The Dark Academy on Korriban

Sylvain sat in the station's cantina cursing to himself. His glass of water had been refilled several times as he tried to literally wash away the grogginess that lingered in his head after his embarrassing display that morning.

Sylvain pulled out a small trinket from one of his adventures with Shaisha and Kristal and began flipping it around in his hand.

Entering the Cantina, Nunki took an assessment of her surroundings. Most notably, looking for food.

Take every opportunity you get to avoid that paste.

Finding something she liked, she now scanned the room again, this time with a different objective, the people.

Spotting Sylvain and recognizing him from the exams the day prior, she approached him, food in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

"Do you mind if I join you?" She asked in a relatively friendly tone.

Recognizing the strange accent as one from not an Imperial system Sylvain looked up at the sound of the voice, "Sure. Please sit."

He looked over with a slight smile, "Name is Sylvain Torsin, nice to meet you."

Returning the smile, she says "Nunki Malyna, a pleasure."

"I believe I saw you yesterday at the exams, you did quite well. Any better luck today?" She asks, and follows with a bite of a sandwich.

"Did well enough with the task they asked us to do this morning." He said. "You?"

She shrugs, swallows, and says "Could've been better. On both accounts, the exams and today."

A lot better.

He nodded, "There's always room for improvement. Setbacks aren't necessarily failures if they spur you on to greater strength."

At least I got to tell myself that...

"Where are you from Aspirant Malyna? I'd surmise somewhere in Republic territory from the sound of your voice and the fact you didn't react to my name." He asked in a friendly manner, not an intimidating one.

She nods, drinking her water and replying in a similar tone.

"Spacer, parents were traders. Never really settled down much, spent some time on Nar Shadaa. Can't really say I would call anywhere 'home' though. If you may excuse me for my ignorance, why do you say I should have reacted to your name?"

Imperial son?

He smiled, "The house Torsin is a noble line, but beyond that it is the name of the Minister of War, Grand Moff Torsin. Essentially the highest ranking secular position in the Empire."

He shrugged, "It doesn't grant me any particular benefits per se, but I usually get a great deal of weird looks from those who are familiar with the name."

She raises an eyebrow, and lets the silence hang for a brief second.

"I can certainly see why, that is quite the position to hold, and quite the name to live up to. He must have been overjoyed to learn of your force sensitivity."

He chuckled a bit, "Somewhat excited. It means different opportunities for me, but with the constraints of the noble house I am attached to. If I do well, I'm sure he'll be a bit more enthused."

He took a sip of his water, "What about you? How'd you end up here?"

There was still some time left before they'd head back down, and she'd manage to acquire the only things she needed that she could actually afford. Now it was just a matter of passing the time. What better way than to pick a cantina right? Nothing strange ever happened in cantina's.

She nods, "Makes sense."

A sip of water, and she continues. "Whilst we were on Dromund Kaas, we were approached by an imperial officer. He'd been told by a Sith lord that I was a force sensitive, and made to approach us about my becoming an aspirant. We had not known before then of my sensitivity."

A pause, an examination of his reaction, and she continues, somewhat lightheartedly compared to her voice when speaking previously. "My story's maybe a bit more than most. I'm not exactly too similar to a lot of the other humans here."

He nodded, "I suppose so? When was this? Your parents were trading on Dromund Kaas?"

"Give me some water," she told whoever or whatever was serving customers. Water was free. Or ought to be. And she needed her senses sharp for later in the day, so alcohol wasn't something she was particularly keen on anyway.

Picking up the glass that she'd been given, she turned and leaned back on the bar as she surveyed the place.

Heh.

A twisted smirk appeared on her face.

"Yes, was quite some time ago, and I personally don't remember all the details. At that age, I wasn't exactly privy to what was being traded where." She says, her tone elevating back to a more friendly, almost joking tone.

She hadn't yet seemed to notice Layne entering the room.

"Do you happen to know Kristal? I believe she was also a child of a Moff." She asks and promptly takes another bite of her sandwich.

Sylvain nodded and smiled, "Kristal is a close friend of mine. We grew up together."

Seeing Layne arrive at the bar Sylvain smiled and nodded, opening a hand to a seat nearby if she so desired to sit.

Stubborn, ain't he.

She came over, kicked the chair so that it provided her the space to sit; and plopped herself down.

"Girlfriend know you're chatting up other women?"

He chuckled, "If there were such a person I'd assume she'd be fine with me having conversation with one. Ignoring half of the galaxy's population because of some relationship doesn't seem to be the best thing to do."

Then smiled, "How are you doing today Layne? You appear as chipper as ever."

She gave a nod to Nunki, then turned back to Sylvain.

"I'm fine. Didn't see you at the party last night. I think I saw your girlfriend who isn't your girlfriend there though. The red one, right? Didn't speak to her, but I spoke to another red sith. Well, two actually, but who'd count overseer Thaine, right?"

He smirked, "So you forced yourself into the party last night? Very resourceful."

He chuckled, "You're mistaking my sister for some type of romantic partner unfortunately. Shaisha was fostered by my family since she was a small child, she's not my partner. I don't have one of those."

"Not only that, but I was the center of the party. Well, me and the Wrath of the Emperor. Apparently being publically praised by him is kind of a big deal."

A pause.

"As for the not having a girlfriend part... yeah, I forgot. You're first among the slave-wives, right?"

Nunki returns the nod to Layne, silently listening to the two talk whilst working on her sandwich.

Sylvain laughed at Layne's comment, "Only when I stay up drinking too much the night before."

Tsk.

"Had much to drink last night then? Someone make you their queen eh? You seemed quite proud of it back in the market there."