kessel for example, yet there I was born and lived until my own power came to me. So it could still be sourced from your Marr side, just having been recessive for whatever reason." A phenomenon that he was still looking into in all honesty, to determine how to better raise generations of Sith.

Indeed none in his family, of which he admittedly only knew his parents, had any sort of sensitivity that he was aware of. Whether he was the first of the Haxim bloodline to bear the blessings of the Force or an inheritor from some ancient ancestor was unknown but hardly mattered, it wasn't like he could continue his family line after all. "Perhaps if you ever have children we can put that theory to the test hm? See if they possess any sensitivity to the Force." A remark said with more warmth than intended, to the point that he paused and seemed to question himself for a moment.

He had no doubt that Revna and even Malum would be ecstatic to see more additions to their family, but why did he find that prospect so enticing? Seeing families crop up beneath his purview was a source of pride for him but this notion was different somehow. More personal almost. Perhaps because she was so integral to his plans? Definitely something to ponder on later.

The masked man scoffed at the idea that she would find alternative instruction and shook his head with a small chuckle. "I doubt that anyone else's teaching style would suit you." He countered with a slight smirk before perking up at the mention of the implant. "Ah yes of course, no point in delaying it too much longer I suppose. Lay down and relax if you would." With a finger he beckoned the medical droid back to the operating table, standing across from it as it readied its implements.

"First you'll be administered general anesthesia to 'put you under' for the operation, then the incision and implantation will commence, then after a simple test to ensure it was properly implanted it will heal the incision and you'll be woken up." It was a quick and simple explanation for what was a relatively minimally invasive process, but one that he felt needed to be said. No one else had received such an explanation until after the implantation was complete and they were being trained to make use of it. He doubted Revna even needed it, but he chose to give it anyway.

"After you're back to your senses and fully aware we'll conduct a short training exercise so that you can make use of the implant properly, then you'll be free to return to your previous affairs. As simple and as quick as we could make it." His hand rested on the side of the table for a moment before, after a moment of twitching and hesitating, reaching out to lightly pat her arm. As usual his visor was unreadable in its expression but it was fixed on her for a long few moments before he withdrew his arm and stepped back. "Just close your eyes as the droid begins the anesthesia, I'll see you on the other side."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Revna’s expression turned thoughtful and introspective as the Sith Lord explained that the inheritance of the Force was a complicated matter, that it could skip entire generations and crop up in even the most unlikely of individuals. She bemused that the Force truly was a ‘blessing’, if what he said was correct.

But surely there were ‘lines’ that were more potent with the Force, and more likely to pass it on from one generation to the next. Revna knew so little about her own family background that she really didn’t know if her own family ‘line’ carried such potency. Yes, the Marr line was potent, and many were born sensitive to the Force, but many more were born with no sensitivity at all.

Like her Mother.

And what about her father? Had he been Force sensitive?

The more the little Sith apprentice thought about him, the more she felt a certain agitation - a gap in something that had no knowledge, and it bothered her. She wanted answers about who he was, this mystery man who had helped bring her into existence. If he was alive or dead…

So many questions, and no real way of finding answers.

That agitation that crawled under skin was burned away in the next moment, however, when her Master said something she had never truly considered for herself, speaking his words in a tone of voice she was not used to hearing from him.

Revna blinked at the masked Sith for a few moments, her thoughts settling on that singular thought. She couldn’t help the sudden collision of swirling emotions that flooded through her, as an almost pained, wistful expression came over her pale face.

Revna knew how children came to be.

And she knew for a fact that she would never be able to experience having or holding her own child in her arms. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to - it was simply that she couldn’t. She didn’t know why, truthfully. All she knew was that the notion was impossible.

“As much as I would like to test that theory one day…I am afraid I can’t.” She replied quietly, more grimly. “Maybe…it is the price I had to pay for my ‘blessings’ from the Force. It gave me my power, but it took away the chance for me to have my own family one day.”

If only she knew that such a choice had been made not by the Force, but by her former slave master.

