It's Complicated

[Sayl Bane]

There was a blessing and a curse to having siblings, whether they were older, younger or, in Sayl's case, the same age. Which was to say, twins. Having the added support and someone to talk to no matter the circumstances was always appreciated, and just knowing that someone else would always be there was more than enough most days. She and her brother had always had a different sort of bond, strong in every sense but fraught with their own spats and rivalries, not to mention the clashes they had over ideology and the best way that things should be done, whether for the both of them, just one, or those close to them altogether. And, well, [member="Sage Bane"] was known to be the protective sort. Or rather, the overprotective sort. This wasn't the first time he'd intruded on her personal relationships, and it wouldn't be the last. It had been established beforehand that she would have to learn to deal with it, but that didn't mean she couldn't complain quietly and to herself.

Of course, not being able to get away from her twin inevitably meant that when he had determined she was dating someone, he'd asked to meet them. Unsurprising, in the grand scheme of things. Unsettling where it should have been a comforting gesture, as well. It wouldn't have typically been a concern, and she would have thought nothing of it, had the man not been a Jedi and her brother a Sith. To top of the enmity that would already boil from her twin due to the simple fact that another had taken interest in her, there was that posturing and deep-seated adversity that roiled between both Orders to deal with. There was no doubt in her mind that her brother would be the first one to make a comment. Not because [member="Dair Cotarin"] was meek or unable to speak up for himself, but because that was just how he acted, consistently and on a daily basis. There wouldn't be any reasoning with her sibling, no talking him down or out of his arrogance. Dealing with it while retorting with her own was the best and only option.

To top off the already tense conversation that was going to spring from this, the territory chosen for the meeting wasn't exactly the most neutral sort. Nal Hutta, while an out of the way little planet, also happened to be home field for the half-Chiss siblings. The rundown little rock had been their residence for what childhood they had and then some. It didn't harbor the best of memories, and to say it was pleasant returning after the years would be a stretch, but it was still, in some twisted and mangled sense of the word, home. Walking the streets that led to the quiet, out of the way bar, she found that, despite her absence, she still knew every nook and cranny like the back of her hand. There was no doubt in her mind that if trouble arose she would be able to navigate out of the bar and directly to a number of her old hideouts in a matter of minutes. Such was the life of one that had grown up on the streets, every day a question of whether you would survive to see the next sunrise. Such was what her life had been for twenty or more years.

Shaking her head in order to snap herself out of her reverie, she ignored the bartender for what was likely the fifth time and instead turned to survey the establishment. She had purposefully chosen a place that was less frequented than most others, not wanting to overwhelm Dair when this would already come as enough of a culture shock without the added bustle and unseen dangers that came with a planet such as this. At least here it would be difficult for someone to pull anything without any of the three seeing it coming. Well, difficult for anyone but her brother, but she pushed that worry to the back of her mind. Maybe he would behave in a very vague sense of the word. Yeah, and maybe Hutts'll fly. She had to remember, this was her twin she was dealing with, not anybody else's. The day he backed down would be the day he no longer took breath. Oh, it was a blessing and a curse having siblings, all right. She just couldn't figure out which.

 

[H3xle]

[member="Sayl Bane"] [member="sage bane"]

Dair was hitting new ground all the time, it would seem. This was his first time on Nal Hutta, his first time being in anything remotely close to a relationship and the first time he'd be meeting someones family. It was that last one that had him nervous, though not for the reasons that Sayl would think. By now he would have told her of his childhood, being taken from his home planet at the age of four(ish) and used as a combination slave and plaything for a relatively minor pirate clan until he was found by a Jedi at the age of fourteen. Through recent experiences, he would have told her about the specific experiences of his past that she asked about. She would know that he had recently reconnected with a piece of his history, finding out that he was a Valkyr from Midvinter, though as of yet that had only a small meaning to him. He hadn't had time to visit that planet or it's people yet and knew little of it's culture. The reason he was worried about meeting family was because he knew that he'd never be able to introduce her to his. His family was his old youngling clan, which he grew more apart from every year, and the varied friends he'd made over his tenure as a Jedi padawan. If he was going to be completely honest with himself, he was a little nervous about what her twin was like. He wanted Sage to know that he wouldn't hurt her and that, though he certainly didn't need to, he would protect her whenever and wherever. She had very quickly become important to Dair, and while he still wasn't entirely clear on what he felt, he knew he wanted to keep it.

