Private Wasteland Adventures

[Revna]

Tags: Raphael Gallustrade
Location: Ambria
Timeline: just after the Sith invasion of Tion
Equipment/Weapons: lightsaber
​

---

Revna was, if anything, a curious and adventurous soul. And her drive to explore, to learn, and to expand and grow in her power and knowledge - pushed her into situations that were both dangerous and illuminating.

And sometimes, frankly fun and exhilarating. The young Sith woman never knew what, or who, she might run into when she was out exploring new places.

On this particular adventure, she decided to visit a location that was well known within Sith history: Ambria, a place where Darth Bane - an ancient Dark Lord of the Sith and creator of the Rule of Two - once spent his time and the place where he eventually met his demise at the hands of his apprentice. Revna was not an adherent to his philosophies, and her views of the long dead Sith Lord were somewhat negatively colored by the influence and teachings of her own Master, Darth Strosius - but she still felt the draw to visit the place, simply due to its importance to Sith history.

It was a special thing to her to tread upon the surface of a planet where former Dark Lords had once roamed.

Upon entering the atmosphere of the ringed, desert planet - Revna could feel the pulse of the Dark side and though she was drawn to it, she did not land at the lake that served as the nexus for the Dark - for she had read that the location was dangerous enough that even those who lived on the wasteland planet did not approach it, and so she chose instead to settle her craft near a rocky outcropping that would provide a good vantage point for her. She may have been sensitive to the Dark, and strong in her own way - but she was in no hurry to find herself in a bind with forces she may not be able to handle just yet. And she definitely was in no hurry to hear yet another scolding by her Master, should he have to drag her out of yet another sticky situation she'd gotten herself into.

One settled on solid ground, Revna found her way to a nearby bluff that overlooked the surrounding area and the lake in the distance and laid out her cloak to sit on, before letting her senses drift out around her to drink in the presence of the Dark side. The quiet and solitude allowed her to think about all the events currently going on in her life and within the Sith Order itself, and to process the sheer amount of death and destruction she had witnessed firsthand with the invasion and eventual destruction of Tion and its industrial moons by Kainate hands. She had been involved in her fair share of conflicts and bloody battles as a growing Sith - but she had not been exposed to such wholesale slaughter before. It had left an impression upon the young woman, and she felt that Ambria would be a good place for her to reflect and to ponder the ancient history of the place.

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

The invasion of Coruscant had only barely finished...and his severed arm was just barely healed. He still hadn't heard from his master. He assumed that she was either on Fondor or Vonnuvi assisting with temples or the refugee effort. He wasn't certain which, to be quite honest; still wished that he could speak to her, it would've been nice. But that was also part of the meditation, learning to be able to let go, when such things were needed, he'd seen how the death of Romi Jade had hurt Gatz. Still, though, looking at the man... Raphael couldn't help but feel for the man. He was a good man and a kriffing good jedi.

Eyes closed, Raphael concentrated, holding out his hand. A small square barrier formed in front of him, shimmering before him, and then with a bit more focus it elongated into a larger rectangle, and folded into a square. Then, as it ended, he got to his feet and headed over to his small hydroponics dome, and began to slowly water the plants. Tapping into a datapad he examined the projected yield. From what he was seeing, it was looking pretty good. He already had decent supplies but this would be a nice way to improve the planet. Still...

There was a loud boom. His steps quickened, as he exited the small dome and looked up into the sky. There. A ship was entering the atmosphere...though it was too far away for him to see much more about it. But what kind was it? He walked over to his rocky hut, picked up his rifle, and made his way a bit closer. Then, with a quick movement, he leapt up and climbed to the top of the bluff, and looked through the scope of the rifle, holding it in one hand. The ship was dark and a bit more angular... Sith design, but no direct symbols...

Then slowly he scanned the different cliffs. He frowned. A woman sitting on a cliff over looking the lake... Potential dark sider? He didn't know, nor did he want to find out all that much, but he would need to at least know whether she was going to be an antagonistic force or if the Force itself had something else in store. If she was a sith... He'd need to control himself. She was not, necessarily, the same as the rest of them. She wasn't... He paused for a moment, his presence in the Force flaring just a bit, as he started to pull away and head back towards his camp. She was not Adeline.

Revna

 

[Revna]

Tags: Raphael Gallustrade
Location: Ambria
Gear: lightsaber, a hidden blade
​

---

A breeze drifted across the bluff that Revna sat upon, ruffling her dark hair slightly as a trickle of sweat dripped down her temple. It was hot under the sun of Ambria, and she wore dark clothing which did nothing to help her situation. But she wasn’t complaining; exposure to more extreme processes was good for a Sith on a more educational basis. The heat was good at pulling at her, at adding a distraction, and it was a good crucible for her to help hone her focus.

And that focus was on her thoughts. She followed each thought from start to finish, resisting the urge to let her focus fracture or be tempted by the heat and the sweat that was building up on her body.

However, that process was interrupted - when she felt a flash of a Force presence in the distance. Revna’s golden Sith eyes snapped open and her head turned in the direction where she had sensed the pulse, and her gaze narrowed. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe others weren’t present on the planet, but she did find it intriguing that she would feel a Force presence, and especially in the manner in which she had.

