The Wrong Goddess

[Darth Veles]

Markets on Coruscant were as busy as ever, flooded with average and ordinary people searching for something, be it food, better food, illegal specialities and food or shiny trinkets. Now that no certain thief named Kendrix forced the Mon Calamari Sith Lord to divert his attention from the desired activity of buying something pretty for Darth Zarrah herself, Veles found his way to the market once more, hoping not to meet any other Force user that required a leash.

A different area with mostly different commodities embraced him and the Sith Lord almost regretted not visiting this place first given its vastly greater assortment. Then again, he would have never met his new “apprentice”… he might buy something for her as well. And just like with Zarrah, poor Avreet did not know what. Sith Ladies, Sith Knights, even Acolytes – all had different tastes than ordinary non-Force sensitive women. Instead of new boots or nice clothes, these wanted massive starships, temples, entire planets and star systems. Pleasing a Sith simply might have been way beyond Avreet’s ability…

Without dwelling on it too much, remembering what happened the last time his thoughts shifted to a certain red-skinned Togruta, Avreet closed his eyes and searched the place through the Force, checking for Force users, unwilling to face any more surprises. His signature purposely remained clearly perceptible, letting any and all Force users feel the Sith Lord’s neutral presence as he probed the nearest lifeforms. The merchants, the passing crowds, men, women, children, none escaped the Sith’s reach. And then he felt her, the woman’s signature leaving no doubt about her ability to use the Force, command it like a slave.

Treading lightly and approaching the woman, all others suddenly ceased to exist for him, nothing but a background noise. Her back was turned to him, giving the Mon Cal an advantage – provided she had not registered him yet through the Force. Two Dark Side users in such a small place – the probability of one missing the other was minimal. This one even felt like a Sith, probably rendering Veles’ careful approach useless, but he wished to take no chances, not with Jedi Assassins being so active and everywhere.

“Forgive me for interrupting, my lady,” the Sith started, his voice sweet as honey and yet firm as Imperial steel, “But if you were given the option of having anything your eyes can see here in the market, what would please you the most?”

Starting a conversation and solving the question he could not answer; killing two flies in one hit.

[member="Inger Strömfire"]

 

[Inger Strömfire]

Not if she every seen or been to the market before. No it just everytime she was amused and full of wonder for the fact of seeing something new never seen before. It wasn't as if she was a small child on her first outing. Picking up one of the many trinkets that fulled the place. Couldn't help of the necklaces that she would give her sister.

This very thought of her sister brought a sadness into her eyes. It had been a very long time since she seen her sister. Not knowing what she could be up to now, or where she gone to. As much as she long to go back for a visit to the planet. Knowing what fate could wait for her or how much in rage one like her would be now over what taken place in her early years. Finding that even those the scars had long ago fade into very light over her body. It was the memerizs that didn't as if just happen yesterday.

Nope that was one thing wasn't going back to play the wife of yet another revel clan chief propriety with only her having one propose that was to make his children for him, strong ones that would turn into the next generation of warriors.

To the gods that she worship this wasn't going to happen, now that she knew she had the gods powers learning more of its uses. It was all that matter now, just what brought her here on this planet she didn't know for sure yet herself. Only that she knew was this was one planet she wanted to see for herself. To think of a planet that was covered all in building who knew there could be such a thing.

Deeping her thought on the matter coming out of no where was someone speaking to her no less behind her. That was one thing that didn't please her at all. Spending around as if to show the quickness she had even with out the aid of the force.

"I would not come up on ones back flanks like this one, could..", as she was more what was it curious that there was a fish like up right walked or that it spoke to her at all. Knowing by now there was all kind of race and species out there but never running into some one like him. Knowing for one she felt the dark side pouring out of him like a ice waterfall. It was the strength that came also knowing that his power in the force was more then she could tap into at this moment in time.

"What would I want from this market?", putting on a smirk upon her lips. "I say all that is of value but then what is one treasure to that one is nothing but junk but the next on looker.", as she paused before speaking once more.

"I can say things just got interesting, more so of what standing in front of me, just what kind of creature you are."

