The Nightmare

[Adron Malvern]

​The halls surrounding Adron were dark and unidentifiable. There seemed to be no pattern or design that Adron could viably use to tell him where these walls were from. Their origin was a mystery to him, no matter how hard he tried to identify him. Pausing in the black halls, Adron laid a hand upon the concrete walls, arching a brow in confusion.

​Where am I?

​The question echoed through his mind as he realized he could not recall where he was, or how he had gotten there.

​"Adron." A hushed voice called out to him, yet the hall caused the sound to echo, confusing Adron as to where the voice had come from. He turned to either side of the hall, finding only darkness where he searched.

​"Adron!" The voice called out again, this time the hush was replaced with a tone of fear, perhaps even pain. Still unable to identify the voice, Adron's hand fell to his waist, searching for his lightsaber. It wasn't there. As he patted his sash softly he scowled down at the thought of being without a weapon. The man had trained himself better than to be somewhere without a weapon.

​"Adron, please!" The voice, a female one, called out in panic. Forcing Adron's legs to movement before he realized it. Running down the hall he began to hear the faint sounds of blaster fire, being exchanged across some type of battle. "What is going on?" He muttered to himself, not having the time to gather his scattered thoughts.

​The darkness of the hallway finally threatened to show some manner of light, coming from behind a door that ended the path. Stopping at the door Adron could hear the woman crying out once again. "Adron, please, help me!" His eyes grew wide as he finally recognized the voice.

​"Mother!" His hand wrapped around the door handle, yet it would not budge. Again he searched for the lightsaber on his waist, but like before it was no where to be found. Yet, the snap-hiss of a lightsaber could be heard, from the other side of the door. The white hue that shined from the door's border was replaced with a crimson one, obviously coming from a lightsaber. "Mother!" Adron yelled once again, slamming his forearms against the door, hoping to force it down.

​Taking a hurried step back from the door, Adron extended his hands, calling on The Force. If the door would not be ripped down by his physical strength, the strength of the Force would act in it's place. Sweat dripped down from his brow as his hands summoned the force around the door. He could see the simple wooden door quake, yet it remained in place. A frantic yell came from him as he heard the commotion in the next room escalate. "No, damn it!"

​His own yell was matched with a shriek of pain, and then silence. "Mother?" His eyes went wide, before closing his hands into fists. The edges of the door were shattered under the weight of the Force, yet the barrier would not move. "Why?!" Adron yelled again, before a hot pain cut into his chest, severing his control over the Force. His arms fell lifelessly to the side as his eyes glanced down, a brilliant white blade erupting from his chest.

​"You are still weak." A voice called out to him from behind, the attacker's tone bled with contempt. The voice that called out to him, it was easily identifiable, it was his own.

​Adron's eyes shot open, his hand rushing to his chest as the pain he had felt in his vision, all but subsided. Looking around with an agitated expression, he could see his environment clearly now. He was back in Ra'a'mah's castle, in his own room, in his own bed. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Adron exhaled as he laid back in his bed. Dreams of this nature had come often, and it seemed like they were only getting worse. Realizing sleep was not something he would achieve this night, the young Count sat up in his bed for a moment. After running his hands through his hair, pulling the stray locks from his vision he stood, making his way to the refresher.

​Adron's morning routine didn't take long. A shower, some personal hygiene, and putting on some fresh robes so he could start the day. The man stood silently in his room as he clipped his lightsaber to his waist. This would be his fourth day as Ra'a'mah's guest and while he was eager to learn, he felt his nightmares grew worse with each night. With still damp hair, he made his way out of the room, deciding to head towards Ra'a'mah's training hall. If he could not sleep, he could improve himself at least.

 

[Riamah]

Knowing how the castle could effect people that weren't used to it, Ra fully expected a night like this to happen to Adron. It seemed the darkness here would twist sometimes and bring on changes within people. By now she and the people that lived here were used to it and soon he would be too. It would just take time for him to adjust.

They had known each other few a while and worked together in the past. In the past few days they had started over in a way. Instead of Adron being in charge, they were far more equal in some ways. In others Ra was in the lead. All in all, it was working well between them. A bond was starting to form, weak right now since it was still new to both of them, but when he woke up, she did as well.

The uneasy feeling he projected came to her, but he pushed it away and down as he went about a routine of washing and distracting himself from it. This was a good time to teach him how to harness this and use it to further himself.

