You Never Knew

[Caid Centurion]

Ren Temple
Unidsclosed Location

Caid's footsteps were hurried as he re-entered the sprawling temple from the freezing elements outside. The moment the heavy doors had sealed behind him, the young Centurion shook off a bundle of snow from his cold weather gear before stripping away the outer garment. The sound of soft footfalls echoed lightly throughout the cavernous corridor until the Neophyte had reached his modest personal quarters. Once he'd hung up the heavy coat and stripped off the mid-layer sweater that he'd been wearing, Caid made his way into the refresher...intent on allowing the warm water to seep into every pore of his skin for no less than thirty minutes.

Ten minutes later... Caid was toweling off his body when his communicator began to beep softly. Silver-green eyes turned to focus on the device in the adjoining room. He had half a mind to simply let it continue to go off until the person on the other end gave up, but he knew that was not exactly an option in his current predicament. Having been at this particular facility for cold-weather training the last several weeks, the Neophyte was all too aware that it could have been one of the instructors...even though the final exercise had just been completed.

Grumbling, Caid stalked from the refresher to a small table where the device currently rested. "Yes."

"Well. I finally managed to track you down."

The soft purr of Caid's former Cathar Master was unmistakable. "It's not like I've exactly been trying to hide from you. What do you want Keishi?"

"As you wish, young one. I am not calling to criticize. I merely have...a gift."

"I don't require anything."

Keishi laughed softly. "Always so confident. Pride always comes before the fall, Caid."

Caid rolled his eyes. "Are we done?"

"It certainly seems that way. I will have your gift delivered."

The Ren tossed the device aside before the connection was even terminated. Pulling on a simple black uniform, Caid was just about to exit his personal chambers when his datapad began beeping. Angirly, Caid's silver-green gaze shot to the device. "I swear I'm going to get rid of all this crap..." Snatching up the datapad, Caid entered the passcode and quickly skimmed the new message. His face went from anger to confusion and finally settled on extreme anger before the device was dropped to the ground and Ciardha Ren was out the door.

Within five minutes, Caid had entered one of the large training rooms. There were several groups of Neophytes in the spacious room. As it was mostly after-hours training, Caid had relegated himself to a far corner of the room. One of the Ren that had rather recently been advanced to Templar had agreed to spar with Caid. The newly-minted Templar, arrogant as some could often be, attempted to taunt Caid, but he did not respond. A title meant nothing - true power was only something that could be felt, obtained through hard work. The older man before him could taunt and threaten all he wanted.

Caid's only response was the silent activation of the silver-blade of his father's first lightsaber. Silver-green eyes hardened as they focused on the target. Without prompting or delay, the young Ren blurred into action. His principal form of choice in any form of one-on-one encounter was Ataru, and it quickly showed that he'd been very well trained as his movements almost started to blur together in a swirl of black and silver.

[member="Decima Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Decima sat cross-legged on the floor of the same training room. She was silent, meditating, her mind clear as she immersed herself in the Force. She had been there for nearly an hour, gaining momentum in her meditation. The Force flowed through her, like cool water over her. It was bracing, rejuvenating, wonderful. It was impossible to describe what she saw on her eyelids as the Force flowed through her, so it would be fruitless to describe it here, but suffice it to say it was astounding -- remarkable, even.

Yes, Decima Fortan was just sitting there, meditating and minding her own business, until --

Her dark eyes snapped open. There was something in the room pulling her focus, like a magnet pulling a compass needle. No, she amended, Not something. Someone. And it didn't take long to figure out who. The dark-skinned man she had seen around the compound and experienced Veles' tests on Domund Vatsu. His name is [member="Caid Centurion"], she reminded herself as her eyes focused on him. His technique with a lightsaber drew attention for two reasons; first, the color -- silver, rather than red like most others there, and second, the skill with which he dueled. It was like something Decima had never seen before. She found herself standing up, padding in her bare feet across the training room with a few of the other acolytes to get a better look.

"What is he doing?" Decima asked one of her contemporaries under her breath. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Dunno," came the starstruck reply. Neither of them looked at the other; both were transfixed by the performance.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Beads of sweat knitted Caid's brow as his large frame flexed and contorted in a manner that seemed almost impossible given the relative bulk of his body. In truth, Caid was not so consumed by muscle fiber that it appeared as if he had no neck. His life had been one of constant struggle, training, and near-death experiences. While the young Ren did not fear death, he'd brushed close enough to it one too many times, and the experience had not left him wanting for a desire to improve his chances at survival. This was particularly true considering the wildlife of his homeworld - easily the most dangerous creatures he'd dealt with up close in his brief years.

