Private LOTS │ Sedition

[Darth Empyrean]

The prison breakout had been done for a few weeks, and the Worm had given Maliphant praise for the work of his apprentices. The Asphodel and The Hyacinth had done well to combat the forces of the testudo, cut down the guards, and help many get free - and Nyx had done equally as well to take down the shields protecting the prisoners. It had led to a surge in the Worm's Legion - and with it, greater power than they had ever seen. Soon, no doubt, they would likely take over a planet and declare it their capital.​

​

For now, however, there were things to cover in the meantime. Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx) had betrayed Maliphant's command when he had given it to her - to continue fighting, to free as many as possible; and yet she had instead shown him sedition, doubted him, and turned off her commlink before leaving. Cowardice, treason, each and every word she had given him a mark on his authority - something he would not allow.​

​

While the Acerbitas floated towards Korriban to meet the Emperor's call, Maliphant called for Nyx to meet him in the Dojo of the academy. He would show her the error of her ways, one way or another.​

​

As the door opened, Maliphant would be kneeling on the floor with a training sword in his hand. Form fitted robes lined his torso, exposing his arms, while his pants were loose and ready - his hands and feet wrapped tightly to protect them from physical contact. His hair was tied behind his head, and his gaze moved to her as she entered -​

​

"Oda.", he said with a quiet disdain.​

​

"Put on your training gear. Pick up a sword."​

​

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)​

 

[Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)]

Oda's lip had healed now from where that brutish guard had kicked her in the face -- thanks to the medical droid and the past weeks, it was now just a slivery line across her lower lip. Her tongue pressed against it from the inside as she entered the dojo. She opened her mouth to greet her master and note that she had been called for, but he spoke first.

'Of course, master,' she said. She had a feeling this was about something, not training itself... and she didn't have think hard for the answer. She hadn't apologised for turning off her comm or turning up back on the ship with a bloodied face and just a nod before just shuffling off to the medical bay.

To her mind she had done her part and done it well.


Oda wore one of her black jumpsuits and combat boots, which by luck was what she always wore whenever she was fighting. She quickly put on some shin and forearm wraps for added protection, which she knew she would need.

Training saber soon in hand, she spoke as she came to kneel opposite Maliphant with the blade rested accross her lap: 'You've not spoken to me since the mission, master. I hope you know I didn't mean disrespect by my actions. I did what I had to in the way I had to.'

By her face and by the Force, she was clearly sincere. It only troubled her that the right way and her way didn't always align.


( Darth Empyrean )

 

[Darth Empyrean]

"No.", he said simply, defiantly. His words more brick than sound in just how dead their delivery was.​

​

He stood and stretched, but didn't raise his sword as she might've expected. Instead, he rested it on his shoulder as he took a few steps off the training mat - only turning back to see her when he was on its edge. Maliphant's golden eyes rippled like molten electrum, and a slight frown was on his lips.​

​

"You did what you felt comfortable doing. What you wanted to do. What you fail to understand, Oda, is that you are my apprentice, mine to do with as I please.", he seethed. He moved his training blade to point the wooden end to her.​

​

"If I tell you to continue to fight, it is not your decision to tell me no. To ignored me, to act like you know better than I.", he said as his teeth gritted. She would feel that anger through the Force, hot and toxic, weighing heavy on her even from a distance.​

​

"So if you are so confident that you yet know how to fight, then fight you shall.", he finished - his knuckles white as he clenched the training sword. Yet he didn't actually step back onto the mat to engage her. Instead, his features softened and became more apathetic before he took a few steps away. A sigh, and he turned back.​

​

"You will fight my PRAETORIANs. Two of them. Not a difficult challenge if you knew what you were doing, but they are specifically trained to fight Force Users. If you can defeat them, then I'll allow you to keep your hubris. If you fail, then you'll fight them again until you can win. Nothing less."​

​

As he spoke, a far door opened, and two bald men standing well over six feet walked into the room. Just by the sound of their footsteps, Oda would understand that they weighed much more than they appeared, and through the Force she would sense nothing - dead to her understanding of them. They gave her nothing but a nasty look, dressed much as Maliphant was, and took to the mat with no training weapons.​

​

"So go on, my apprentice. Show me how much strength backs your words."​

​

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)​

 

[Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)]

Oda had to bite her tongue. She didn't think herself better, but she had her way of doing things and they worked. Stealth was her way, not out and out combat; but still, her master had asked this of her, so she had to deliver. She owed him a great deal, and her life. That she could not deny.

