Private One Short Day

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

"I'm bored," A voice echoed as the ship grew silent. "Echnos," Quinn ordered the ship pilot. His eyebrow raised, knowing that they weren't supposed to go in that sector; it wasn't part of the patrol. He knew not to argue, though, especially after the woman stated her boredom. Wincing, the man set course to Echnos without a word, and Quinn sat in the command chair with a happy grin spread across her face. She would bother a certain governor who had caught enough of her attention that the Princess assumed could provide entertainment.

It didn't take long to arrive. Quinn quickly left the ship to the crew. They would have left when the Princess found her way towards the Governor's palace. Something about Kaila kept Quinn interested enough to think of the woman when she found doing the second legion work unnecessarily. Gerwald would have to deal with it, and Quinn knew she could quell the wolf's disapproval. This wouldn't be the first time Quinn arrived unannounced; she had done so recently after the force storm and the mess Anathemous had caused with the Kainites. Quinn figured she should have probably called ahead, but with the assumed friendship, she decided Kaila would be expecting her.

Guards opened the door, and Quinn made headway toward the woman's office; no one stopped her as they knew better than to try. The sharp click of her heels echoed down the hallway, potentially giving the blonde governor forewarning of the Princess's arrival. Standing before the twin doors of the office, Quinn looked to the guards in front of it and cleared her throat. The man looked at the woman, and she cleared her throat again. It suddenly dawned upon them who was standing before them, and they quickly opened the door, unable to properly announce the royal. Quinn didn't wait, slipped through the small opening of the doors, and pushed them closed with her back.

"Hello, Kaila, I hope I'm not disturbing anything important. If I am - I'm sure it can wait because I was in the area and extremely bored." Smiling, Quinn walked to the woman's desk and seated herself on the edge as she looked down at her carefully and beautifully manicured nails. "Echnos is looking better than when I was here - you've done quite the clean-up job." Remembering that she was responsible for a large portion of the destruction, she winced and smiled coyly. "Sorry again for my little outburst." Quinn motioned, pantomiming a storm. When she was finished, hands found their place in her lap as she crossed her legs and leaned slightly over the desk.

"So you're taking the rest of the day to entertain me? You know the estranged Princess of Eshan, goddaughter of the Empire, etcetera, the most wonderful Quinn Varanin?" Continuing to smile, Quinn was in a rare mood that people weren't privy to seeing. She felt something close to kinship with the young Governor. Quinn hoped the woman was in a better mood, especially seeing how glum she had been the last time Quinn had been on Echnos.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Governor's office
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

Though Quinn would find the governor's desk stacked with books this time around, philosophy and doctrine written by the infamous Kainite proxy and victor of the Shadow Crusade, Apollyon The Betrayer ,and peculiar writings on the Nightsisters of Dathomir, the princess of Eshan would not find her reading. Instead, Darth Anathemous was hanging from the ceiling by one arm, gripping a support beam like it had wronged her in a past life as she continued her pullups.

"I requested not to be-"

Hello, Kaila,

Oh dear. It was her. And she was bored.

The young but certainly not small darth audibly dropped to the floor with a loud ✱thud✱, powerful legs straightening to raise her to full height, forcing her to look down slightly, meeting princess Varanin's gaze confusedly.

"Entertainment?" she asked in disbelief, rolling overworked shoulders.

"The antics of a noble. I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to humor them after so long away from His court." Kaila added, despite speaking in a clearly aristocratic accent.

The young darth finally plopped down in her seat, devoid for the moment of all her usual formality and decorum. The princess had shown up unannounced after all, she could put up with this side of the sorceress which was so often masked before her betters. What that said of their particular dynamic however remained to be seen.

"Well, what exactly do you mean by entertain you, Princess? If you're looking for a dancer, I'll have you know I'm quite rusty."
she stifled a chuckle, deciding to play along, to a degree.

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

As Kaila dropped to the ground, Quinn grabbed the nearest book and flipped through it. Looking up from the book, the Echani watched the woman. She was impressed but would never admit it to the Governor's face. An Echani complimenting one on their form and movement was one of life's greatest moments. The warrior culture valued movement and silent conversation done through combat. Quinn closed the book. She hid her face behind, and her smile continued watching Kaila and listening to the woman open up slightly.

It was curious; it seemed Carnifex allowed the apprentice to experience life within the nobility. Though called a typical noble, Quinn feigned offense as her hand clutched her collar, "Noble? My dear Governor, I'm a royal and far better than basic nobility." Quinn laughed as she placed the book behind her and pushed back the mess of research that Kaila had piled on the desk. Having a better seat, Quinn gripped the edge of the desk as she swung her legs absentmindedly.