With each exertion, Caid forced his body to exhale. During the small transition between strikes, the dark-skinned Ren drew in a sharp breath. The continuous movement of air through his system helped to stave off the inevitable effects of fatigue and lactic acid build-up. Energy management was the key to practically any fighting style. Though Caid moved swiftly and with precision, he did not waste energy in unnecessary flourishes or over-complicated strikes.

In less than five minutes, a relative eternity for a duel without pause, Caid's onslaught of aggression and unpredictable movements had cracked through his opponent's defenses. Abruptly, the swirling mixture of color stopped just as the silver blade of Caid's lightsaber hummed softly directly next to the Templar's face. Breathing a little hard from the effort, Caid maintained his position as his intense silver-green gaze focused on the older Red. "Do you yield?"

The Templar glanced towards Caid's weapon before settling dark eyes on the younger but larger Knight of Ren. "Do it. You don't even have it in you, Neophyte. All that fancy blade work won't mean anything when it really counts because you just don't have the strength of mind to do all that is necessary."

Caid grit his teeth as a tight smile fell over his lips. The blade of the lightsaber drifted no more than half an inch closer to the Templar's face as the Neophyte replied. For several moments, it may have looked like Caid was actually going to take the Templar's life, or, at the very least, berate the Templar. Instead, Caid abruptly deactivated the weapon and attached it to the small of his back. Through gritted teeth and a tight smile, Caid did make one comment. "Thank you for the duel, Templar." Stepping back, Caid offered the man a respectful nod before turning to depart.

The instant his eyes fell on the others in the training room, he was genuinely shocked. Silver-green eyes danced over the faces staring back at him, lingering on the familiar face of [member="Decima Fortan"] in particular. However, Caid just as quickly looked away and made a casual exit from the room. The moment he emerged back into the corridor, the Neophyte unzipped the uniform top which was now practically soaked through. Fortunately, body odor had not yet taken hold of him given the fact he'd showered just before the exertion.

With a measured pace, Caid angled towards one of the kitchens to see if, perhaps, there was anything left over from the evening's meal. Which he, of course, had missed completing his final cold-weather survival evolution.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

When his eyes fell upon Decima, she felt for a moment like a nosy neighbor peeking her nose over the fence into a matter she had no business in, but ambition quickly outweighed her embarrassment. As [member="Caid Centurion"] made to get ready, she hurried back towards her location and quickly jammed her feet into her boots -- not bothering to lace them up properly, lest she miss her chance -- and then pulled her jacket on and hurried out of the chamber. Where did he go? She cast a gaze around the corridor and saw him head down a passageway and quickened her pace until she was behind him by a few paces, and to the left a pace and a half. "Centurion," she called, weaving between two other neophytes. "Hey, Caid," she repeated, darting forward to join him, walking abreast now.

"Sorry -- I know you must be busy but -- wow," she breathed. "That was something. Something good I mean. I've never seen anything like it!" She didn't mean to go into full groupie mode, truthfully, but the visions of herself employing the same kind of combat technique was overpowering, made her lightheaded. "What was that? How did you -- I mean, a Templar -- and you didn't -- which I think will damage the bastard rather more than if you had -- but a Templar," she enthused. "Sorry, sorry -- but can you tell me how you learned that?"

She followed him into the kitchen, social customs of leaving people alone be damned, and only then crouched down to tie her laces properly, then tug her ponytail from under her jacket.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid hadn't really sensed [member="Decima Fortan"]'s approach until she'd been more or less forced to rapidly close the distance between them, darting around a corner. The sensation stroked at the back of his mind maybe half a second before she uttered his last name. Though he neither stopped or turned, his eyes did shift in the direction, hoping that perhaps whomever it was would simply leave him be.

When the younger Neophyte hurried to draw just behind him, uttering his first name this time, Caid turned his head just enough to indicate she had his attention but not enough to see her. In keeping with her earnest dedication to a conversation, the woman was soon walking directly beside Caid. Apparently...there wasn't a reason for him to say anything as she began rattling off a series of comments and questions.