It told her that whoever it was, knew she was there.

But they had given themselves away to her as well.

For a moment, she pondered on if she would bother herself with investigating the situation. She’d come to Ambria to think about other things, and to reflect on the fact that she was on a planet that had been home to the ancient Sith - not go on some hunt. But the more she considered why she felt what she had felt, the more curious she became about who was behind that presence.

Sighing softly to herself, Revna rose to her feet and grabbed her cloak, shaking it free of sand before turning back towards her ship which was a short distance away. She wasn’t planning on flying the ship as this would just announce her arrival to whoever was out there; instead she planned a stalk. They really were not all that far from her location, but it would be wiser for her to move when it was cooler out.

So she rested and gained her strength within her ship, before slipping back out into the wasteland of Ambria. On her person was her lightsaber, as well as a hidden blade should she ever need one, but beyond that she didn’t have much else with her. As she had been taught by her cousin Darth Malum many seasons ago, Revna ably concealed her presence in the Force itself - almost disappearing to those who were sensitive to such things.

Then as the sun began its descent and the shadows lengthened, she began her hunt. She moved with purpose, but moved with stealth - using whatever details in the terrain around her to her advantage. She was a small woman, and even from a distance she could be missed by those who were not aware of her presence or expecting her. She didn’t feel the pulse in the Force again, but she still traced its direction from where she had felt it last.

Eventually…this led her within range of being able to sense another Force presence consistently, and this helped her hone in even further, though now she was able to tell that whoever this was had the touch of the Light side on them. Darkness had all but fallen now, and the shadows aided her approach to camp which had appeared in the distance. The presence was still there, so she moved with further caution, not sure if there were others with the Force sensitive or not. The presence of the Light told her that it very well might have been a Jedi, but she would know for certain soon.

Revna paused before making her final approach, considering her options. She really wasn’t in the mood to fight a Jedi, but she had a feeling her presence would not be welcomed and a fight would be more than likely. She had come all the way out here, more out of curiosity than anything, so if a battle did happen then she only had herself to blame for it.

Any other Sith would have immediately been hostile, seeking to slay a possible Jedi. But it was fairly well established, at least in her own mind, that she was no ordinary Sith. Sometimes, she liked to chat with her prey, before killing them. It was a good way to learn more things, and she valued knowledge and learning more than she did killing, sometimes.

Revna moved from her place of cover and made a slow and steady approach to the camp, releasing her hold on her Force stealth as she did so. There was no going back now; whoever was at this camp would know immediately that another Force user was nearby, and one that was draped by the presence of the Dark side.

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

Hours passed as he readied himself in his clay hut, meditating. The person that had been meditating... he couldn't help but wonder if they'd noticed him. At the end of the day, it didn't really matter if they had. Had they not, then they would complete their meditation and then leave, but if they had seen him, then, well, he'd probably be seeing them sometime today or tomorrow, perhaps. He'd go about his day, as normal, pretending that he hadn't noticed anything or anyone.

With a few movements, he pushed himself back to his feet and started to walk around his hut. He started a fire and cooked himself some basic lunch: grilled mushrooms and smiled. It made Raphael salivate, while he smiled; it was absolutely delicious and as he plated it, he began to wonder if he shouldn't save some for his peculiar guest. He chuckled and shook his head, as he ate his lunch, and readied himself with a few more things for later. he would make a campfire for the desert night and, perhaps, have a good bit of dinner.

Leaving the hut, he stepped out into the shadows where he'd set up his camp, and pulled out a holobook. Slowly he began to look through it, there were several things that concerned him, as he read through the information. It was a fairly basic holobook, not much was important there and he wasn't really concerned about it. Then, after a moment, he closed the book and knelt down, meditating as he breathed slowly. He would prepare himself for someone that might be coming later.

Hours passed, and as the shadows lengthened and the sun dipped over the horizon, he started a fire, readying for a night relaxing out under the stars. Some tea would make it wonderful and then a stew would make a wonderful treat for the night. That was when he felt the dark side flare in front of him and a woman approached from the shadows. He smiled warmly, and gestured.

"Ah... You must be the other visitor to this planet." He smiles. "Please, sit. Would you like some tea?"

Revna

 

[Revna]

Tags: Raphael Gallustrade

​

---

She, of course, wasn’t entirely sure what to expect as she made her approach to the camp before her. Hostility, surely. Light siders and Dark siders didn’t exactly get along for obvious reasons, and Jedi and Sith even less so.

Her gaze found the individual who she had felt in the Force, and she studied the man before her for a moment, taking in his physical condition, what he wore, how he presented himself, and so on. He didn’t seem very off put by her presence. In fact, he offered her a warm smile and gestured for her to come and join him and even offered her a cup of tea…

Revna paused for a few moments on the edge of his camp and well within sight of him, her hand resting on her lightsaber hilt for a few heartbeats longer before she moved her hand away.

This certainly wasn’t the reaction she thought she’d receive. And she was pleasantly surprised, though still very much guarded. She smiled back, a neutral smile that was neither friendly nor cruel, as she stepped further into his camp to take a seat near a fire.

