Private Judgement Day.

[Reicher Vax]

Serina Calis

Reicher let out a low, amused exhale, the sound distorted slightly through his modulator.

"Oh, don't worry, Serina," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I'd never dream of ruining your reputation. 'Serina Calis, Merciless Mistress of the Dark Side, Queen of Control… actually capable of human emotion'? The galaxy couldn't handle the scandal."

He tilted his head slightly, the red glow of his visor dimming for a fraction of a second. "Of course, I could always start a rumor that you've taken up meditation and charity work. Maybe even a Jedi outreach program—helping lost, wayward padawans find their true potential."

He tapped his fingers against the desk, as if considering it. "I can already see the reports now. Serina Calis: Galactic Philanthropist and Spiritual Guide. Has She Finally Seen the Light?"

He let the joke sit there for a moment before shaking his head. "No, that's too cruel. Even I have limits."

It was easy—too easy—to fall into this rhythm with her. The back-and-forth, the sarcasm laced with something just a little too real beneath it.

It reminded him of the long, dull days of garrison duty, back when he'd been stationed on some nameless rock, passing the time by trading sharp words with the few soldiers who could keep up with him.

Jokes were armor. Humor was a weapon. And sometimes, it was the only thing keeping the weight of duty from crushing you entirely.

And Serina? She needed it right now.

More than she'd ever admit.

"But in all seriousness," he added after a pause, his voice losing some of its playful edge, "it's good to know you have some self-preservation instincts. Even if you insist on being difficult about it."

He leaned forward again, resting his elbows on the desk. "You keep fighting your way, Serina. That's who you are. That's who you've always been. Just… remember what I said."

His fingers drummed once against the desk, a slow, deliberate movement.

"You don't have to be alone. And if you ever do start a Jedi outreach program, I expect an official invitation to the opening ceremony."

His visor tilted slightly. "I'll even bring a gift."

 

[Serina Calis]

Judgement Day.
Location: ???
Objective: Survive judgement.
Allies: Reicher Vax
Opposing Force: ???
Tags: None

Reicher, Reicher never changes.​

Serina let out a quiet chuckle, shaking her head. "Oh, Reicher, you really should know by now—I do have a Jedi outreach program."

She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbow on the arm of the chair and propping her chin against her knuckles, smirking.

"It's just that my version involves turning wayward Padawans to the Dark Side rather than guiding them to enlightenment."

She let the words linger, watching him, waiting for the inevitable reaction.

Then, with a slight tilt of her head, she added, "Technically, that is a form of outreach, if you think about it. I take lost souls and give them purpose—give them the tools to carve their own place in the galaxy, instead of letting the Jedi strangle them with dogma and fear."

Her fingers tapped idly against the armrest, her smirk deepening. "It's quite fulfilling work, actually. Life-changing, one might say. Maybe I should start keeping testimonials. 'Serina Calis helped me unlock my true potential. Five stars.'"

She exhaled through her nose, amusement flickering in her eyes. "So, really, I'm already ahead of you on that front."

Her smirk lingered for another second before she shifted, her expression turning just slightly more serious.

"But don't worry," she continued smoothly. "I'll make sure to send you an official invitation once my grand temple of shadowy enlightenment is properly established. You can even be a guest speaker—give an inspiring talk about the importance of strategy, discipline, and how not to get yourself killed in the first week of your Dark Side awakening."

She arched a brow, as if considering something. "Although, given my recent track record, I may need to adjust the curriculum a bit. Turns out, even when I do take in Padawans, I have a terrible habit of leaving them with lasting trauma or existential crises."

A beat. Then she sighed, shaking her head. "Maybe I am going soft."

Her smirk faded just slightly, but there was still amusement in her voice when she added, "So tell me, Reicher—how does one run a responsible Sith indoctrination program? Or is that just a contradiction in terms?"

 

[Reicher Vax]

Serina Calis

Reicher let out a low, modulated chuckle, shaking his head. "Serina, I hate to break it to you, but you may have the least responsible Sith indoctrination program in the galaxy."

He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping idly against the desk. "A responsible Dark Side training initiative? That's like asking how to run an ethical assassination business. Sure, you can dress it up in nice words and careful structuring, but at the end of the day, you're still turning Padawans into weapons and cutting their chains with a blade that will cut both ways."