“It’s probably for the best anyway. I don’t think you’d want your best Disciple waylaid from her service and duties by a bunch of bratty kids anyway. I imagine they’d be just as adventurous and prone to getting into trouble as I am.” the young woman said with a more light tone of voice, her eyes glinting with mischievousness as she found a way to bring humor into the situation. “Besides, I’d just leave them with you or the other Priests and Priestesses when I got tired of dealing with them…”

Eventually, she brought their conversation back to her original purpose in coming into the operation room: to receive her healing implant - though if she was honest with herself, she almost loathed to return back to the more formal position as his Disciple; she rather enjoyed the more open, real and honest conversations with her Master. Idly, she wondered if this entire interaction would be the closest she would get to experiencing what it was like to have a Father figure in her life.

Revna did as she was instructed; she laid back and tried to relax as best she could on the seat where the operation would take place. Now that she realized the procedure was imminent, a certain tension returned back to her and it would be hard to miss the sudden look of anxiousness that filled her face and eyes. As the medical droid prepared and introduced an IV drip line into one of her veins, a flash of a past memory returned to her and for a moment the lines between the past and the present blurred…causing her small hands to clench into tight fists that made her knuckles turn white. For a moment, all she could recall was the last time she had been put under for a procedure ordered by her last master, Voss. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision of the flashes of images as a short but fierce battle raged within her own mind, her own consciousness. Despite her past trauma and experiences, however, a small victory was won over the memories of her past - a past that was dead and gone now.

Revna focused more intently upon what Darth Strosius was telling her, the reassurances he was giving to her about the simple procedure, nodding in understanding as nodes to monitor her vitals throughout the operation were placed on certain areas of her skin. Strangely, she found hearing his voice to be a comfort to help ease the remaining tension that coiled within her. He certainly wasn’t Voss, and she knew in her heart that he meant her no harm. Quite the opposite, in fact. He was giving her the ability to heal herself, to keep her alive and around for much longer. She was rather thankful for that, because she knew that no other Sith Lord would be bothered to do such a thing for someone they might consider to be ‘expendable’.

And as if to silently drive that point home, he reached out and gently patted her arm - a gesture that brought an almost alien, but welcome, warmth to spread through her as the general anesthesia was injected into her IV line.

"See you soon..." she said with a small smile before she slipped under the waves of unconsciousness.

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

An unseen eyebrow raised beneath his mask as she quietly rejected the idea of her one day starting a family, his head cocking to the side in confusion for a moment before her tone clued him in. The exact details on why such a notion seemed impossible to Revna weren't spoken and despite his curiosity, and concern, he didn't ask for clarification either. He had a feeling that he'd rather not know for his own sake, and for the sake of whoever might be responsible for any incidents in her past.

Darth Strosius managed a small chuckle as she shifted to a more lighter topic of her potential children being somewhat of an issue for the both of them. Just like their mother could be at times. "I suppose having you distracted from your duties wouldn't be ideal yes. Nor would having to chase after even more rambunctious young Sith. However, it would be rather amusing to see the tables turned on you for once..." And very fitting given her tendency to run off every now and then. Something that he hoped would be inherited, if only to see his Disciple scrambling after young ones instead of him.

"Myself and the priesthood are more than capable of handling even the most rowdy of children young Revna, it would be of little issue." The youth of the Outer Rim were far from the most well mannered and saintly bunch after all. Especially those that had been left to their own devices for the most part, be that in orphanages or slave dens. An entire subset of the priesthood was dedicated purely to the children, both those born within the cult and those brought from the wider galaxy, for such reasons. The future had to be cultivated and tended to properly.

As the more casual conversation died down and shifted back to the matter at hand, part of Darth Strosius was still having second thoughts about the entire operation. It was as minimally invasive as it could be but it would still necessitate a bit of surgery and no matter how skilled the droid might have been he was still unsure about his Disciple being placed under the knife. The thought made his stomach churn, something that rarely ever happened these days. Between war and his own work there were few sights that could disgust him anymore.

The masked man felt his shoulders sag as Revna's eyes drifted closed and her vitals stabilized, putting her into the slumber that was necessary for the operation. He had been watching this procedure done dozens of times over the past few days and yet somehow a part of him still felt concern. Doubt and hesitation wracked his mind as he stared at the unconscious face of his Disciple, his fingers digging small dents into the operating table as he silently debated himself.

The droid beeped as though to catch his attention and remind him that it couldn't very well begin the operation whilst he was still hovering over the patient. He blinked and reluctantly stepped back, clasping his hands behind his back as the droid looked to him for confirmation just as it had done dozens of times before. "Proceed." For some reason the word came out through clenched teeth, not that the droid seemed to mind. It quickly set to work just as it had done all day, albeit this time with the pacing and looming presence of the Sith Lord looking over it's shoulder at every opportunity.

