The Dark Academy on Korriban

A pensive cast fell on her visage as she contemplated the metaphor, "Vhat a pleasing way to put it. I vill have to remember....'refiner's fire.'"

She smirked considering it further. "Tell me more of your vater [father]. He iz a vise und accomplished man. In spite of his lacking in zhe gifts of zhe Dark Side."

He smiled slightly, "He's an austere man. Does not dwell in the realms of sentimentality or needless excess. He is continually calculating risks and rewards, immediately acting when he feels his interests are being met, and carefully waiting for battles he can win. Functional utility is all that matters; it allows him to think clearly and find great power despite his limitations."

"And you respect the man?" She asked simply, stopping to eye what appeared to be little more than a giant mangled piece of metal. The plaque nearby elaborated on the piece being from the original shuttle that touched down on Dromund Kaas during the exile of the Dark Je'daii.

"Of course. He's done much with the opportunities that have been presented to him. And has led what has been a fairly successful campaign against the Republic." He replied.

"Do you try to emulate him?" She pressed further running a hand along the edge of the plaque and appreciating the display of the piece. It possessed little value to her in terms of power, but there was a draw to the historicity of such things.

"To some degree. But his path has only led so far, and only has a limited amount of relevance to my own." He replied.

"Zo you are forging your own path, free of influence?" Jun-Tsu offered only a momentary glance to Sylvain before pressing on.

"No one is truly free of influence. Our lives are all a web of interconnected ambitions and powerful forces." He smiled at her as she glanced over, "But I do enjoy adding my own unique self into the mixture."

"Vell, yes. V'one has many subtle influences, but zhat iz not vhat I mean. Vhat I mean iz you hawve no interest in zhe vays of others. Mein House haz an ancient vay, zhe path to zhe Dark Side. You, however, hawve no such path laid before you. It must be difficult."

He smiled, "My family's path is that of the preservation of the Empire. Up until now that has been as members who did not have the gift of the force, from now it will continue as ones who do."

He looked at some of the objects as they continued in their course, "Not as set as your family's ancient ways in the particulars, but the goal is as unchanging as they come."

"No doubt, but you'wve no guidance in zhe vays of zhe Dark Side. You, of courze, come here to learn zhe lessons und zhe zimplest of arts. But what of after? You vill walk your path alone, scrounging in zhe dirt. Not dignified for v'one like yourself."

"I hope to acquire the right to serve as an apprentice to a capable Sith Lord. I do not intend to 'scrounge' in the dirt for longer than I have to."

He smiled, "I feel I have much to contribute to the Empire. And the Torsin line has much to offer in perfecting our domination over the galaxy."

"You vill need a capable master to promote such dominion. Zhe qvestion iz haz one caught your eye zhen? If you cannot emulate your House in zhe vays of zhe Sith, zhen you must follow anozher. One vith your predilection for zhe hallz of powver, yes?"

"There are a couple that I am interested in yes." He smiled, "Would you like to know who they are? Want to see if I am a rival?"

A breathy chortle was her reply, "Everyone here iz a rival, but," she shook her head.

"I have every confidence in zhe vays of my family. I don't vorry about spiteful Lordz, but I do respect zhose of a long line."

She smiled and offered a sideways glance to Sylvain, "Zhat is vhy I ask."

He chuckled, "There are a couple of potential masters who would benefit from having me as their apprentice. I hope to draw the attention of Lord Zash or Lord Baras for now... I feel there's much that I could learn at the establishment of my own line. And both of them have need for support from the Imperial nobility to continue their work."

"Indeed. Lord Zash iz known for playing zhe great game of influence. Of course, she iz on zhe werge of becoming a radical," she canted her head as she examined the next piece. "If you care about zhat sort of zhing."

"I respect her dedication to zhe lore of zhe Sith and, zhough I hawve never met her face-to-face yet, she iz spoken of az a voman of both ambition und personal improwvement. She iz," the witch looked for the right words to describe the Sith Lord.

"She has good priorities. She uses zhe great game to further zhe right pursuits."

"Lord Baras, vell, he iz more akin to your family, such as it iz right now. I've no interest in zhe military or itz campaign outzide of zhe good it does in zhe name of zhe Empire, but you come from a proud line with zuch ties und Lord Baras valks zhe path zhat blends dewotion to zhe Dark Side vith military strategem."

Sylvain nodded, "Those are my basic thoughts on the subject as well. I would assume both of them would be quite popular among the acolytes though; I will need to keep my game up if I hope to win such a contest."

He smiled, "I'll probably be in need of help from possible allies during that venture as well..."

He left the comment open ended, Jun-Tsu would probably quite easily pick up on the suggestion.

"Aid, I'm sure, many will be eager to give vhen zhe time comes," she offered back with a coy smirk, conveying her message. "Either iz a fine choice und it iz preferable zhat you become zheir apprentice instead of another. I hope you vill not take this zhe vrong vay but because of your line's nescient talent, you are more likely to show respect to zhose who know zhe vays of zhe Dark Zide."

He smiles, "That's the long-sighted perspective that keeps this Empire going strong."

"You are encouragable," she seemed to mean it all senses of the word.

"Just know zhat every ally you take comes vith history. Hidden riwalries zhat are possibly older zhan your noble lineage. But, of course, I feel like I am talking to zhe air vhen I zay zuch zhings. You know zhe riwer of influence better zhan I. Zeen it first hand, in rapid action. Know zhat even avay from zhe Emperor's court, zhose same cycles are alive und vell, ve just....take our time vith our wendettas. Zhe further you are from zhe Emperor zhe slower zhe knife."

"A knife no less dangerous if it comes while you aren't watching." He smiles.

"I'll be sure to remember to keep my eye on you. In more ways than one." He chuckles a bit.

"You've a prurient mind, vhen you set yourself to it," she teased in a nonchalant way. "But I am Lady Farro, true one of many, but a lady nonezheless."

"Let your eyez vander, ser Torsin," she gave that coquettish smile, "but I varn you, mein House haz rules of wooing. I'm not certain you've zhe....constitution for it."

He laughed warmly, "I'm always up for a good challenge. Though there is something ominous about the way you describe it."

His laughter softened into a smile, "Perhaps you could describe it for one who is unfamiliar with your ways?"

"Oh but zhat would spoil zhe surprise. I vill zay zhat it, like zo many zhings in mein family it is spiritually....taxing. I v'once zaid zhat we zeek to purify zhose ve bring into zhe family. Let us just zay zhat to prove your dewotion, you start zhat process."