He tilted his head slightly. "Which, if we're being honest, is exactly why I think your method is so effective."

His voice carried no mockery, only observation.

"Because let's be real—you don't just throw lost souls into the Dark and tell them to sink or swim. No, you make them understand it. You show them why the Jedi are weak, why the rules they cling to will never be enough to survive. You don't demand their loyalty outright, you make them choose it—whether they realize it or not."

His visor dimmed slightly. "That's what makes you dangerous, Serina. Not that you turn Padawans. Not that you teach them the Dark Side."

A pause.

"It's that you make them believe in it."

He exhaled through his modulator. "And honestly, I'd love to hear the student testimonials. 'At first, I thought I was just another Jedi, but thanks to Serina Calis, I now crave power, defy fate, and question the very fabric of existence! Would highly recommend, five stars.'"

He tilted his head slightly. "If nothing else, you could use that as a recruitment tool. The Path of Serina Calis—Power, Purpose, Pleasure and Just a Little Bit of Existential Dread/Trauma."

He let the humor sit for a moment before leaning forward, his tone leveling out into something just slightly more serious.

"But I'll tell you this—if you actually want to run something sustainable, if you really want to make something that lasts beyond your own lifespan, you're going to have to start thinking beyond just gathering strays and seeing who survives."

His fingers tapped against the desk again. "It's one thing to build something for yourself. It's another thing entirely to build something that outlives you."

A pause. Then, just slightly, his tone softened.

"And whether you like it or not, you are the foundation of whatever comes next."

He sat back again, crossing his arms. "So yeah, you could just keep turning Padawans and watching them spiral. Or you could build something real—something that doesn't just burn bright and then flicker out."

His visor tilted slightly, almost amused. "But hey, if all else fails, at least you'll have the best testimonial program in Sith history."

 

[Serina Calis]

Judgement Day.
Location: ???
Objective: Survive judgement.
Allies: Reicher Vax
Opposing Force: ???
Tags: None

Reicher, Reicher never changes.​

Serina smirked, shaking her head. "You make it sound so grand, Reicher. Like I'm some visionary, reshaping the Force itself with nothing but my undeniable charisma and an army of impressionable Jedi dropouts."

She exhaled through her nose, amusement flickering in her sharp blue eyes. "Though, I have to admit, The Path of Serina Calis—Power, Purpose, Pleasure and Just a Little Bit of Existential Dread/Trauma is an absolute word salad."

Her fingers tapped idly against the armrest. "But let's be honest—half of them don't even know what they're looking for. They come to me because they want something. Strength. Freedom. The ability to defy the Jedi's suffocating rules." She shrugged. "All I do is show them that the galaxy isn't some rigid, binary thing where you're either 'Light' or 'Dark.' That the Force is theirs to take and wield however they see fit."

She leaned forward slightly, resting her forearms on the desk. "But let's not pretend I'm some benevolent teacher guiding lost souls to enlightenment. I don't offer them power, Reicher. I make them want it. And the moment they do, they're already mine."

There was no malice in her voice, no arrogance. Just fact.

"But you're right about one thing," she admitted, tilting her head. "If I want to make something real, if I want to build something that lasts, then I need to do more than just collect wayward students and see who makes it out alive."

She exhaled slowly, almost begrudgingly. "Which means structure. Which means… commitment."

She practically sneered the word, as if the very concept of long-term planning was a personal insult.

"Fine," she sighed, as if coming to terms with something unpleasant but inevitable. "I'll start thinking bigger. Not just about the students, not just about the power I'm gathering—but what comes after."

She smirked slightly, glancing at him. "Of course, if this does become a lasting institution, I'll need a few things. Proper funding, reliable logistics, security. And wouldn't you know it—those just happen to be things you're very good at."

Her fingers drummed against the desk, a slow, deliberate rhythm. "So tell me, Reicher, do you want a position in my 'Jedi Outreach Program'? Maybe Vice-Chairman of Strategic Oversight and Occasional Moral Advisor?"