Putting on her own clothes, Ra would allow him to reach his objective before making her own way there. Not hiding the fact she was showing up unexpected, she walked through the door and looked at him before speaking.

"Dreams getting to you?"

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

​The door's to the training hall parted for Adron, a soft hiss coming from them as they opened for the Dark Jedi. The shadows that fell on the room were lifted when Adron passed over the illumination sensors. As the lights flickered on, the man made his way to the center of the room, still uneasy about the night's sleep. Once he reached the center of the room he gently fell to his knees, his hands laid upon his thighs as he took a moment to center himself.

​Focus came to him but was quickly broken when he heard the doors hiss once again. His eyes, which had nearly been closed in his moment of concentration now opened in response to the arrival. He felt Ra'a'mah's presence far before she entered the training hall. In a similar way, he felt as if he had felt her presence the moment she arose. Adron's ability to reach out with the Force was advanced enough that he could sense his Master's rise from slumber.

​Her question was met with silence.

​It wasn't out of disrespect or a wish to be secretive. He merely did not know how to respond to such a question.

​"When I can't sleep, I like to train my body." He stated, not wishing to directly confirm or deny her question. "Takes my mind off of things."

​Adron stood up from the center of the room, turning to finally see Ra'a'mah. He owed her more than he cared to admit. She had not only taken up the task of completing his training in the Force, but also given him a place to stay while she did that.

​"What are you doing awake so early?" He asked, trying to change the conversation a bit. Even though it had been some time since he awoke, it was obvious something was still managing to bother him.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

There were many contributing factors to what caused Bast Castle to cause the troubled sleep. Most of the time it was what the person brought with them surfacing. Ra had faced them when she moved in here herself then adjusted to the atmosphere. As she did that, the dreams went away.

She was not at all apologetic at interrupting Adron in what he was doing. Evading an answer to her question, he instead answered with what he did when he was unable to sleep. At least he did admit there was something on his mind and Ra nodded at that. It had been a while since she had a sleepless night like he was having, but she hoped he would find a solution to whatever was disturbing him soon. The longer it took, then the less he would sleep.

"What's on your mind, Adron? Perhaps I can help."

In his turn he asked what she doing awake and that was greeted with a half a smile before she answered.

"I remember my first nights here, my friend. Troubles you bring with you are enhanced and almost seem empowered by the location. So while I might be used to what happens here, you are not. What am I doing here? Hoping to help you."

It may not be exactly the answer to his question, but it was a potential solution to what was on his mind.

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

​What was on his mind?

​The question caused a moment of pause as Adron's gaze fell to the floor. It was brief, but could be noticed. Quickly recovering from the moment of thought, Adron turned his attention back to Ra'a'mah.

​"I've had trouble sleeping since I left Serenno." He admitted, though he tried to keep his emotions well hidden. Since the man had been stripped of his home planet there had been more than a few bad dreams. Yet the castle he slept in, a castle of the Sith, was causing these nightmares to come to an unwanted peak. As Ra'a'mah spoke he could very easily understand how such a place would enhance the troubles brought within. Ra'a'mah had come offering her aid, which was something Adron appreciated, yet he was not entirely ready to receive it.

​"Ra'a'mah. Thank you, but I would rather not focus on it. If you want to help me, we can continue my training." He offered, sticking to his ways of using training to mitigate his stress.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

When he admitted he's had diffculty sleeping since leaving Serenno, Ra lifted a single eyebrow.

"That has been a bit of time, for sure. Being here will bring those thoughts closer to the surface and plague you more. At least until you get used to the feeling this place carries. Sometimes facing your problems is the cure though..."

Adron said he didn't want to focus on them right now and continue training so she nodded. When he was ready to face them, she had no doubt he would. The question is would he want her to help him? Time would tell, either way, as his master...for now, she would support him. Ra just hoped when their time together here was over, they would not be parting as enemies. ​

"Well, one skill many learn first is lightning. However common it might be, there are some things to be aware of. First are your hands and limbs, if you ever need to get anything cybernetic there, then you will have a difficult time using it. At first it can use up much of your Force reserves, at least until you become more familiar with how to use it."

One thing Ra left out was the fact it wasn't necessary to use the Dark Side to bring it into being. However, she wanted to tempt him to, put him on a darker path than he had been. With this in mind, that detail was left out. As a person used more emotions to fuel their skills, the more addictive it could become. The sweet feeling of it going through a body was sometimes enough to keep the person wanting more.