“I suppose you are the one I felt through the Force earlier. And yes, I would love some tea, thank you.” she voiced softly, being polite. Absentmindedly, she pondered just what her master would be doing had he been with her on this little outing, though she honestly already knew the answer to that. There would be no friendly interaction; just the blur of a crimson blade, and probably another lesson about how all Coreworlders and Lightsiders needed to die. She continued to watch him for a moment, the flickering firelight one of the few light sources that illuminated the scene around her. Something she noticed fairly quickly, were the rather distinct marks on his neck.

They made her tilt her head and her eyes narrow slightly in curiosity and suspicion, but she didn’t remark about them…yet.

“So what brings you here, Lightsider? You seem to have made a cozy little getaway for yourself on a planet steeped in Sith history.” she asked instead, her voice echoing her desire to understand a bit more about this individual.

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

He nodded slowly, as she muttered that he must've been the one that she felt earlier. Despite how obvious he felt that was, he couldn't help but chuckle at her words. When she asked for tea, however, he smiled and nodded, taking the kettle from its hanging place over the fire. With a slight movement, he poured her a cup of tea, first and passed it to her, and then poured himself one, before hanging another, larger pot over the fire.

"I'm also going to make some stew, whether you want some or not is up to you." Raphael shrugged, and pulled out a small slab of bantha steak, a peeled potato and a carrot. Then, he pulled out a small knife and slowly and carefully began to cut through the bantha steak. It was slow going, admittedly, with only one arm. But eventually the meat was completely cut and he slowly pushed the bantha steak into the stock in the pot.

He chuckled a bit, as he looked over at her. "Yes, yes... I know tht Darth Xannah was trained here by her master, Darth Bane, before killing him and taking his title. This was back during the era of the "rule of two", if I remember correctly." He put the peeled potato in front of him, and picked the knife up again, as he started to cut it into small pieces. "Now, that being said, while this place certainly has history with the sith, it also has history with the jedi." With the potato, his cuts were far smaller, trying to make the potatoes just a bit more fine. "After all, Jedi Master Thon taught Nomi Sunrider here, supposedly, long before even Bane and Xannah set foot on he planet... As for my reason for being here, I go to meditate at the canyon, just beyond." He gestured behind himself with the knife before he went back to chopping. "It's quiet, calm and serene."

Then, he smiled a bit as he chopped the last bit of the potato and looked up to her. "How about yourself, Miss Darksider? I noticed you meditating by the lake. Is it safe to assume that you came here for similar reasons?" He wasn't going to push his luck, but reciprocation wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Raphael Gallustrade
​

---

​

Her eyes never left the man before her as he poured her a mug of tea and handed it off to her, the steam from the hot, aromatic liquid rising into the desert night air before he made a cup for himself and set the kettle back over the fire. He announced that he was making stew and was kind enough to even offer her some if she wanted it.

A small smile graced Revna’s face at his hospitality. “I appreciate the offer, but I have my own food to eat.” she responded back as he began to prepare the ingredients for the stew. She watched him for a few moments in further silence, pondering on if she should offer to help him as he seemed to struggle a bit with cutting the chunk of meat with only one hand, but she refrained. An offer of help would only harm him more, she felt, and take away from him the struggle of learning how to adapt to such a handicap.

So instead, she simply watched him as she sipped on her tea, smiling slightly as he remarked on her comments, speaking about Sith Lords from the past who had spent their time on Ambrai, namely Darth Bane and his apprentice Darth Zannah.

“Yes, it was the beginning of the era referred to as the Rule of Two.” she replied back, confirming what he had said, before she fell quiet and listened as he shared with her that Ambria had a history with the Jedi as well, and named a couple who had apparently visited the planet in a time long since passed.

Revna truthfully didn’t know much about the history of the Jedi, let alone notable figures. Her own master deemed such knowledge useless and dismissed her inquiries about such things, which forced her to seek such knowledge elsewhere so she could better learn and understand who her sworn enemies were. But this knowledge wasn’t paramount to her Sith training, which had the majority of her focus. She learned bits and pieces here and there, but she didn’t go out of her way to study the history of Jedi.

She preferred a more…personal lesson in that regard. Who better to tell her about the Jedi, than a Jedi themselves?

Her musings were pulled back to the present as the stranger explained why he was on Ambria - to meditate, as to him it was serene, quiet and calm. Things that Jedi needed to help them meditate, she figured.

The corner of her lip twitched in a small smirk when he referred to her as a ‘Darksider’ in the same manner in which she had called him a Lightsider, and inquired if she had come to Ambria for the same reasons as he had.

“I came here for a getaway. Figured the pleasant atmosphere and lovely climate would do me some good.” she said, mirth clear in her voice. “Truthfully, many of the more well known worlds that are important to the Sith such as Korriban or Dromund Kaas or Ziost are held by those I consider my enemy, so I don’t get to visit such places, and I’ve always wanted to visit places where ancient Sith once roamed.”

