The Dark Academy on Korriban

Jun-Tsu loved deep space. She adored travel in general, but it was something about the blackness in the middle of the day that soothed her soul. The dim lights of the observation deck seemed to simulate a perpetual twilight, and the yawning void that stretched all around them looked as though it went on forever.

She stared with hands folded into her robes, her veil trailing down about her shoulders and far down her back. She looked every bit the lady of the Sith, even in her archaic robes, like something from the last century (or before). She stood in her traditional wear, almost unblinking in her contemplation of the abyss.

It was a place that swallowed light. She smiled at the very idea.

Nearby a sith-blood can be seen similarly working on focusing himself, though he seemed as interested in improving his mind as his body. The young man is watching out over the empty void, still and steady while maintaining a handstand. The only movement that is apparent is of his chest as he inhales and exhales rhythmically.

Jun-Tsu drew her eyes away from her lengthy contemplation. She had stood for quite some time before the observatory windows. Though she had not yet given up on her meditations, she felt content to break from them to view those around her. Of course, such physical senses were hardly necessary for one of her training, but she looked about anyway.

Catching sight of the inverted Sith hybrid, she watched him in silence. A cant of her head was the only sign of her interest aside from her unflinching stare. With a kind of divorced interest, she took in the man's rigors.

If the woman could sense the force in him she would be able to feel that as his muscles ached and burned he drove them into place with determination, demanding their compliance with a swell of energy. Nothing overly impressive, but he was clearly training himself in more than just body. After a bit the balance between body and force favored the dark energy. But with all such exertions that too began to fade with use. Eventually his body tipped forward gracefully and lightly before moving to an upright position in a manner that only one who could use the force would be physically capable of. He took a deep breath before looking at his surroundings. He slowly approached the woman but did not move to invade her personal space.

"Afternoon. Heading to the academy?"

She made no show of hiding her attention, and as he approached he continued to cast her eyes over his frame. Her head slowly canted to the other side, her veil shifting smoothly with her movements.

"I y'am," she spoke in a muddled basic, heavily accented by whatever her native pronunciation must have been. "Dis one iz Jun-Tsu Farro. I 'ave been sent to be examined by de Academy."

"Und you are to be dere [there] as vell [well], yes? Blessed as you are by de Dark Side."

"I am. My final test before finally being put to use against our enemies as a pilot and warrior," he says with a nod. "Zeno Deathwright of the house Deathwright."

He cracks his and stretches his arms a bit, shaking the ache out. "Have you trained here since the beginning or were you given your basic instruction elsewhere?"

"Dis iz my first time to the Academy as a shtudent, but I 'ave been to Korriban before," the words rolled off her tongue as she watched him stretch, like observing a great cat.

"I even know a few of de shtudents, but my training was overseen by my great-grandmuter [mother], Ka-Tai Farro. She has taught me de vays [ways] of de Dark Side und insisted dat I attend de Academy."

"But you," she paused to appraise him once more. "'Ave you been through your family's infamous training regimen? Or iz dis all the studies of the Dark Side alone?"

"I have finished the Deathwright pilot training. Though I have yet to take part in one of the triennial tournaments. But those are usually for established veterans young pilots with exceptional records," he replies with a nod. "I concurrently tutored under a former instructor from the Sith academy for my training with the dark side. The focus was on lightsaber training but I've taken steps into utilizing it to improve my physical abilities. The intent is to meld the two eventually so that I can exceed even the best Deathwright pilots in time."

"One vould think House Deathwright vould have many great pilots both skilled and blessed in the vays of the Dark Side. De Sith are known for deir connection to itz blessed power. And you," she half-smiled, "are certainly of de blood."

"The vast majority of house Deathwright is human and few of the house ever develop a connection to the force. We have few sith-blooded in our history and they tend to step away from the house once they take on the mantle of sith. But my mother is the current scion of the house and my father is a Sith Lord. I plan on turning control of the house into a tradition and legacy for those of my line. I would see the force bred into the leadership of the house, mingling such sensitivity with a natural affinity for piloting." He seems very confident about that.

"Selective breeding iz required and generations of pruning, but it iz possible," Jun-Tsu turned her attention back to the gaping blackness. "My family, for a thousand years, 'as been nothing but those awakened to ze Dark Side."

"Those pathetic few who are not, are sacrificed to increase our power and keep our line pure." She seemed, not exactly proud, but sated, by the notion. "Some do not have the stomach for such things. But you are not among such a number, yes?"

"Not at all. The first step in my plan for my family is killing of the current heir's husband... and child once it is born. Then comes the long process of having her bear children until one shows capability with the force. The others would be expendable. Then that child would have to be arranged with a proper sith when the time comes. It is something that will take years." The talk of killing babies doesn't even make him flinch.