Just as expected the procedure was quick and without issue, an incision and implantation followed by a quick test before the wound was stitched up. Yet despite the quick affair he nonetheless felt as though every second dragged on for an eternity. Bringing her out of anesthesia was probably the most time consuming part of the entire operation in truth, something overseen by a pair of medics rather than the droid. A pair which, when Revna's eyes would open again, were working carefully yet somewhat frantically as they checked the stitching and injected her with some small doses of medicine to get her back to full consciousness faster.

The pair shifted to the side as soon as their work was done, allowing Revna to see the rather stark medical hallway from the cot that she was laid upon. The lights had been dimmed to allow the patients an easier time adjusting their eyes but at the moment she seemed to be the only one coming out of anesthesia. Only the medics, who stood to the side and waited to ensure that she was alright, and Darth Strosius occupied the room aside from her. "Well, how do you feel? Soreness is natural and expected but it should wear off within a few hours."

Revna

 

[Revna]

As unconsciousness began to flood over her mind and her eyes drifted closed, Revna found herself smiling further at the thought of her High Priest trying to corral those of her own flesh and blood - even laughing as the tables were indeed turned and she was the one having to rescue them out of bad situations. It was a rather strange and pleasant thought to fall asleep to.

Soon, the darkness of deep sleep draped over her like a blanket however, and she rested undisturbed for a short time. She was unaware of the incision made through her skin and the implantation of the healing device designed by her own Master. As expected, the implant worked as designed, and her wound was sealed over. Her unconscious form was gently picked up and carried to a recuperation cot in the dimly lit hallway, where the medical droid was soon replaced by a couple of trained medical staff who busied themselves over her as the Sith Lord looked on nearby.

Waking up from anesthesia was always the hardest part, and the most dangerous, for any patient. Most made it through without any issues, but a rare few had mild to moderate complications. Revna’s vitals were monitored closely as her oxygen levels dipped below the normal and safe range, and a slight blue tinge cast itself over her lips and skin. Her heart rate was sluggish and slow, and medications to help balance and alleviate some of the side effects from the anesthesia were administered. There was a brief moment of respiratory distress on her part, struggling to breathe with the lack of oxygen - but that was quickly remedied as well.

Eventually however, the Disciple’s vital signs showed that she was returning to the waking world, but there was some agitation and restlessness from her as she struggled to the surface, her eyes finally opening. Her expression was somewhat confused and hazy as her eyes shifted around almost frantically, looking for a familiar sight.

“...Master?” came her weakened and sluggish voice, laced with anxiety when she didn’t immediately see the familiar sight of the Sith Lord, and a spike of fear could be felt through the Force as her usual emotional barriers were not in place. Her heart rate spiked on the vitals monitor as she searched further - until she saw the medics, and the familiar robed form of Darth Strosius.

The tension eased as he came further into focus, and though her mind was slow to register his spoken words, they nonetheless eased the anxiety that had made itself known. She laid back on the cot and blinked for a few moments, still hazy though it was quickly fading away, before nodding slightly in response.

“I…just feel…tired. From the meds I think. And glad that I d-didn’t wake up alone. Like the last time…” she murmured as she laid her head back on the cot and heaved a heavy sigh. “I assume the…operation…went okay? I still seem to be…a-alive. And in one…one piece.” She paused for a moment as clarity returned to her more and more.

“So now what? You teach me how to use this new fancy implant? How are we going to do that?”

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

There were some minor mishaps to be corrected and accounted for in order to bring Revna back into the waking world, nothing that he hadn't seen before of course but nonetheless they filled him with unease. The poor medical team working on her bore the full brunt of his concern as he watched them work, more than a few times catching them giving him way glances as though they expected some sort of harsh reprimanding. It was somewhat unusual for him to loom over them like this but they weren't going to question it directly of course.

When her eyes opened there was a subtle exhale and slight sag in his shoulders as tension left them, but sensing her distress put him right back on edge within a moment. The very second that the pair of medics parted as she awakened, he was at the side of her cot so that she could see him. Thankfully it seemed to ease her anxiety fairly quickly and as she started to speak he subtly glanced back at the medics and nodded for them to leave.

