The Dark Academy on Korriban

Gi-stuffed dumpling lay on Moyr's spoon as she pondered if she could levitate it to her mouth. She still was not entirely sure what was her potential with the Force. She had taken Darth Jadus' word for her competency because up until then she had been unaware of being Force-sensitive. Things were happening when she wanted because that was the way the world was. Her powers were subtle enough to go under the radar even for her. She had been in a long process of reliving her past through new lens, adding meaning to various past incidents. This way she came to the realisation why her parents had sold her. Because, among other things, they were simply afraid of what they did not understand.

Mandalorian food felt both tasty and energising. After the dumpling ended in her mouth and was promptly sent to one of her stomachs after some munching she drank some soup from the bowl while listening to the latest INN updates. Just propaganda, and nothing on Jadus or Hoshi. She longed for some music to be broadcasted. Apart from triumphal marches, that is.

There was a sudden change in the atmosphere around the mess hall. Whispers and frowns as a tall and gaunt-ish alien entered the hall. Some imperials even leaved as this alien approached the counter where the droids gave some nutrient paste and a glass of water.

Some young imperial cadets started mocking the alien as they leaved, and one even tried pushing him with his shoulder, but the alien tall frame belied his real mass and the cadet tumbled to the floor. The alien noticed and he extended his hand in order to help him but the soldier refused with a particular ''alien scum!, don't touch me...''

Well, nothing he could do if he did not want his help, right?

Anyway the Duros picked up his plate and glass of water and sat in one of the long tables. He noticed the young female twi'lek that was consuming her daily nourishment. He made a slight bow.

'' H'chu apenkee [greetings] '' he said in huttese with a raspy voice, typical of the duros.

The woman took note of the incident impassively, having endured some verbal harassment of more sexual kind not long ago. For now, each of the xenos on the ship had to take care of their own particular circumstances. She held no bias toward the Duros, but she detested the language he used with a vengeance. Still, any respectable smuggler was fluent in Huttese, and so was she.

"Die wanna wanga." [Greetings.]

She measured the tall creature by gradually looking up with her usual sensuousness that could give a false impression.

"The seat to my side is not taken."

There was no reaction. If the twi'lek's gaze affected Rumun there was no way of telling. Though, he did kinda smile when the twi'lek spoke in galactic basic.

He sat next to her. Then he spoke in basic.

'' Rumun Gol is this one's name. I'm to become an acolyte at the academy.'' He presented himself '' May I ask your name, my Lord?'' He said that with a very respectful tone of voice. Perhaps, he thought that she was a trained sith.

There was little scientist in Moyr. No reaction was as good a data as a reaction. Potentially useful.

"Moyr Ahaya."

Her lekku undulated slightly at the base when she presented her broken-in-two name.

"And what do you hope to accomplish on Korriban?"

''Pleasure to meet you, Lord Moyr Ahaya''

He took a sip of his glass of water.

'' What do I expect to accomplish here? Hmm. Fascinating question, my lord.'' He turn to look at her. '' I think most around here would say to grab power, to gain glory, to be remembered, inmortality, to crush their enemies, etc. I don't feel attracted to those kind of things '' The duros raspy voice echoing in the mess hall. He continues.

'' You see, the universe is full of creatures and societies, obscure and forgotten devices, and all kind of interactions between different types of forces. I desire to watch, to record, to expand my knowledge, to delve in what drives other beings and creatures to act like they do, to predict how they will act according to certain type of stimuli or ambients.''

'' I would say knowledge could be what I seek, but that's not quite true... knowledge is power, and power is a tool to achieve something. A mean to an end. Like the force. ''

'' I desire something beyond pure knowledge, something that I cannot explain in words, unfortunately. But in the simpliest way I can describe it, I desire to watch...So Korriban could be the key to open the gate that blocks my path to achieve what I desire, as was the force, the key to the chains that bound me as a former slave, my lord'' He finished.

'' I don't to be rude but may I ask what drives you here, my Lord?'' He politely asked her same question.

Coming in 3/4 way through Gul's speech, leaning in the doorway until he finishes.

"Quite a noble goal, if I may." She smiles, fully entering the room.

'' Oh, forgive me my Lord if I was talking too loud... '' Rumun apologized to the human female that has just entered. Once again, it seems that he mistook this other female with a fully trained sith. Again.

With a comforting smile and tone, she says "You needn't worry about that, or use such formalities with me. As far as I am concerned right now, you are my equal."

A brief pause, and she bows to the two.

"I am Nunki Malyna, and I do apologize for intruding."

"I am no lord. And my quest for empowerment seems inconsequential compared to your drive to omniscience and discovery of eternal cosmic patterns. I suppose the underlying question of your watching is: does the universe we know make sense?"

She let her lekku swing a bit at the turn toward Nunki. The accent was hard to confuse.

"Moyr Ahaya. Please join us if you wish. A guest from the Core?"

Which was another way of asking about the Republican background.

"Not quite" she says as she makes her way to the pair, taking a seat across and in the middle of them. "My parents are to thank for the accent."

'' Oh? a fellow acolyte I pressume then? '' Rumun look towards her lekku '' Forgive me, your sith marking and tattoos made me confuse you with a fully trained sith, my lady. ''

'' You should not say that. Every creature is bound to each other. Do you think that the death of several thousand soldiers at the frontlines are inconsequencial? Every life is part of a greater machine, a multiple engine with billion, if not trillions, of cogs working at unison. Your quest for empowerment could be no so different from what I seek, my lady '' He said that as he ate a small portion of the nutrient paste.



'' Perhaps, but making sense of something involves trying to fit something into a pattern. That works in mathematics and physics, as we adapt formulas and expressions, trying to describe the physical world. But I don't think, or I don't feel, that is what I seek. ''

'' ha, Its complicated. Forgive me my lady, most likely I'm boring you with all these nonsense ''



'' Rumun Gol '' He presented himself. The duros also noticed the republican accent. He did also have a bit of republican accent but because of his raspy voice it tended to pass unnoticed '' Oh no, you are not intruding at all my lady. Please join us''

"So, what world do you hail from then?"

The lekku endings curled up into inverted question marks. She then stroked her tattoos gently.

"It's an exercise in blending in, embracing my new path. Until recently I had not even realised my sensitivity to the Force. And don't be humble about your goals either. They are grand enough."

She begins making her way towards the pair, having arrived as she finished her talking.

"I don't hail from any world, raised a spacer. Spent a good bit of time on Nar Shadaa though. Yourself? I expected to see plenty of non-humans, but had not expected a Twi'lek or a Duros."