Quinn leaned back slightly as she looked up at the beam that Kaila had dropped from. It was an impressive height, but Quinn required a bit more to be entertained. Lucky for Kaila, she wasn't annoyed on top of being bored. Her head snapped back towards the blonde woman as she grinned, feet kicking a bit more excitedly.

"Dance? If you're offering to dance, then go on. I'm interested." Quinn crossed her legs as she leaned forward slightly. "Rusty? Well, there's no time like the present Governor. Do you need music? I'm sure one of your guards can provide it, or will it be a martial dance?"

This was a better time, a brighter woman than the time they had spent before. "If your dance or whatever you choose to amuse me works, maybe I'll return the favor and delight your attention." Quinn laughed again, knowing that this little exchange was a far cry from their first interactions. She wanted to prove herself better than the nobles the woman had met at Carnifex's court. To Quinn, her stature was far from that of a basic noble, which the man would rub elbows with.

Quinn had to be better and provide some fun to the obviously stressed Sith, who only seemed to drown in politics and training. However, they were from different worlds, and Kaila didn't have the benefits of Quinn's status.

Still, Quinn was bored, and her curiosity desired stimulation.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Governor's office
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

"My attention?"

Whether the echani princess was merely arrogant or hinting at something else, Kaila was unsure, but admittedly intrigued.

She reclined in her seat a moment, pondering the options laid before her. It had been far too long since she'd danced, having foiled her last opportunity during the ball on Korriban, her parting with Eira Dyn still weighing her feet down with regret and anger in equal measure. Embarrassing herself front of a royal—as Quinn so adamantly clarified—was not exactly an exciting prospect.

A martial dance, however...

Kaila gave the princess a once over, noting that her attire, while... pretty in away, was well suited to either form of dance. The young darth always had appreciated things which blend form and function.

"I am curious to see more after your electrifying display." she smirked slightly.

"However, I'm afraid I don't speak Echani well, even if I'd like to speak the language of our empress one day."

To speak being a misleading choice in words, of course.

"Though I do keep training sabers if you prefer a dance with which your... partner... is more familiar"

She and Tamsin Graves had dueled with them a few times now, practicing and improving as a master and apprentice should. Though now Kaila often wondered if it were Tamsin who was improving, or the that thing inside her soul.

Anathemous chose to banish the though, and to focus instead on the opportunity which had been presented. No matter what the princess chose, it was a learning opportunity for the young darth, something she rarely refused. Either she would learn more about the Quinn in how she fought, or she might learn something of Eshan itself.

"The old governor had an unusually large bedroom nearby," she said, standing from her seat.

"I've since turned it into a training room for my Apprentice and I."

"Shall we?"

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn gave the other woman a confident, smug smile as she mentioned the storm that the woman had created one of the last times she was on Echnos. Despite knowing that it was done out of an explosion of uncontrolled emotions, no one had to know the fine details of it. The Princess kept that little bit of information to herself and relished the praise the Governor offered.

Tilting her head to the side inquisitively, the Echani woman listened to her desire to learn the Echani way of communication through combat. Many had harassed her in the past to learn this—most failed—but Quinn had a good feeling about Kaila. For now, the woman didn't elaborate on her choice. She continued to listen about the training sabers so that Kaila could be on equal footing. Quinn shrugged and hopped off the desk, hands dusting off her slender frame, buying her time to decide.

With a cheeky little smirk, Quinn looked at Kaila as she stood. "I would have been fine with either state of the room." Quinn shrugged, leaving the words hanging in the air. Kaila could interpret them as anything; Quinn was here for entertainment. She began walking out of the office and towards the training room, which Kaila would have pointed out once they both left the office. It wasn't hard to believe that the house was considerably spacious. From the outside, it was a sight to behold. Places like this were not outside Quinn's experience with dwellings, but there were things she would have changed as they passed the decor.

While they walked, Quinn mulled over the state of dance she wanted to have. It seemed like her host desired combat, so Quinn would oblige. Remembering the comment about wanting to see more, the Princess's saw an opportunity. Turning, she walked backward with her hands clasped behind her. "How about no training sabers? We use actual weapons, which means - not in training mode." Her sing-song voice alluded to her scheming, "Though you'll be the only one with a saber, I'll just have me and the Force - Sound good?"

She waited for Kaila's response. The suggestion could mean suicide for the Princess, but she had a few tricks up her sleeve, and there was no intent to harm Kaila - Quinn merely wanted to show off. "You're not scared, are you?" Again, Kaila was met with Quinn's cheeky little grin. "It will be fun, I promise."

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Governor's office
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

Kaila's typically pale face took on a more lively color. When a woman sits herself on your desk and then makes such claims, you listen, and now the princess had her undivided attention.

"Well..." she cleared her throat.

"...I did keep the queen sized."