The atmosphere didn't seem to bother Dair, he'd even chosen fairly appropriate dress for where they were to meet Sage. He wasn't in his Jedi robes, he was in fairly non-descript, lightly armored clothing (the type frequently used by low level mercenaries or people who didn't want to worry about random shankings. He'd kept it after a recent mission he'd gone on for the Jedi Order). His saber was on him, but hidden inside his sleeve instead of clipped to his belt. He planned and hoped to not have to use it, in his opinion, words should be able to clear up any misunderstanding in this situation.

He looked over at Sayl and smiled softly. He could see that her mind was going over things, he knew that she was worried. He leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear. "Everything is going to be fine." He told her, trying to be reassuring and confident. He knew he didn't know much about her brother, but he was related to Sayl, so he couldn't be that bad.

 

[Sage Bane]

Ugh, Nal Hutta. How Sage Bane detested the planet. If he never again saw its climate-ravaging factories, Hutt slave fairs, or pollutant-gorging Chemilizards, he would die a happy man. Still, even though the location left something to be desired, the company didn’t. Fresh off a shuttle from Zenith Prime, having been given the task of helping eliminate rogue Yuuzhan Vong for the ACA, Sage came to Nal Hutta for a much-needed family reunion.

It had been a few months since he had seen his twin sister Sayl, and there was much to catch up on. The half-Chiss had painfully earned the title of Sith Knight, proving himself in a multitude of trials, one of which had left him with a whole new appendage, a Vong-formed arm hidden underneath a banelith masquer. To the ordinary eye, his limb looked like a pale, human arm. However, the freakish monstrosity that hid beneath the Vong technology that ensured it looked normal, was anything but. For now, the aforementioned arm was hidden beneath his long black hooded cloak that he wore over lightly-armored clothing. Sage’s lightsaber was clipped to his belt of course. On a pit like Nal Hutta, one could never be too careful.

As the Sith Knight entered the bar, a few patrons turned towards him, mouths hanging agape. Sage’s hand gestured and the patrons turned away, glassy eyes twitching with concentration as they tried to remember just what they had been talking about. With a smirk, he crossed the dimly-lit cantina and joined his twin and her new friend, a handsome, blue-eyed boy who looked much too clean for their dirty surroundings.

“Padawans in love,” he sneered. “So adorable I could vomit.”

Sage chuckled and hailed the bartender for a shot of whiskey. Then he wrapped his arm around Sayl’s shoulder, gave her a forceful squeeze, and a kiss on the cheek.

“Hi, I’m the brother.” he announced to the man at her side.

[member="Sayl Bane"] | [member="Dair Cotarin"]​

 

[Sayl Bane]

The quiet whisper in her ear caused her to relax a fraction. Just knowing that Dair was here and willing to support her through what would likely be quite the ordeal was enough, and there wasn't any way to thank him properly for all that he was undertaking. But Sayl still couldn't be entirely reassured by those six words. Sure, everything might go decently, but it wasn't going to be fine. Nothing was ever quite so simple when it came to the Bane siblings, whether you were referring to the twins or their elder half-brother. It would take careful maneuvering on both of their parts to avoid anything close to a violent confrontation with Sage, and there was no telling if even that would be enough. Not that she was afraid of him. No, she just didn't want to have to worry about him injuring another.

As soon as her twin neared the cantina she could feel his all too familiar presence, this time tainted with a cloying darkness that threatened to overwhelm her senses and overtake her completely. But she pushed past it, forging through that fog until she came to the metaphorical wall that she knew held the man she had once known as her brother. Apparently his time with the Sith really had changed him, more than she'd imagined. The both of them were incredibly stubborn, sticking to their ideals and not allowing themselves to be molded by outside thoughts. It seemed she'd been wrong about that much when it came to him, because here before her was a stranger. Briefly her dark gaze strayed to the lightsaber at his waist, another symbol of the divide that had split between them.

In contrast to when last they had crossed paths, he was much more emotionally distant, not just from her but the world. It was a product of more than just his usual high, though she could see he'd abandoned spice long ago in favor of a much more potent intoxicant: the Force itself. It wasn't written on his face, but it was something she could sense woven into the fabric of his being, trembling just beneath the surface, a power hidden behind a thin wall that was nearly broken down with wear. It wouldn't take but one misplaced comment from either of them to tear it down and unleash whatever monster was waiting there, coiled in the shadows. She had enough sense to know that much, but she was also aware that if she gave too much quarter, he would see it as a weakness, and nothing good would follow.