'Understood, Master.'

She acted quickly when she saw her opponents emerging, knowing she had to when the Force gave her so little to go on. No time to lose. Starting a run up towards the pair of PRAETORIANS, she feigned heading for the one on the right before swiftly force-jumping on and then off the wall and aiming for the throat of the left. She gripped the training sword and inhaled sharply, ready to land a blow from above her head.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

The Praetorians carried no weapons, but their musculature and surgical scarring was obvious - nearly so beneath the robes, deep and routing beneath their sleeves and collars. For a moment, they had lowered themselves into a prepared stance, waiting for Oda to charge first - but it was a very generic thing, uncertain as to what they might do. Oda, being given the command, would attack first - and the Praetorians would allow it.

Yet they were not so simple to be tricked by a feign. Superconducter Ultrachrome ran through their nervous system like gold inlay - magnifying their reactions to perfectly instantaneous. Where Oda would leap from the wall, swinging her training sword with bravado there would be their gaze. Flashing and constant, it could drive fear up the spine like a Sith Lords own golden eyes - and Oda was square between the pair of them.

The sword slammed into the durasteel reinforced trachea of the Praetorian she struck, and for a split moment it would seem as though he would go down - until it would dawn on her what he had chosen to do. The strike had landed, but it did nothing to the subdermal metal throat - and two arms had already come up to grip her leg - looking to throw her into the ground shoulders first.

Their strength, their speed, everything they had was immense - and would the first land, the second would not be far behind. His fist came blazing towards her likely stunned expression - carrying the force of a freighter, fully willing to snap the bones in her cheek or brow; but it would be stopped by a momentary glimpse at compassion as Maliphant called out.

"Stop.", he said with a sigh.

"When stealth fails you, who will be there to save you, Oda?", Maliphant said with a frown as his arms crossed.

"Not me. Not The Asphodel , and certainly not The Hyacinth ."

"Stand up. Do it again."

And the two would return to their place, satisfied with the bruise they had given her. Once more, they'd lower themselves into place, eyes never leaving, waiting for her to strike.

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)

 

[Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)]

Oda let out a pained gasp, terribly winded when thrown to the floor with a slam. The saber barely stayed in her grip. She was sure she felt the halted force of the blow run over her face like a ripple, sending her heart into a frenzied panic.

Such shame to be on the ground already, so she scrambled to her feet and glared at her master. Her gaze jumped to the training saber in her hand, and then as if it were hot she thew it across the floor with a clatter. 'No, I won't,' she said, voice still shaky from being thrown down so hard. She did her best to stand as straight as she could, feeling the blackening bruises already. 'You want to punish me for making my own choices, choices that made sense for the situation and condition I was in. I was pushed too far on my last mission to get into that room when using my powers. You wouldn't use a fine tool to smash open a door. My ways are the same, and they have always worked before -- alone and at my pace. You know I can't win like this and that's why you're making me do it. You want to bring down, not hear me nor help me, master. I won't play games just to humilate me, not even with you.'

She came to a knee and bowed to him, eyes fixed one the floor before her.

( Darth Empyrean )

 

[Darth Empyrean]

For a moment, Maliphant watched her - make her peace, grovel, do what she had to do to free herself of the emotional burden she felt. Anger towards him for not listening, rationalizing her actions on Ord Vaxal, even claiming it has always worked for her. All valid points, truly, and Maliphant exhaled sharply as he kneeled down to her level. A finger dragged her chin upwards to meet his eyes -

"Everything you say is true...", he offered her - an almost compassion in his eyes.

But his finger on the chin quickly turned to five around the neck - squeezing as his teeth grit and he spoke once more;

"... but I will not have a wooden scalpel think itself steel."

His fingers left bruises - and she could feel the bones in his fingers digging deep into her muscle before he threw her back to the ground. Just as the blackness began to ride in the edges of her vision. He steamed as he stood - clenching his fist before he paced away from the apprentice. The Praetorians remained in their place as Maliphant spoke once more -

"Your choices are your own, but when I make the choice you listen, Nyx.", he shot at her - words cutting from his silver tone.

"I am teaching you consequences. For your choices, for ignoring my orders, to feel the sting that weakness brings."

Maliphant had calmed once more, his face falling back to its usual calm - but his gaze never left hers.

"Again.", he commanded.

