Post by Mara on Aug 2, 2011 18:01:57 GMT -5
(((This thread is for any members of the Dominion who are still actively RPing...)))
[…from Alone Time]
Looma stood off to the side at the front of the cavern-like room, arms crossed behind her. Strange that it would feel like a cavern to her, though, for it was just one of the larger prefab buildings making up the base on Bastion. Even with a couple windows open to the outside elements, the Twi’lek’s breath came to her uneasily as if she were in a subterranean cave or stuck in deep water without a rebreather tank. For now she was alone in the large room, alone with her gasping deep breaths, trying to calm herself both physically and through the Force. Staring into the corner, her face darkened by the hood of her cloak. But soon the others would be joining her, and she just hoped she’d be able to retain a steely calm during the whole meeting, if she could ever toss away these churning feelings inside.
A couple weeks, maybe three—to be honest, Looma hadn’t been keeping a strict eye on time—had passed since that fateful early morning. Her master, Charlill Sylvor, Shard, had left her, disappearing into the stars. She no longer had someone to teach her; the Dominion no longer had someone to lead it. In shock, she had tried to digest his words, only able to respond by standing stone-still and listening. There were no words she could have thought of to respond, if she had even been able to speak at all. It had all passed like a bad dream, but now, weeks later, she knew it had all been real.
Though that moment stood out in her memory like a beacon, the days that came after were a complete blur to her. She went about her daily tasks; the only thing keeping her from curling up in her room to wallow in her sadness, never escaping, had been the routine she had gotten used to since coming to the base. Looma moved around like one of those undead creatures from tales she had heard as a young child on Ryloth. There was no longer any joy in her life. The only thing keeping her from delving into a dark depression, contemplating whether it was even worth living any longer, was the small piece of her heart that hadn’t gone cold and hard. Only Caleb anchored her to the realm of the living.
She had tried training on her own, reading through the few holobooks she could find on base, but after a few minutes she had to quit. Her heart just wasn’t in it any longer. Looma felt like a shell of her old self. In one small moment of lucidity she had gone to the medical center, wondering if her wound had gotten infected again, causing this change in her. But the droid found that her lekku was healing nicely. So Looma’s ills had to be primarily caused by this shattering change in her life. The yellow Twi’lek found herself spending all her free time, when she wasn’t pretending to eat or sleeping half the day, outside the base, staring off into space. Alone with her thoughts.
Others on the base avoided her, giving her a wide berth whenever they did come upon her. Even the Force-less Dominion soldiers could feel the depressing aura coming off of her. Though they had been given no formal word, the rest of the beings could feel that something was wrong. Shard had been given to fancies of travel, going back and forth on various missions or another. They shouldn’t have felt worried. But given the reaction of the one they knew to be his student, whisperings had started in the weeks since Shard’s leaving. Rumors passed through the base, the most common being that Looma had disappointed her master, and he had left to find a more qualified student. No one in the Dominion could even contemplate the truth, if it ever crossed their minds.
Taking a deep breath, she turned from the corner of the room and faced the front, waiting for the others to arrive. Before leaving, Shard had given her the very improbable task of informing the entire Dominion that it would no longer be. At the time of this last instruction from her master, Looma had been barely able to comprehend his leaving, let alone a temporary takeover of his faction in order to disband it. Now, it still seemed a hard mountain to climb, as she stood there, hands behind her back, her cloak open at the front, the two sabers of Shard hanging from her belt opposite of her own, simple one. Even dressed all in black, her hood shadowing her fast, the red ruby pendant hung brightly against the dark fabric.
Still numb from the loss of her master, Looma had gone the next day to send messages to all the Dominion members who were currently offworld. The work itself kept her busy enough not to think about the actual consequences of no longer having Shard around. There would be plenty of time after carrying out her master’s last wishes to mourn. However, it had still been a hard thing to do, so she had just sent encrypted messages in text, not bothering with audio. Using her master’s comm codes would ensure that everyone would return dutifully as soon as they could. Shard’s loyal lieutenants, Shandari and Visari—Looma didn’t care about their new titles, just as she hadn’t with Shard’s “Lord Memnon”—brute force like Cho Wroth; all the others who had been accepted into the fold; even the Dominion soldiers who hadn’t the Force. They would all have received the message to return to Bastion as soon as possible for an important meeting.
The familiar noises of dozens of beings making their way towards the meeting hall broke Looma from her reverie. Her breathing had calmed somewhat, no longer coming in sharp gasps, but she still pulled deeper on the Force to keep herself calm. She needed to portray a neutral demeanor during this meeting. The Twi’lek couldn’t let her emotions get the better of her. Shard wouldn’t have approved of his student sobbing in front of the whole Dominion. In order to make him proud one last time, she needed this all to go smoothly and well. She would gather herself and tell them what Shard had told her to pass on to them. They would not get a reason, as she had none. They would all react in their own ways, some with shock, some with uncaring boredom, others quite possibly happy to be free from the Dominion’s bonds.
As everyone started gathering inside and taking seats, Looma stared at the back wall, over everyone’s heads. She hoped if she didn’t look at their faces, she would be able to continue with the meeting without faltering. More deep, calming breaths, more pulls on the Force kept her still and focused. Soon, very soon, it would all be over, but until then, she would have to deliver some startling news to all the beings in front of her. And hopefully it would all go smoothly.