"Yes it went perfectly fine, I'm glad that you aren't feeling any lingering pain." Whether that was due to the operation's skillful execution or the medicine administered afterwards was unclear but it hardly mattered. Some fatigue was to be expected and should wear off with time so thankfully it seemed as though the operation was a great success indeed. He could count the amount of complications that they had endured from the ones already completed thus far on one hand but it never hurt to be careful just in case.

"Ah yes, some training is in order I suppose." For a moment it seemed like he had almost forgotten about that part, distracted by ensuring that her recovery was seamless it seemed, but he quickly recovered with a nod. "The first step is identifying where your implant is so that you can activate it in the future, they're all in similar spots of course but if you don't know what you're looking for then you'll be lost." Darth Strosius gestured at his side, roughly near the middle of where the ribcage would be beneath all the layers atop it. "It's in this area so that your major organs and heart are the first ones effected by the bacta injection it unleashes. Try and sense it, it should feel out of place and unnatural compared to everything else. You should be able to find it easily, especially without any other implants to distract you."

Sensing within oneself rather than around was an odd and unusual exercise for most but it was a necessary step to activate the implant and one that they would have to learn and become familiar with to use it properly. It also just so happened to be a fairly similar exercise for those learning how to heal themselves with the Force alone, a commonality that was most definitely intentional. With war on the horizon and more Sith beneath his banner than ever it only made sense to try and instill some basic knowledge of how to heal themselves just in case. "Find it and try to...'flip a switch' if that makes any sense. Your incision was stitched up loosely so it should heal up quick and just push the thread out as it does so."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Her heavy lidded eyes watched the medic staff depart, leaving just her and Darth Strosius alone in the hall. Seeing him there brought her far more relief than she truly cared to admit, and it was only this that allowed her to relax more as the fog of drugged sleep faded from her system with each passing minute.

“No…no lingering pain that I can feel right now.” Revna responded with a small smile, before further inquiring about how to use her new healing implant and after a moment of what seemed like he was distracted by something, her Master pulled his thoughts together and pressed forward. It did her some good to focus on something else other than the dizzying fog that still permeated her mind, and the more she focused on what he was telling her, the faster she recovered.

Revna sat up on the cot, taking care to make sure her dark gown stayed modest, as she watched where he indicated on himself where her implant could be located. Of course, she would need to use the Force to sense exactly where it was, and get a feel for the implant’s signature in the Force as well. Nodding along in understanding, Revna closed her eyes to help herself further concentrate and, like she had numerous times before in her meditative sessions, used the Force to peer into herself.

Her pale brow scrunched up a bit as she further sharpened her senses, and even with her decent grasp of using the Force during her meditations, it still took her a few moments to find something out of place within her body. But her frown deepened to that of confusion, and her head tilted unconsciousness, and she sensed something else too.

She was torn briefly on if she should tell her High Priest this, but chose not to say anything in the moment and focus instead on learning about her new implant. She could figure out what the other implant in her abdomen was later.

“...I sense it.” she finally murmured, her voice soft with her concentration, and once she had confirmed that she had found it, Darth Strosius further instructed her on activating and using the device. She did indeed feel a sort of “switch” on the tiny implant, and since she had actually seen the implant beforehand some time prior, she had somewhat of a visual aid to help guide her. But once she found what she had been looking for, using the Force to activate the healing substance within proved to be of little issue.

There was a sensation within her body, spreading out from the source and when it reached her surgical wound, she could almost feel it mend in real time. It wasn’t a painful experience, thought she did feel some tingling that slowly spread throughout her body before dissipating.

Revna opened up her eyes and smiled at her Master. “Done!” she said with a touch of pride to her voice, before it disappeared and her frown returned to her.

“I didn’t say anything earlier but…I sensed another…item or implant, in my abdomen.” Her gaze flickered to look down at her folded hands in her lap briefly. “I wonder…if that has something to do with my memories of my last surgery. But I don’t know what it is or what its purpose could be. I just know that Voss ordered the surgery…”

She was lost, for a moment, in memories from the past - before she pulled herself back to the present. “I suppose it doesn’t matter now. I’ll look more into it later on I guess, when I have some free time and I’m not busy helping out you or the Order.” she paused, but only for a moment. “Okay…well, now that I know how to work that, what is your will for me next, High Priest?” she inquired as she looked at his hidden visage, ever eager to serve - even if freshly out of surgery.

Darth Strosius​