This time, the Praetorian on her right moved first - bringing his heavy muscled hand directly down and into her chest.

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)

 

[Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)]

The grip on her throat surprised her, and for a brief moment she wondered if he meant to kill her.

No time to think, and just in time she rolled out the way as the Praetorian's fist landed with a bone-crushing slam by her side. She wouldn't be able to defeat them the way he wanted. She knew this, and he knew that too. She got to her feet and backed off quickly, hand at her neck that was now streaking pink and purple. 'I can't defeat them with just my saber. You know I can't!' she yelled, her eyes, bloodshot and furious, flitting between him and the brutes. 'This is insane! There is no point to this. Send me out on another mission, Master.'

 

[Darth Empyrean]

"And if I do, how do I know you won't fail?", he said with a cold contempt.

"If your cover was to be blown, you were captured, do you think another Sith would treat you as well as I am now?"

The Praetorians didn't let up, following her with a second fist - hoping to knock her down while the other rounded to meet her from behind. Their efforts were well rehearsed, trained to undermine Nyx's likely equivalent ability in one on one saber combat. Without any weapons, they were still managing to keep her on the back foot - always reeling from what they were doing, always looking to get in her blindspots.

For Maliphant, it was as much a test of Nyx as it was the Praetorians. He was curious how'd they'd fair against regular force users.

"A Sith must be able to adapt, Nyx. Adjust to conditions. You can never guarantee you'll always be free to hide your face, live in the shadows - sometimes, you will be caught and you must find a way to survive. So survive."

It was a hint, he imagined, but it was up to Nyx to do the hard work. In a combined effort one of the Praetorians rushed to grab her in a bear hug from behind while the other looked to slam his fists into her hopefully exposed stomach.

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)

 

[Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)]

'I've not failed before, and you know I haven't! You're twisting the rules and how things really are, Master!'

With all the jumping and weaving, panic rising in her bruised chest, Nyx's breath was becoming pained and ragged. She caught a glance of the Praetorian running up behind her, and the other coming from the front. She was no idiot -- they would turn her bones and insides to pulp if Maliphant let them. Survive? Okay, fine. That's what she'd do. Just as the one behind her was about to bearhug, she'd summon her forcecloak and drop to the floor if able, laying on the floor between them.

And if this were possible, she would waste no time in running towards the doors, inaudible and invisble. Survive she would.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Maliphant watched her dip and dive from the obvious two pronged assault, and even noticed as she began heading for the door before disappearing from sight and sense entirely. A powerful ability, brutally efficient - but only when it was not known. With a raise of his hand, the doors locked just as she approached them - nearly slamming shut on her. While Maliphant couldn't tell where she was directly, he had enough foresight to predict where she likely was;

And so he spoke in that direction.

"You overestimate your power.", he said as the doors finalized their clamping mechanism.

"You would've done just as well to spend that energy on speed rather than invisibility. Taking the vision away only means something if the enemy can't predict what you'll do next; but I know you too well, Nyx. Do the Praetorians?", he said with a glance back to them, who at the moment clenched their fists and glanced around - their reactions heightened to the nth degree in anticipation;

But she would find they did not actually see her. The mere act of invisibility had put them on the defensive.

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)

 

[The Hyacinth]

L I S T E N ​

It’d been a normal day, considering that they’d just sacked a high security prison. Rather lazy too, full of roaming and pacing and remembrance, taking inventory of his surroundings. Though, it seemed that, on the Acerbitas, there was always something going on. Today, it was rumor that spread like wildfire amongst the crew. Whispers that would’ve stopped immediately if any of them had taken a second look at any of the maintenance halls where Hyacinth camouflage himself in the low lighting.

And my, the news almost made him laugh.

He slipped out behind a duo of engineers and made his way back to a shared room with his younger brother, strapping his sword to his back and leaning in the doorway. “Hey, Flower,” a baritone sing-song voice called. “Invisigirl’s gotten in trouble and it sounds like she’s gettin’ beat down, if you wanna believe the crew.”

A sly, half metallic smile creeped onto a hollow face. Served her right after Ord Vaxal, hiding in a corner after playing hero. Yes, she’d taken down the cell barriers to free the prisoners, he’d give her that. But, then she disappeared again and left them to do the actual work of liberation through layer after layer of guards.

“Litte birdies say they're in the dojo… but, I wouldn’t go down there if I were us.”