"It's been awhile, Sev. How's Coruscant?" The conversation would be kept light for the moment, ignoring the fact that the two most important men in her life were from very different Force using sects and would be enemies if they met anywhere else and under different circumstances. She knew full well what the both of them were capable of, or at the very least thought she did, and didn't intend to allow them to fight. It really was that simple to her, but such a plan would be much harder to implement in reality. "Dair, this is Sage. Sage, Dair. Jedi and Sith, light and dark, whatever. Let's try and forget about that for now, yeah?" For Force's sake, if her brother started something she would knock him down a peg herself, through whatever means were necessary. This was one time she wouldn't stand for his usual attitude.

[member="Sage Bane"], [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[H3xle]

Dair noticed a presence nearing that felt similar to Sayl's in it's heart, but had different...flavors? Scents? How does one describe an ephemeral connection to an entity that was all encompassing? This was darker than Sayl's, not darker than Dair had ever felt, but it was getting there. Dair took a moment and cleared his mind. He tuned out his natural empathic sense. Sayl had told him that Sage was Sith. In his mind, that was a large step to take, but for her it wasn't more than he was willing. He wouldn't make any move to engage her brother in a confrontation. The dark presence showed itself as Sage walked into the cantina and over to them.

Dair offered [member="Sage Bane"] a genuine smile as he introduced himself as her brother. He noticed the lightsaber at his hip and the darkness that was palpable around his essence in the force. Both of these he ignored, the tinder was there to cause an conflagration and level parts of Nal Hutta, but he would try his hardest to keep any sparks from reaching that. For himself, he wasn't going to insult either himself, nor Sage by trying to hide his own essence in the force. It was strong, light and icy, like a clear winter's morning. He was also not pushing his essence out, not trying any sort of power games, that was not his way nor his place in this interaction.

"As Sayl said, I am Dair." He says as he offers his hand to shake Sage's. In that shake Dair would grasp firmly, but not go into any strength contest. "Join us, please." He indicated a number of nearby chairs for Sage to take his pick from.

 

[Sage Bane]

It wasn’t like Sage intended to ruin his sister’s relationships. It was merely that some men and women were not up to the task of such brotherly resistance to the idea of losing a sister to a potential partner. Especially if Sayl’s potential partner was not Sith. Sage had recently eschewed lovers of his own so that he could simply focus on a courtship of the dark side, and had come to embrace the notion that the Jedi were the weaker beings on the spectrum of light and dark. A lightsider was simply not good enough for her.

As he took a seat, Sage looked directly into the blue eyes of the slightly taller man. During the Jedi purge of Dorin, where he had faced both Seraphina Shel'tah and Varus Shatterstar, and during the decimating of light-sider cults on Ashera by the One Sith, Sage had left a countless number of dead Jedi in the wake of his black, billowy robes. He wondered if Dair would be able to sense the bloodlust that lingered in his pale and rangy frame. Could his sister even? At the memories of the horror he inflicted, his sentient arm mentally pushed at him, begging its Master for release from its masquer. The muscles in his jaw tightened as he wrestled with its disobedience. No, you may not come out and play. Only when I tell you it is time.

“Coruscant is treating me well,” he answered, turning to his sister with a slow blink, like a satisfied cat. “I have been Knighted by the One Sith for my efforts in their various campaigns. Don’t bother with congratulations, Sixer. I know you don’t like to feed my already bloated ego.”

Sage was acutely proud of his achievements and never failed to mention them in passing conversation. He was also self-aware enough to know how annoying it was. His eyes lingered on Dair as shook the other man’s hand in his firm grip.

“It’s nice to meet you Dair,” said the Sith Knight, in a tone that suggested the opposite. “If only it were that easy to forget about the light and dark. Especially when one so clearly eclipses the other.”

Was that a challenge? Oh, it most definitely was.

[member="Dair Cotarin"] [member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

It always had to be her brother. Never another's, but hers. It was always him making the comments and pushing the envelope one step too far until there was no turning back. If she didn't already trust him, for the most part, with just about everything, things would be different. But they weren't, and she did, and that was that. All Sayl could really do was learn to put up with it. And right now putting up with it equated a well-placed kick to Sage's shin underneath the bar. It was wholly intentional and partly for her amusement, but hopefully it would also serve as a warning, however modicurn it was compared to the threats they both faced on a daily basis. Sometimes the ones coming from those closest were the more serious, not that he would take it that way.

While both of their auras were staunchly rooted on either side of the spectrum hers hovered tentatively on that middle line. Not quite light, not dark just yet, but still wild and untamed as a whole. It was a contrast to the ideologies they both followed and had pledged themselves to, and also a representation of just where she stood her ground. Being a more or less neutral party allowed her to fight for either side whenever it was most convenient to her interests, and neither more times than not. And when it came to times like this, being the only unbiased party was a good thing. She could see the sense in both of their attitudes while being frustrated with them at the same time. Right now she was just about at that point, though solely with her brother for the moment.