Revna sipped her tea once more before pinning the young man with a piercing stare. “My name is Revna, by the way. So…how did you become a Jedi, assuming that you are indeed one? Those marks on your neck tell me you have an interesting story to tell, and I won’t deny that I am rather curious to hear it.”

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

Raphael watched her from the corners of his eyes, whenever he could. One thing he'd learned quickly was to watch everyone that he could. Growing up on Nar Shadda, learning how to read people, how to study them effectively, was an essential skill. She was slightly mistrusting, yet at the same time she was curious and attentive. Both were equally worrisome, albeit for different reasons. Curious could lead to more questions, attentive would pick up on specific details, or avoiding other details. A game, then. He'd have to be careful with what he said.

He nodded, with a guarded smile, as she mentioned having her own food to eat, and sprinkled some herbs into the stew. There was little, thankfully, to mention specifically. Were he lucky, the two would simply speak and then, perhaps, she'd return to her own training and him to his. There was much to meditate and think on.

With a bit of a movement of his left arm, that he was becoming oddly more dextrous with, he dropped chopped herbs into the stew, as well. Then, he covered it, nodding, as she confirmed that he was indeed referring to the rule of two age. Such a thing was important to confirm. There were many important things that he'd read that could've been as false, as they were true. Oftentimes truth, and what was written, could as easily be lies.

With a spoon, he stirred the stew, the steam slowly started to rise and the smell started to spread through the camp. He took a taste, smiling at it. There was so much that he'd be able to do with this stew... Oh, he'd need to make theis, when he returned home; meanwhile he listened with a nod. He was much more certain of her status as a sith, though he didn't quite know enough about the fullest of the inner workings as the Sith Empire.

"That's fair. Visiting ancient sites is a nice way to spend some time, especially when you're trying to get away from everyone."

That's when he noticed her gaze. Specific attention. Great... He might've tipped his hand at being a Jedi; most likely had, in fact, not that that mattered all that much. When she mentioned the scars however...

He raised the spoon again and took another sip. "Mmm... I was found, while I was travelling the Outer Rim and helping some people from pirates. Wasn't long after that Nar Shaddaa started to get a bit too dangerous, so I moved my siser and myself out to Coruscant, and joined the Jedi." He chuckled a bit as she mentioned the runes on his neck and a finger rose, tracing the runes themselves, a little at a time. "Mm... Battle of Jedha, was fighting an old friend, a fallen Jedi. She knocked the air out of me and then used a... I'm not sure what the name of it is, but a very thin, dagger-like, blade. Carved them into the side of my neck slowly, making sure she got each rune in perfectly..." He sighed, shaking his head. "Not, exactly, the best thing that's happened, in my many escapades."


Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Raphael Gallustrade
​

---

She was relatively surprised that he didn’t really object to telling her just how he had received the marks on his neck. Revna listened quietly and watched as he tasted the stew he was making, clearly pleased with his handiwork. Even in the open air, she was beginning to smell the aroma of the food as it cooked, and her belly rumbled lowly - betraying her own hunger in the moment. But she was good at ignoring the rumblings of her belly; instead, she simply focused on his words, his story.

A darkness flickered over her face when he mentioned Nar Shaddaa, her own memories slipping through her mind for a brief moment before she pushed them away. One day, she would see the world in the hands of her and her Master, and woe unto all who lived and worked in the shadows there, those that enslaved and abused the weak and downtrodden.

“No…I imagine it wasn’t a fun experience for you. I certainly wouldn’t enjoy having markings carved into my flesh without my willingness for it.”

Sith were strange creatures, she had to admit. Many ritually wounded themselves to bring them closer to the Dark side, or to signify some important milestone in their life, their journey. She was no different in that regard herself, but the idea of having such things done to her without her earning them was not a pleasant thought. Though…for a Jedi to have such markings cut into his skin seemed… profane. But, beyond that, such runic carvings had purpose, had meaning. You didn’t just simply carve or draw such things for no reason. Revna’s eyes narrowed slightly, not in suspicion of the man or his story, but in consideration.

Her belly rumbled again, more insistently this time, and she sighed. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt for her to have a small bite to eat.

“I…I apologize for this considering what I said earlier, but I actually wouldn’t mind a small bite to eat, if that is okay with you. Not too much…I don’t want to take all your food from you.” She paused for a moment, before tilting her head and voicing the thoughts that rolled around in her mind. “Did you ever look into what they do? What they mean? Their purpose or design?” She inquired, not really considering if such a topic would be uncomfortable for him to discuss with a complete stranger.

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

She listened fairly intently, though he did hear her stomach rumbling a bit and he allowed himself a small smile. Despite that, her attention was focused on what he was saying. He found her focus to be impressive. He kept stirring the stew, he pulled out two containers, shaking a bit of salt into it, just a it so that it didn't overpower the flavor of the stew, and then just a bit of spice, less than even the salt but enough to give it the slightest bit of a bite. Then her face darkened, momentarily, and he could feel the slightest bit of anger, at those there, though even that was momentary and fleeting.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, it's not exactly fun, I'll be the first to tell you. I'm not sure whether it was the blade itself or the runes, to be quite honest." Realistically, though, he was certain it had been the blade. It was unnaturally sharp, for how small it had been. It had almost been like a glass, as it had burrowed into his skin. Shivering, he recalled the moment that the blade had touched his skin. It had still felt...abyssmal.

