The Turning Point

[Asariy Vaé]

Asariy spoke up finally. "Honestly, there shouldn't be a fight." Her quiet voice carried over the room. "We are here to learn. To become powerful. We are here to respect our masters, who, don't have to teach us. And if we hope to accomplish ANYTHING," her voice rose, becoming sharp, "You will both stand down." After she finished, her shyness took over and she attempted to take shelter behind @[member="Morna Imura"] who was near her.

@[member="Nero Darkstar"] @[member="Scarface"] @[member="Anesia Jy'Vun"] @[member="Myra Subach"]

 

[Scarface]

Gry analyzed his opponent's every move. He was sure that Nero was weakening with every attack he made, and even his attempts to bring the Force against him were mild at best. Gryphus was in a frenzy, he grit his teeth together as he paced forward menacingly, the Dark Side was practically liquefied in his veins. He quickly snapped back into Juyo, bringing his aggression to full fruition, and struck at Nero once again. This time, he tensed his muscles and utilized as much inertia as he could muster.

 

[Jarik de Celanon]

Masters shuffled in, demanding each to kneel, their ability to walk and make threat their means of power. Voices touched but nothing. There was no pride in this. But there should not have been the implication there ever was. The Jedi pup and cyborg tensed to fight, and more words fell to try and intimidate. How amusing. It all swam within his mind, and to think, just a moment ago that same Jedi boy was enticed by his shapeshifting powers. Now it seemed he was much more preoccupied with a game of petty pride. The means to power was to be taken. But taking did not necessarily mean forcefully gripping the object of desire. Nor did it mean being a slave. His knee bent, the nerves bracing against a cold floor, and he but smiled.

Weapons ignited, tempers flaring, and pride hurt every where he saw. How child-like. Masters demanding respect based on what they could do, not what they were doing, and the untrained fighting amongst each other because no one wanted to recognize their own pride. He was young for his species but likely older than all that stood here. Except the voice that called. He had no weapons to drop, so only did his knees, and he waited. Waited for the untrained to kill each other, waiting for the Masters to reinforce their words on those that did not respect him, and this Outsider simply waited. He had followed the chirping of power here. This is why he was here. Not to force others to respect him. The girl, speaking ever so forcefully, seemed to understand that. A light chuckle escaping borrowed lungs.

This would take longer than he had hoped.

 

[cloudcerberus@yahoo.com]

I kneeled with me saber raised, my right arm now completely exposed, taking the blows into my saber as well as I could, hoping to use this stance to catch my breath, praying the cyborg wouldn't notice my exposed arm, I analyzed him underneat the protection of my saber, the powerful cyborg still thrashing down upon, moving my blade closer and closer to my face. I could see no weakness in this metal man. I prepared for the end to come. Standing. I swung as fast as I could though missed, my body still going with the motion of the swing I began to trip and fall the right side of my body now utterly defenselss.

 

[Scarface]

Gry's vision quickly caught the exposed arm of Nero Darkstar. This would be his opportunity to end the fight he had no desire to be in. This was not why he was here. He did not endure the pain of torture, of redundant training, and of loss so that another master could force his submission or so an overzealous child could make attempts on his life.

Everything slowed for a brief moment, and Gry turned to stare Nero directly in the eyes, his cold and unemotional visage was enough to send a shiver down the spine of many. Gry suspected Nero would be no different. He shook his head slowly, as to mock Nero for his weakness, and swung his blade at the boy's arm.

 

[cloudcerberus@yahoo.com]

Then there it was. A flash of heat, searing pain, blinding pain in fact, and suddenly the right side of my body was lighter. My arm had been cut clean off just below the elbow.
Falling to my back, I arched my back in pain, clutching the stub before reaching again for my saber, on the ground next to my severed arm.
"My arm... My arm.." I repeated as I tried to inch closer to my weapon, certain the fight wasn't over and the man would finish me off.
It was a fight to stay conscious, everything wanting to collapse in the edges of my vision were darkened and soon, I passed out from the pain and shock, certain I would not again awaken.

 

[Scarface]

Gry stepped over to Nero who now writhed in pain before him. He nonchalantly kicked the lightsaber hilt out of the boy's reach and retracted his own weapon. Gryphus crouched next to Nero who was swept away by the clutches of his own pain. He opened his palm and tapped the boy on his face in a ridiculing manner.

"I'm sure you'll be useful to me someday."

Returning his attention to the Sith Lords who surrounded him, Gryphus finally clipped his lightsaber back to his belt and knelt down. At this point, he was unwilling to engage in the trifling matter of his earlier defiance. He had proven himself more than capable of holding his own, even if it was against a whelp, but the principle was more important to him than anything else.