As the pair entered the kitchen, Caid quickly made his way to get a tall glass of water. Once he'd downed the contents, Caid lowered the glass and leaned against the door of the large refrigerator, exposed chest heaving steadily as his breath from the duel continued to stabilize. Silver-green eyes drifted over the entirety of Decima's frame before he offered her a reply. "No apologies necessary...Decima right?"

Filling up the glass once more, Caid continued to respond to Decima's comments. "A title means nothing when one allows it to go to their head. Combat cares not for how you are referred by others. Even the greatest of swordsman can have a bad day...make one mistake that turns the tide of a battle." Pausing, Caid gulped down his second glass of water before setting it on the counter top beside him. "I digress." Caid had little reason or desire to delve into the realities of combat on the tactical and strategic levels. The days of him commanding an entire military were in the past now. "What you saw was...a style of fighting rooted in Ataru, but I must say that no one form is ideal. I have a tendency to combine them as able." In truth...Juyo was something he intended to learn, he'd started of course but...it was slow-going as Caid focused most of his efforts on completing his skill with Djem So.

Keeping his gaze leveled on Decima, Caid shrugged lightly. "At any rate, I began learning Ataru several years ago from my master. This was long before I came to join the First Order. It appealed to my inherent fighting style. Training consumes most of my extracurricular activities." Caid paused as he fought to keep from smirking mischievously at Decima and adding a rather predictable follow-up joke. Instead, the Neophyte flatly stated, "I presume you are interested in learning?"

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Decima sensed that she may have overstepped the bounds of what was polite, but it was one of those things where you realize you've missed a step on a staircase -- you only realize it when it's too late. She felt compelled to apologize again, despite his clear instructions that none were required, so she swallowed and suppressed the instinct, answering his question instead. "Yes -- I'm Decima. We were on Dromuund -- whatever it was -- together." She followed him deeper into the kitchens, but instead of following him to the sink, she went to the opposite counter where a large crate of small fruits -- berries, she thought -- was sitting. She reached for one and popped it into her mouth. It was refreshingly cold and sweet.

"I haven't had a lot of combat training yet," said Decima glumly. "Mostly on-the-job stuff. Useful, for sure, and of course I've had the basics. It helps that I did fencing as an extracurricular at my last job, but still." She took a handful of the berries and paced along the counter. "I'm interested in learning -- yes, that and anything that can help me make my mark here. I look around and see all these people and we all seem to be..." Her voice fell silent and she looked around anxiously, as if searching for the right words. To fill the void, she popped another berry in her mouth. "... I don't know. I feel like the instructors see me but don't really see me -- not as Decima For -- I mean, Decima Strallan," she amended quickly, looking down at her berries. "Just some Neophyte or another," she said.

Decima tried and had been well-regarded for her performance thus far, but brief as it had been, she was feeling impatient. "Sorry -- rambling." She tossed a berry into the air and caught it in her mouth, suddenly feeling very homesick for her friends in the Galidraani Security Forces, who would have been impressed by the height from which she had caught it.

[member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid offered the woman a shallow incline of his head. "Yes. I do recall that particular..." What was even the right word? "...outing." Good enough. As Decima went on to explain the extent of her combat training thus far, Caid tilted his head curiously. It only seemed awkward to the young Ren because his own master had been so insistent on survival and combat training. There was a degree of instruction into specific force talents that aided combative efforts, but they certainly never much ventured into the theoretical aspects of the Force very much. According to Master Miahr, a Jedi's best manipulation of the Force was mastery of its defensive natures. Outside of that, skill with a lightsaber would serve one such as Caid better than any amount of fancy force tricks.

"We all seem to be copies, small parts of something great with no inherent greatness ourselves?" Caid didn't think the woman was rambling. In fact, he thought she was more or less describing the feelings of a great many that were new to the Force and the manipulation of such. "I think that is purposeful on the part of the organization. At the lower levels, teaching and training is done to a simple, measurable standard."

Shrugging slightly, Caid moved to place his glass in the sink. "You don't see many of the Templars running around here. The vast majority of their education, I would surmise, occurs out in the field under the watchful eye of a specific mentor. That particular method of training is all I've ever known, having never belonged to any sort of Academy." Once he'd finished washing and stowing his glass, Caid made his way to the table where Decima was located. Leaning against the side, he posed an idea to her. "I received a message today. It referenced a holocron at a location I...well...a place I haven't been in some time. I could use the assistance if you wish to help me...retrieve it."