A smile found her lips, the barest of a teasing edge to it. "Well, at least you're starting to understand how I think, now. I know how hard it is for you to consider someone else's thoughts. And good for you, realizing just how big your ego is. You've made progress." Was she attempting to elicit some sort of reaction from Sage? Most certainly. Did she really care for or consider what consequences would befall her rash behavior and idly spoken words? Not in the least. It was always her impulsivity that got her into trouble and any difficult situations, but that same nature was necessary to navigate tricky conversations like this, when instinct was the only option. Yes, it likely would cost her dearly eventually, but now wasn't quite that time, so she was unfazed.

"We didn't come here to discuss philosophy, so it'd be great if you could learn to shut your mouth too, Sev. Wouldn't want to have me beat you again, would you?" It was a vague reference to their training at the hands of the Ession Jedi, training that had only lasted weeks, maybe a month or more, at best. When he had been in worse shape and the two of them had been inseparable. That hadn't changed much, though something of a divide had sprung up between them. It was one she would both attempt to mend and widen, testing the waters of what had changed with her twin once more to see just how far she was able to push him this time around.

"I know I've said it before, Dair, but yeah, he's always like this." Not that she could exactly say much in protest or objection, since she had the capacity to be just as overbearing as he was when it came to Sage's own exploits. Of course, she didn't see it that way. Neither of them did.

[member="Sage Bane"], [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[H3xle]

It was hard for Dair not to feel the tension mounting in the air. There was definitely a wealth of history between the twins, a history that Dair had no right to trample on for good or ill. Dair heard the challenge that was practically dripping from Sage's statement, a part of Dair wanted so very much to respond, to rise up to the bait that he was so very acutely aware that it was. However, Dair also knew that no Sith lord knighted their apprentice on a whim. There were rumors among the padawan's on Ossus about the trials a Sith would go through to become a Knight. Dair didn't believe half of them, and gave the other half only marginal belief, but that still left him with a gaping hole of ignorance on the subject that still pointed to the certainty that [member="Sage Bane"] would be a dangerous opponent.

There was another reason that Dair didn't rise to the bait laid out by Sayl's twin, and the reason was Sayl. She had warned Dair that Sage was a Sith, and Dair was still willing to meet him. He had been expecting bait and hostility, he was hoping that diplomacy would work out past those baits, and he was going to do his best to quell the desire to rise to the bait. [member="Sayl Bane"] meant a great deal to him, and this would be the verifiable truth that he would do a great many things for her that many Jedi would not. Being a Jedi was only part of Dair's personality.

"Knight Bane," Dair began after giving a reassuring smile to Sayl, ​"We both came into this meeting knowing the others force allegiance. I am of the light because of the peculiarities of my history, just as I am sure you are of the dark for reasons that come from your history. In most other circumstances I am sure that we wouldn't be this close to each other without crossing sabers and throwing witty quips back and forth, but we are both here because of Sayl, whom I have no doubt takes the wiser course than either of us. The path she walks leads to confrontation far fewer times than either of our paths." It was probably surprising to hear a Jedi speak as such, to admit the faults of his path so readily when others would pridefully stand on the pedestal of their own making decrying their opponent's philosophy without any thought to the weakness and faults in their own philosophy.

"As we are here at Sayl's behest and because of the loyalties and feelings we bear for her, that allows us an opportunity that does not come often. You get to know me as a person without the title of Jedi blazing above my head. If you take the time to do so, you'll know that there isn't a thing in this world that would make me cause harm to Sayl. The fact that I am sitting here talking to you should illustrate some of what I am willing to do because of my feelings for her." As he spoke this last part he would be unable to help blushing. At no other time in his history had he felt this way, and as such he would feel a little awkward talking about them. His eyes, however, would move calmly from Sayl to Sage, respectfully meeting both of their gazes with nothing but bare honesty behind his eyes. His body was relaxed in his seat, and while it might be a forced relaxation, it was very evident that he had no intention of acting threateningly or using his size to intimidate as he spoke.

 

[Sage Bane]

A kick lashed out underneath the bar, nailing Sage right in the shin.

“Ow,” he said, tilting his head at his sister with a glare. Sage listened to his sister’s sarcastic insults with a careless shrug, his mouth twisted into an amused smirk. Had it been anyone else, he would have simply reached into the fool’s mind and convincingly persuaded the person that both his eyes needed stabbing with a drink stirrer. But he had a soft spot for his twin sister. The man he had become had begun to grow apart from the concept of love, but whatever bit of it he had left, he felt for Sayl. In Sage’s mind, a shattered place full of pain, and thirst, and a monster that wouldn’t stop growling, love had been replaced with a yearning to satiate his obsessions. It was an itch he could never quite scratch.

