Laertia watched in fascination at the complete change that overcame Syd as she examined the relics.
Laertia had come across many magical relics but had never understood how a tenth of them functioned. On that alone
Syd Celsius
was an eye-opener. She had an innate understanding of how magic and The Force worked. It was similar to how Laertia naturally understood the Lightsaber and War in general. They complimented each other so perfectly it baffled The Black Knight at times.
"See this?" Syd asked, holding up an ancient Medallion. "Early Clone Wars. Jabiim."
"Nevuh beenz dhere..." Laertia admitted, examining her own relics. Even Syd didn't know as much about weapons as Laertia did, so Laertia had chosen to help identify some more ancient examples.
All the meanwhile she was hiding her own confusion internally. She had never dated anyone, and it was clear Syd hadn't either. Neither one of them had been exactly sure what people who dated did, other than spend time together. It was an act so outside their comfort zone they were fumbling around in the dark of it. Syd had suggested the most peaceful thing she could think of doing together.
Neither one of them knew all that much about the other beyond their adventures together. They had both been deliberately opaque on their backgrounds. They skirted around the issue. Avoided discussing it. There was only the now.
Laertia had reason to be ashamed. Since discovering her Master, Ursula, had secretly been
The Amalgam
all along, it had thrown her entire identity into doubt. All the killing of Sith. All her lethal ability, which she had been told would help make the Galaxy a safer place, had been built up by one of the most vile, most depraved Sith she had ever encountered, masquerading as a Jedi as some sort of sick gag, looking for someone to to mold into successors, getting fixated on her and Uri, introducing nigh-Sith like methods into their training, twisting it from within. Or trying to.
Laertia had wracked her brains over how she could have missed Ursula being a Shi'ido. Had she been so blinded by admiration and Love that she simply hadn't been capable of seeing the truth until The Amalgam literally spelled it out for her?
Laertia was now deeply worried about Uri, also known as
Maple Harte
. Laertia had barely withstood cracking at the revelation. Uri had been absolutely devastated. She had been in hiding the past few months. Laertia didn't know where to find her, and felt even more guilty for all the years she had been jealous of Uri getting the attention.
She felt like a fool.
I can feel your distress, Laertia...
Laertia was snapped from her reverie. Her feelings hadn't been as shielded as she had hoped. Syd's words were like velvet to her mind, instantly drawing her total attention in how soft they felt against her injured brain.
What troubles you?
Old memories...she whispered telepathically.
Tell me of one. Syd mentally whispered back as she took notes on a particularly old stature, her gold and blue metallic catsuit contrasting with Laertia's armor plating as they sat next to each other cataloguing every relic they could get their hands on.
Laertia stalled a moment. She couldn't tell her about Ursula. How she had idolized her, cherished her presence, only to have her heart shattered by it all being a lie.
She LIKED how Syd looked at her. She refused to ruin it.
It was momentary...I don't want to sour the mood. I rarely have pleasantries like this.
You can't sour the mood by letting me understand you a little better. I 'want' to get to know you better. How about I tell you an unpleasant memory of mine?
Laertia thought about it a moment
Alright...she responded.
Dusting off a statue to read the inscription, Syd began a small tale...
I was still pretty early in my career. I was learning to control my power in an outdoor training session. I accidentally burned this beautiful tree down. But that was not my worst mistake. There was a bird nest. The Parents and the Egg had died in the fire also. At the time I...I wasn't able to fully appreciate what I had done, only that it was an error. I ended up burning my way through plenty of forests since then, but after my...my initial...'retirement'...I ended up thinking about that tree and those dead birds alot, and the worst part about it is none of the other trees I've burned down, which I'm sure had plenty of wildlife...ever hit me as hard as that first time. I had my first nightmares over them when I became what I am now. I hate remembering it so vividly...
Laertia felt something hit home with this. She inspected an ancient Vibrosword with an Ostrine edge. She felt like she was being watched by something in the walls.
Where I learned to survive, on Nar Shaddaa, I killed just to stay alive. One of my worst memories was when I was 007, and I had been cornered by this thug. I don't remember what for. Next thing I know my knife is in his eye. He had a necklace. A locket that showed his father and him. I didn't sleep for two weeks. I never look too closely at the people I killed afterward. So I can't remember their faces too clearly.
We both have a lot of baggage. Syd whispered in her head, her mental voice coiling through Laertia's spine, sending a wave of warmth through it.
Laertia wanted to surrender to that voice, how it soothed her, massaged her brain with the warmth from her spirit.
Plus, as Laertia was very slowly starting to figure out the longer she indulged her attraction to Syd, the skintight metallic catsuit
absolutely helped. Laertia would have never had the courage to wear something like that.
I have worse memories...the Black Knight warned.
So do I. Very bad ones.
Laertia's mental fingers reached out to Syd's. Syd's warmth crawled around in Laertia like a prowling cat as they continued examining objects.
Laertia stopped suddenly, sensed another presence nearby, that of
Phalsi Drynchen
and stood up, as there was something else. A strange something.
Syd felt it too. Both stood up and left the chamber, telling the other Jedi staff working to stay where they were. She didn't know what the strange something was but it was close to the other. But it could not be pinpointed.
Laertia moved ahead of Syd, found the strange hall and door she had gone through and went into it, and Laertia went still when she spotted Phalsi.
(Terminated by Junkie XL Plays)
Laertia stumbled back, not sure whether her hand should go to her weapon, because Phalsi bore such a strong resemblance to the appearance
The Amalgam
so often assumed. Laertia managed to stop herself, realizing she must have looked absolutely unfriendly in the black Armor, and held up her hand, just as
Syd Celsius
arrived behind them.
"Laertia?" Syd asked, face crinkling in concern. "What's wrong?"
"Nuthinz..." Laertia answered, barely preventing an anxiety attack as she stared at Phalsi.
"Sorreez tuh duhsturbz yooz, but wee felltz sumthinz straynge moovingz arounndz. Diddz yooz seez annytingz?" Laertia asked softly, trying to look non threatening in spite of the heavy armor. She should have taken the De Lifte crystal with her, but she never liked to go to these places without at least class three body armor. Lethal accidents occurred in these places. Or intent.
"I'm Syd Celsius. This is Laertia. Nice to meet you." Syd said politely. "Something strange is moving around...I felt like something was behind me just now..."
Brooke Waters
Ura Iolar
Subject 648 Slipknot