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The redhead woman’s comment on the Mon Cal approaching her from behind like that was very true, albeit it wasn’t Veles’ intention to scare her or surprise her… too much. She did not seem to mind all that much though, even if her sky blue eyes studied his form with unconcealed curiosity. Being a modern and educated being, well-versed in the ways of the galaxy and fully accepting its various species, Avreet did not understand her interest and question at first.

The answer she had provided beforehand was something he appreciated though; her words rang truth and carried wisdom. His search for that one special item Lady Zarrah would enjoy and appreciate was a fool’s errand unless he knew what he searched for in the first place, using his knowledge of what the wise Togruta enjoyed to find a suitable present. Unfortunately, the Mon Calamari possessed a better knowledge of what the woman disliked, therefore came his attempts to find a present women generally liked.

“I thank you for your answer, my lady,” Avreet said politely and offered a court nod, “Though I am afraid I do not understand your question. I am an Imperial and a Sith.”

His large bulbous eyes displayed Avreet’s soothing calmness, like a vast sea coloured by the amber shade of a sunset. Still, there appeared sparks of confusion originating from the nature of her question. Then, suddenly, he took one step closer to the woman and appeared right beside her to not stand in the way of people pouring through, his eyes locking gaze with her own.

“Are you with the Sith, my lady?” he questioned, clearly referring to the woman’s dark presence that so radically differed from the bland signatures of the masses.

[member="Inger Strömfire"]

 

[Inger Strömfire]

With out missing anything she shook her head as if that didn't answer her question full. "No what species are you that you look and smell like something I would find on my fire pit at home.", as she looked him over a lot more. Even as she asked her own question came one more back at him.

"I"m indeed, I been train by a Lord that serves the darkness,", was that what he wanted to hear from her own lips. It was only a matter of time to see if her own answer would satisfied him. If not she could be looking at herself laying where she stood in a pool of blood. If not that they turn to ash. Which was a power she desire more then anything to among others.

It was in her eyes still those glass clear blue pool as if one could find in one of the frozen lake. Even then should she say anything else or bow in a kind of respect. In her own people to do so would show weakness. Knowing that he had to be a Lord that was standing in front of her would show that fear as most would show. No by far it she would stand her ground beside she had a few feet in height on this one. It was something that tangle in the back of her mind. size matters not. or does it.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Avreet’s large eyes widely opened as he finally understood the exact nature of the woman’s question – she had never seen an amphibious Mon Calamari before, making his strange appearance completely alien to her. That was perfectly understandable and Avreet had encountered quite a bit of people like that in his life, usually those who have had little contact with the galaxy and all the various cultures and peoples it hosted. The Mon Cal, however, did not know how to take her comment about him looking and smelling like something she’d cook, albeit he let the words slide without so much as even giving her a stare.

Again, the Mon Cal was fairly easy-going when it came to his appearance and fish-related jokes that occasionally found their way to him. The mention of a fire-pit caught Avreet by surprise though, but provided the invaluable info of suggesting the redhead hailed from a less-developed planet, one that certainly did not see many non-native sentient visitors. This resulted in the Sith Lord immediately trying to place her accent and look to determine the woman’s origin.

“I am a Mon Calamari, my lady, but please, do not let my appearance deceive you. I am an Imperial by heart and soul and aside from my physical appearance have nothing to do with my species.” Hopefully this provided her with more of an answer than his previous try to give her the desired information. He also very much gave away his culture, which’s already been revealed by his thick accent used in the Sith Empire that fell some years before the One Sith liberated Coruscant and freed its people from the oppressive Republic government that no longer had anything to do with democracy and its basic principles.

Still standing next to her, Veles leaned against the wall, his large head still turned to her, a smirk creeping up on his face. This supposed Sith's been touched by the Dark Side, but most Sith, even Acolytes, knew much of the galaxy and would have recognized his race.

“Which Sith Lord is your teacher, again?”

The domed head of the Mon Cal turned to gaze upon the civilians walking around, picking something to buy or just observing the luxurious items. One eye remained fixed at the woman though, as if studying her face.