“Admit it Sayl. You wouldn’t want me any other way.” he said cloyingly.

Then the Sith Knight turned his attention to Dair. His gaze moved to the small slave brand behind Dair’s right ear as he turned to look at Sayl. Sage’s own hand rose involuntarily to the scars encircling his own pale neck, fleshy ridges left by more than a few slave collars. Both men shared the experience of being in chains, common ground on which Sage would have generally been able to meet Dair, had the padawan not been a Jedi. Given their positions on opposite sides of the spectrum, Sage felt that no quarter should be given. Besides crossing sabers and throwing witty quips back and forth was so fun.

“The Jedi are weak,” he spat, his light brown eyes never wavering against Dair’s. “Passionless, emotionless. Temptations are meant to be indulged in. The blood is meant to race. The heart is meant to pound. Anger, sadness, madness. The more we feel these emotions, the more they hurl us towards revelations about ourselves, and the more powerfully fed we are by the dark side.”

Sage smiled widely at Dair. Almost ecstatically.

“You Jedi have no idea how amazing the dark side feels.”

[member="Sayl Bane"] [member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

It wasn't going too badly, and for once Sayl was surprised that Sage had managed to remain civil about the divide that separated he and Dair. But nothing lasted forever, and just as quickly he was back to the old remarks about how superior the Sith were in all respects. If she didn't respect him, and not to mention love him as much as she did she would have given him a reminder in the form of a fist to the jaw of just how things were going to work. However much he enjoyed the sound of his own voice, this wasn't the time to prattle off about how great one dogma was in comparison to the other, regardless of what was likely true. If she cared at all, she would weigh in her own opinion, but as of the moment it was just another irritance. So it would be treated as one.

Dark eyes flashed briefly crimson as she returned her twin's look with one just as pointed. "At least the Jedi know when to shut up. You know, I never took you for the religious type, Sage. But save the enlightenment for another time. None of us here give a kark." Emotions this, anger that, madness here and there. They all sounded like rebellious teenagers to her. No wonder Sage seemed to fit in so well. He'd been like that even before his turn, so it only made sense that he found it so easy to call the Order home. What she wouldn't mention was that she could and did agree with some of what was being said. However, she hardly took it to such an extreme level. Her temptations were idle things, not a constant lingering presence. One of many lines that separated she and her twin.

Her head tilted to one side as if in expression of a genuine curiosity or concern. "You always seem so concerned about losing me, but if you're so intent on being like this constantly, then don't bother coming around anymore." One surefire way to get under his skin and possibly through his thick skull was to threaten her leaving his life, and vice versa. There weren't many ways to poke and prod at him anymore, or at least not tactics that would elicit a sincere reaction, but she had a feeling that was one of them. The two had forged a bond present since birth, something that connected them no matter the distance. They each felt the other's pain, sadness, happiness, and countless other sensations. It allowed them to connect on a level not many others could. The beginnings of such were sprouting with Dair as well, something she didn't want to ruin.

While it seemed all her attention was on Sage, she cracked a smile at Dair's blush. It was how she knew he was speaking the truth and meant every word of what he said with a solid certainty. And she loved him for that honesty and more. Her hand reached over to rest on top of Dair's, and she slowly intertwined their fingers, a small demonstration of what support she willingly offered. More than anyone she was aware of the difficulties that came with simply conversing with someone like her brother, and as such knew the stresses it could bring those unaccustomed to such. She hadn't pinned him as one to get so easily flustered, but her twin had a funny way of bringing out the worst in everyone.

[member="Sage Bane"], [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[H3xle]

Tension seemed to melt from Dair as his fingers intertwined with Sayl's. Tension he hadn't been acknowledging to himself as it might have caused him to answer her brothers challenges. Now he breathed easier and offered Sayl a smile before turning back to Sage.

"Passionless? Emotionless?" He paused and looked at Sayl with the same smile and once again turned back to Sage. "I am not likely the ideal Jedi then. Emotion and passion have their place. My emotions have drawn me to Sayl, and those emotions pound through my veins quite strongly." Without the contact with Sayl he might have said more. With it he merely shrugged and held Sayl's hand as if it were the most natural position for him to be in. He watched Sage closely, but not for any sort of danger. He noted the collar marks around the young mans neck and silently wondered about their origin. It was entirely possible that he and Sage had a great deal in common, more than their feelings for Sayl. Dair would not bring it up, however. He wouldn't add tension to the siblings banter, for that was not his place.