The young darth managed a knowing little smile, although found it difficult to keep eye contact in the moment. Truth be told she had doubted the royal's intentions initially, believing she'd only come to toy with her as so many sith had done of late. Now she was beginning to wonder if she might actually enjoy the princess and her particular brand of mischief.

Kaila was quick to leave her seat, showing the princess toward her training room out the door and to the left, her guards, Including SB-13, giving the pair bow as they passed, even if not for their governor's sake, but her royal company.

The room itself was indeed quite large, certainly by Echnosian standards at least, with white wallpaper and golden floral patterns along the wall, although it was certainly not real gold. Yet in her ever practical pursuits, the new governor had a padded floor installed, and a rack with a number of training weapons and shield devices hanging from the wall beside the door.

Though it seemed none would be of use today.

"You are either quite confident or much too trusting, Princess."

She said with a raised brow, though Kaila was admittedly quite curious.

"You're not scared, are you?"

"Oh, quite so." she stifled a chuckle.

"But mostly for you."

Anathemous smirked despite knowing well she would likely find herself on this padded floor before the day was over, but she simply must humor the princess after all.

And so with a flick of her wrist, the doors shut behind them, and her tricksabers were summoned in hand.

Assuming her position with a practiced ease, facing her left shoulder towards the princess, her crimson shoto igniting in a reverse shien grip, whilst her slender violet blade soon took form in the opposite hand, Anathemous entered a Niman stance which some believed rare among sith.

"Are you ready, my lady?"

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn's face softened as she rested her hand over the center of her chest, "You're cute. I appreciate your concern, but you should worry for yourself, my dear Governor." Her softened features merged into the smug smile on her face only moments earlier. She watched with glee as the woman drew her weapons and the ion blades glowing violently with their dangerous hum. Quinn found herself respecting the Governor more as the woman didn't hesitate to draw her weapons against the goddaughter of the Empress.

For once, Quinn felt like an equal with someone who didn't fear the repercussions if she did slay the Princess. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched the woman prepare for combat. It was an interesting opening stance; she had only seen it once before, and that was during her training against her mother. The woman was a former Jedi, which made the Princess question Kaila's origin. Unlike her opponent, Quinn didn't prepare a stance nor enter an Echani combat stance.

"I hope the padded floor is as soft as that queen bed you kept," Quinn grinned, "Maybe if you impress me enough, I'll show you what a Princess sleeps on." She knew what she was doing; Quinn had caught the lively color that had appeared briefly on the woman's face while they were leaving the office. Something about it made Quinn want to see more. For now, though, she would continue to enjoy the tit-for-tat with the Governor of Echnos.

"You're such a wonderful host for letting me go first; I should ask if you're prepared." As Quinn spoke, her arms spread wide, and the walls began to rattle. "Any damage the room sustains, I promise to repay." Her words trailed as she sighed gently at the sound of the training weapons ripping off the training room walls.

Each weapon hung above the small Echani woman for just a moment, "I hope you're fast." As she finished, the rain of weaponry cut through the air, aimed at where Kaila stood.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Training room
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

"Maybe if you impress me enough, I'll show you what a Princess sleeps on."

Kaila swallowed. If the princess was trying to unbalance the young darth, it almost worked. But if there was one place her mind thrived in, it was battle.

"If you want all of me, that's what you'll get." she gave a toothy smirk.

At least, until the walls began to rattle, causing narrow eyes of gold to dart about the room. Anathemous was quick to drop onto one knee just as the entire training rack was empties above her head, flying to Varanin's side as if an army at her command. Suddenly the young darth was an entirely new person, her friendly if challenging smile gone, eyes aglow with unyielding focus.

It was not the bestial ferocity for which The Empress had risen her, but it a glimpse.

"I hope you're fast."

An unseen barrier was risen before her just as storm broke, several weapons clattering against the very air before her. It suddenly dropped in tandem with the warrior-sorceress as the remaining few blades of wood shot overhead, only to rise and grasp the final sword with an unseen hand, tethered to two fingers, outstretched from her reversed shoto. In a twisting motion, Anathemous simply redirected the kinetic energy rather than halt it completely, spinning to throw it back from whence it came.

As with all things connected to the governor however, this was an act of misdirection.

She finished her throw in a half crouch, knees bent and unnatural weight forward, the blade merely a distraction as Anathemous leapt through the air, carried forward by the force itself, poised to crash down with both sabers.

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn raised her brows, impressed by how quickly the woman brought the Force shield up to defend against the barrage of the wooden weapons. Kaila started strong, showing Quinn she wouldn't need to think outside the box. In reality, the Echani assumed the Darth would leap forward with the speed that Carnifex was known for. Kaila was once the man's apprentice, and Quinn entered this battle, hoping to fight against a clone.