"I will do what you ask of me." He finally uttered humbly.

 

[Darc Xavior Talus]

Sith Grand Hall

As the confrontations subsided, he looked between them. His yellow predatory eyes pierced their very souls as his echoing voice reverberated from the walls.

"Reckless," he scrutinized, "Challenging one another is expected according to the Sith doctrines, but to destroy one another is impractical if you wish to attain power. You both have shown your weaknesses here to all of us today. Overconfidence blinds and kills. If we can not function as one mind then we are sure to suffer the same fate as the Sith Empire before us. This is where they failed. Insubordination and disorder. Lack of leadership and guidance."

He looked to the others that gathered and searched their thoughts. He offered them all one question.

"What drives you," he queried them with narrowed eyes shrouded by his crimson cowl within a concealed mask.

Spoiler

@Roman Ack Terrefe | @Anesia Jy'Vun | @Jarik de Celanon | @Nox | @Myra Subach | @Morna Imura | @Kale Xeros | @Scarface | @Marka Sarine | @Asariy Vaé | @Nero Darkstar | @Asariy Vaé | @Dalansa | @Darth Kentarch | @Trista Nemorrahttp://starwarsrp.net/user/1741-trista-nemorra/

 

[Dalansa]

The Lady Starsnow descended slowly, just as one would expect from a pilot just learning to fly. The ship touched down in front of the Hall, and down the ramp, with no show, came Dalansa. Her head bowed, trudging slowly, she came to the entrance, her jumpsuit barely making a sound. The voice, the ever-calling voice, pulled the offshoot on. She reached, down, touched the cold metal of her blade, and pulled away again. Finally entering, still in the back, the commands hit her hard.

Enough.

She stopped dead in her tracks. Had she done something wrong? The ex-slave tensed up, expecting a blow to follow.

Kneel


Her legs gave out under her, and the impact on her knees as they struck the marble floor was notable by an audible thump.


Drop your weapons

Reaching up with a tentative hand, she unclipped her saber from her belt. Resting it on the ground, she knelt there, her breath ragged, her hair falling in front of her face. She had wanted to leave this life behind, the life of a slave. She wanted freedom. The girl was closed, hiding, waiting for a blow to come.

What drives you

Her? The idea of a new life. The hope of a day where she would be free of her past.

 

[cloudcerberus@yahoo.com]

Pain was the first thing I felt when I awoke, still in the hall. I clenched my stub of an arm, my eyes starring painfully at the severed limg on the floor. Shakily standing up, I approached my blade, and picked it up, placing it again on my belt.
Hearing the question of the master, I obediently kneeled, my head bowed. I had learned my lesson. I was no slave. I was enlightened. Slaves are kept from the truth, and these Lords sought to give me all the truth I desired if I but show the respect the deserved.
"I apologize if I may seem arrogant, my lord, but that is a question one cannot honestly answer. What drives us to your teachings changes day by day, situations arise and fall. What drives me today is anger. Tomorrow may be fear. The next day suffering, then fear once more. Though, if I may speak for us all when I say what truly drives each of us is a combination of two things. Power, and an understanding of the force that the Jedi are to blind to see, and these two are ultimately connected making the goal one. Without understanding your teaching we will never achieve power. Without power, we have little hope of understanding the lessons before us, my lord. That is what drives me, and I believe what drives each of us in this room," I spoke quickly, hoping to not anger the Master, but to show him I have already learned since walking into the halls before, and that the lessons I learn will stick with me and not fade, as lessons tend to do with weaker students.

 

[Garza]

The two ended up fighting right here in the Grandhall. They thought that we wanted all Respect from them. To become a slave. They thought we wanted them as a slave, when in truth, all we wanted, for atleast through my eyes, was respect. They did not pay us a single credit to give them knowledge that would save their lives, and also slingshot them into becoming a Sith Knight, Sith Master, and if they proved worthy, a Sith Lord.

The lone man had taken a knee, I noticed that even among the fighting he was still there. as though he were waiting for this all to end, The girl that seemed Familiar to me tried to take shelter behind me, and the question was still not answered.

The fighting ended between the boy and the Cyborg, and when that was over, I shook my head, Arrogance at its finest if I could say anything to them. The boy answered that they changed. The reason for living changed. and with a smile I shook my head. "That may be true Fallen Jedi, but you must know, that something else drives you further than just pain and anger. Emotions only power you short term. If that be completely true as to what you said, The Sith would have never lasted this long. No, Something else drives your internal clock to push beyond limits of the Capacity in which others may hold as a standard. or to call it something you may know, It's the Will to live."