Looking up at her, at first in surprise, and then in slight amusement, he nodded, pulling out a bowl. "You're in luck. The stew just finished." He poured a bit of stew into the bowl and passed it to her. It was a basic stew, albeit very flavorful. "I'm glad that you decided to have some. Food is always better when you're sharing it with someone." But when she asked about the runes, he thought for a moment. "No. I never actually did, to be quite honest. It neither occurred to me, nor was it something that I really thought about." He poured out some soup for himself. "I'm not really sure where I'd even go looking. I don't think that they have a "basic to sith primer" back at the Jedi Temple." He chuckled just a bit, as he tasted the soup. "Dunno if you know the language, but if you do, I wouldn't mind knowing what it says."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Raphael Gallustrade
​

---

From what little she had heard about the blade that had been used to create the markings on the Jedi’s neck, she wondered if perhaps it had been a shikkar blade. But without more information to go off of, it was hard to say and she didn’t really press for answers on that. What was used to carve the sigils into his flesh wasn’t as important as the sigils themselves, in most cases anyway.

Revna smiled again when he announced the stew was done, and that he was glad she had chosen to accept his offer. “I agree. Food is much better when it is shared with another.” she replied as she took the bowl from him, letting the aroma of the meal fill her senses.

She waited patiently for him to share more details with her, and see if he would even be willing to answer her more probing questions. To her pleasant surprise, he did, and she chuckled with his humorous comment about the Jedi not having a resource to help him with such a thing. She waited for him to eat first before eating herself, letting the warmth of it filter through her. It was a basic stew, not overwhelming on the seasonings or the flavors, but to her it was perfect.

“No, I don’t think the Jedi would have such a thing either. From my understanding, they see it as a forbidden language to all except maybe Jedi Masters. But, I am not sure about that. I…do know the language myself, somewhat. I am still learning it, as it takes some time to learn and years to truly master. It is a complex thing, as you can imagine. It is a ritual language. This is delicious, by the way. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

Revna consumed more of the stew before giving the Jedi her response on if she could tell him what the marks meant. “I would need to get a closer look to know for certain what it says or what it means.” She said after a moment, looking at him over the bowl of stew, the firelight glinting off of her golden eyes, making her appear a bit more sinister than she actually was in the moment. "But that is up to you if you want me in your personal space. It would only be for a moment."

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

He smiled, nodding to her, as she agreed that food was better when shared. There was just something special to it, that he didn't think many things could even compare to. The smile only spread wider as he started to eat, spoonfuls disappearing. It was rare for him to not enjoy food and even being on this planet didn't change that, nor did sharing his meal with a sith.

It was then that she mentioned that jedi most likely wouldn't have had such knowledge readily available. It wasn't a thing that he really cared about; nice as it might've been to know. Unlike many, he didn't really concern himself with the knowing of something like that. The knowledge would bring no peace and, at best, he would know what it meant and it would damage his psyche. Oh, how he wished he had the time to meditate on such things, or at least a bit longer to think...

"I'm quite certain that it is complex and can understand why it would take years of study to master." He blinked a moment, before taking another spoonful. "A ritual language, though? Huh..." He stared at the pot, for a moment. "You're quite welcome." He smiled. "I thank you for sharing with me." Yet, at her insistence that she'd need to get closer to see what the marks actually meant, he thought for a moment and then nodded. "Certainly." He pushed himself up and back further, craning his neck back.

Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Raphael Gallustrade
​

---

It was a strange thing, to share a meal with a Jedi in relative peace. This man was the only other Jedi she’d been somewhat friendly with besides Jackson, whom she hadn’t dared to visit a second time, even though he’d often been on her mind.

Her revelation that it was a ritual language seemed to have some sort of reaction from him; she watched the man carefully as he ate his stew and gazed away for a few moments. She found herself tempted to try and read his surface thoughts…but she thought better of it. There was no need to sully this fragile truce with an invasion of privacy. The man thanked her for sharing the meal with him in return and all she could do was smile.

After a moment of thought, he agreed to let her get a closer look. Revna set her bowl aside and rose to her feet before stepping silently into his space and settling her amber gaze upon the marks that scared the flesh of his neck. They roved over the glyphs, and she recognized them instantly. She huffed in amusement and a small half smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth as she stepped away from him to return to her seat and her bowl of food. The little Sith woman picked it up and ate another mouthful before looking back at the Jedi.

“The marks on your neck are the last stanza of the Sith Code - Tave qy sekleti uzsit nun: the Force shall free me. Though I cannot say for certain one way or the other if it was done as part of a ritual. Looks more like a Sith or a Darksider at the very least, forced you to suffer for their own amusement. Not an uncommon thing for many of us to do - though in my honest opinion I don’t see the need for such theatrics. Best to just kill your opponent and be done with it. Unless they are involved in the slave trade, then they deserve every ounce of suffering that comes their way.”