She watched as the weapons attack was coming to an end; Kaila hadn't moved from where she was kneeling. Quinn watched, catching the woman's grasp of the last weapon and redirecting it towards her. The speed matched the initial attack, and Quinn extended her hand and rotated her wrist in a circle. "I can do that too." As quickly as Kaila brought up her shield, one appeared around the Echani, fully encompassing her. The sword's velocity shattered the weapon as it hit the solid Force barrier.

The return attack was lacking; Quinn had expected something more. Did she give the woman more credit than she deserved? Looking back to where Anathemous had once been, she was gone, and Quinn heard the hum of the lightsabers. Quinn could have left the barrier up to protect her. Still, she allowed her focus on the Force to fade, changing to drawing the barrier inward and creating a close layer against her skin and body. Instead of deflection, the woman now focused on absorption. Kaila fell upon her, and Quinn smiled darkly, almost elated seeing the Darth fall into the trap she had set.

She waited, the moment almost happening in slow motion. The two blades made contact with her frame, but instead of cutting, they slid against her flesh as if they were made of oil and she was of water. The small bits of absorbed energy Quinn turned into fueling her speed as she reached for the blades of both swords and began to drain them of their energy. Her unique form of Tutaminis pulled the deathly power of the lightsabers, protecting the Princess and building a source of untapped power in her core.

Holding the blades, Quinn smiled as sparks of lightning cracked around the pair. The energy she was drawing inward grew, and Quinn grinned, "You're going to have to try harder, Anathemous." As she finished, a booted foot kicked the woman, fueled by the absorbed energy and lightning, aiming to launch the blonde across the training room floor.

"Still concerned for me?"

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Training room
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

For as much as she bemoaned her treatment as His slave, Anathemous was far from Kaine's equal. She watched in mixed awe and frustration as her blades slid across the echani's body as if through a simple hologram, yet sparked and sputtered like a bad wire.

Kaila had seen blade drain modules in the past and knew the tell tale signs of a lightsaber losing power.

She was quick to deactivate them for fear of losing the primary tool which Varanin had afforded her, about to make do with the force when she felt a sudden pain arc through her chest, and then her entire body. Her laminanium bones caused an unusual series of events to unfold in the following seconds, beginning with a shorter flight than expected as the young darth's seemingly unnatural weight carried her not even half the room's length, however they visibly caused arcs of electricity to spread throughout her entire body as she momentarily went limp, only to recover at the last possible second, rolling from onto her back to her feet in a crouched position, fingers and neck still twitching slightly as she came to a stop.

"Still concerned for me?"

Anathemous merely grit her teeth as the last of that electricity dissipated, baring her teeth like a wild animal, although her expressions were difficult to manage until the last of it passed.

Even as it did, each heavy breath was more like growl than anything else as the young darth stumbled to her feet.

Perhaps the goddaughter would see what had earned her the godmother's attention after all.

The room seemed to become a little darker as her eyes took on a violet hue, flanked by swirling black energies of something that by all rights should have been extinguished long ago. Soon it felt as if many force sensitives stood in the room beside her, yet there was only Anathemous to be seen, or whatever bears that name now.

Without warning, several of the light fixtures above her shattered, raining sparks and glass which seemingly fell harmlessly around her, only for the padded mats beneath to catch flame. In a near instant, the flame coiled around her and then snaked towards the princess with alarming speed, only for Anathemous to once again leap into the air again, this time with a weapon yet unseen traveling beside her.

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn's face melted into concern as she watched the sparks of lightning cascade along Anathemous's armor. The attack was more severe than she had intended, and there was an inkling of guilt in her chest. Something was different about the Darth; she was something more than what meets the eye, and Quinn's curiosity was further sparked. Quinn waited, not taking the opportunity when her opponent was down to finish the fight. Instead, she was intrigued by what the Governor would do next.

She didn't have to wait long, as a sudden vortex of the Force changed around them. Something had awakened, changing the feeling in the room, and the Empath looked around, trying to pinpoint the sudden shift. The woman before her was still Kaila, but it was as if she had suddenly become serious at the duel. Maybe Quinn had pushed her too far; perhaps the woman had become threatened, far from Quinn's intent.

Fear.

Quinn hadn't felt it in some time, only remembering when she was young and on Bastion. The overbearing Sith Lord screamed her mother's name in vain, assuming the child was his mortal enemy. The same weight of his presence resided in the training room, and Quinn sucked in a deep breath through her teeth. She needed to prepare herself; the fight was finally starting.

The room darkened, and Quinn forced herself to look at Kaila. Her hands clenched, still feeling the lingering power she had drained from the sabers. The quiet that filled the room only made the moment more ominous, and Quinn could only feel and hear her heart pounding. Anathemous had done what not many could do.

