Temporary Goodbyes

[Asajj Novar]

With most of her body healed and her cybernetics finally attached and working Asajj had decided that sitting around the palace while her father and [member="Vaulkhar"] went about honoring the Iridonian pledge to Commenor was a waste. She finally had the ability to do something, and would. Her face, reshaped after the savage beatings, was unknown to the Sith. Even her existence was wiped clean so it put her in a unique ability to get on world and help the Lady Kay where needed.

Only once she was fully healed would she go, but that day was rapidly approaching. "The wonders of Kolto, huh." She mused to herself. It was truly amazing how much had been fixed without the need for fakes. While her eye and ear couldn't be replaced they were able to regrow her teeth and fix most of what was left of her body. Only her severed limbs needed the cybernetic replacements.

She stood barefoot, idly twirling the saber she had been given in her hand in a very Makashi like stance. Despite her initial appearance in the wheelchair the Dathomir was once a powerful Sith in her own right, learning from the very Sith who now leads the Assassins in place of her Father. Quick precise strikes were her forte, easily dancing around the stone statue of one of her ancestors without leaving a single mark on it's smooth surface.

Eventually she stopped, breathing steadily as the orange blade hummed in her grasp. It wasn't her saber, but it worked just fine.

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar moved silently through the palace halls in the Irdonian Capitol. Another day, another mission. Slung over his shoulder was his signature pack, stocked to the brim with weaponry, medical supplies, and rations. It was unlikely he'd require it all considering he was simply departing for a few days to track and destroy a nearby ship marked as a vessel of the Sith Empire once it departed Iridonian space. His own ship had been prepared under his orders earlier in the day, so there he went. A faint whistled escaped him as he strode through the Grand Hall, hoping to execute his shortcut to cross through the room towards the hangar. However, he stopped mid step at noticing the form of Asajj practicing within the room. He was impressed in her work, though there were a few missteps he noticed. Likely due to her recent cybernetic implants.

The half breed chuckled softly and dropped his pack to the floor and leaned against one of the pillars. He continued to just watch her as she trained, interested in her technique and what she was doing in the first place. He hadn't heard she was cleared to train from Designer, though it wasn't really his business. Watching her twirl his former lightsaber caused him to look down at his own, a twinge of interest flaring through him. How long had it been since he took part in a traditional duel? Too long. Though, he wasn't particularly free for such a duel at the time.

With a shrug of his shoulders he lifted his pack and moved towards the exit across the room, hoping not to interrupt the woman.

[member="Asajj Novar"]

 

[Asajj Novar]

"It's not very nice to watch a girl and not say hi you know." Asajj spoke up mid form without stopping. Her footwork continued as she carved the air around each curve of the statue, the orange blade barely an inch away. Once she was finished with the drill she shut the blade down, glancing over her shoulder with a smile. "How are you today Vaulk?" On what looked like steady footsteps she walked right up to him. Steady of course because she was chanting in her mind 'left, right, left, right'.

Once she did get close to him she leaned down to peer at his pack, tilting her head. "Going somewhere fun?"

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Hmm," Vaulkhar slowed before eventually stopping. He turned on his heel to face the woman, offering a shrug. "I wouldn't say I was watching you, that requires vision, Asajj," he tightened his grip on the strap of his pack before shifting his footing slightly. He wore a much more casual getup than the woman was likely seeing. A brown leather jacket over his modified Sith Assassin armor, the hood tucked away under the jacket. His lightsaber hung at his hip, dangling from right to left with each movement he made. "I'm fine I suppose. Off to handle another job for your father, I'll likely be gone for a few days, so we won't have any opportunity to see one another. How are the implants? They don't seem to be slowing you down at all."

Truth be told, Vaulkhar was terrible at small talk. He never managed to get the necessary training socially to discuss anything aside from business. It was why he was so damn bad at making friends. Asajj wasn't the worst to talk to. She made it easy considering she always had something to discuss with him, which made his life much easier. Though he already knew he couldn't discuss his mission openly.

"Nowhere interesting unfortunately, just going to be drifting through space for the most part."

Better safe than sorry.

[member="Asajj Novar"]

 

[Asajj Novar]

If there was something Asajj learned about [member="Vaulkhar"] when they first met it was his inability to keep a conversation going. It didn't bother her in the slightest, and it gave her a chance to just.. Talk. Distract herself. It was never about her wounds or scars or her pain with him. Just simple distracting subjects. She tilted her head to the other side as she looked over his outfit. Another assassination by the look of it. She frowned, glancing towards the direction of the throne room. What was her father thinking?

Though, she could immediately tell he wasn't going to give the details of the mission. It's what they were trained to do. Keep secrets, keep silent. "The implants are fine. Different for sure." Awkward, fake, a constant reminder of her wounds. Words she would never say aloud so that no one would think she was complaining. She could walk after all, so that was something. She could do more then walk.

"I'm coming with you." She nodded in confirmation of her words, almost as if to leave no room for arguments.

 

[Vaulkhar]

"No."

If Asajj thought her words left no room for arguments, she'd find Vaulkhar's no nonsense, distant and cold tone to be far worse. His shoulders squared slightly and he shook his head from side to side. His work was dangerous. Far more than the woman was ready to handle yet. Was she trained? Yes, he could tell by her precise and prepared strikes. Her movements reminded him of a senior student of his own he once fought beside. An assassin he himself respected, though he did not fear her. Hell, he thought he could take the woman if need be. So he was even more positive Asajj should not be joining him on this particular mission. His own gaze followed Asajj's as he peered towards the throne room.