"There are also various strengths you can use. From a light shock to something more deadly. As you progress, you'll pick up on what you want to accomplish."

To show him what she meant, Ra would motion to one of the training droids to come over. Activating, the droid did as requested. Holding a hand out, he would see a small shock go from her hand and to the droid. It was nothing sustained, but the shock effects would be seen on the droid.

"Quite often a method of learning this skill is to have it done to a person, it is how I learned. However, I'd like to see if there are alternatives and if one can learn without having to get shocked."

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

[SIZE=11pt]Adron was glad that Ra did not continue to press the matter. In all honesty, the man simply was not ready to share his anxieties with anyone, not even a friend. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Turning his mind from the matter, he clasped his hands together at his waist as he listened to his Master speak. As she spoke he could feel the subtle tingle coming from within, born from an eagerness to progress his skills. Sith Lightning was a technique that Adron was familiar with. He recalled one of his first battles with the Sith, the powerful blue tendrils of electricity reaching out to him. Had it not been for his lightsaber, he would have surely felt their pain. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Glancing down at his hands at the mention of cybernetics, Adron considered something for a moment before shaking his head. “I doubt I'll ever get any cybernetic work done. I prefer to stay flesh and blood.” He assured her. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]As Ra motioned for a training droid to step forward, Adron took a step back to better get a view of the demonstration. He watched with interest as the lightning flew from her hands, slapping into the Droid’s torso. The soft blue tendrils quickly faded, showing this was but a mere shock as she had said. Approaching her once again, he looked to the droid, the interest in his voice unmasked. “I'm ready to try.” He said, stepping forward as the Droid recovered from the last shock. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Adron glanced down at his hands, rubbing them together as he exhaled, bringing his focus to a single point. He had seen the technique done many times, the user was merely using The Force to conjure lightning to be directed from his hands. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Holding a hand out to the Droid, Adron began to tap into the Dark Side of the Force. He drew from memories that caused him pain, to better channel his emotions. In his mind there was one memory that was fresh for use. He recalled the death of his family, a subtle pause coming from him as the thought worked to take him over. Rather than focus on the memory, he turned to the task at hand. Staring at the droid he would call on the Force to create a shift, and produce lightning from his fingertips. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]For a second there was nothing, then a soft clap could be heard, as a blue streak of lightning, small yet whole, fluttered around his palm. He could feel the Dark Side flowing freely around him, handing him the power he needed. Aiming his fingertips, he watched as one thin bolt flew from his hand, slamming into the Droid’s chest just as Ra’s did. At first there was a feeling of disappointment, yet it was quickly overshadowed by a hot pain coming from his hand. When he looked back down to his palm, he could see a burn where the bolt had coursed. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]“I did it.” He announced, holding the belief that was all that mattered. He turned back to Ra, inclining his head before showing his palm. “Still… That was pretty… Small.”[/SIZE]

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Shaking her head at the thought of cybernetic work before she spoke, Ra would consider her words to get at something of a finer detail.

"It isn't so much just cybernetics, but what happens if you loose a hand in a battle? I am fully flesh without any enhancements, so don't have any issue or problem using the Force. From doing research though, I have learned that more cybernetics one might have, the harder it can be to the use the Force at all. If you think about it, it might be why Vader couldn't use lightning himself. The tale of him being more machine than human."

Hopefully her words would tell him she wanted to stay organic as well.

Same as he had stepped away while she displayed how to use the Force to cast lightning, Ra did as well. It took a few moments, but a small strike was produced. Giving him a smile, she nodded and indicated Adron should go again.

"Small or not, it took me as a child quite some time to accomplish even that much."

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

​It took a few moments for Adron to realize his hand had been badly burnt where the lightning bolt had kissed him. Glancing down at his hand, he realized he would have to cast a barrier over his hand to prevent his lightning from harming himself.

​Closing his fingers into a tight fist, he looked to the recovering droid before turning back to Ra, giving her a silent nod as she instructed him to try once again.

​As the Droid moved to stand before him once again, he held his hand out. As he called on the Force he called for it to guard his own hand, a pause of hesitation coming from him as he felt the invisible barrier wrap itself around his hand. Feeling secure, he aimed his hand towards the Droid once again. This time, he would try to summon a different memory to his mind, a different pylon for his anger.

​For a moment he could not think of anything. However, measured next to the death of his parents there was not much else.

