The Dark Academy on Korriban

Seeing the group became more of a group and not just two students talking, well, she no longer felt like she was intruding on Shaisha's moment. Approaching the other acolytes she placed herself among them. Not speaking just yet, not interrupting, and just offering Shaisha a nod of greeting once again.

Shaisha leaned back on her heels, hands folded behind her back as she looked up at Kristal.

"Haven't seen anyone we know in the pile."

"None," she confirmed on that front. "In truth I expected to see a couple faces from the Ship, some I did not believe cut out for this."

Kristals arms crossed behind her back still she shifted slightly, correcting her stance as it had slid a bit in the sand.

"However, it is possible they have yet to be found," she conceded on her own.

"That would be helpful. I don't have tools for such a task and my knowledge of droids is limited. Most of my mechanical training has been for ship maintenance."

“I can take a look at it, once I get settled in, how about sometime tomorrow? Should be easy once I find a suitable workshop,” he replied with enthusiasm.

"Sounds like a plan. Let me know when you find a workshop and where it is. I'll bring them with." The sith-blood nods to the human.

"Will do," Gerald replied warmly.

There was no warmth from Zeno... ever. But he did seem to be accepting of the arrangement. "Very good. How was your trip to the academy?"

“I didn’t do all that well, the wastes are much more complicated than I anticipated. I think I could have died if not for the Imperial soldiers that found me,” he said with self-pity.

"Stop that." Zeno looks at the man with a stern look. "You won't become sith with that attitude. I failed to make it here as quickly as I hoped as well. Steel yourself and determine to do better."

“You’re right,” Gerald said upset with himself but determined to do better.

“I am still alive and I have an opportunity to serve the Empire. We’ll get those cores cracked open and I will have them singing. I have to wonder what the architecture will be? Probably some archaic reactive computer processing unit interface, maybe even older? Maybe a Series 1 intellect motivator? Did they display advanced logic?”

"I did not know enough to assess that. They were combat droids and interested in making me non-functional. I returned the favor."

"You must be a skilled fighter," he said with admiration.

"My training has focused on combat, piloting and lightsaber. One can take their time learning other subjects if they can survive long enough, so I've learned survival first."

“I know basic self defense, still trying to get my mind around the whole lightsaber thing,” Gerald replied honestly.

"That will certainly be tested here. It is something to work on. Try not to get yourself killed," he looks over to the corpses brought in. "It would be a loss for the empire if you did not come through the training. While I don't weep for the fallen aspirants over there because it is their own fault, it is a waste that those who could wield the dark side have not become capable members of the Empire. I'm sure we'll learn more about what is expected of us at orientation, but I don't doubt that will include combat training."

“I think when I graduate they should put in the yearbook by my name, ‘Most Likely to Die’,” he said with a chuckle.

“Do they even have yearbooks?”

"Looks like we have a few more people in the most likely to die running," he says looking over at the bodies. "They didn't even make it to orientation."

"I don't know if there is anything like a yearbook, but I doubt it. They'll likely just put our data in the database here at the academy and call it good."

“That actually sounds like the most expedient and efficient way, it’s what I would do as an Imperial,” Gerald said.

"Yes. It makes the data available to sith lords that may be looking for apprentices. Out of curiosity, what type of self defense are you practiced in? Lightsaber combat?" Zeno half expects the man to say blasters, but gives him the benefit of the doubt.

“Martial Arts actually, basic self defense mostly. Standard Imperial self-defense training for any student ear marked for Imperial service, be it civil or military,” he replied confidently.

"I see. Definitely useful. Make your body a weapon and you are never unarmed," the sith-blood replies. "Admittedly, not my forte. Something I could stand to improve."

“Well I don’t know much about the lightsaber, so I guess that makes us even,” he said with a shrug.

"Could be," she agreed in a murmur.

"Apart from the showstopper in the cantina earlier, anyone you're keeping an eye on?"

"I'm not too bad with a blaster or ship weapons either," Zeno says with a shrug. "I was trained as a pilot first after all."