"You always seem so concerned about losing me, but if you're so intent on being like this constantly, then don't bother coming around anymore."

Dair's eyes widened slightly at the ultimatum, but otherwise was careful to keep his expression neutral. He did, however, turn his head slightly to look at Sayl, watching her as well.

[member="Sayl Bane"] [member="Sage Bane"]

 

[Sage Bane]

LIke the glint of broken mirror, a dark look gleamed in Sage’s eyes. It was obvious that his sister was beginning to get under his skin. His twin seemed to have forgotten that he had changed immeasurably from the time they were on Ession together at the Jedi temple. Formerly a thin, drawn junkie, his body had filled out from its former shell. A year of rigorous training and agonizing trials had turned him into a gifted illusionist who was even taking apprentices of his own. Unfortunately, Sage had killed the first one during his first Force lightning lesson, but his second one was still standing so far, knock on wood. Perhaps he should teach his sister a little lesson in respect, a trait she sorely lacked. Maybe a little shock would set her straight.

Sage’s Vong-formed ampistaves capitalized on the black thoughts that filled his heart, preying on his weakness, the heads began to swell and buck against his masquer, demanding to be let out to feed. It had been a while since he had given them their usual diet of raw meat.

He looked from one padawan to the other, and then settled on Dair with a disdainful sneer across his lips.

"Spare me the long lost lovers schtick. It’s really quite sickening.”

Sage turned slowly towards Sayl, and gave her a strange grin.

It was then that the Sith Knight willingly relinquished control over his left arm, an action that was both a painful torment and a pleasurable release. His white, near human flesh transformed into three black and leathery tentacles, writhing out from his shoulder, their sentient heads hissing and spitting. One bite of their fangs could rip skin from bones. A single shot of venom jettisoning from their infernal mouths could permanently blind. His right hand turned gracefully towards them in a that they knew as “heel.” The obeyed, but just barely.

“As you can see, we have quite alot of catching up to do, dear sister.”

[member="Sayl Bane"] [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

Though Sayl had witnessed a number of terrible things in her life on Nal Hutta and was in a way desensitized to many scenarios that would otherwise paralyze anyone else with fear, never had she seen anything quite like this. Despite the shot of fear that coursed through her, and with it a spark of adrenaline, she remained for the most part still, the only outward sign of her change in composure the slight widening of her eyes and a squeeze of Dair's hand. One thing she had perfected in her twenty-two years was an award-winning poker face. Inwardly she was the opposite of her calm countenance, already calculating both the odds and the closest exits, along with any distraction weapons. It was habit, and she was hard-pressed to change it.

The corners of her mouth tightened, eyes narrowing slightly. "Why don't you start then, winbekhia?" He would be able to translate the Huttese insult almost instantaneously, that much she was certain of. And when it came to Sage, she wasn't sure of much anymore. Whatever had happened to him in their time apart, she knew she didn't like it at all. The man sitting at the bar with her was far from the one she'd known those years ago in the orphanage on this very planet. He was a far cry from the one she'd spoken to at the cartel compound on Nar Shaddaa, as well. Now he was a shell of who she had known, his personality skewed beyond what she could have imagined. But she knew that she would never be able to give him up. Not Sage. Not her family.

While she couldn't drive him off, she could still fantasize about knocking some sense into him in the rather physical sense. The prospect was tempting, but after seeing the reaction her simple kick had elicited, she would stay from any further action for the moment. Instead her fingers twitched, calling her brother's glass over, and she took a sip before sliding it back across the bar to him. It was the smallest amount of defiance on her part, the slightest sign that she wasn't afraid of his retaliation, however untrue that fact was at the moment. This wasn't the first time she'd bluffed her way through a conversation, and it wouldn't be the last. The odds were just a bit less in her favor this time, with the one she was speaking to being closer than any stranger. He was blood.

At this point one of the few things keeping her sane was the man whose hand she held, and she gave him a sideways glance and an apologetic smile. While she had warned him of something like this eventually transpiring, she hadn't imagined everything would get out of hand quite so quickly. Sure, she'd known her brother had the capacity to be even more volatile and unpredictable than she was, but that had been before he'd become so deeply immersed in the lifestyle and religiosity of the Sith. Now he was far different, much less readable by her through any plain, and she wasn't sure what to think, let alone do. What did they do to you?

