The Dark Academy on Korriban

Sylvain picks up again.

Seeing Shai he smiles slightly.

"Evening Shai. Whysoever are you calling?" He says in a mocking tone.

Shaisha crossed her arms.

"Syl, the news." She seemed tense by the turn of events too. "I just heard them. Do you need me to come over?"

He pauses for a moment, thinking about it.

Then nods.

"Alright. I'll be right there."

The call ended, and not long after, there was a knock on Syl's door. Seemed she had been on her way to his room when she called.

Sylvain opened the door from his bed where he was sitting and nodded as Shai entered.

"Thanks Shai."

The door closed behind her, and she held out her arms to him, offering him a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Syl... no one should have to go through that."

"Father lived and died for the Empire... those who cannot see that... will one day face my wrath." He said, almost seething with rage.

Kristal was beaten in ways that she wasn't used to. These wounds couldn't be tended to by a mere physician. Angry, so angry, but it was cooled by her temperament. Walking through the halls it wasn't like a vicious rabid dog but something far worse. One that was trained. One that could direct that anger with effort. Seemingly capable of breaking someone in half for merely looking at her wrong. The type of anger that was felt like a cold sheet, an aura that surrounded her and yet...

Standing outside of Sylvain's door she placed a hand on it lightly. Not wanting anyone to know she was there yet. Not sure if she should even be here yet. On the way back to her room she had heard the news and instinct brought her here straight away. No call ahead, nothing, she was merely here as she always would do.

Curling her fingers against the door she slowly leaned her head in against it. Fighting the urge to bump against it.

"It's a tragedy, but I question the timing of it all... it seems fishy, after what you told me earlier this morning."

Her voice lowered. "But we should talk about that off-campus. Away from prying eyes and ears. Tonight, we mourn the loss of your father, and the one who was the closest I had to a father-figure myself."

He shook his head, "Mourning does me no good. I need a plan of attack... and all this rage and sentimentality merely clouds my thoughts. Pushes me towards self-destruction."

Where's Kris? I need her cool head now... I need to think this through.

Pushing herself off of the door she took two steps back to her own room. There was nothing she could do here, who was she fooling? Sylvain was likely some kind of mess and she wasn't going to be able to cool that down like she normally could. It felt like she wanted to punch a wall. How could she manage to avoid making the situation worse.

And yet, she stopped after those two steps. No, this was something she wasn't just going to leave behind. It wasn't her. Just like everything else in her life this was merely something to overcome, but how?

Anger was useless unless it was directed. Baras couldn't be touched, not now, but maybe...

Kristal placed herself before Sylvain's door, making herself known with a cool two taps of her knuckle against the door.

Shaisha wasn't quite sure what to say. Sylvain was much older than she was when she learned her mother had died, but she wondered if it was a blessing or a curse to lose someone after having known them for so long.

The sound of the knocking on the door saved her from having to find out what to say. Without a word, Shaisha opened the door, considering she was standing next to it... and seeing Kris, she took a step aside to let their friend in.

Seeing Kristal enter the room, a feeling of calm came over him. He certainly behave like an petulant child in front of her.

"Hey Kris." He said simply, trying to control his thoughts.

Military fashion, straight to the point like a smooth cut from a dagger. Kristal entered the room with a pace that set the tone for getting things done, moving toward it's center as she started immediately.

"Rona Thaine needs to be brought down," she said with that clear Imperial cut to her tone. Completely taking the mood of the room merely moments prior and turning it completely upside down. Kristal pushed forward, pushed her friends forward, giving direction to the emotions they each individually felt.

"She is a snake near the ear of the Headmaster and a violent, lazy thug. That is where we stand. We need a plan."

It was hard on her, completely avoiding the fact of what truly brought her here. Keeping her head cool and moving forward. Clear enough to them perhaps that she knew full well how Sylvain must be hurting, how they all were.

Dirt, grime, perhaps even some blood from her comrades in arms earlier still clung to her clothing. Lightsaber in clear disrepair, completely non-functional. Kristal had clearly just come from somewhere.

Sylvain looked a bit surprised at the way Kristal entered the room and the topic she brought up. Was she unaware of what happened? Or... Surely she must be unaware.

"What happened Kris?" He asked with as much concern as he could given the circumstances.

"Overseer Thaine is sending students into situations that should rightfully end in their demise, no matter their potential."

Kristal was military, organized in words. It was crisp and clear. Rigid, too rigid. Clear that it was a front in how well she stuck to it. Having put the wall up merely moments prior at the door.

"Today she tried to have me and some others killed, she failed."

Syl nodded, "I would have been quite upset if you hadn't returned. I'll put Thaine on our list of things to take care of."

He then paused and changed the subject. There was a fierceness about him that rarely was evident, but was apparent now even if it was hidden by a friendly smile, "I received news that your father has been promoted Kris. It seems congratulations are in order."

"My Father doesn't matter right now," she said curtly.

With that a gap was created, she didn't know where to turn it after that... best laid plans and all. There it was, like any structure put up too fast and too rigid. A crack.

Sylvain shook his head, "No, my dear Kris... I think he does matter quite a bit. Did you catch the news a few moments ago?"

"Precisely why he does not matter," she insisted.

"What matters is here, this room and the steps in front. Nothing else."

Kristal's resolve was cracked. Infecting her stance with the weariness of the day. It was all so much... too much... far too much.

Slyvain looked deeply into Kris' eyes. He could sense the strain on her mind. He probed her feelings, trying to sense what may be causing the strain. Was she in on it? Was he being duped into something by someone he trusted?

Closing his eyes and turning inward on his thoughts he felt a wave of control flood over him. The pointless infighting and short-sighted foolishness of the Baras and his co-conspirators was not going to be Sylvain's weakness. Kris was his friend, he knew he could trust her. If it meant he was vulnerable to being betrayed by her, that was acceptable. He needed her support more than he needed to lash out in foolish rage against his friend.

He stood up and walked over to Kris. He clasped his arms around her tightly and pulled her in close for a strong embrace.

When everything changed the way it had. In battle when things took an unexpected turn you merely shoved your foot into the ground and dealt with it. Adapt to the new circumstances. It seemed, sometimes, that even worked outside of battle. For a long moment she just held him as well. Kristal was strong, that was clear in her embrace. Resting her head on his shoulder for the moment.

Slowly she would look up, over toward Shaisha. Kristal never had a control of words, just action, and right now she was stumped when it came to both. How do you console a friend who just lost their father? How do you deal with it yourself? Kristal didn't know, she only knew the one thing that always helped her. Pushing forward. That was all she could do.

For now, that meant not pushing at all.

Slyvain released Kristal and took a step back from his friend. "I will need both of you in the coming days, weeks.... and years."

He turned back and forth between the two with his eyes. "I make a dangerous play tomorrow. I hope to be able to see you at some point after."

There was a look of resolve in his eyes. One that showed he had come to terms with what he had to do.

He had to confront Baras.

"Don't do anything rash, Syl," Shaisha cautioned in a quiet voice. There was a lot she wanted to say, ask and discuss, but she didn't feel these surroundings were safe.

"... Maybe I should try to get in touch with my father..." she placed her hands on her hip as she looked down, deep in thought.

Sylvain nodded to Shaisha and gave her a charming smile in return for her concern. "Hey, it's me. I don't take risks that aren't worth it."

Then still smiling, "A conversation with your father could be possibly very enlightening."