​A flash through his mind, more a vision than a memory, charged his hatred. He recalled the betrayal of the Counts of Serenno. How they had stood idle during his exile, how they had betrayed him. Biting back a grunt of anger he flexed his fingers, The Dark Side of the force springing from his fingertips in the form of one solid bolt. As the lightning blasted into the Droid's chest, Adron felt the barrier over his hand shatter, his hand once again taking the punishment from the technique.

​This time the Count immediately broke his connection with the Force, cursing as he shot his hand back in pain. "Damn it!" He muttered, waving his hand through the air. When he looked down to the burn again, this time it was a bright red, showing he had burned off a good layer of his skin. With a hidden shame, he turned to Ra, gesturing to his injured palm. "At least it was bigger this time."

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

The ability to use lightning had been known by Ra for so long she knew how to avoid being burned by the skill. Various methods and tools, such as gloves, could also be used to prevent this from happening.

As Adron was just learning this skill, the finer details would come along with the ability to use it easier. Ra did not know what he used to fuel his abilities in the sense if it was current anger or something dredged up from memories. Whatever he used though worked for him and that is what mattered. As time wore on though, he may run out anger at his past or it may not work as well for him as he grew used to that feeling. That was the addictiveness of the Dark Side, the desire for more.

"Luckily the skin in your hand should heal pretty quickly."

There was no condensation in her tone, but more a statement of fact. If he noticed, she made no comment on his feelings or the emotions he had going through him. The hidden shame he felt remained hidden because she didn't pick up on it.

"As you learn how to use lightning, you will figure out ways to prevent that damage from being done."

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

​Adron was tempted to continue, yet something had told him he should pace himself when dealing with things he knew little about. Rather than continue his progression with the skill, he turned to a nearby table that held tools to aid with training. One such tool was a medical kit, which he used his thumb to pry open. "Unless you object. I think that's enough." He said, knowing they had only just begun.

​"At least with conjuring lightning." He corrected himself, before turning to Ra'a'mah. There was a noticeable agitation that followed him as he worked to wrap his hand in a bandage. The agitation was bred from his dipping into the dark side. Even though he was becoming more and more used to it, it was still something he was new to. Taking a few moments to wrap his hand, he turned his eyes back to Ra'a'mah. The blue orbs were refocusing into an odd mix of orange and blue that best resembled an off-colored hazel. Taking a moment he exhaled. looking to Ra before gesturing to the center of the room. "Will you meditate with me? It's easier if I have someone to use as a type of conduit." The offer did not come lightly, as Adron seldom moved into meditation when he was near those he did not trust. Yet with Ra there was enough trust between the two for such an act.

​As he bit onto the bandage, allowing him to tie it off, he flexed his hand into the wound before looking to Ra for her answer.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Considering what she was Ra was a patient person usually. When it came to training, much of it was driven by the student. When Adron said he felt that was enough for now, she nodded. Not at all mistaking his wording to imply a total end to things, she did lift the corners of her mouth when he corrected himself though.

She gave him the time he needed to bandage his hand, just watching him. He seemed disturbed by something, but what it was, Ra didn't know. When he looked at her, she noticed the change in his eyes. So soon he had started to show signs of corruption from using the Dark Side. Perhaps the talk of mixing in neutral skills to off set that was needed. It was how she kept herself from showing her alignment. Most of the skills she used, when she did, were neutral. Rarely did she employ the Dark Side.

He motioned to the middle of the room to invite her to meditate with him. He explained he found it easier if there was somebody with him and she nodded.

"Of course. It has been a while for me."

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

​As a young Jedi, Adron had been the contrary to his siblings, where they had hated the passive time spent meditating, Adron had cherished it. Often it brought him a sense of focus that could improve his training, perhaps even his day. Since being granted the title of High Moff he did not have the time to dedicate to such acts.

​Adron placed a hand on the ground, bringing himself down to the floor while listening to Ra. She admitted that it had been a while since she had meditated. "Not everyone enjoys the act, for some it's more of a task than anything else." He said, intertwining his fingers in his lap. Closing his eyes, the man took a deep inhale, holding it for a moment before letting out the air in a slow, shallow, exhale.

​"When I last meditated, it was to perfect my skills with Empathy. Calling on the Force to read and understand a person's emotions, and their deeper self." He explained, speaking softly as he called the Force to a single focal point within him. If Ra would do the same, slowly the two would be able to sync their meditative experience.