Obviously, Caid was hinting at the fact that retrieve really meant steal.

[member="Decima Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

It occurred to Decima, in this moment, that she had been here before -- when she had started at the Galidraani Defense Force. This was -- well, not exactly the same, given the cloaks and lightsabers and terrifying wounds people got when they put a foot wrong in the training here. They had been little cogs in the machine there, too, until they had become machines themselves: efficient, ruthless, Galidraan-defending machines. When she looked at it this way, it was somewhat comforting, since she had advanced quickly on Galidraan as well.

As the conversation turned to the matter of the Holocron, Decima leaned forward over the table, listening intently to what [member="Caid Centurion"] had to say. "Obviously I'm going to help you retrieve it," she said, touching the side of her nose subtly, in order to suggest that she knew exactly what he meant. "Is this something that might get us in trouble?" she asked clandestinely before popping another berry into her mouth, then she held her hand out, offering to share the berries with Centurion. "Because I'm so down for that."

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid braced himself against the table with both of his hands as he watched [member="Decima Fortan"] intently. Her response was positive and rather immediate, causing a mischievous glint to slip into his facial expression. When she asked if they might get in trouble, Caid merely shrugged his shoulders casually.

Reaching out his right hand, Caid plucked two berries from the outstretched hand and immediately devoured them. Decima's follow-up comment came while Caid was still chewing. Once he had finished, however, he smiled broadly and stood back to his full height. "Well then..." That was rather a bit simpler than Caid had expected, but he wasn't sure why he had expected it to be a tough sell. It was something different to do, and it could only expand their usefulness to the Supreme Leader, right?

"We shall leave at first light. I would expect to be away for no less than two weeks." After all, their destination was practically clear across the galaxy.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Decima thought she knew what that shrug meant, and allowed herself a wry smile before popping the few remaining berries into her mouth. Her tongue had become stained a dark magenta from the berries. "Two weeks -- all right. Well, can you give me any idea on where we'll be going? Or, at least, what kind of clothes and gear I should pack?" She had some extremely stylish cold weather gear, but it would be prohibitively warm, and thus useless, above 7 degrees centigrade. She had some other gear, and of course a lightsaber, but it would be helpful to have a general idea about what they were doing, and where, to select a more customized kit.

"So -- do you have a ship? I haven't," she confessed. "And I suspect that if we, um... borrowed one... we'd be in a little more trouble than I'd be interested in." Decima made a face and glanced towards the door to make sure they weren't being overheard. She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "I've got credits," she murmured. "I could rent one, if we needed it. I could do it under a false name. Like -- ahh? -- Mrs. Beatriz Hammerschmidt." She lofted an eyebrow -- it was probably obvious that the young woman was enjoying the cloak-and-dagger elements of their conversation, perhaps too much. "What do you think?"

[member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid raised a single hand as he laughed softly. "I think you should pump your brakes for a second." Waving his hand in a dismissive manner, Caid indicated that none of what she said would actually be necessary. "Don't worry about the logistics. I have a simple civilian vessel that we can take...won't draw any real attention until we get to our destination. Technological advancement in the realm of spaceflight isn't...exactly a big thing there just yet."

Clearing his throat slightly, Caid glanced towards the doorway...even though he knew nobody was in the immediate vicinity. "It's located on Coruscant. Fortunately the Galactic Alliance only recently defeated the Sith there, so there is hope the device has remain untouched thus far. We'll have to play this one like a pair of visiting entrepreneurs in order to gain access to the area of the city we need without raising suspicion." Caid paused for a brief moment. "Have you ever been instructed on techniques for hiding your sensitivity to the Force?"

[member="Decima Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Decima listened intently and blushed crimson at his caution to pump her breaks. She had let her emotions get the better of her, which did not surprise her. "Sorry, sorry," she whispered furtively, nodding as he encouraged her to forget about the logistics. Her pulse began to race at the mention of Coruscant. She had never been before; it had been unsafe almost her entire life, and she had never made her way that far coreward yet. She felt her eyes lighting up, her lips turning up at the edges in a smile.