A very strange statement for a Sith to say; unless someone knew her and her history, most would assume that she was for the enslavement and subjugation of lesser beings. Most Sith had this mindset anyway, and some openly practiced it without shame. For a few moments, Revna stared into the heart of the crackling fire, before she tore her gaze away and glanced back at the man seated not far from her, an expression of curiosity on her face once more.

“...do you like being a Jedi? What do you enjoy about it? What do you not like?”

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

It was funny, in an almost mundane way, as he thought of everything that was going on. Ambria was a funny place. There was an almost...magical air to it. Where dark and light intermingled as closely as anywhere in the galaxy, that Raphael could realistically think of. That wasn't necessarily saying much, in all honesty, nor was it that bad either. He pondered for a moment, as he agreed to her reading the text on the side of his neck.

For a moment, she smiled, as he thanked her. He pondered, for a moment, what she was thinking, whether she was a direct apprentice and had a master that was waiting for her. It was also possible that she was just an acolyte. For a moment, as she was reading the script, he felt his mind turn to Adeline for a moment. He was pretty sure that he'd always think on that time, well, not fondly, but he'd think on that time for most of his life.

As she explained what it was that the script said, he nodded a bit, partially to himself and partially in acknowledgement to what she'd said. He winced a bit, but straightened himself as she went back to eating her soup.

"I think that I've an idea as to why they might've put that there." He chuckled a bit and kept eating his soup, as he leaned forward. "It's one of those things, though, that you just get used to, ya know what I mean?" He shrugged and smiled to her. Yet, as she asked her question, he tilted his head. "Do I like being a jedi?" He nodded, with a smile. "Yes, quite a bit. As far as what I like about it? Several things. I enjoy the training, the peace... But most of all? I enjoy the focus on self love and acceptance. Far as what I don't like about it? I mean, all fairness, the main thing that I don't like about it is just a general thing, ya know, when people give you the judgey stares?" He glared at her, for a moment, then leaned back and chuckled. "That's always how I've been, though, I'm never a fan of people glaring at me judgingly."

He poured himself another bowl of soup and then grinned to her. "What about you? Do you like being sith?"

Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Raphael Gallustrade
​

---

Revna didn’t pry into the Jedi’s thoughts or reasons behind why such marks would have been placed on his skin, though his chuckle did give her the idea or thought that he perhaps knew who had left such scars behind. It did make her wonder a bit more about just what this man had seen and been through - and she briefly wondered if he’d been a Sith or at least a Dark sider before turning to the Jedi.

The thought of that made her wrinkle her nose; she couldn’t imagine leaving the path she was on to join the ranks of her enemies.

And yet here she was eating soup with one. Being friendly towards one. Her Master would have her head if he knew she was here and doing…this.

“I suppose over time, one would get used to it - yeah.” She replied softly. Revna watched him carefully, curiously, when she asked her questions and he responded to them. It gave her a window into the mind of a Jedi, into the why behind their chosen path in the Light. She’d always wondered why someone would choose to become a Jedi, or if they indeed had any choice in the matter. She’d heard that most did not.

It really wasn’t any different for the Sith either, if she was brutally honest with herself. She chose her path willingly - others did not have that luxury.

His reasons for why he enjoyed being a Jedi intrigued the Sith woman. He enjoyed the training, the peace, and the ability to love one’s self and be accepted. She supposed she could understand those things; she for the most part enjoyed such things as well.

What he didn’t like, however, came as no surprise to her. The judgment from others. She knew the Jedi were looked up to as the “saviors” of the galaxy, the heroes - so when they failed, they were judged.

She finished off her bowl of stew and set it to the side, feeling satisfied with her meal as he helped himself to another serving before turning her own question around on her.

Did she like being a Sith?

She returned his smile, her golden eyes glinting slightly in the firelight. “Yes, I do. But I enjoy it for perhaps different reasons than most Sith. Others of my kind are power hungry mongrels that rip and tear into each other to gain a better place within our Order. But I enjoy learning and exploring the Force and its mysteries - and gaining power that way. And with that I can protect those I care most about, I can achieve what I desire to see in my small sliver of the galaxy. Or at least, I can give it my best effort or die trying.”

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

The question seemed innocuous, he was sure, or at least as much as her own had been; yet between the two it meant something very different. It felt like, in a roundabout way, that the two of them were almost debating about why they were on the path that they were on. The strange thing, and the thing that he didn't say, was that this path was entirely his choice, he'd not been brought in, unlike many that had been children and given to the Jedi. Still, it was a path that he couldn't really imagine himself doing anything else. even when he'd been an "apprentice" to Adeline, he'd been planning his own escape.

He couldn't help but notice her eyes as they gleamed in the firelight, studying her carefully, for a few moments. He'd seen many sith that had much the same and it intrigued him. Did the dark side do that to humanoids? He didn't know, nor did he really think that it mattered, at the end of the day.

Her bowl was set aside, but Raphael kept eating. There was a small part of him that sympathized, it was that small part of him not having been raised in the temple. Protecting those one cared about was a very relatable want; many people oftentimes did so through different methods. Desires, though... He couldn't help but smile a bit, as he leaned forward a bit more towards the fire and ate some of the soup. In that instance he didn't bother to hide his sympathy and, if she bothered to sense his emotions, she could tell.