​"It's a valuable skill." He said, a soft smile coming to his lips, his focus more on his mind than his conversation with her.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Taking a seat on the floor near him, she listened to him curiously. Adron mentioned he used meditation to work with empathy. It was something she actually lacked herself. It may have had something to do with how much she controlled her own emotions. Releasing them only at the right times and keeping them held close to her. That was how she was raised, even if it was as a sith.

"It's not so much if I enjoy it or not, but finding the time. As lead of that fleet, I am on call pretty much any time. Empathy is a great skill to know, but something I have no idea how to do naturally."

If he had noticed, on her cloak was a pin. That pin provided her the ability to be an empath and helped her read the emotions of others. She wasn't wearing that cloak since they were inside the castle.

"How would empathy allow one to know another's deeper self?"

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

[SIZE=11pt]Adron pulled his attention from the depths of The Force, and now turned his attention to Ra. He could tell that Ra had little knowledge of Force Empathy, and he was actually rather eager to explain the abilities uses to her. “The emotions a person displays in certain moments and under different types of stress can reveal a lot to a person. For example, if you can sense how a person is emotionally towards you, you can determine if they are a danger to you.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]“But there is a difference from the emotions someone shows and what they actually feel.” He explained, placing his hands on his lap as he looked to Ra. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]“The best way to understand it is to experience it. To use Force Empathy you need to first be in a state of emotional neutrality. The more unstable you are, the harder it will be to sense others emotions.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]“Once you've centered yourself and cleared your mind, open yourself to the bridge between you and another person. Try it on me. Find the connection between us in the Force and pull the emotions from within me.” He told her, dropping the barrier that normally surrounded his internal emotions. If Ra would extend herself into him, she would see a cloud of emotion, best sensed as grief, with shallow traces of happiness coating the surface. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]@Ra'a'mah[/SIZE]

 

[Riamah]

Something Ra knew inside, but hadn't given thought to recently was her knowledge that master and apprentice worked both ways. As she was teaching Adron things, he in his turn would teach her some. In this case it would be about how to be more empathic. Her own childhood and teaching had lead her to keeping hers so tightly controlled, she wasn't even sure how to express them. This was one of her unknown chains and because of that, she didn't think of it.

She listened to what Adron was saying carefully. It had been quite some time since she had been the student and learning from another person. At least when it came to dealing with the Force. In giving her a way that this would help her to know more about the other person and how they felt about her on a deeper level than on the surface. It would give her ability to do it naturally and not rely on that pin to give her that read.

In saying there was a difference in what a person might show and what they might actually feel made sense to her. It was often the case with her, even if she didn't admit it. Being in business, she would maintain a neutral or friendly face no matter what she felt inside.

Closing her eyes and slowly finding the inner river of the Force since she was of practice, Ra followed the connection between her and Adron. It took her back to her starting days with the Dominion and what she thought of as her first steps into learning about the Force. A sense of memory flowed from her. As those memories brought up emotions she felt from those days, he would pick up on maybe some wonder and happiness. Also her present emotions those memories brought up, a small sense of sorrow at the loss of that group and the people she had known then.

From him, she sensed only the strongest of his buried emotions. He felt sorrow, but at what it was, Ra didn't know. Those small bits of happiness were missed.

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

[SIZE=11pt]There was a blissful moment of silence as Adron reached out into Ra’s emotions. Like a cool river they washed over the man, allowing him full access to them. They were not his emotions, nor would they ever be, yet he knew he could feel them as if they were his own. Happiness. It felt warm and embracing, easily one of the most potent of emotions, and easiest to identify. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Where did it come from? He wondered. His eyes still closed, he decided to reach out once more. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Wonder. An emotion so similar to happiness, yet with the small hints of disbelief. Ra’a’mah’s emotions we're fresh, yet they were not harvested from the moment. A memory? Such things were difficult to decipher. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The final emotion to be pulled from their connection was sorrow. Adron mused over if it had been regret or some other form of distress. Another thing he could not yet identify. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]His tone low and his words paced, he would deepen the connection between them. “Now… With this connection we can meditate on each others emotions. When we awaken, I am sure you will understand Force Empathy.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]If Ra would join the connection with Adron, the two would be pulled from their corporal forms. Drug down deep into their individual minds. Within the depths of their minds, memories were liquified and turned into pure raw emotion. Like a calm storm they would spiral around the two, open to the Force users. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]What had once been a room for training, had been abandoned for a void of shadow and errant emotion. Like shimmering lights, they would continue to dance around the two, as time passed they would flow through the connection, opening a life of emotion to the two beings. [/SIZE]

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

The calm voice of Adron broke through to her, but did not distract her from their shared focus. As he reached out to read her, she picked up on the bliss he felt. It was new so it most likely had to deal with the current exercise and not something from his past.