[…from Alone Time]
Looma stood off to the side at the front of the cavern-like room, arms crossed behind her. Strange that it would feel like a cavern to her, though, for it was just one of the larger prefab buildings making up the base on Bastion. Even with a couple windows open to the outside elements, the Twi’lek’s breath came to her uneasily as if she were in a subterranean cave or stuck in deep water without a rebreather tank. For now she was alone in the large room, alone with her gasping deep breaths, trying to calm herself both physically and through the Force. Staring into the corner, her face darkened by the hood of her cloak. But soon the others would be joining her, and she just hoped she’d be able to retain a steely calm during the whole meeting, if she could ever toss away these churning feelings inside.
A couple weeks, maybe three—to be honest, Looma hadn’t been keeping a strict eye on time—had passed since that fateful early morning. Her master, Charlill Sylvor, Shard, had left her, disappearing into the stars. She no longer had someone to teach her; the Dominion no longer had someone to lead it. In shock, she had tried to digest his words, only able to respond by standing stone-still and listening. There were no words she could have thought of to respond, if she had even been able to speak at all. It had all passed like a bad dream, but now, weeks later, she knew it had all been real.
Though that moment stood out in her memory like a beacon, the days that came after were a complete blur to her. She went about her daily tasks; the only thing keeping her from curling up in her room to wallow in her sadness, never escaping, had been the routine she had gotten used to since coming to the base. Looma moved around like one of those undead creatures from tales she had heard as a young child on Ryloth. There was no longer any joy in her life. The only thing keeping her from delving into a dark depression, contemplating whether it was even worth living any longer, was the small piece of her heart that hadn’t gone cold and hard. Only Caleb anchored her to the realm of the living.
She had tried training on her own, reading through the few holobooks she could find on base, but after a few minutes she had to quit. Her heart just wasn’t in it any longer. Looma felt like a shell of her old self. In one small moment of lucidity she had gone to the medical center, wondering if her wound had gotten infected again, causing this change in her. But the droid found that her lekku was healing nicely. So Looma’s ills had to be primarily caused by this shattering change in her life. The yellow Twi’lek found herself spending all her free time, when she wasn’t pretending to eat or sleeping half the day, outside the base, staring off into space. Alone with her thoughts.
Others on the base avoided her, giving her a wide berth whenever they did come upon her. Even the Force-less Dominion soldiers could feel the depressing aura coming off of her. Though they had been given no formal word, the rest of the beings could feel that something was wrong. Shard had been given to fancies of travel, going back and forth on various missions or another. They shouldn’t have felt worried. But given the reaction of the one they knew to be his student, whisperings had started in the weeks since Shard’s leaving. Rumors passed through the base, the most common being that Looma had disappointed her master, and he had left to find a more qualified student. No one in the Dominion could even contemplate the truth, if it ever crossed their minds.
Taking a deep breath, she turned from the corner of the room and faced the front, waiting for the others to arrive. Before leaving, Shard had given her the very improbable task of informing the entire Dominion that it would no longer be. At the time of this last instruction from her master, Looma had been barely able to comprehend his leaving, let alone a temporary takeover of his faction in order to disband it. Now, it still seemed a hard mountain to climb, as she stood there, hands behind her back, her cloak open at the front, the two sabers of Shard hanging from her belt opposite of her own, simple one. Even dressed all in black, her hood shadowing her fast, the red ruby pendant hung brightly against the dark fabric.
Still numb from the loss of her master, Looma had gone the next day to send messages to all the Dominion members who were currently offworld. The work itself kept her busy enough not to think about the actual consequences of no longer having Shard around. There would be plenty of time after carrying out her master’s last wishes to mourn. However, it had still been a hard thing to do, so she had just sent encrypted messages in text, not bothering with audio. Using her master’s comm codes would ensure that everyone would return dutifully as soon as they could. Shard’s loyal lieutenants, Shandari and Visari—Looma didn’t care about their new titles, just as she hadn’t with Shard’s “Lord Memnon”—brute force like Cho Wroth; all the others who had been accepted into the fold; even the Dominion soldiers who hadn’t the Force. They would all have received the message to return to Bastion as soon as possible for an important meeting.
The familiar noises of dozens of beings making their way towards the meeting hall broke Looma from her reverie. Her breathing had calmed somewhat, no longer coming in sharp gasps, but she still pulled deeper on the Force to keep herself calm. She needed to portray a neutral demeanor during this meeting. The Twi’lek couldn’t let her emotions get the better of her. Shard wouldn’t have approved of his student sobbing in front of the whole Dominion. In order to make him proud one last time, she needed this all to go smoothly and well. She would gather herself and tell them what Shard had told her to pass on to them. They would not get a reason, as she had none. They would all react in their own ways, some with shock, some with uncaring boredom, others quite possibly happy to be free from the Dominion’s bonds.
As everyone started gathering inside and taking seats, Looma stared at the back wall, over everyone’s heads. She hoped if she didn’t look at their faces, she would be able to continue with the meeting without faltering. More deep, calming breaths, more pulls on the Force kept her still and focused. Soon, very soon, it would all be over, but until then, she would have to deliver some startling news to all the beings in front of her. And hopefully it would all go smoothly.