As Quinn blinked, Anathemous suddenly moved, launching herself in a burst of speed Quinn had expected earlier. Quickly, the Echani stepped into a defensive stance from her martial training on Eshan. There wasn't enough time to react as Anathemous was upon her. Focused on the woman, she was unaware of the hidden weapon. As they came down, Quinn could feel a sudden pain that was quickly answered with her flesh expanding around the wound several golden-hued ribbons of the Force. They pierced the dark energy of the attack and stopped it from slicing her in two, but the attack had hit its mark. Quinn crossed her arms, focused on bearing down the physical attack from the woman herself.

The heat of the flames illuminated the darkened room, allowing her enough to see through the Force what the attack was. But it had been too late; the Master failed to recognize the hidden dark side attack, having been a practitioner of it herself and her mother being one to perfect it. The pain of the attack surged through her, having struck near where her body had most recently healed. It was at least superficial, and Quinn could recover it easily. Being in close combat was not ideal for the mentalist; she needed to find a way, an opening, to create space between them. Quinn exhaled out the pain and focused on her connection with the Force. A sudden burst of Force energy began to press down on Kaila, attempting to bring her with all of Quinn's strength down. She needed to slow her down or push her onto the floor before she had another moment to create another dark shear.

"I'm entertained, Darth Anathemous," Quinn grinned through the pressure she used to focus every ounce of her on the crushing Force Push.

"You precede your reputation."

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Training room
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

For a moment, Anathemous had forgotten that this was merely a sparring session. Every fiber of her being touched that jolt of electricity was screaming at her to fight. To destroy the source of that primal fear she'd felt moments earlier. The Spear of Midnight Black had found it's mark, that was all that mattered, even as they came face to face.

But not as deeply as Anathemous had hoped.

She hissed, trying to drive the unseen spear deeper with all her strength, but it was too late. A sudden pressure brought the young darth to one knee, spearing the padded floor beside Varanin just before the weapon vanished in favor of another defensive shield. Anathemous was immobile, but not out of the fight yet. Never out of the fight, or so she told herself.

But the fact of the matter was that the princess was stronger, more experienced. Try as she might, the governor was rooted in place for the time being, soon forced to use both hands and nearly all her concentration to hold back the invisible force weighing her down.

"I'm entertained, Darth Anathemous," Quinn grinned through the pressure she used to focus every ounce of her on the crushing Force Push.

"You precede your reputation."

Anathemous looked up at her, and grit her teeth. It was as if she hardly registered the words even as she looked upon the princess in an acidic mixture of fear and rage.

The barrier began to push into the floor, durasteel creaking as it bent out of shape under the immense pressure holding her down, her hands shaking, muscles visibly tightening under that tight bodyglove. She couldn't go on like this for long, the fact that she'd managed this long was already putting too much strain on her both physically and through the force.

Her shadow coalesced into shape as she drew upon the strength of another, forming into the shape of a faceless figure, black robes inhabited by nothing but an absence of light, joined beside her on it's knees, clawed hands thrown skyward as it joined in holding up the shield. And then another, and another, until the barrier had expanded despite it all.

Near gasping for air, Anathemous threw a hand out, desperately clawing at the air between her and Quinn from behind her shield as the walls around them began to rattle, and from behind Quinn, a panel was ripped straight from the wall, headed right towards her as Anathemous pulled her closed fist close to her chest in a last ditch effort to free herself by forcing her assailant to divide her attention just a moment longer.

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn watched as the woman began to succumb to the force pressure. At least this was over, and they could move on from the training session and potentially find dinner. Since, in her mind, the Governor had lost, she would be paying. The woman smirked happily, knowing exactly where she had wanted to eat.

The brief happiness was thwarted as Quinn watched as Kaila refused to give in. Quinn watched, once more curious as to the figures that began to take shape, aiding the woman as if servants summoned from chaos itself to repel the Echani's attack. Quinn watched, focusing on the pressure she was applying; if anything, she needed to force Kaila into submission - she seemed to have lost herself in whatever Quinn had awakened within her. Quinn stepped back, watching as the woman reached out, grasping at something as her defenses were raised by the aid of the shadowed figures.

"Kaila?" Quinn questioned, her voice concerned as to what was happening. The walls around them began to shake, and Quinn's attention threatened to be pulled. She spoke again, this time with a hint of authority, attempting to mask the fear she felt swelling again in her chest. "Kaila, stop." The rattle grew louder, and suddenly, as Kaila's fist was made, Quinn's mind screamed. The panel flew behind her, and while Quinn could have easily dodged and allowed the panel to hit the barrier around Kaila, she instead stopped her attack and drew the Force around her, protecting her and Kaila. Quinn focused on her defenses and took the full attack of the durasteel panel. The sound of it bending and breaking against the woman's barrier echoed.

