The Dark Academy on Korriban

Still carrying the grime off her failed trek through the wilds, Layne had only just been dropped off by the imperials, and damn near forced halfway on to the dormitories.

Fucking lunatics

She was a little worse for the wear, a little frazzled. Mostly, she was annoyed. She'd seen how well equipped some of those assholes out there had been when they'd set off. They'd probably even been given a map or something. Maybe even a lift halfway there, in secret of course. Wouldn't want favoritism to be too obvious.

"Fuck!" she slammed her fist on the wall of the hallway.

“Oh, you survived? I was really looking forward to putting your corpse on the Wall of Peace,” Overseer Thaine said as she watched Layne punch the wall.

“Did the soldiers take pity on you?”

"Who the fuck are you?"

She glared at the woman, only vaguely recognizing her from earlier. Well, one had to give Layne credit for one thing: she wasn't one to cower. But perhaps one might be less than impressed with the intelligence of someone talking that way to her.

Rona glared and contemplated cutting down the aspirant but this one had a record of luck… or foolishness. She then smiled, it was a wicked thing across her lips, and said, “I am your Overseer. I will determine if you become Sith or if you become food for creatures of more value than you, slave.”

“You are nothing but a slave with minor luck. To even set foot on Korriban is perhaps the greatest blessing you could ever achieve.”

"Yeah, that's what the last Sith I met said too."

She didn't seem too impressed by the threat.

“You killed a Sith and think you are something? Whoever that one was deserved their fate,” she said not impressed either.

“If you think you can take me, then come at me aspirant. Make this easy for me.”

"Sure, take you on right after you make me march through that wasteland, and without having one of those fancy laser swords."

She'd really gotten attached to calling them that.

"Who the hell would be stupid enough to do that?"

She laughed and said, “A coward and a slave, a delicious combination of failure.”

"I'm not a fucking coward," she balled her fist. The one with the brass knuckles.

Maybe a quick punch to the jaw.

"And I'm not a slave."

“Prove it, slave,” she said with a sneer.

OOC: She has Adversary 1, which means you upgrade the difficulty of an attack roll by 1 and Melee defense 1 which adds a Setback die, in case you decide to punch her.

"You asked for it," she said.

At which point the overseer would have the briefest impression of a fist flying towards her face.


Punching the overseer, brawl/brawn, +1 difficulty, +1 setback: 2eA+1eP+3eD+1eS 5 successes, 3 threat


((so, I believe damage is base brawn: 3, +each succes so 8 and +1 for the brass knuckles; for 9 damage. I also believe unarmed attacks deal 1 disorient which is cumalative with disorient 3 from the knuckles. Also, critical rating for the knuckles is 4... but I'm not sure how to resolve that. Finally, holy shit I got either really lucky... OR REALLY UNLUCKY))

The sith was fast using her saber and skill to reduce the damage from the powerful punch to something that was much more manageable but also still significant which cause her rage to boil over at the indignity of being struck by a slave.

OOC: She utilizes Parry reducing the damage by 4 and her Soak reduces it by 4 more to 1 wound. I made a mistake on Adversary it should upgrade not add but in this case it is fine. She generates Counterstrike due to the Threat rolled. Suffers 3 strain for Parry.

The buzz and crackle of the lightsaber strikes back with a fury cutting a swath of searing hot pain across Layne’s chest. Rona smiles wickedly to finish her off when both women hear a calm but menacing voice.

“Stay your hand, apprentice,” it was an older human in stately robes and his very words froze Rona in place.

OOC: Rona struck back for a total of 11 wounds, Breach 1 so it ignores soak.

Rona - Lightsaber + Counterstrike: 4eP+2eD 4 successes, 1 threat

Well shit, that damn near killed her, and she staggered back; grimacing in pain.

"Kgg... striking an unarmed..."

And *I'm* the coward?

She gripped the wound left by the lightsabre, and looked towards whoever had made Rona freeze like that.

Rona stepped aside and said, “Master this wretch dared to strike me, allow me the pleasure of finishing her and sparing this Academy her presence.”

“No.”

The man approached Layne said and said, “Aspirant, you are still alive. I see this one is made of sterner stuff than most. What is your name?”

She was angry. Seering with hate. These people... she didn't want to play nice and answer him. She wanted to kill him just for being one of them, and her, well she needed to die obviously, for calling her a coward and then turning around and using a lightsabre to try and kill an unarmed person. Fucking hypocrite. And... there was no way any of that was going to happen. She had to bite through it; deal with the frustration of letting these bastards have their way instead of being beaten down into the dirt like they deserved.

"...Layne Hoshin," she said through gritted teeth.

“The slave that dared to kill a Sith,” he said cool praise. Rona stood in the background her lightsaber still crackling with energy, the low hum filling the space of silence.

“I am Lord Baras, I am Sith, that which you could be if you mastered that anger and rage.”

He was just another asshole trying to tell her what to do, pretending like he had answers. Same as that lunatic from earlier. Same as that bastard she killed. But whatever...

Just go with it...

She looked down for a moment, thinking; then looked back up at him, still angry of course, but trying to make an effort.

"And how do I do that?"

“You learn, you take every challenge and setback we put before you and you accept it and overcome it. You take that rage welling in your breast and turn it into a weapon,” he said calmly.

“I can feel the depth of emotion in you, the pain and suffering you have endured. It is a potent furnace. But only you can free it and make something of yourself. The odds are stacked against you, aspirant. That could make you a powerful Sith.”

She wasn't sure about becoming sith. That probably meant having to work for these people. That would end up being very annoying.

But hey, it wasn't as if she had much choice when it came to these challenges and what not. And at least this guy acknowledged the deck was stacked. And what he was saying sounded familiar.

"Heh, sounds kind of like what that old man in the desert was saying. Only, he seemed more crazy."

"Old man?" he said with a raised brow.

"There are many mad pilgrims and worse in the wastes. Most are fools gone mad by the heat and dark side energies. Did he have any wisdom?"

"Said his name was Spindral," she said, "told me to listen to the ghosts."

That had been... a weird experience for sure.

Lord Baras replied, “Spindral, the old man is still wondering the wastes. Half-mad, half-prophet many seek his wisdom. Most find nothing.”

“Did the ghosts speak to you?” he added.

Rona just glared but said nothing, her lightsaber still drawn.

She had to admit, part of her was enjoying being the subject of Rona's angry glaring. After all, that probably meant she was pissing her off. And in front of... what, her master? It felt good. Once she factored out the pain, at least.

Still, most of her attention was on the man, obviously the more important of the two.

"One. Said I was flesh of their flesh."

“Walk with me,” he said and started walking. He gave a voiceless nod to Rona who seethed but continued on her business. This was not over between them.

“You have earned a powerful enemy. My apprentice will not forget this slight, as it should be. She may even try to kill you, indirectly. Does that trouble you, aspirant?”

She looked between Rona and him for a moment, then followed. Fortunately, her wound didn't seem to be quite bad enough to get in her way overly much. Then he asked that question.

"I'd prefer to not be dead," she said; though she didn't seem to be scared by the prospect either. Death had been close-by throughout her life, after all.