"No," Decima answered, her dark eyes flashing mysteriously. She had never heard of such a technique before. "I didn't know you could do that," she said, her eyes widening a little. Was there any limit to the things that [member="Caid Centurion"] knew that Decima Fortan did not? "Are you going to show me? Can you show me?" The young woman brushed her hair back off her shoulders, tucking it behind her ears and then resting her hands on the industrial metal table. "I'm pumping my brakes, OK?" she said with an exasperated smirk.

 

[Caid Centurion]

A wry smile slowly etched its way into Caid's features at Decima's question. "I can, yes. It may not become exactly necessary during our trip there. It is a very large world, and the Alliance isn't exactly known for checking for force users at immigration. They tend to concern themselves more with the, arguably, more frequent infractions such as smuggling." Further more, as far as any Alliance record would indicate, Caid was merely a former Supreme Commander of the Republic. He certainly did not expect any great deal of trouble on Coruscant.

"It is at least a four day journey to the core from our present location. We will have plenty of time for whatever activity you so desire." Caid had been aware of the phrasing of his words before they'd ever left his lips. However, he was quite confident that his body language showed that no conquests other than the purely professional were on his mind. "Meet me in the armory tomorrow morning at 0500. I do presume you rather have something...well...something you would wear around affluent society?"

If only Caid knew...

 

[Natasi Fortan]

"I've often wondered how they kept track of everyone on a planet such as Coruscant. Of course the simple answer is that they don't," Decima said, processing the information out loud as she was wont to do. The young woman couldn't help but feel giddy at the notion of traveling to Coruscant, though she was not so naive as to think it would mean a holiday. It would be nice to visit the famous sites, do some shopping at the galaxy's center -- if that was all still possible given events at Coruscant recently. But still, just being there, seeing all the buildings, and if stories were to be believed, more alien species in a day than she had seen in her life til that point. No, she couldn't help being excited at the prospect.

If Decima picked up on the potential to find innuendo in the remarks of [member="Caid Centurion"], she didn't let on. "I'll bring my sabbac deck," she said with a smirk, wiping her hands on a damp cloth. When he asked about whether she had something suitable to wear around affluent society, she blanched a little, her mind darting to the suitcase she kept in the back of her closet, filled with gowns and some jewelry whose age would make up for its small stones -- at least in the eyes of anyone who mattered. She looked to the side, her dark eyes evasive.

"I might be able to rustle something up," she muttered.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid couldn't really comment on the methods formerly used to attempt tracking personnel on Coruscant. He heard stories of various technologies employed by various governments over the years, but in the end of the day it was just too much data for any system to really collect efficiently. He did, however, suspect that certain areas did quite a good job at tracking access of individuals and storing records accordingly. Unfortunately for them, they would be venturing into such an area.

"Sabbac..." Caid frowned slightly. "Never learned to play, not much into games, I'm afraid." Silver-green eyes danced over [member="Decima Fortan"]'s form for a brief moment as she casually mentioned being able to rustle something up. "Good. We can travel in casual clothing for most of the journey, but a change will certainly be required upon arrival at the Coruscant system."

With a nod of finality, Caid managed a thin smile before stepping around the table and casually making his way for the exit. "I will see you in the morning."

--------
Armory
Next Morning

Caid knelt down over a large black duffel bag, casually rearranging a handful of items inside. Dressed rather simply in a pair of black slacks and a short-sleeve gray t-shirt, he looked a good bit more casual spacer than in the typical discreet Ren outfit. His lightsaber was not obviously carried on his person, packed instead inside the duffel bag he would be storing in one of the secure compartments onboard the Harkening. The crew of which...had been notified of his departure intentions a mere couple hours ago to prevent the personnel assigned onboard from making any big waves. The mission had been classified, but he knew all too well that people talked...even if it was as innocent as a simple message to a loved one saying they would be away for a while.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Decima stood in her room, stealthily packing her case. She hadn't wanted to do it the night before, with her roommate hanging around, but now everything was quiet and dark and she could do it without fuss. The other girl slept like a stone anyway. Decima tossed almost all her 'good' clothes into the duffel, as well as some non-descript casualwear that she had kept over the years. She was dressed in the same: a pair of form-fitting brown pants, shin-high boots, a plain tan tank under a blue jacket, all of which she hid under a regulation Knights of Ren cloak, in case someone saw her in the halls. Decima took one last look, made sure her jewelry was packed securely, and then -- after casting one last look around the room -- hefted the bag and walked out into the hall, strolling quickly along the way to the armory.