The fire around them continued to burn, and Quinn quickly turned towards the woman, "Kaila, STOP." She didn't want to do what was required of her. Quinn hated the feeling of this power, especially having just used it to save herself from the darkshear. It was a power that fueled a hunger that the Echani knew one day could and would consume her. A hand raised towards the woman, fingers plucking at the strings of the Force drawing upon the vast pool of her hunger. Golden ribbons flowed from her palm, reaching through the Force and consuming everything in its path. As they made their way towards Kaila, Quinn suddenly had second thoughts, she had never used it on someone - she didn't know how powerful it could be. Her palm clenched, drawing back the hungry tendrils of the Force Drain.

"Kaila, stop, it's over - we've gone too far. At this rate, we're going to destroy your home, please." Quinn stood before the woman as she was surrounded by what Quinn assumed to be her familiars. A hand extended as she tried to speak through to the woman - the one she had come to bother out of boredom. Quinn had unknowingly started another storm on Echnos. Whatever had changed within Kaila worried Quinn, and she knew if they continued, one of them could perish.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Training room
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

There was a voice in the back of her head, telling her to stop. It had always been there, telling Kaila to give up. That she was unworthy to call herself sith, let alone a darth. Anathemous however, her voice was often loudest, cutting through the others like a knife. But the other voice was different now, more urgent.

And it was getting louder. More commanding, even.

Gods she was so tired, but the sound of her own racing heart was too much, she couldn't sleep yet. She watched the panel deform around her target, giving her an opening to stumble onto her feet again, lightsaber in hand. Her jaw felt like it was about to lock up from how long and hard it had been clenched, just like her fingers. Even her eyes were tired, though they appeared as molten as ever, bearing down on the princess like dying stars, threatening everything in their orbit to the very last.

There were some kind of tendrils snaking towards her, things she'd never seen before, but instinctively shied away from as she took another tired step back, raising a shaky hand to deflect whatever the hell was coming towards her.

But they relented.

They relented and just as quickly as they had, Anathemous seemed to relive every fight she had ever fought all at once, trying to recall any time a sith had relented, and what hidden danger the act posed. That was the funny thing; Kaila had only ever killed sith. Not one jedi, not one witch, only her own kind.

They had always been the enemy, betrayal after betrayal, apprentice after apprentice, she had earned the right to remain at His side because no one was allowed to stand at hers for long.

But Quinn wasn't one of them. She could tell, because she chose not to fight anymore.

"Kaila, stop, it's over - we've gone too far. At this rate, we're going to destroy your home, please."

Kaila blinked, hand dropping limply to her side.

She glanced at the fire, the broken wall panels and the ruined lights still spitting sparks, destruction all around her.

"I'm... i'm sorry." she muttered.

Kaila took one step forward, then stumbled, barely catching herself on the wall.

"I'm sorry Quinn-"

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn expected the rage-fueled onslaught to continue, but something changed; she could feel it shift in the Force. Kaila had regained control over herself, and the Princess let her guard down. What started as fun and games ended in something more serious, and Quinn felt guilty about the entire matter. Maybe her antics were unwelcome on Echnos. Quinn shook her head as the woman apologized, but she watched Kaila stumble before she could say anything.

Instinctively, the smaller woman stepped forward and caught the Governor before she hit the wall. Quinn smiled and traced the other woman's face, gently pushing aside any stray hair. "There's nothing to be sorry about, I provoked you - I was curious about you" Quinn supported the woman as she raised her hand slightly and blew a breeze through the Force, putting out the lingering flames. The pair walked slightly till they could both be supported by the wall, one that was the least damaged. Placing the woman against the wall, she placed her hand where she had kicked her in her core and let the warmth of the Force begin its healing.

"I should apologize; I shouldn't have pushed you as far as I did." A slight blush filled the Echani's cheeks as she sighed - almost shy at what she would admit. "I wanted to show you what I could do. After your comment about seeing what more I could do after the storm - my pride took over." Her hand moved, placing it over Kaila's arms and shoulders to heal any sore or damaged muscles from the forced push into the mats. "It was a different feeling, having someone see me for my strengths and not for what I represent."

Quinn finally looked up slightly at the taller woman's face. Whatever was inside her, she could see why Carnifex wanted her under his thumb. She was powerful, but once the beast was released, she struggled to control it. Quinn smiled and nodded.

"Again, I'm sorry. Whatever damages, I will pay for them. This was not my intention." Her focus remained on Kaila as she continued to move her hands pinpointing any spots she could sense were in pain. She knew that at her side underneath the torn uniform her hip was bleeding. She was lucky that it wasn't worse, but with every shift of her arms, Quinn could feel the pain surge through her midsection. A smile hid the pain the best the Princess could, she needed to make sure Kaila was okay at the end of this.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Training room
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

She was too tired to stop herself from hitting the wall, but to her surprise, she found the arms herself in the arms of the princess, rather than cold durasteel.

