The Dark Academy on Korriban

"I'm pretty sure I'm not the one incurring his wrath. I'm also pretty sure he wouldn't give a shit if I beat the crap out of you right now. So long as I made sure there weren't any visible bruises, of course."

"Contention within reason is sure not to incur his wrath, that much is true." He replied simply.

"Good. That means I can kick it up a notch."

"More than attempts at my life and countering my attempts to achieve Baras' desire to add the Queen into Vengean sphere of influence?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

"Not sure how much higher you can take it than attempting to take my life... but as you say."

She paused. Making sure she got all that.

"The fuck are you even talking about?"

He chuckled, "Perhaps your defeat at the hands of the Republic created a bit of memory loss for you concerning the events on Yavin? Fortunately, you had that Rodian to save your ass when you needed it or you wouldn't even be here to be forgetting your own actions."

"I don't remember ever fighting you," she said. "As for bringing the queen into Vengean's sphere of influence, I'm pretty sure you simply decided that on your own, hoping it'd make yourself seem useful. If Baras actually cared about it, he would've mentioned it when I told him about her. And I wasn't defeated. I killed that Jedi."

"Or perhaps Baras doesn't trust you with things he knows you will fail at if you were to try them...?" He replied with a rhetorical question.

"Your blind confidence is admirable in its own right, but has its shortcomings if you fail to see the serious danger that you are in. You have accepted a master that does not think the same way you do; he is beyond anything you think you can deal with. Hopefully your luck will see you through as it has so far."

"Then he's an idiot. He knows we don't like each other. He knew we were on the same planet. And he basically gave me his blessing to do whatever I want to his apprentices so long as it doesn't fuck up his plans. So yeah, either he's an idiot who doesn't plan for the inevitable, or I'm right and you just made it up as you went along. I will say this though. Seeing how quickly you revert to your old argumentative self with a bit of prodding makes me pretty confident your earlier bullshit really was just you being moody over a certain girl. You really are easy, Torsin."

He chuckled, "You're helpless... at least by my powers of persuasion. You are wrong Layne. Believe what you may, but I assure you on this one thing you are as wrong as you have ever been."

He then took a sip of his glass, "The only fulfillment I get out of this conversation is the realization that you truly have no idea what is going on in my mind or of those around you. Once you get past that shortcoming you'll be quite formidable... but for now you are set on the path of becoming the dog that Baras is shaping you to be."

"You severely overestimate your ability to lie to people, Torsin. Your ability to lie to yourself though, that's something else entirely."

"On some other day perhaps I'll educate you on my relationship with Kristal Serasai... but until then, you'll just have to trust me." He said with a wink and a smile.

"Please, like it's any sort of secret. You love her. And I'm not talking about that pretend love you shower on your regular floozies. So there's that, and she's been stupid enough to keep falling for your various lies. But not so stupid that she's completely unaware of them."

She paused.

"You forget, there's someone out there who knows your mind more intimately than anyone else. So don't pretend like anything I've been saying is just my imagination."

He smiled, "I hope your outdated intel continues to be a wonderful source of insight for you going forward."

"Are you telling me you don't still love her? That's cold, Torsin."

"I am a terrible and duplicitous liar am I not?" He said with a smile.

"You are. And I grow tired of talking about her anyway. So let's change the subject. What are you going to be doing now."

"I will be in Dromund Kaas for the time being. Serving Baras' interests in the capital and coordinating his various agents throughout the galaxy." He replied, "I am sure you will be in contact when you need assistance."

"Unlike you, I won't be needing anyone's assistance. Unlike yours, my line has always been self-reliant."

"Who is lying to themselves now?" He said.

He then began to stand, "But if you are not in need of Baras' information that is fine with me. Know that the information he receives is siphoned through me, so unless you get all your intel by yourself I will have been there in the process of helping you succeed. Even if your orders come from Baras himself."

Picking up his plate he bowed politely, "May the force be with you on your journeys Layne."

"May the door hit you on your way out," she replied.

"With your leave." He bowed slightly, replacing his mask and then making his way out of the mess hall.

/exit