[member="Sage Bane"], [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[H3xle]

Dair might be a padawan, but after the trauma of his early life he had become very proficient in recovering from surprise. This proficiency held him in good hands now as the only visible reaction Dair gave to the 'hand' was a widening of the eyes right before his face became an impassive mask. His mental shields went up as a reflex and he almost began to hold his breath, but then remembered that he needed to breathe no matter what happened, and continued to take deep, even breaths. He squeezed Sayl's hand back and made no move to remove it from her grasp. The entire time Sage had been here he had been trying to goad Dair into a confrontation and it was Dair's greatest desire at the moment to deny his love's twin the satisfaction.

After a moment or two of the complete impassivity, and Sayl's words, Dair looked from Sayl to Sage and then to Sage's hand.

"Your arm has been replaced by some form of Vong technology..." Being the padawan of the bibliophile Grand Master had the advantage of a great deal of studying being done between training bouts. So while Dair was by no means an expert on Vong technology, and couldn't do more than state the obvious, he could at least identify it as Vong.

[member="Sayl Bane"] [member="Sage Bane"]

 

[Sage Bane]

Fear brimmed around both of Sayl and Dair’s auras, and Sage drank it in like a sweet summer wine. Although both of the padawans were trying their best to stay composed, there was a latent panic rising between them, a delicacy he could almost taste on the surface of his tongue.

“No chit, genius.” Sage snapped at Dair. As the Sith Knight’s anger flared, the trio of tentacles thrashed wildly, knocking over anything that wasn’t nailed down. Glasses went crashing to the floor and a barstool landed on its side with a loud thud next to the three of them.

“I lost my arm in a Sith war on Ashera,” he stated plainly. No need to mention that he had cut it off himself. Sage gestured to his sentient pets.

“Instead of getting your run-of-the-mill replacement, I was taken to a gla on Selvaris and fitted with this beautiful appendage. It is a far superior weapon if I should be disarmed of my lightsaber in battle.”

Once the amphistaves were free, they were markedly more difficult for Sage to control, especially since he hadn’t fully learned how to master them. The creatures were disobedient even when not ravenously hungry, and more than a few times, he’d almost gotten a glob of blinding spit in his eyes. One of the black leathery tentacles suddenly reared up and snapped at his cheek, and Sage had to jerk his head back to avoid its lethal bite. He stared at it for a few awkward seconds until it finally became docile.

“You need to learn some manners, Sayl.” he said with a sneer, turning his gaze away from his arm to face down his sister. Then he tilted his head to the side, and gave her a cruel smile. “Oh, but I forgot. Street rats don’t really get the chance to take etiquette classes.”

[member="Dair Cotarin"] [member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

Had she been one not possessed of at least a modicum of common sense, Sayl would have done him the courtesy of demonstrating just what a street rat like her was capable of. Her fighting style wasn't the most orthodox, and she certainly didn't fight fair. Nor did he, but a scrap of that nature wasn't what any of them had come here for, nor did she want to take her chances with her brother's new arm, so she didn't react. Physically, at least. Words were another matter, and her tongue had the capacity to be just as sharp as his. "I guess Hutts don't take their slaves and ciken to etiquette classes either. Who would have known?" If memory served he was still sensitive about his past of that nature, but there was no telling how things had changed.

Giving Dair's hand a final squeeze she released it, not wanting to give him any more cause to worry than he already had with their current company. Sage was blood, that much was true, and she supposed she did feel some kind of pull because of it. But it had the capacity to be undermined by his attitude that could be summarized using a few creative adjectives on her part, but was best described in the moment as less than pleasant. So for the most part the connection that joined them as siblings through the Force was null, at the very least to her. He didn't seem to notice his own tendency to drive others away. Unsurprising, considering.

"Last I checked, none of us give a chit how you got your new toy. Come to think of it, we didn't come here to talk about the recent happenings in your life at all. This was supposed to be about you meeting Dair, but now I'm not even sure why I care what you think in the first place. You seem to care just as little about whether you end up separating us again because of how you act." For once there was no trace of sarcasm in her voice. It was rare for either of the twins to be genuine, but she was breaking new ground every day it seemed. It was doubtful even that would shock him into silence, but at this point she was willing to try anything.

Her eyes flickered crimson, retaining their unnatural red hue for a few seconds longer than average, a sure sign that she was already upset enough as it was, and that it wouldn't be wise for anyone to push her farther. "I might need to learn some manners, sure." She shrugged, calling on the Force with a subtle twitch of the fingers. Sure, she did realize herself that it wouldn't be wise to provoke him in any manner of aggression, but she had never been one to consider herself such. They were twins for a reason, after all, and those reasons numbered far more than one. "But you could use some as well." With that the few shards of glass she had managed to manipulate with the Force were sent flying towards her twin.