If her face wasn't already red from the fighting, the way she tenderly traced her features, brushing her curled hair aside, sure did the trick. The whole thing was strange, sending her mind racing with so many thoughts, all confusing. But neither was it unwelcome. Especially the echani's healing touch, seeming to re-energize her, even if just a little.

- my pride took over." Her hand moved, placing it over Kaila's arms and shoulders to heal any sore or damaged muscles from the forced push into the mats. "It was a different feeling, having someone see me for my strengths and not for what I represent."

So she wanted to be seen as more than some damsel, or perhaps some royal to kiss up to. And more like... a person.

Kaila's stare and pursed lips seemed to indicate some mixture of surprise and understanding. In a somewhat ironic, if not hypocritical way, it mirrored what she wanted. While Anathemous may have desired recognition for her dark power and the authority that came with it, she also lacked, and craved that human connection. To be seen as more than her title. But it was moments like that which had just come to pass, when she wondered if it truly was too much to ask for both.

It wouldn't be the first time she'd thrown it all to the wayside to prove a point.

"...mine too." she said after a time.

"You... have nothing to prove. I thought I did."

Though she had not been aware of the full scope, Kaila had known from the beginning that Quinn was far more powerful than she looked. She was a sith princess after all, even if she had not witnessed the tail end of that storm, it would have been the logical assumption that Quinn was a force to be reckoned with.

And yet here she was, so gently caring for the woman who'd nearly turned their friendly spar into bloodsport.

As Quinn looked up at her, Kaila, having seen both sides of the princess, looked back with a newfound respect. Yet almost instinctually, if not a little hesitantly, the taller darth reached out to touch her face, her thumb drawing dangerously close to her soft lip as she glanced down...

Her eyes went wide.

"You're bleeding— frakk— I didn't think you could bleed...!"

Kaila tried to stand up, grunting both in pain and in frustration of how stiff her legs were in this time of need.

"I have a personal medical room, for emergencies."

She didn't know if it was bad or not. But the fact that she was able to penetrate Quinn's defenses at all meant that she'd underestimated her own powers, and her miscalculations had already proven lethal as of late.

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn could see the understanding in Kaila's face. It was almost comforting to know that she wasn't the only one with those desires and feelings. Having an almost unfair advantage, Quinn allowed herself to feel the mixture of feelings bubbling underneath the surface of the woman she was caring for. It seemed whatever had surfaced moments before had dissipated entirely. Quinn was intrigued, and she figured she'd ask about it later.

The touch was sudden and unexpected. Quinn found herself caught off guard as her hands rested where they were healing along the Darth's tired frame. It was almost familiar, and Quinn couldn't help but lean into the touch. Craving more of it. Quinn hadn't realized how touch-deprived she was despite having people around her on top of her own associates accompanying her on different outings. Quinn found herself to be quite lonely. Very few people she could confide in, and even fewer people knew her intimately. She missed the gentle touch of a hand on her face, holding her preciously and carefully. Quinn allowed it to continue briefly as she let her eyes fully take in the beauty of Darth Anathemous.

Before anything further happened, the moment was over as Kaila realized that Quinn had been wounded during their sparring session. Quinn raised an eyebrow at the exclamation that she wouldn't bleed. Confused, Quinn didn't understand why she wouldn't bleed. "I mean, I may be Force born, but trust me, I bleed just like any living being." She looked down, seeing the wound truly for what it was. Despite being superficial, Quinn could see the damage and why it hurt so much every time she moved. It had length over depth, which meant a greater surface area for the bleeding to occur. Quinn felt along her side, already having her uniform soaked with blood. "Oh, I think my outfit is ruined. No..dry cleaning will get this out." She forced a laugh, pressing her hand against the wound.

"Darkshear is such a pain in the rear," she grumbled, remembering that the dark energies made healing it the way a Jedi would be more difficult. It was why the Sith valued the power as much as they did. Quinn focused the best she could and let the Force flow through her in an attempt to heal. Quinn was already feeling weak and was more pale than usual. "I'll be okay, it's nothing serious." She reached up with her clean hand and pressed a finger to Kaila's lips to hush her about the medical facilities. The last thing Quinn wanted was to start more problems for the Governor.

Pulling away reluctantly, Quinn needed to focus on her wounds before succumbing to the tiredness. In a foolish effort to tease and to pull the woman's attention from the wound, Quinn smirked and looked back to Kaila and her amber eyes, "You're such a tease," she laughed though struggled to do so, "I thought you were going to kiss me then." Quinn adjusted herself against the wall as both of her hands held her wound in place. She feighed distress about the potential kiss as she began to feel more discomfort with the healing. "Ah, you chickened out because of some silly little cut." Quinn chuckled, coping as she could feel some of the effects of the healing helping. Still, she probably should have gotten some aid from the emergency services Kaila had offered.