I moved from in front of the seemingly blue themed woman, "What we ask is not what brings your powers or skills to the light, but what pushes you to survive?" I then turned to the Cyborg, "We do not want you as a slave, if we wanted one we would have just taken a slut from the street. Either of you have the potential to become powerful, we ask that you bow, and kneel to show that you hold respect for us. and you will do so until you prove to us that you are worthy, or until the day you perish."

I walked closer to the two that were standing as though they were a team. "Why stand for one another when you have only met for the past few minutes? If I do so ask of both of you, Its because the boy here is to flip floppity and has already proven so by running from the Jedi. The Cyborg here is in need of someone to back him up from the help of anybody he can get." I shook my head, disappointed.

"All who stand in this hall know that respect is not given, but earned. We three masters have already earned, received, and given back respect to others. Now it is your time to fill the gap. By living, you earn respect from us, By bowing and kneeling, you show that you.... Respect us. This teaching of power does not go one way, it goes both ways. If you do not show the respect that we ask, then we can not give you the teachings you wish for." I had already spoken to much, and even as that may, I was tired of speaking. The boy and the cyborg already had a combined effort against us, and would soon learn that if they wished to live in this world, that sometimes, kissing ass, was the onlyway that you could survive. Not that we wanted it from them, but that we wanted to teach them, so they would not have to be in that situation.

My words could not just simply go towards the two, but for all the people that stood in the hall with me. Each one deliberate, and meaningful. I was here to teach and possibly to learn myself a few tricks that I could not from my counterpart Daxton Bane.

@[member="Nero Darkstar"], @[member="Dalansa"], @[member="Darth Iscariot"], @[member="Scarface"], @[member="Jarik de Celanon"], @[member="Asariy Vaé"], @[member="Anesia Jy'Vun"]

 

[Jarik de Celanon]

It bled to his thoughts - purpose. The question pushing the flow and controlling its depth, but nonetheless, the purpose bled. He had come here for a reason. The pursuit of power had many paths but only few were could aid him in what he saw. Tales spun and webbed into his consciousness long ago. He had placed himself already in one path, now here he was, chasing the other. Both necessary to his plans but neither coming to fruition until absolutely ready. His attention did not fall to the cyborg and fallen Jedi, they were frankly irrelevant to what he needed, at least for now. What was important was knowledge. Their reasons for being here fell ignored, though he remained silent until he could find an appropriate silence to speak his own reasoning, sure that the voice would not simply overlook him. He was expected to speak.

"A darkness will arrive and blanket all that we exist upon. I require specific education to better the galaxy in preparation, and to better complement the plans I have." He was purposely vague. As was the Force itself. But still he did not let on as much as he could have. Why would he? Trust before trust earned.

 

[cloudcerberus@yahoo.com]

For the first time since walking into the hall, I was unsure what to say. This mad had made sense, the will to live pushed each of us here, gave us the thought, which lead to the action of becoming Sith.
"My apologies for not doing as I was told," I whispered, still down on a knee and my head bowed, my saber placed on the floor, "it will not happen again."

 

[Dalansa]

What drove her to survive? She wasn't sure. She wanted to live, sure, but why? It may seem like an obvious question, but to her, it was anything but. She lived because she fought, because she had made it out. Why? She was beating THEM. They were wrong. Her former masters, her creators, everyone who had said she was lesser. She needed to show them.

"My.... my Lord?" She asked, her voice shaking. "What is respect?"

@[member="Morna Imura"]

 

[Garza]

I smiled as people finally realized why the three of us were here. Masters where here to teach those who had this "will to live" so they may continue in their stead. My mind traveled to my own apprentice that was back at home, probably sleeping at this time. Either way, I could hear the silent man speak, Nodding my head I smiled. The man had a purpose. His was to find knowledge and power. A good one at that, however, each and every one of the people here would change. Be it that they find their purpose, or be it that things change the course of history.

Looking to the Young Fallen Jedi as he spoke, saying that he was sorry and that it would not happen again, I smiled. He may say that, but it will happen it is inevitable as death and taxes. I then turned my attention to the Arkanian offshoot. Easily noticed by her pure white hair, skin and eyes. She asked, What was respect.

I could understand why she asked. Offshoots were treated like slaves, and were given no respect. I smiled Walking over to her, I smiled. "I'm glad you asked, Everyone has an amount of this thing called respect." I then looked around for inspiration and got it in less than a second, "Behind me I have two sith masters. Alive and given their ranks before I could walk. And because they have those titles, I hold them to an amount of Respect, or in other terms, A feeling of Admiration towards someone or something." I looked around at the other people in the room.

