Your true education begins with Knighthood (Sasha)

[Ashin Varanin]

"And so you are."

The door closed behind her and locked -- a deadlocked bolt, keyed to the Force, not electronics.

"I happened to walk back through my memories, Sasha. In the process, I noticed something I had not noticed before."

 

[Sasha Santhe]

Sasha smiled innocently, "Did you master Velok?" she asked. "And what did you notice?"

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Velok flipped a switch, and powerful feedback slammed into Sasha's cranial implant and the droids as well. The droids shivered, convulsed, even fell. The old Whiphid stood in a single motion.

"You are very lucky I am not a man of my word."

 

[Sasha Santhe]

The surge caused Sasha to drop to her knees and cringe in pain. She writhed for a few moments before the old Whiphid let up. Standing up she stared at him in the face, "It was harmless I promise," she murmered. "I didn't dig for dirty little secrets, I don't care who you're sleeping with or what plots your hatching." Her damned superior smirk crossed over her face. "But I think we might be able to help eachother."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

"You think the rules don't apply to you? You think my teaching was out of the goodness of my heart? You think I don't demand a price, little one? You will never, ever be able to escape me, Sasha. I can find you through anything short of ysalamiri. No matter where you go, I can find you.

"Now let's be clear. You've proven yourself unworthy of my teachings and ungrateful for what I've offered. As such, you'll get no more instruction from me until you prove your worth. I leave it to your oh-so-capable mind to come up with a way to prove said worth. And next time you see Varanin, get down on your knees and thank her, because her ties with you just saved your life."

 

[Sasha Santhe]

"I saw the solution to your little aging problem." Her face was impassive now. "And I know you can't do it on your own, not anymore. I can provide a body for you, somehow, somewhere, a body of your choosing. And I can help you perform the ritual, lend you my power." She tasted copper in her mouth and spit out some blood where she bit herself from the shock. "I can be an asset to you...."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Velok laughed.

"Very good - you stole something and made a workable plan of it. That deserves some respect, at least. Perhaps even enough to justify the continuation of your instruction. But you saw detail...you didn't see my soul. I like being old, child. I like the respect it gives me, the scars I earned in glory. I like being me. Yes, I could steal power from any Knight or Master to make myself strong enough to transfer my essence. I haven't done so...for a reason.

"But for the sake of argument, what body do you have in mind?"

 

[Sasha Santhe]

"There is an Echani Jedi I have found," she said. "Recently he broke into a Dathomiri facility of yours, old and abandoned, that Ashin has had under surveillance. His name is Cai Sanis. He is an able fighter, and though a novice powerful int he force by all appearances. He would be a prime candidate I believe." Her chuckle echoed through the home. "And he's starting to learn too much no?"

 

[Ashin Varanin]

"I know Cai Sanis," he rumbled. "I do some work with the Echani. I wasn't aware he was the one who broke into that old base of mine. Cai is...an odd fellow. Strong in the Force, yes, and quick. Strong in body."

He blinked.

"I'm impressed. You actually got me to consider it. This bit of information seals your fate: You will not die today.

"Now. Show me your work with the droids."

 

[Sasha Santhe]

Sasha took in a deep breath before exhaling and concentrating on the droids. She could get them to move now, command them to her bidding with a combination of the neural chip and the force. They marched around the room in even lines and then circled Velok before raising their arms in a comedic manner as if they were attacking robots from a bad holovid. "I could even turn them against you if I desired," she said a smirk plastered on her face. "I hope that soon I won't even need a chip to do this."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

"You think wrong, and you hope wrong," said the Whiphid, voice flat. "The moment you turn your droids against me, I'll electrocute them and you. And mechu-deru without an implant is essentially impossible for anyone short of a Master. Be grateful I've taken you this far.

"I'm going to Nam Chorios with an assortment of Knights, your peers or superiors. I have a special project in mind for you. Research the Iron Knights in your spare time."

 

[Sasha Santhe]

"I will master Velok, and when you need me, I will be here." She let her statement hang in the air. He would need her, sooner perhaps rather than later. The old alien body wouldn't last forever...

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Velok snorted, and gestured at the door. "Carry on, Santhe."