This would be the first time Ra was so open and connected with anybody. In a way it made her feel exposed and vulnerable, but she had a measure of trust with Adron. Their past interactions and relationship had brought them to this place. Laying open herself to him, she trusted him not to cause her any harm or hurt.

As he was reading her, another sense of almost curiosity came from Adron. Very subtle, but it was a feeling she was familiar with. Something she lived with all her life. It went hand in hand with her desire to learn. Ra wanted to know as much as she could, but she had never truly mastered anything. Certain skills yes, but not whole areas or fields.

Taking what might be her first remembered steps into the feelings of another, Ra allowed them to mix, mesh and meld together. To her senses, their emotions almost became one, but she maintained her individuality through it all.

Giving in and relaxing, the motion of the almost tide flowed through her and between them. A sudden release happened within her and she could feel more than anything she had before. Within the shared mix, one emotion was one Ra had not felt before. It was one from Adron, not herself. Curious about what it was, she choose to focus on it.

With a tentative touch, she attempted to logically analyze what it was. Of course mixing logic to emotion was something odd, but it was her way. There was joy, happiness, bliss, but mixed into that was also pain, sorrow and loss. All into a single emotion was conglomerate of many. If she applied that logic, she would figure out what it was, but she was oblivious of her own choice. Deep inside, Ra knew what it was and had been denied it all her life. She had been told it was a myth and not real. A weakness that could be exploited and one she denied herself.

Along with that mix was also strength and solidity. An unwavering feeling of rock under sand. Something she realized she had missed and something she wanted.

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

[SIZE=11pt]How much time has passed? Two hours? Three? Adron mused from the back of his mind. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The connection of emotion, bliss though it was, could not be maintained for much longer. In the time they had spent in meditation, the Dark Jedi had absorbed much of Ra’s own emotion into him. Something one had to be wary of if they we're not properly trained. He could see the confidence inside of her, ambition and curiosity had made their mark in her as well. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]He could sense her delving into the inner core of his own emotions. She had reached a point he did not expect her to, it was a bit stirring. Was he nervous? To have someone so close to what made him who he was. Yes, he was very nervous. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Pulling his thoughts from himself he turned to the woman before him. He could feel something new, something that was basely abstract yet entirely familiar. He could feel it within himself, yet in Ra it was firmly hidden, or shrouded from him. He could not tell. He wished to reach out, find the source of this emotion, yet he could feel the bridge between them faltering. He was being pulled back to his own conscious mind. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]In a fleeting moment of interest, he focused on the errant emotion, which flickered about as if a freed bird. His hands grew numb and heavy, his eyelids we're beginning to droop, and his steps were being forced to a premature halt. As he felt his physical body coming back to him he felt the softest hint of the errant feeling that coursed through Ra. One that he believed even she was ignorant to its existence. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Pulled from the connection, Adron’s eyes snapped open. The bright light of the training hall forced him into a series of rapid blinks as his eyes readjusted. His body, while a bit numbed, had become relaxed as it attuned to the meditation. His mind and emotions we're also in a state of tranquility, as he looked to Ra he would offer her a silent smile, nodding as he awaited her awakening. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]@Ra'a'mah[/SIZE]

 

[Riamah]

The passage of time was unknown to either of them. It might have been a few minutes or a few hours. What passed between them would remain there. Her first steps were taken in empathy and as she practiced, it would become more natural to her. For now though, she was just a beginner and mastery would take time.

As he was drawn out of the meditation, it happened naturally and wasn't a forced thing. Their connection slowly separated on a conscience level. However, through the Force it remained and depending on various other factors it might be maintained subconsciously.

Between them they continued to gently delve each other, but in time they both came out of the meditation. Adron may have done it before Ra did, but that didn't matter to her. She was as tranquil and relaxed as she could be. At home or out in space with her fleet was where she could do this most easily.

She came out of the meditation slower than he had, but eventually her eyes opened to meet his.

"That was quite interesting. Thank you."

Stretching before standing up, she smelled the air. Looking at Adron, she stood up and held a hand out to him.

"I do think a breakfast is ready if you want to join me for that."

[member="Adron Malvern"]