In the back of her mind, there was a whisper of warning -- do you really think it's a good idea to go on a journey with someone you barely know? -- but she had resolved to come to terms with this question and not let it trouble her. The Force might have offered her a warning if there was something to worry about, and he had things he could teach her, things that could give her a leg up on the other acolytes, could help her make a name for herself. Surely some risk was worth it for that. Besides, she had her lightsaber and a blaster in the bag; surely she could do something with that.

"Good morning," she whispered. "Are we all set?"

[member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid had sensed the silent approach of Decima. The reality was due much more to the lack of foot-traffic in the corridors at the particular hour than his familiarity with the young woman. Silver-green eyes lifted to regard Decima before he offered a single, silent nod of concurrence. In one fluid motion, Caid stood to his full height and hefted the duffel over his left shoulder. "Let's do it. I would lose the cloak before we step out into the hangar, though."

He had chosen the armory as a meeting location simply because it had direct access to the hangars. There was a scheduled shift change in approximately two hours. This was no doubt the optimum time for them to depart. Caid knew from experience that the midnight shift was long and tedious. For the last hour, everyone would be alert, eager for the upcoming turnover. Two hours before shift change, however? They were probably in the most serious phase of fighting off slumber.

Turning, Caid made his way through the deserted armory towards the entry to the hangar. Palming open the door, his eyes immediately tracked to the generic looking VCX-100 roughly two hundred meters away. A pair of men dressed in First Order flight suits were there, tending the vessel. An official departure plan had been filed for the vessel to be returned to Dosuun. Though his fellow Knights of Ren knew his true identity, most of the support personnel were not blessed with that information. Therefore, he'd filed the flight plan very early this morning under the name of Caid Centurion. As it was merely a departure to have the vessel serviced, the Duty Officer hadn't concerned himself with investigating to closely.

Stepping out onto the hangar deck, Caid was happy to see that there wasn't really any other activity. The personnel up in the flight control center appeared to be watching something on some screen, no doubt a holovid. A handful of shuttles remained between the two Knights of Ren and the light freighter in the distance. Once they'd reached the Phantom, Caid casually guided Decima aboard, pausing in the cargo bay to shake the hand of a lanky guy with a roguish grin. "Let's get out of here before day-shift comes on, refreshed and looking to get ready for the day."

The man, wearing the uniform of a Lieutenant, smiled thinly in return before shifting his gaze to Decima. "You got it boss. This the plus one?"

The two men manning the Phantom were probably the only two people that Caid actually trusted beyond himself. They'd been with him since his days as a Pirate so long ago. They'd followed him to the Republic, and now they had answered the call with his settlement among the First Order. Additionally, they were the only two people that knew precisely who and what he was. Briefly, Caid through Decima a look that might have been apologetic but was probably too fleeting to be properly discerned. "Yeah. We'll be in the common room until we dock."

"Roger that Captain." The Lieutenant disappeared up a ladder immediately thereafter.

Shifting his attention back to Decima, Caid inclined his head, motioning for her to follow. "If you have questions, feel free to ask." It was better than her creative her own personal narrative in her head, no doubt. The common room was just beyond the next hatch in an adjoining corridor. It wasn't the most luxurious space, but it had some chairs. It would suffice for the sixty minute journey to the Harkening.

[member="Decima Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Decima nodded and, after casting one glance around the room to be sure they were alone, swept her cloak off her shoulders, revealing her casual-wear beneath. She stuffed the cloak into a garbage can and paused to make sure her hair wasn't disheveled by the process. She had tied it back into an efficient bun and thankfully it had remained in place. Crisis averted. She slung her bag over her shoulder and followed [member="Caid Centurion"] into the hangar bay, her light footfalls barely making any noise on the metal plates of the hangar bay. She let her eyes wander over the ships in the hangar before coming to focus on the VCX-100 that they were walking towards. She didn't know what she was expecting for a man such as he, but somehow this wasn't quite it. She felt her eyes drift to the back of Centurion's head, her lips turning into a smirk before following him on board.