"Your family has secrets for strengthening ties to the dark side through sacrifice? That seems incredibly useful. I unfortunately am not cerebral enough to figure such things out I'm afraid. The old fashioned way of practice and breeding for me and mine."

"Zere are many vays to power, ours are just some of ze oldest." She sighed in a feigned wistful air. "But the old ways are not followed by the Sith any longer. New ways have supplanted them."

"Zere's an irony of ze Sith vhen zey seek out the lost knowledge of the past, yet allow it to be forgotten in ze first place."

"I don't know if it's as much irony as it is a by-product of our disposition. Things get lost and buried in conflict and war. I think it's to be expected of so many millennia," Zeno replies. "Though I do hope to learn a thing or two once we get planet side. I suspect I'm going to make a few trips out to the tombs and wastes. My tutor suggested that those are where I can find some of the deadliest, hardest and most fruitful lessons."

That drew a momentary glance before she returned to contemplating the infinite darkness, "If you vould like, please, let me know if you've interest in such a venture. I....vould not mind such an excursion. The old masters held secrets und talismans zat zey long ago discovered und let die vith zem."

She smiled.

"You are likely much more knowledgeable about such things so I can imagine it would be helpful to have you along," he says with a nod. "I'll likely spend what time I can pursuing such things and will need to work with multiple people. But I will definitely keep your interest in mind when I organize something. There is much to learn and gain out there from how I understand it."

"Und, in truth, our time at ze Academy, and maybe even on Korriban, iz limited. It may be a rare opportunity to learn ze lessons zat it 'as to yield up to us. Und, as you said, sometimes such zings [things] must be taken." Her head slipped gently to one side, then to the other, a languid movement that gave her a dreamlike quality.

"It is not only a good time for learning and gaining from the place itself. Those who succeed at the academy are likely destined for exceptional success wherever they end up. It is a good place to make connections and potential allies for the future," he replies looking her squarely in the eye. "But potentially dangerous to attempt to do so as well. Many will step on their fellows to gain favor. It will be a uniquely enlightening experience for anyone that graduates."

"Though I feel prepared, I 'ave a sense of....trepidation. The Academy iz a fierce proving ground, and no matter how prepared one iz, I feel it has the chance to never be enough. There are great opportunities, und ones that I plan to seize, even at great risk, but I 'ave no delusions zat even vith my years of training zat it vill not be enough."

"Keep the right company, make yourself invaluable to others, and trust no one. That is what my tutor told me of the academy. He graduated it and taught at it. I take his advice seriously," Zeno replies. "Perhaps we'll be the right company for each other, or perhaps not. The trials will tell us. But complementary skills are likely to be an advantage."

"Zat it vould seem. In truth my family so rarely cares about ze Academy, vere it not for ze Dark Council residing zere ve vould not care about it at all. Prestigious or no, ve have our own traditions and teachings. Und it remains to be seen if zis new Headmistress iz truly seeking ze best interest of the Sith. Ve bow to the visdom of the Dark Council....but an alien."

"Anyone or anything can surprise you in it's usefulness. And she'll be headmistress until someone more useful for that position comes along just like all positions," he replies. "Perhaps there is something they need her for or want to watch her for and so they keep her close. Or perhaps she is easier for them to manipulate than the former. Only they know why they make the decisions they do."

"I don't presume to know, but it vould seem to me zat such persons of skill such as she, vould be better suited for ze battlefront. But I cannot claim to know much of what transpired other zan she 'as apparently proven 'erself in ze eyes of the Dark Council. So long as I learn, I care not from where....or what."

"Agreed. I've found that many dislike aliens simply because they are what they are. But in a way I find them to be pitiable. The dark side has not chosen them to be it's vessel or agent in this universe as it has the pure-blood or to a lesser extent, humans. But at the same time, outside of individual examples they have not chosen to devote themselves to it as the masters of the Empire have. They've done nothing to earn their lot in life but they've done nothing to fix it. It is a pathetic and unenviable state to live in." He shakes his head at this opinion.

"But there are individuals who have stepped up to become sith, spiting their deficiencies and using their adversity to fuel their drive to gain power. As always is, the weak are below and the strong rise above."

"If zey 'ave earned ze right to call zemselves Sith zen I disparage zem not. But I, too, find zem less. Vhatever triumphz zey may 'ave are flukes among zeir breed rather zan ze skilled application of vill. To rely on fate to deliver you iz littler more zan a fool who iz turned from ze cliff side. You've no agency, no skill, no power." The very notion seemed an afront to her sensibilities, but it never arose as anger, but as repugnance.