"Hmm... I'd say that you're not entirely alone, in that. I'd say that there are a fair few sith that enjoy exploring the Force... Even a few Jedi, I'm sure, like to immerse themselves within the light side and try to learn more about it." He smiled warmly, as he looked up to her and then took another bite. "I had to accept, a long time ago, that even with all the power in the universe... I wouldn't realistically be able to save everyone. Protecting people is important, but sometimes we can't save everyone, even when we want to." He gazed off into the distance, for a moment. "And sometimes, when it's from themselves, we shouldn't. People don't learn, otherwise. You have your ambitions, I take it?"

Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Raphael Gallustrade
​

---

The man listened to her without interruption, and as he leaned forward, Revna could have sworn she felt a shift in the Force, a sensation of emotion - a gentle probe sensed it as sympathy. He seemed to understand at least part of what she had said, which did mildly surprise her.

Revna was attentive and listened when the Jedi responded to her statements. She couldn’t help but smile almost wryly at his comment about some Jedi immersing themselves in the light side in an attempt to understand the Force better. Her own Master did the same thing - except he entered long meditative trances and immersed himself in the depths of the Darkness, seeking the ever elusive answers to his inquiries and ponderings.

The man’s warm smile, and his next words reminded the little woman of Jackson, her other Jedi acquaintance, who had told her something rather similar. Enough so that she was momentarily caught off guard, and gazed off into the fire as a flurry of memories zipped through her mind before she returned to the present.

“Once upon a time, I believed I could try and save everyone. The passion was there, the desire for it, but reality has a way of bringing the truth to light. I know that not everyone in this galaxy can be saved, not the way I want them to be, and I have come to accept that myself - as hard as it is. But, that doesn’t mean I can’t make an effort to save, or at least help, those who come across my path. I can fight to give slaves their chance at freedom back. Give control over their own fate back to them - but, what happens beyond that point is on them. And those that do fall under my influence…those I have a duty to protect, to guide.”

She scoffed lightly, an almost playful half smirk dancing on her face. “Though I imagine how we perceive protection and guidance for the masses varies widely. I don’t imagine a Jedi would approve of how I protect and guide those I am in charge of. But I do so and fiercely, as I am able to. My Master entrusts me with lives at times, and they are precious to us.” She sighed softly, knowing the cold harsh truth. She, and her Master and the other Wonosans, were outliers within the Sith Order. They were almost labeled as heretics themselves in their beliefs.

“And you are right…some people it is best not to save, especially from themselves. Experience is often a greater teacher than any Sith or Jedi could ever be. Lessons learned through struggle, through strife, through suffering…tend to be the ones that stick with you the longest.” She smiled at him, almost coyly, when he asked her if she had ambitions.

“Ambitions? Me? Never.” She huffed slightly with some amusement. “Yes I do. I suppose…learning all that I can, all that is within my reach, and growing in my power in the Dark Side would be one of my greater ambitions. To use that power to further my Master’s influence, and thus my own. To bring freedom to those in shackles where and when I can.”

Revna paused for a long moment, sifting through memories from her recent past. “But ultimately, I desire to pass what I’ve learned onto another, to have a legacy. I found joy in teaching another something that I knew, that I learned, myself. Strangely enough, it was a Jedi…a Padawan. I taught him how to channel Sith lightning.”

Her attention shifted back to the man seated on the other side of the fire from her. “What about you, Mr. Jedi? What do you desire to achieve with your life? What are your ambitions? Sure you do have some…?”

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

She had a more profound understanding of reality than most sith he'd come across who always gave the impression that they thought that they would save everyone. Noble as such a sentiment was, it wasn't feasible or attainable. Someone would die, someone would get hurt, something bad would happen, whether due to or because of one's actions. The way she discussed giving control over one's fate back to those that she was "protecting" or those that she felt she had a duty to was... Well, he wasn't quite sure what to think. Such a thing, truly giving agency back to someone demanded that they have an understanding of what that meant in the first place, and the disenfranchised hardly ever did.

He thought for a moment, as she stated that the two probably defined protection differently, which he couldn't ereally deny and he nodded. a bit, though didn't want to interrupt. Ferocity. That was one thing that he didn't understand, even when in the context of the fourth form, ataru. Ferocity, he'd oftentimes associated with aggression which is something that he strove to avoid, even outside of being a Jedi. There'd never been a reason to be aggressive. He'd only ever needed to be focused and attentive. Everything else fell into place after.

Her ambitions, at least what she stated them to be, made a bit of sense. Learning as much as she could of her abilities, increasing her master's influence, though he wasn't quite sure how that translated into her own influence, though he'd never learned a great deal from Adeline, at least not of the sith as an institution. He'd learned more about that from the books he'd read, when he'd visited Alina, that one time, though he'd rather have not gone back to Korriban, if he'd the opportunity. Still to hear her tell it, one could almost see the sith in a more romantic light.

He chuckled to himself, at the thought.