Her smirk deepened. "Or should I just put you in charge of public relations? 'Join Serina Calis and Unlock Your True Potential Today—First Lifelong Trauma moment Free of Charge!'"

She sat back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other. "Think about it. You'd look great on the recruitment posters."

 

[Reicher Vax]

Serina Calis

Reicher exhaled through his modulator, shaking his head. "You really never stop, do you?"

His fingers tapped against the desk, thoughtful, measured. "Vice-Chairman of Strategic Oversight and Occasional Moral Advisor? Tempting, but I have to be honest, Serina—PR is where I really shine. Just picture it: billboards, holonet ads, maybe even a few dramatic cinematic trailers." He tilted his head. "We'll lean into the 'forbidden knowledge' angle, really hammer home the mystique. I bet we could even work in a tagline: Serina Calis—Defy Fate, Seize Power, and Experience the Existential Crisis of a Lifetime."

He let the joke sit for a moment before shrugging. "Although, I have to admit, the idea of helping shape your institution does have a certain appeal. If only so I can make sure it doesn't collapse in on itself the moment you get bored and decide to chase something shinier."

His tone was light, but the meaning beneath it was not. He meant what he said earlier.

If she was serious about building something that lasted, if she was truly beginning to think beyond herself—then someone would have to make sure it survived the weight of its own ambition.

And if that someone had to be him?

Well.

He'd been handling damage control for far less interesting people his entire life.

Still, he leaned back, exhaling through his modulator again. "But unfortunately, I don't have time to formally accept my new title just yet. I have a meeting in ten minutes, and while I'd love to keep indulging your grand delusions, I actually do have a planet to run."

He pushed himself up from his seat, rolling his shoulders slightly. "So we'll have to save the recruitment posters for another time."

He took a step toward the door, but just before he reached it, he paused.

Then, without turning, he said, "Oh. One last thing."

He glanced back over his shoulder, his crimson visor locking onto hers.

"Happy twentieth birthday, Serina."

A beat.

"Try not to do anything too self-destructive before your twenty-first. Would be a shame to go through all this trouble just for you to get yourself erased before we can finish building your empire."

And with that, the door hissed open, and Reicher Vax stepped out, leaving her in the quiet solitude of his office.

 

[Serina Calis]

Judgement Day.
Location: ???
Objective: Survive judgement.
Allies: Reicher Vax
Opposing Force: ???
Tags: None

Reicher, Reicher never changes.​

The door hissed shut, leaving Serina alone.

For a long moment, she simply sat there, staring at the empty space where Reicher had been.

Then, slowly, she exhaled, leaning back in her chair, her fingers drumming absently against the armrest.

"Happy twentieth birthday, Serina."

She had almost forgotten.

It wasn't that the date was unimportant—she had been born on this day, after all. The day that had set everything into motion, the day that had led her here, to this moment, to this impossible future she now had to carve into reality.

But what was a birthday, really? Another marker of time? Another reminder that she was still here, still fighting, still existing in defiance of everything that had tried to kill her?

She smirked to herself, shaking her head. "Reicher Vax, sentimentalist," she muttered, her voice laced with dry amusement. "Never thought I'd see the day."

Her fingers slowed their tapping, her expression shifting into something quieter, something unreadable.

Try not to do anything too self-destructive before your twenty-first.

The smirk faded, replaced by something else—something softer, something dangerous.

Because that was the question, wasn't it?

Would she make it to twenty-one? Would she still be Serina Calis by then? Or would she be something else—something changed, something rewritten by the path she now had to walk?

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk, her hands clasping together as she stared down at the polished surface.

For the first time in a long time, she wasn't sure.

She had always believed in control. In shaping her fate. In winning.

But now?

Now she was fighting against something far greater than the Jedi, far greater than the Sith, far greater than any war she had ever known.

She was fighting against time itself.

And for the first time in her life, she wasn't entirely certain she would win.

But then, slowly—inevitably—a smirk crept back onto her lips.

Because uncertainty? Uncertainty meant opportunity.

And Serina Calis had never backed down from a challenge.

She pushed herself up from the chair, smoothing out her robes as she turned toward the door.

"Twenty-one, huh?" she murmured to herself, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Well. Guess I better make sure I'm around for the celebration."