She bristled slightly at being referred to as a "plus one" -- society speak for a hanger-on -- but said nothing until Caid led her into the common room. "Thank you for not describing me as the help," she said with a wry smile. She set her duffel down next to a chair and looked around the room, then began to stroll along the bulkhead, examining it in a companionable silence for a few moments. "What is this holocron we're going to get?" Decima asked, wandering over to the chair near her duffle, and seating herself on the edge. "I mean, they're used to contain teachings of dead Masters, right?" She looked up at Caid, eyebrow arching curiously.

Then, curiosity got the better of her. She glanced towards the entrance they had just come in. "Who are those men? Are they your own staff?" She turned her gaze back to Centurion. There was something about this fellow that was more than met the eye.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid merely offered [member="Decima Fortan"] a nod of the head in response to her thanks. "I trust him implicitly, but I'd rather not compromise your identity without your approval. So...best for him just to know you as the 'friend' I mentioned traveling with me." As Decima settled into a seat, he smirked at her question about the identity of the men.

However, Caid elected to address the issue of the holocron first. "I received information from my former master regarding some...specifics about my family. To make a long story short, I discovered a great deal about my family's history that I had been previously unaware of. The holocron that is supposedly secured on Coruscant was created by my great-grandfather, a very powerful force user in his time. He lived...oh...well over eighteen hundred years ago." The dark-skinned Ren paused once more as he considered elaborating further but decided against doing so. "And those men... They've been with me since I was very young."

As the nondescript light freighter vibrated gently during its take off procedures, Caid leaned back into his seat, fixing Decima with an almost penetrating gaze. He would have to tell her a bit before the operation was over anyways, so he may as well fill in some of the gaps. "When I initially left my homeworld to start my own life, I fell in with a group of merchants and smugglers. They were...almost freedom fighters, pirating from some of the more oppressive regimes. The old Sith Empire and later the One Sith, specifically." That wasn't quite true...the crew he'd been a part of was happy to rip off anyone with more than them. The shift to more...idealistic notions hadn't occurred until after Caid took command. It was an unnecessary distinction.

"So. They've been with me since those days. Eventually, we elected to give our services to the struggling Republic." Folding his arms across his chest, Caid managed a thin smile. "You could say I used to be something of an idealist, but I eventually got...very close to the reality of democracy and the corruption that seemed to be ever-present. So...I left. I stumbled upon the First Order and its ideals while investigating some things relating to my father. I hail from a society that's rather strict on order and discipline...without being completely homicidal, so it's a comfortable fit...a cause that I can support and forge my own life, my own legacy."

The vibrations ceased almost completely as the repulsors were disengaged and the spacecraft resorted to normal horizontal flight. There was...a great deal more to tell Decima, but it wasn't exactly material at just that moment. "What brings you to the First Order?"

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Decima absorbed the information that [member="Caid Centurion"] provided, canting her head to one side thoughtfully. It was rather a revelation, she thought as she looked down at the floor. He had done everything, it seemed, and apparently his family were long-lived. She had known from the word go that she was less skilled and more junior in terms of power and knowledge, but now she wondered if she was not perhaps very much out of her depth. "You're taking an awful risk telling a relative stranger about your past life. There are some who might suggest it was inappropriate for a member of the Knights of Ren to have ever fallen in with the corruption and decadence of the Republic, or the treacherous infighting of the One Sith."

Though they were titular friends, the One Sith and the First Order were not exactly chums for anything more than convenience, as far as Decima understood. They simply viewed power differently -- the Sith saw it as the goal, where the First Order saw it as the means to an end. The young woman crossed her legs and folded her arms over her midsection. "But I'm sure you'll be able to convince anyone who questions you. You seem like the genuine article, after all, but this is all beyond my pay grade."

She listened to his question and shrugged her shoulders, as if to say how does anyone end up anywhere? But she didn't feel right about leaving it there. It was dishonest, particularly after he had just shared something of his. She inclined her head and sighed. "I have family within the First Order. I thought it might be best to seek my fortune where I had a family connection to -- sort of smooth the path. That was before I knew I was ... gifted," Decima murmured thoughtfully. "I originally came to see if my sister could get me a position with the Stormtrooper corps. That's what I did on Galidraan, you see -- security forces." She paused and looked into his bright green gaze. "My sister is Natasi Fortan. Half-sister, anyway. She's not pleased, but truth is truth and law is law."