"Respect is admiration to people other than yourself." Saying it a second time to make sure that everybody else could hear it. "And in having this feeling towards others, some show a sign of affection or give them something. In this case currently, We had two young men and a woman who decided not to show or they showed a lack of respect towards us by not bowing, not even tilting of their heads." I looked at the Fallen Jedi and the Cyborg as I spoke those words, making them hit home.

"You may darling, will probably for the first time in your life, earn respect right now. Because you were the only person who asked or even thought of asking of what we would like in return." I stood up straight towards all of them. "We don't give out gold stars everytime that you complete a task, but nothing goes unnoticed."

@[member="Dalansa"], @[member="Nero Darkstar"], @[member="Jarik de Celanon"],

 

[Asariy Vaé]

The words of this man were almost enthralling. Choosing to stay behind in the shadows, she absorbed his words. "Master, what is it that you want from us?" She asked, her voice shook a little bit. The battle was a bit much for her. Too close of a call. If there had been an outbreak of carnage, Asariy had nothing to defend herself.

@[member="Morna Imura"] @[member="Dalansa"] @[member="Nero Darkstar"] @[member="Jarik de Celanon"] @[member="Darth Iscariot"] @[member="Scarface"]

 

[Trista Nemorra]

Trista had arrived late to find some of the people keeping their heads low, it was either a sign of respect or weakness and trista wasn't one to be weak in any sort so when she arrived she did so with sheer confidence and her head held with dignity, she did not bow down to no one and would not be made to fear these masters and knights within.

 

[Anesia Jy'Vun]

There was a difference between the people that would obtain power and the ones that would forever be a part of the background. Often, they regretted their past and the choices that put them where they were. This kind always seemed to be just out of reach of the thing they wanted most and envied the those who had it.

Snippets of thoughts, embedded emotions, and various degrees of personas were taken from the small circle of those gathered. Anesia sorted through them, tucking them away in mental files. Every new initiate held rebellion in their heart; they would not be here if not for that small fact. Whether they voiced, acted or thought it. However, there were still varying degrees of vacuity that would not be tolerated, nor would it further any in their quest for power.

This sort of display also known as a "pissing contest" was common, expected, and still nauseating. It served no purpose other than exploiting your weaknesses at this point in the game. She had the absurd notion to strap them all to chairs and Force feed them tea and crumpets. Perhaps manifest a prison so they could all feel like the slaves they proclaimed the Council was making them out to be or relive a rather baneful memory while their peers watched. Full lips were posed into a rather thin smile.

When you strip people of everything they either break or fight like hell to get it back. There were only three apprentices she felt had that fight in them. If it were up to her, the Sith Master would dismiss the others. Then again... the worthy did need to train and what better use of the others was there really? They were already here as it were and their was no use in throwing away perfectly good fodder.

The woman stepped around Myra, gave a show of a pretty smile and dismissed her presence as void, then made her way to the same column she pushed Gryphus into. Thin, pale digits procured a Ambrian cheroot from the confines of her robe, albeit a hidden pocket. A small light flickered, went out, and a plume of thick pink smoke rose above her being.

Nothing did go unnoticed and the alchemist made an audible sigh, just as disappointed as Morna.

Anesia appeared to be in her own world for now, seemingly staring off into space. Though it could just have been the smoke playing tricks.

@[member="Roman Ack Terrefe"] @[member="Darth Iscariot"] @[member="Morna Imura"] @[member="Myra Subach"] @[member="Jarik de Celanon"] @[member="Nox"] @[member="Scarface"] @[member="Nero Darkstar"] @[member="Asariy Vaé"]

 

[Onrai]

Myra stood, continuing to watch the various members of the Sith Council act like children. Only Darc and a couple others were acting sensibly.

"Joy."

@Roman Ack Terrefe @Darth Iscariot @Morna Imura @[member="Anesia Jy'Vun"] @Jarik de Celanon @Nox @Scarface @Nero Darkstar @Asariy Vaé

 

[cloudcerberus@yahoo.com]

Picking up my arm, I begain to walk slowly and woozily towards @[member="Morna Imura"] ], laying the limb at his feet and got on a knnee, my head bowed. Using my good arm, I unclipped my lightsaber, placing this too at his feet.
"I submit myself to your teachings. But master... can you fix this? Fix me? I will not be able to hold a lightsaber effectively, much less duel. I will be defenseless. I have learned my lesson... Please give me the ability to live with the knowledge I now have." I spoke quickly, hoping the master could help in some way.