"Krest needs every adviser he can get in trying times. If you want to join me on a more casual outing, I am not against it. But," his gaze, flickering a familiar orange color settled on her. There was no malice or hate within it, simply a cold, calculated stare. "I work alone."

[member="Asajj Novar"]

 

[Asajj Novar]

"Hmm.." The woman stared at [member="Vaulkhar"] in silence for several seconds. Her eyes twitched at the sight of the orange. Not from fear, not this time. She wasn't going to let what happened hold her back any longer. She couldn't. And she certainly couldn't stay on this planet another day longer. Yet, she didn't want to be a bother to him of all people. Where she'd usually press the issue she found herself biting her tongue.

"..Fine. But, you take me on the next one. I need the field experience and you did promise to train me." Compromises. Well, her way of trying to be something more than she was. Slashing at statues was nothing for her to be proud of. "Just.." She paused, breaking her stare into his gaze to stare at the ground. "Don't get hurt. Or at least don't get too hurt I guess." What an odd feeling, wanting him to be safe. Asajj frowned inwardly at such a selfish thought. It wasn't her place to worry over him.

So she forced a smile. "Good luck Vaulk."

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar offered a faint smile at her words, nodding his head.

"I did promise to train you, indeed," rather suddenly his communication device beeped within his pack, his eyes widening immediately. He lifted the device and activated it, a faint hologram appearing before the two of them. Standing within the dim, bluish light were two imposing and easily recognizable figures. The first was a man garbed in a maroon robe, his hair a deep black and slicked back into a ponytail. Even through the hologram, Asajj would likely see the baleful orange gaze of Kaine Zambrano, his father. Beside him stood an equally imposing figure, garbed in the deepest of black, his hair the same color as Vaulkhar and his father's. She'd likely recognize the man to be Vaulkhar's uncle. The shock was written across the young half breed's face, no attempts were made to compose himself.

"Son, you have been summoned to Bastion. Arrive this evening, be prompt," and without another word the device deactivated. Vaulkhar stared blankly at it for several long seconds, his mouth agape. He slowly slid it away before turning to face Asajj. There was a mixture of confusion, nervousness, and even excitement within his steely gray gaze.

"You know Asajj, it might be awhile before I can train you.... Tell Krest I am going to meet my father."

Without another word, Vaulkhar turned and made his way towards the hangar. His pack was thrown over his shoulder, his knuckles tightened to the point they were an even paler shade of white than his flesh.

[member="Asajj Novar"]

 

[Asajj Novar]

Asajj immediately froze at the sight of the Butcher King. The man that made it legal for the torture she went through, encouraged it. She had never once met the man, but his empire, his Sith, were the reason why so many suffered. Why she suffered. Panic gripped her heart, it's beat deafening in her ears. She didn't even hear what was said, or what [member="Vaulkhar"] said to her. She wanted to open her mouth to respond, but found her words caught in her throat.

It was when he turned away to leave that she finally broke through the fear. He was going to the most dangerous man in the world. "W.. Wait!" The Dathomir rushed forward, suddenly wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into the back of his jacket. "I ca- I just.." Her sentences caught up in her throat. So many things she wanted to say, so many things she wanted to ask of him. And yet nothing would come out.

In the end she finally did get something out, whispering it into his back. "Please be safe.." Her selfish wish voiced aloud. Hesitantly she let him go, stepping back with her eyes on the ground. "Please, come back to me.."

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar paused as the woman wrapped her arms around him, his movements stopping entirely as surprise and confusion gripped him. The feeling of warmth, concern, care... all of it running off of Asajj was foreign to him. His interactions with Jairdain had always been purely in the moment, what they both needed. No love was shared between them, perhaps they respected one another, but none of that truly mattered. What was built between them was nothing. He never thought to look upon Asajj as anything more than a peer or coworker. He knew more than he let on, that was sure. She was the Princess of Iridonia, only a fool wouldn't of realized it by now. However, it took him this long to realize the woman felt more for him than he first thought. His gaze slipped upwards as he swallowed weakly.

He did not turn back to face her. He was a good liar, a damn good one, but he couldn't look the girl in the eyes and tell her anything but the truth. With a deep breath he simply nodded his head before striding towards the hangar once more.

"I'll be back soon."

[member="Asajj Novar"]

 

[Asajj Novar]

She wanted to stop him from leaving. By force if needed, but she couldn't. It wasn't her place to, especially with where she was planning to go next without him. Yet, she didn't want this. Not this weight, this sadness. When he would return she wouldn't be there, gone on her own mission that very well could take months to years, or even her own life. So summoning up what she could she reached out to grasp his hand with her own real one, slid in front of him, and lean up to lightly kiss him.

After a brief moment she'd pull away, smiling as wide as she could to make this goodbye as happy as it could be. "I can't wait."

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar was even more surprised, though he shrugged it off, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the moment. He held her close until she pulled away before taking a step back himself. It was probably suicide to kiss the King's daughter for rather obvious reasons, though he decided to put that on the back burner for another time. Did he feel for Asajj in the way she felt for him? He couldn't be sure. He respected and cared about her, but was he ready to commit himself to someone in a way that was more than primal, physical contact? These were questions he just didn't have answers to unfortunately. He turned on his heel once more and set off.

"Be safe, Asajj. Keep your dad out of trouble."

[member="Asajj Novar"]