Quinn was stubborn, though.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Training room
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

"I just... didn't think that I personally could hurt you." she admitted.

First Anathemous had overestimated her abilities during the coup, now she had underestimated. Or perhaps miscalculated the strength of Quinn's defenses. Either way, she could not afford the cycle to continue.

"I'll be okay, it's nothing serious."

"I still think we should-"

Kaila was silenced as she turned to Quinn, finding a slender, pale finger against her lip. Though as Kaila glanced down at it, she realized that the echani's skin was even paler than usual.

She's doing a good job hiding it, Kaila thought, but she'd been wounded by her master too many times not to recognize the signs, even if the true severity was yet unclear. Quinn was doing all those things she herself had done to hide it from Saryn, and though her particular method of misdirection brought a nervous smile to the young darth's face, this too was a tactic she was all too familiar with.

If the princess was trying to goad her however, it was working.

"Oh for-"

Kaila cupped either side of Quinn's face, giving her a stern look.

"If it will get you to tend yourself."

And then, with one last hesitant glance, she closed her eyes and pressed her lips to hers, admittedly lingering a little longer than her own sense of urgency demanded.

When she pulled back a moment later, it was reluctantly so.

"Now please..." she sighed, finally letting go.

"Allow me to repay your care, yes?"

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kaila Irons //:
//: Echnos //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn blinked, somewhat dumbfounded; she hadn't expected the goading to work since it hadn't the entire time she had been here. There was a warmth where Kaila's hands were as they held her face. Quinn gave the woman a sheepish smile as she was seemingly caught. Again, Quinn found herself staring at the woman with a new sense of determination about her. Before Quinn could protest, Kaila pulled her into a kiss. As much as Quinn wanted it, she didn't expect it to happen.

The Princess leaned into the kiss the best she could despite the pain of the combat wound. It was brief, but Quinn had reached out, holding onto Kaila's wrists, hoping to retain the closeness they were sharing. Catching herself as the woman pulled back, Quinn released Kaila and cleared her throat. It had been so long since she had felt that brief connection with someone. Alina was always away, causing them to drift apart, and then Vesta died. Quinn nodded, smiling slightly at Darth.

"Alrighty, I got most of it taken care of, but your attack makes healing difficult." Quinn waved her hand as she explained to the teacher, "The dark energy just counters the healing process, making it require a bit more." Quinn didn't realize she was leaning against Kaila; healing the woman had drained more of her than she realized. "I'm only agreeing," she started as she pushed herself upright on her feet to walk alone. Her pride showed as she cleared her throat once more and held a hand over the wound.

"I'm only going because you were so convincing." Quinn nodded, her head flopping slightly uncontrolled as she looked towards the door. Before stepping, she raised an eyebrow, knowing she had no idea where to go in this house. "You're going to have to take me." Quinn offered her hand for Kaila to take, the royal mannerisms showing.

"By the way," she paused, "You're a good kisser."

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Governors manor
Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Quinn Varanin

That lingering grip on her wrist was not lost on her, and Kaila was equally intrigued and relieved to see that her boldness had not gone unwanted. Though it was a dangerous thing, to know a royal by taste. Yet Kaila wondered if that were a line of thinking that would have upset Quinn, to be avoided for fear of her royal blood. Besides... the princess was sith. Could she not do as she pleased...?

Quinn's smile brought out her own in kind. Not a knowing little smirk or a friendly mask put on for the politicians, but a genuine smile at seeing that she was alright. Mostly alright, at least.

"Ah?" that smile dropped as she explained the effect her darkshear was having.

"I... I didn't realize. I was just..."

"Not myself."

Kaila reached out as Quinn stood, wanting so badly to help her now that the young darth had some energy again, she owed her that much at least. But she stopped, knowing the princess would be stubborn, that she would act as if... she were anyone else.

Her hands dropped to her side, and her eyes to the floor.

Until Quinn reached out on her own, in need of a guiding hand as it were.

"We'll take the elevator." Kaila smiled, taking her outstretched hand.

A smile that soon widened.

"By the way," she paused, "You're a good kisser."

"Well," she chuckled nervously whilst guiding her out of the training room. Though she seemed to hold on a little tighter.

"You seem to have a way of bringing out my best qualities."

This time it was a knowing smile as she gave the destroyed training room one last glance.

"I didn't want to sound too forward before, but... You are beautiful, Quinn." she scratched the back of her head.

"I'd be lying if I said It hadn't crossed my mind already."

​