Yet, her biggest ambition, to teach and to passs down the legacy of what she'd learned and how she'd learned it, what it meant to her, that was a fascinating bit. That was something that he did know. People liked to pass on the things that they'd learned and how they understood it. And yet, he couldn't help but laugh a bit, when she mentioned that it was a Jedi padawan that she'd last taught, that she'd begun passing such teachings down to. And then came the counter to his question, if he possessed ambitions.

He stopped for a moment, tapping his chin. That was the strangest thing, he actually didn't know, or rather, he hadn't thought about it for quite awhile.

"That's a good question..." he muttered, after a moment. "I haven't thought about it in a while, and I mean since before I'd become a Jedi. At the time, I was only concerned with protecting my sister, since she was the ony person I really had around, that I cared about. Nowadays... I don't have any overarching ambitions, really..." He ate some soup, absentmindedly. "Hmm... I could say learning more, becoming a Jedi Knight, or even protecting as many as I can, but the fact of the matter is that those're things that will happen, if I keep doing my duty as a jedi." He sighed a moment, as he thought. "I suppose that my only real ambition is to achieve a mastery of self, a full understanding of my own ability both with and without the Force. I don't really have any major ambitions. I don't know near enough, yet, to be a teacher of any merit." He grinned a bit. "Maybe one day, though."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Tag: Raphael Gallustrade
​

---

Her host chuckled when she said she’d given some instruction to a Padawan, and the memories themselves brought a brief smile back to her face, and she raised an eyebrow in her amusement.

“Never thought I’d be showing a Jedi how to do that, but it was fun. Enlightening, one could say. Though I do wonder what’s become of him over time…” she mused, her voice drifting off in a murmur before she asked the Jedi before her what his ambitions were. Revna was curious to see if Jedi did indeed have ambitions or desires; the Sith didn’t exactly paint them in the best of light, and she knew for a fact that the Jedi did the same for the Sith.

Though, perhaps there were some like her…who fell outside what was considered ‘normal’ for their respective Orders. So she listened intently to what the man beyond her had to say.

She noted that he had been concerned about protecting his sister, but that didn’t seem to be the case anymore. The raven haired woman tilted her head curiously; what had happened to his sister? She wondered to herself. And to hear that he didn’t really have any prominent ambitions as a Jedi did not come as a surprise, really. Revna had heard before that Jedi were encouraged not to have personal ambitions, and to focus themselves solely on their Order and those around them - but she really didn’t know if that was true or not.

“Sorry for all the questions - as you can imagine I don't really the get the chance to just sit and talk to someone from your Order. You Jedi and your ways are an interest of mine; I hear things from other Sith, but I’ve always been one to try and figure out the answers for myself if possible. But - it can be a challenge to do that.” the young woman replied with a somewhat warm and disarming smile.

Of course, she hid the real reason why she wanted to learn more about others, like the Jedi. She knew the value in learning one’s enemy, so she could better combat them in the future. But to learn such things required…a delicate balance of peace and harmony with her enemies, even if it was feigned. She couldn’t learn what she truly wanted if she was trying kill him or torture him, or others like him. Her Master certainly would disagree with her on this, but it had become clear over time that she didn’t always agree with how Darth Strosius chose to approach certain matters.

“So you are an apprentice, hmm? Do you have a personally assigned Master, or do you learn with a group of other padawans? I've come across groups of Padawans before and I've always been curious on if the Jedi take on pupils or if it is a community learning experience.” Revna paused for a moment, before her head tilted once more as curiosity glinted in her eyes. "...what is perhaps the greatest lesson you've learned thus far? Something that has truly stuck with you since you've started your journey as a Jedi?"

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

It was an interesting thing, in his mind, that she'd enjoyed teaching a Jedi how to use a technique used mostly by the sith. Raphael, tilted his head, thinking and shrugged. "Oh, do you know their name? I'm not exactly the most... conventional Jedi, so I don't... stay in one place? I probably wouldn't know them, even if you told me their name." He chuckled just a bit embarrassed. "I'm a more...active kind of jedi." With a small shrug, he grinned.

"I understand," Raphael replied, with a bit of a smile. "I am actual fairly similar. I enjoy learning about others, cultures and people of all kinds. And yes, I can certainly understand what you mean by that. It's hard to learn about each other when you're separated by the way that we look at things. Though, I can certainly understand why that we do." Raphael ate a bit more of the soup, before setting it on the ground, near the fire. "It's one of those things that come about due to ideological differences."

He nods, slightly, with a smile. "Yes. I'm a padawan, equivalent to an approventice, though I've got a master that chose me, yes. She's been busy for quite a while, but she's been with me on some crazy adventures. And I've also assisted many padawan groups. Otherwise I'm, ya know..." He just mocked piloting a ship. He leaned forward, thinking. "The greatest lesson..." Slowly, he stroked his chin. "That's a damn good question... The best lesson I've had is exploring for understanding... I went to a planet... a long time ago, and had picked up something there. Then, recently, I returned it and she came with me. Didn't tell me that it wasn't something that should be done. She accompanied me. Made sure that I was safe. I'd say that trust is the most important lesson that I've learned."


Revna