[member="Sage Bane"], [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[H3xle]

Dair didn't know what to say, this situation had devolved faster than he was prepared for. He was, however, battle trained and ever ready to respond to such travesties. He stepped back from his seat and attempted to pull Sayl back as well. This was as much to get her to not continue her assault as it was to get her out of range of her brother's snake arms. Dair's lightsaber sprouted from his sleeve and into his hand, but did not ignite. He was ready, but still didn't want to exacerbate the situation.

Spoiler

OOC: Sorry, I don't know how further to respond. Dair won't attack Sage first, and isn't going to blame Sayl for doing so.

[member="Sayl Bane"] [member="Sage Bane"]

 

[Sage Bane]

Sage extended his human hand, palm up, fingers spread, his Force energy blocking the path of the glass projectiles that Sayl had sent flying towards him. Then with a wave of his hand, he flung them away. He cocked his head at his twin, his eyes narrowed almost to slits.

"What did you call me?"

That word. Ciken. Huttese for whore. After escaping his fate as a Hutt slave on Nal Hutta, Sage had spent a couple of years on Nar Shaddaa turning tricks to support his spice habit. Those were memories he wished he could bury, and the Sith Knight's sensitivity to the subject was as taut as a wire. Wrath bubbled up inside of him, his raging emotions sending dangerous messages to his amphistaves. The four sentient minds were connected, and what his amphistaves felt, he felt and vice versa. Once that word was said, the four sentient minds were seething with rage. One of the Sith Knight's tentacles suddenly struck out, lightning-quick, and attempted to coil itself around his sister's neck like a python.

Sage's eyes flashed red for a moment as he demanded an answer from his sister.

"WHAT. DID. YOU. CALL. ME?"

[member="Sayl Bane"] [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

Jaw clenching, Sayl narrowed her eyes, crimson flashing, a near mirror image of her twin. Gasping for air would be pointless, and he likely wanted to watch her suffer anyhow, so she remained stubbornly silent throughout the ordeal. Her hands reached up in an attempt to pry the tentacle away from her throat as she did her best to work her fingertips beneath the sentient tentacle. "Kark off." One side of her mouth turned up in a half-smile, her eyes glancing to Dair for a moment, silently communicating one word: Don't. If he intervened things would only become worse for the both of them. Sayl needed to handle this, and by herself. "You know exactly what I said. Ciken." Repeating it probably wasn't her wisest choice, but she needed to show him that she wasn't afraid, at least outwardly. With someone like Sage, remaining on an equal standing was key.

Energy that she didn't consciously recognize manifested itself in her hands, and without thinking she released it in a burst towards her twin, palms open. Subconsciously she knew that if her makeshift attack connected, it would knock him off his feet, hopefully forcing his arm to release its hold on her as well. Assuming she was successful she reached up to gently probe her throat, wincing slightly at the tenderness that was already prominent. Swallowing once, she coughed for a moment, letting her hands fall. Already bruises were forming, and she knew that once mere minutes passed purple would blossom about her throat in a morbid sort of necklace. One that symbolized a close brush with death. "Go ahead and do that again. Try me." Hopefully he still cared about her enough to be dissuaded from attacking again.

One hand reached over to once again rest on top of Dair's, and she silently hoped he wouldn't allow himself to become involved in this conflict. It was for his own safety more than anything. Already she was perfectly aware of what her brother was capable of, and he didn't need to learn that lesson as well. "I would apologize, but I don't think you deserve it. And look at you now, the Sith's ciken." She would be paying for that barb soon, she knew. But at this point, she had nothing to lose.

[member="Sage Bane"], [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[H3xle]

Dair felt Sayl warn him off mentally. He couldn't consciously explain it as he hadn't tried to connect to her mind, but he knew that she felt the need to handle this on her own. Dair, despite what some would call Paladin syndrome, respected Sayl and respected her need to deal with her sibling on equal footing. He, instead, stood there silent. His face was an icy mask of calmness, one could say a polar opposite of Sage's rage.

When Sayl placed her hand over his, he rubbed one of her fingers with his thumb, but otherwise he remained still and silent. His eyes were partially unfocused, a tell tale of a semi-meditative state as well as enabling him to notice movement faster. Peripheral vision, the unfocused vision, was always better at noticing movement where focused vision was able to notice details. He kept a loose grip on his lightsaber, ready to use it if needed, but not worried about it getting taken. The solari crystal inside it wouldn't respond to someone like Sage.

[member="Sayl Bane"] [member="Sage Bane"]