[member="Inger Strömfire"]

 

[Inger Strömfire]

"Oh", as she looked him over once more from the top of his bald dome head and the pattern of his skin being how it where. It all this matter came something more so that was a question. Just what had happen to her Master for that matter it seem she had a way of having them disappear on her more then once.

Knowing that before the last disappearance she had been knighted but had she really been ready. More so should she had even taken the title herself. Shifting throw of these things as she let her eyes go blink stare as if off somewhere else far away.

"Snow I love snow.", as she reach out for something of pure white a pearl as it seem to be. Laughter of when her sister and her use to play. It only seem fitting that there wasn't more of this being flashed before bring oneself back to the question.

I have had few Master, but they seem to disappeared my last one knighted so I guess I'm on my own now, I came from the Lord of the Fringe at less that where I been for the last few years before that a planet called Mirvite."

"If I can ask plainly why you ask who my Master is."was it tat much that she wasn't experience in the force as he was or ones that he knew from being from an order was he only his own. After all he did say he was what was that word yes Imperial.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Now it almost appeared the woman studied him in return, armed with the newly acquired information and curious eyes that washed their gaze over the amphibian’s exotic features and weirdly shaped, large head adorning his shoulders. The short and yet so long silence between them as her sight continued to carefully observe the alien lifeform in front of her. Avreet did not shy away from the woman’s gaze and therefore he soon noticed the redhead’s eyes might have looked right at him, but as if they stared through his body, somewhere into the distance, looking into a different place and time. If only Avreet had the power to delve into those memories flashing in front of her eyes! Unfortunately, he remained in the market, watching as people paid them no attention and passed both by, going after their business.

Even after the woman spoke, Avreet’s question remained unanswered and he found himself with another question landing in his lap. Not exactly what he expected to happen if he were to be honest; it actually made him somewhat suspicious of the woman, raising the level of his alertness a bit. The silence that followed after the last word finished strikingly resembled the silence that came after Veles’ question. One of his webbed hands remained relaxed, freely hanging alongside the body it was attached to; the other casually rested on the Mon Cal’s hip, dangerously close to the lightsabers.

His inner tension did nothing that would break the cool and collected expression on his face. In fact, the amphibious Sith offered the woman a polite smile.

“I am simply curious, my lady,” he nodded, big fishy eyes focused at her, “But don’t let me stop you from whatever you were doing! If you don’t mind though, I’d accompany you until your return to the Sith Temple. There are many pickpockets around here and it wouldn’t be appropriate for a beautiful woman such as yourself to be robbed by some rascal. I am Darth Veles, by the way.”

Looking left and right as if searching for anyone hiding in shadows and waiting for their moment to steal from the redhead, the Sith mouth curled into a smile again as his gaze fell upon the woman.

“May I have your name and the name of your master, my lady? I apologize if I’m prying, but my curiosity needs to be sated.”

[member="Inger Strömfire"]

 

[Inger Strömfire]

Letting this come to her as she processed what he just told her about her coming back to the Sith Temple. Eyes upon him even more so then anything. Nothing left her eyes as to how close his one had was to his weapon. "Oh the Temple what makes you think I would be going there after shopping." it wasn't like she had given much thought to where she would be making herself a bed to sleep for the night.

"Oh how gentlemen of you, care with your wordings, as for those that think they can steal from one like me, they get more of surprise then they would think. " as she let herself look around at something else that would catch her own eyes. Even as she worked her way over where it was picking up another piece of fancy this was a piece of fabric. It shimmer as if still not knowing that he was following, even those she knew better. It was the smooth she moved as if she was a well conditioned for what every was to take place in battle. It was more of her own race that only took the ones that was the finest as if there was weak then the god of death himself would take them. No only the strongest would survive.

"Such beautify work of this, as she moved on as if to just throw in as if an after thought.

"Inger Stormborn, I hope that satisfied your curiousness, and my master is @Lucien Cordel. I"m a knight in my own rights one could say.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

“Inger Stormborn,” Avreet lips silently whispered, “Inger Stormborn, Lucien Cordel’s student. Hmm.”