The Asphodel | Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx) | Darth Empyrean ​

 

[The Asphodel]

S P Y _ T I M E S​

​

Asphodel was more than happy to take advantage of a lazy day. He relished in it, especially after the prison break. Lounging in his shared room, feet propped up on a desk, tinkering with a small droid, it was a nice reprieve from the previous chaos. A bit boring, sure, but he'd take the quiet moments while they were available.

They'd end soon enough, anyways.

He looked up from his work as his brother entered the room, nose scrunching and a brow raising at the nickname with a good-natured snort. "Why, Perennial," he started, boots moving from desk to the floor as he swiveled in his seat to face the other. "What were we told about listening to rumors?"

A smile mirroring Hyacinth's tugged at his face. Call it a twin thing, call it sharing impeccable tastes, that smile was only one of the many things the two shared. And while Asphodel would chastise his brother from listening to whispers alone, he couldn't help but find himself dreadfully curious as to whether there was truth to be found in the floating word.

"Yes, I'd have to agree with the birdies. Though, another birdy showed me how to access the cameras. You know, if we wanted to check in on the poor girl." While he didn't quite share his brother's detestment towards their fellow apprentice, watching her being taken down a few pegs was definitely a tempting idea. Straitening his posture, he was entirely ready to hack into the dojo's camera feed the moment he was given the word. "Besides, it would be a downright shame if we missed out on something important."

The Hyacinth | Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx) | Darth Empyrean​

 

[Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)]

The sliding doors just about clipped Oda's toes, forcing her to a sudden halt. Beads of sweat gathered on her bruising neck from keeping the illusion, but she took precious seconds to consider her next move. Her sort of move.

With a gentle push from the force, she rattled the discarded saber that was still laying on the floor some way away, making it appear that someone was about to pick it up. In a flash, she would then jump to wall and fall down onto the shoulders of one of the Praetorians, crouching down with her shins at his ears, ready to spring again. A concealed vibro pen knife, kept always close, was clutched like a dagger in one of her hands. Without hesitation she slammed it deep into the right eye of the brute, ready to jump to the next and inflict the same before her illusion became too heavy and they figured out what had just happened.


Darth Empyrean | The Asphodel | The Hyacinth

 

[Darth Empyrean]

The pen found its mark, taking the augmentated eye from the Praetorian - but stopping when it hit the hardened ceramic bone of his orbital socket. For a moment, she could feel the Praetorian shudder in pain from beneath her - yet he did not collapse, or even so much as drop to a knee or offer a sound of pain. Instead, his arms swung into the nothingness above him looking to grab her - only to find she had already moved. One good eye moved to where he assumed she would jump - directly above the other Praetorian, to bear witness with an eye that dripped blood far less than a wound like that should have.

However, the other had see what she had done - and his reactions were not so easily taken aback. The moment her weight had ended on his shoulders he had deftly grabbed for her arm - dropped his weight forward and threw her into the mat with the full force he could muster. If it didn't separate her socket, it would at least break ribs; forcing Maliphant to raise his hands for them to cease.

"You're learning, Mal.", he offered her as the Praetorians took a step back.

"But what you need to learn from this is not how to kill these men - but to be humble. You are but a grain of sand in the Dark Side - that which is a massive desert already dominated by dunes.", he said, making a momentary motion to himself.

"You can not hold your power up for longer than a few seconds or minutes - and under duress it is even less. You must learn how to defend yourself before your efforts are ended by someone far more violent than I am. Imagine for a moment if I sent you against the Graug God Emperor Other Space Kaiden - how long would you last without my mercy?", he said with a frown.

"Do not forgo defense with false assurances of power."

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx) │ The Asphodel │ The Hyacinth

 

[Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)]

Oda wheezed and her form rippled back to view as the sudden force and pain threw off her illusion. She stayed half curled up on the mat for now. Definitely a couple of broken ribs at least. If this had been a lesson, it had been lost on her. To her it was still punishment for what happened on the planet with the prison.

'It's hard to listen to you, master, when you inflict such pain on me. You've made your point. I request to take rest.'

Darth Empyrean | The Asphodel | The Hyacinth

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Maliphant sighed deeply, filling the room with nothing but his dissapointment. Tired eyes looked upon her crumpled form, and Oda would see that dissapoinment more fully - as though the frown tinging the corner of his lips were more disgust than anger, but there was a smolder beneath it all just the same. His voice lacked the softness it had a moment before -

"Then you're proving to be more of a failure than I hoped.", he said solemly, each word more like glass.

