The Dark Academy on Korriban

"Thank you. Ve may not seek to interact vith ze greater Empire as greatly as ve used to, but it iz always good to know that ve still garner respect. If I may ask, 'ow [how] long 'as your line held zeir title on Dormund Kaas? Do not consider it your anonymity, but more a sign of our disinterest in capital politics."

He smiled, "My father has been Minister of War for over ten years now. The Torsin family has always held positions of influence within the military since the founding of Kaas City. It is the first time in our history however, that we have been fortunate enough to be selected for this position."

"A grand 'onor, und 'e 'as been successful since attaining ze position. A remarkable feat in a time of war. Though it must be somewhat detrimental to 'ave your family's influence be tezered [tethered] to something so mercurial. Though if you keep delivering ze Emperor victories...." she withdrew a hand from her robes and rested it on the table, revealing long, arching fingers.

He nodded, "Exactly. Things are of use until they are not. Until now my father has done a suitable job given the circumstances, but being complacent with such marginal success is not how one continues to cultivate strength."

"All ze same, one risks a great deal vith brazen gambits on such a grand scale. I do not envy your family's position. It iz also vhy ve 'ave distanced ourselves from ze riotous nature of capital politiks. It interferes vith our more spiritual pursuits. But, I suppose if it were not your family, it would be another. As zey say 'someone must do it.' Und....of course, ve shall win zis var so zere is no reason to fear." She spoke the last words blandly, knowing full well their propagandist nature.

He chuckled, "You really think so? Or is that what the INN tells you?"

"Of course it iz what I believe. To say othervise is sedition," Jun-Tsu gave a bland retort as she sat nonchalantly. "Vhether such wictory vill necessarily come all at vonce [once] or in shtops und shtarts, zat remains to be zeen, as does vhether...new thinking must be applied to ze var effort before it iz done."

"All ze same, best to get ze most out of your education sooner rather zan later, yes?"

Sylvain nodded and smiled. The woman was understandably guarded. If there was one thing that Slyvain despised about the constant conflict and in fighting of the Sith is that straightforward talk rarely was acceptable. He enjoyed pulling out the truth thoughts of others, but at times things would be much more efficient if people could answer without circumlocution.

"Passing up opportunities to learn and grow is indeed wasteful, and will not make our efforts go any easier. We must remember that the Empire lost the last time, and make sure that we are doing whatever necessary to ensure that same result is not duplicated."

"Yes," Jun-Tsu spoke with a contemplative air, contemplating her family's part in the first war.

"To vin ve vill need strategem and power not seen zis era, vhether new or old. But I more meant," she paused with smirk, "newermind, it'z unimportant."

"Have you some notion of your plans be'yond ze academy? I know it iz zoon [soon] to zink [think] of zem given ze rigors of ze exams, but it iz not long before ve vill find ourselwes adults, und obliged to ze Empire und our House."

Sylvain smiled when she paused, and was slightly disappointed when she let her thought pass. He made a mental note to possibly come back to her thought at some point in the future.

"The future? Obviously, like you, I am concentrated on making sure I pass my exams and continue on in my development, but other concerns are also beginning to press on my mind."

He chuckled, "I am actually returning from Dromund Kaas because my family held my coming of age ceremony a week ago, and officially now I have entered 'adulthood'. Mother is already in the process of looking for brides to marry some time in the future and legally I have become the head of my family if my father were to pass."

His face rested in a comfortable and accepting smile, "For now though, I am mostly concerned with deciding on who I should possibly aim for in a Master at the conclusion of the Tests."

Then turning the question back to her, "And you? What obligations or concerns do you face in the days to come?"

"Oh, I needn't vorry about such things. I am ze zird [third] oldest of eight siblings und our house 'as not changed monarch in zree-hundred years." She took in a deep slow breath as though the conversation were relaxing or meditative.

"I vill likely return to my siblings to take up my place among my great-grandmuter's handmaidens. If not zat, zen some uther [other] appointment at great-grandmuter's behest. I've no need of a new mas'ter, zough one may be free to petition great-grandmuter for ze privilege. No doubt zey vill 'ave to be consecrated by ze family und proven vorthy." A vicious smile curled her lips at the thought but faded into something a touch less malevolent.

"Consecrated?" He asked with interest.

"Purified," she said, as though it explained the matter. Seeing that it did not, she continued, "Stripped of zeir connection to ze Light Side. It iz paramount zat nothing of ze Light infect ze sanctity of House Farro."