Both had to be confirmed yet to ease Avreet’s suspicions – being a master of twisting his own Force signature and presence at will to make himself appear as the darkest of Sith Lords or the lightest of Jedi in the vastness of the Force for others to mistake him for someone else, anyone he wished, he had played various roles; Jedi Padawans, Dark Jedi Knight, Jedi Masters, evil and villainous Sith from Republic’s propaganda posters. As such, he was by no means new to the idea of infiltration, fully realizing this woman could have been a Jedi or a rogue sent to damage the One Sith.

Avreet did not particularly care; he was at odds with most of his fellow Sith, usually not even considering them to be Sith at all. As such, when it came to bringing new faces into the Sith Order, the Mon Calamari did not go to particularly great lengths to ensure the newcomers posed no security threat. Again, with most Acolytes falling prey to insanity, Avreet chose not to waste his time with finding strong members when in the end all became nothing but broken tools. Hopefully Kendrix would be an exception!

Thinking about it, Darth Veles followed this Inger, her red hair making her safely stand out in the crowd and preventing her from disappearing. The duo looked surprisingly normal, for Sith; Veles marched right next to the Sith Knight, his pace adjusting to her own and giving the two a resemblance of a well-coordinated pair. Whenever she stopped by a stall and observed what it had to offer, the Mon Cal did the same, still searching for something pretty for his crimson goddess. Something deep told him a trinket, even an expensive one, wouldn’t please her enough if at all. A Sith Lady of her stature deserved something much, much greater!!!

“What made you a Sith if I may ask, my lady?” the amphibious assassin poked with another question of his, “Why leave your world behind? Is it for power? Glory? Sense of duty?”

[member="Inger Strömfire"]

 

[Inger Strömfire]

Stopping from picking up the next one of the fabric instead looked at him. What made her sith did she really think her as a sith, What really meant to be sith, and power did she seek out power in this galaxy. It wasn't like that was in her nature no it was to be the strongest. It was to survived.

So she answer the last question first. "I didn't have a choice of leaving my planet when you are kidnapped and taken to a strange place, to say that you have powers like the gods you worship." pausing as she put her hand upon. The now velvet fabric that was one thing that she wouldn't get use to all the many types of fabric to make clothing out of, or less as many times he had run into.

"Its strange still even those these years I been off my planet, of how many fabric that could be out there beside skinning an creature for its skin and fur to wear." , giving a way to her delight of the many different fabric. Even so she couldn't have them all could she, after which time she took a bit for making something she did miss making her own clothes that was for sure. At less she knew that like her.

"I guess the reason why I never went back was that I have this drive to explores what was out there beside the snow and ice I came from..", after which time.

"I am who I am because of the Master that shaped me to train me, as it is I am not dark and even want to kill everything, its not how I was taught in the teaching.", still not meaning what he might about being a sith.


[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The look in her face when she went over the piece of cloth could not escape the Mon Calamari; it was the same look she’d expressed upon noticing him, something she did not know. Her sight moved away and then travelled to him, eyes speaking of the past just as her words. Their gazes locked once again, Avreet’s firmness crashing into the woman’s curiosity as if he wanted to pierce her very soul with that look of his. If only he could see the truth behind her words!

Slowly but surely, Avreet uncovered more information about her origins. The woman’s story slowly started to unveil in front of him and he listened. What she said very much proved his original assumptions – the woman was from an underdeveloped planet. To hear people worshipped Force users as gods – or at least Avreet interpreted it that way – hardly surprised him in lights of everything else that’s been told so far. In his mind, Avreet constructed a mental image of a planet where people lived simple lives – hunting animals, possibly living in tribes, their weapons and apparel primitive. Probably – Avreet had to look it up on the HoloNet.

“That is very interesting. Thank you for sharing your story with me, my lady,” Veles nodded, noticing the woman’s interest in velvet, “And I am sorry for what happened, what stole you from your home and family. It must have been horrible.”