"I won't waste my lessons on someone too much of a braggart to embody them, so I'll change my tactic, Oda."

He crossed his arms over his stomach as the frown only deepened -

"If you fail me again, act against me again, and I will simply end your life. If you can not be taught a simple lesson, then you're worse than a dog; for at least a dog knows to change when they are beaten."

"Leave me. I don't care to deal with your pestilent stubborness - I have better apprentices to train, and more fruitful endeavors to pursue."

And with that, he simply turned his back on her - not ordaining her with any more of his attention as he moved to one of the side doors that held the training droids - specifically, the high grade ones meant exclusively for Maliphant.

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx)

 

[The Asphodel]

S P Y _ T I M E S​

A keystroke here and there, Asphodel humming a little tune as he did so, he started the process of getting into the camera feed. It wasn't his first time doing so - lazy days in between missions or training sessions were quick to turn boring if given the opportunity and he was a sucker for the latest gossip. Spying on the crew had been the quickest pastime available and oh the secrets they'd told him (inadvertently, of course).

A few loading screens later and he was patched in, just in time to see their master turn his back on Oda. "Someone's in trouble," he hummed with a cruel grin, turning again in his chair so his brother might also watch. "Shame, it seems we missed the action. I'll have to see about finding memory files of the fun bits."

The Hyacinth | Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx) | Darth Empyrean​

 

[The Hyacinth]

W A T C H ​

He leaned on the wall next to the closed durasteel door, idly twirling his sword as he waited on his brother to bypass security codes and clearances to get into the main feed that watched over the dojo. Asphodel was the one that could manually get into systems. If they needed something faster or needed large amounts of data in a short amount of time, well, that would be up to him. An automatic process that he could direct via a limited amount of user input and options prompted in the HUD display built into cybernetic eyes.

With any luck, they wouldn’t miss out on much. But, of course, luck wasn’t on their side.

A display on a datapad propped up on his brother’s desk showed a displeased Maliphant in his usual training attire, facing away from the cowering form of Oda, who was crumpled on the mats from whatever just occurred. “That is a shame,” a small frown replaced the smirk as he watched Maliphant move. “With any hope, he’ll throw her out soon. She’s weak and self-centered. I believe he’s starting to see it.”

His head tilted. “When you find the files, let me know. I can download and project them.”

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx) | The Asphodel | Darth Empyrean ​

 

[Darth Empyrean]

As the droid began to activate, Maliphant's ear piece would unnoticably vibrate. He answered it with a biometric signal that would not betray him; only to hear the voice of the Ship's overwhelmingly powerful AI. Cybele's waif like tones spoke cleanly into his ear as there droid deftly moved from its charging port;

"Maliphant, it seems you have some uninvited audience members."

Maliphant growled as he barked a command under his breath to her. The droid would move to Maliphant's personal training mat only a few meters away, but he would not follow it. Instead, he turned towards the main gate with his arms crossed; now awaiting a second punishment to deal out. The others would simply see him turn and face it - odd as it were, and nothing more.

That was until they heard the iconic sound of the security door opening behind them. Despite being a small security room, four Praetorians in full armor breached - two pointing ion weapons at each of them. While they might not have known their capabilities, it would soon become evident that if they moved, they would be faced with Maliphant's personal super soldiers and their beyond exceptional skill at taking down force users; especially the semi trained. A fifth officer would walk in behind them, dressed in his imperial uniform -

"Lord Maliphant would like to see you.", he said coldly.

Regardless of how it would occur, they would guided or dragged to the sparring room themselves - and they would be greeted by Maliphant alone. His gaze burned like embers, and a frown just as deep as the one he gave Oda was present;

"Spying on me is unacceptable.", he said with a cold hatred they would feel in the Force itself.

"Oda, if you believe I punished you - then you will soon learn.", Maliphant said with a glance to her, then back to the twins.

"You will fight each other until one of you falls - I don't care what the conditions are, but you will fight. Attempt to toy with my command, and I will see you both dismantled."

Maliphant was cold in his delivery as he moved to find a seat on a nearby bench to watch what was about to occur. Oda, were she not able, would be dragged off the Mat by simply hand motion of Maliphant - but only if she were not otherwise able.

Odanneth Mal (Darth Nyx) │ The Asphodel │ The Hyacinth