He nodded but had a quizzical look on his face, "It is possible to divorce one from only one side of the force and not the other?"

"All zings [things] are possible if you have faith. Faith in ze Dark Side. One just needs to delve deep enough into ze abyss to find it. My great-grandmuter has spent centuries in dewotion to the darkness, and has learned many secrets. Miracles, blessings of the Dark Side. I pray I can become so close to the Dark Side." There was a longing to her tone and her silver eyes took on a distant glint.

He nodded and smiled, "I hope you are able to achieve what you desire."

He then asked, "What are the marriage rituals on Korriz? Is there an expectation that you will provide descendants?"

"Ve are perhaps not as interested in growing ze family as uthers. Ve are Sith, ve strive for personal attainment, but each blessed child born does grow our connection to ze Dark Side. Each grows ze coven and allows ever more elaborate rituals to the Dark Side. But our twelve living Lords are long-lived und ve have no vorry about succession in the near future."

"But marriage is still a blessed union vhen a link iz made. I 'ave only been to one, about five stellar cycles ago und it vas a month long fete filled vith much revelry und ritual. In ze middle of ze celebration ze five members vere bound to one another through ze power of ze Dark Side. A great many sacrifices vere made to sanctify the union, und zen another few weeks of hunts und merriment." The smile on her face had only eased but never disappeared, and now grew fond at the memory of the various rites and observances, many of which she knew better than to go into detail about.

Sacrifices? What pointless waste... all of those lives could have been put to work in so many meaningful ways...

"An interesting custom. And do you aspire to have such a wedding some day? What is the benefit one receives from a marriage 'sanctified' by the Dark Side?"

"Such a ceremony iz said to bind itz participants together. To share all zeir shtrength und weakness. As you grow together, you each become shtronger," she thought about the matter. In all honesty, she wasn't sure whether such matters were just talk or had some truth. It all blurred in House Farro. What she did know was that many of those marriages ended in the unnatural death of at least one participant, if not more.

"I imagine in time I'll find such a person zat I vould seek union vith zem, to draw into our family. Zey vill need to prove zemselves a devotee of ze Dark Side und open to ze old vays," she gained a wistful air as she looked over the steadily filling mess.

"I doubt I'll find such a person on Korriban. Someone who iz faithful to ze dark und seeks itz grace as ardently as I do."

He smiles warmly, "If the prerequisite is love equal to your own of the old ways of the Dark Side, you do set the bar awfully high Miss Farro."

He then took a sip of his drink before adding, "It's a shame really. With your obvious appeal, I'm sure you'd attract a great deal of attention from suitors and passionate young men if your bar was a bit lower."

He smiled his charming smile, "But to compromise one's dedication to the Dark Side for something as frivolous as passion or marriage prospects is quite unwise, no?"

"Wery much so, to say nothing of ze disapproval of my family for bringing someone so weak into ze family. Zey do not suffer dilettantes und neither do I. Zey must be of good breeding und sufficient skill in ze Dark Side to even survive my family's...scrutiny. Zo, I hold out, vaiting to see if the vill of ze Dark Side vill guide two of itz disciples together."

"Your faith in the path it carves out for you is commendable." He smiled.

"Some vould consider it naive, or thoughtless," her smile took on that amused quality as she turned back to him with a guarded look. Her body seemed a statue draped in the jet-black vestments and thick veil.

"Not every objective has the same means of attaining it. What is silly or naive in one context, is perfectly suitable in another. I do not doubt your family has devised a way that has worked for them. And know that any true follower of the Dark Side would be willing and able to cast aside the chains that bind them if they were to find a better way of obtaining their goals. Becoming unable to be self-reflexive is the only danger I see in following a path that is known to be effective."

He smiled, "In your pursuit of knowledge, your methods have brought results. That is commendable. I hope that your family will continue to press the limits of their power and continue to foster strength in the Empire."

"Beautiful words," there was an elusive quality to her tone.

"Forgive if I am not blithely accepting of your sentiments. I 'ave 'eard such sweet lies before, but I am villing to give you ze benefit of a doubt, for the moment." Her smile warmed.

"But vhether sincere or not, I appreciate ze thought. Ve 'ave long prided ourselves on traveling ze ancient vays of ze Dark Side, keeping zem alive und plumbing ze depths of itz glorious power. Und ve 'ave been much rewarded for our dewotion. If zey are not ze most efficient, zey are nevertheless greatly efficacious."

"'Ave you ever heard of ze ancient art of alckhemy [alchemy]?"