“I imagine fur clothes were necessary to survive. It must have been difficult for you to adjust to different climates,” the Sith Lord thought out loud, “Though I must applaud you for the bravery of sharing your opinion on the Sith. Not many dare to publically voice their opinion if it’s not identical with the norm – which forces me to state you are lucky you have met myself and not another. I think mine and your views share many similarities, my lady.” Truly, the Mon Cal felt humbled and somewhat worried this woman had shared that bit of information with him. He himself had little to lose – Lady Zarrah the Wisest avoided Sith and wouldn’t be found unless she wanted. Avreet himself hardly feared death, having experienced it once and coming back.

“Though I am not saying to betray your way only to satisfy others – be proud of witnessing the truth hidden in our way of life, the Sith way of life.”

The Sith Lord’s hand finally relaxed, moving away from the lightsaber.

“I hope you found the calm piece of galaxy belonging to the One Sith to be a beautiful, welcoming place, my lady,” the amphibious Sith Lord gave a friendly nod, “Please, take your time choosing fabric of your liking. I’ll follow you to the Temple whenever you’re ready.”

[member="Inger Strömfire"]

 

[Inger Strömfire]

Giving him a look over to him before, "Some dark man, that burnt everything of mind to show that I die and something that night was reborn in darkness of space.", her eyes following something else. The grin upon her own lips now to the fact of furs.

"Yes furs met living or dying one horror of death in the Ice.", as she choose her fabrics. After which she just smell at him once more.

"Oh yes the temple, I guess should go see what the place looks like.", as she looked him up and down as he was being a bit odd or was all ones that touch the dark power was different in their ways of how to handle the darkness of the force. Yes she already was shown how power one could become with using the lush, power, and passion.

Now came something more then another one come calling to each her their own knowledge. It was a question of how this one would different from her other master that had disappeared. Even now she keep track of her Master that give her the title that he felt I earned as a knight.

"I guess its time to lend back to the temple.", as she waited for them to walked back to the temple on their own. What did he have store for her when they got back here. "Once we are back, I guess you will have your own actives to attend to yes."

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Avreet’s forehead furrowed upon his companion’s mention of a dark man responsible for much suffering. It was a shame so many Sith resorted to violence and murder when recruiting new members – while often giving the unwilling student an impressive display of power, such acts greatly damaged the image of Sith as a whole. It greatly irritated Veles to see Sith trying to repair their reputation, make it new and shiny; waiting for “darker” and less than sane members of the Order to ruin it all. In the Mon Cal’s opinion, all these outright evil and cruel Dark Jedi should be publically executed in the most violent of manners.

“As you wish,” the Mon Calamari nodded and turned his head towards in the Sith academy’s direction, “Please, walk with me.” A brief glance over the market, the Mon Cal looked for anything suspicious as if searching for any signs of assassins hiding within shadows or being one with the crowds that washed over the market. Only after spotting nothing out of ordinary the amphibious Sith Lord offered his companion a charming smile, a nod, and started walking, webbed hand motioning for the redhead to follow in a simple gesture.

His strides were swift and elegant, yet he seemingly automatically adjusted his pace to the woman walking beside him. Most of their journey nicely passed by, Avreet’s knowledge of the way certainly helping the duo reach their destination soon. As they passed another building reaching the stars above Coruscant, a beautiful and majestic sight emerged in front of them. A structure showing both classical Sith architecture combined with modern elements. Massive stone stairs led the two up, towards the entrance that gaped at the duo as a maw of a wild beast.

Stepping inside, earning a few glances and brief look from Acolytes and Knights passing by, the Sith Lord stopped and clasped his hands behind his back, turning to the redhead again.

“Your signature. Do you know how to hide it?” Avreet asked, “There are many enemies of Sith looking to strike from shadows… and the best way of avoiding them is not revealing your presence in the Force.”

Veles himself hid his signature almost automatically, either not appearing in the Force at all or masking the presence as a non-Force sensitive. A very useful skill to have, being able to bend his own signature at will and using it to confuse his enemies!

"Do you know anything about Sith Assassins?"

[member="Inger Strömfire"]