We Don't Need No Education

[Meira]

In Renata's eyes, independence was an important aspect of how the Sith Order operated. It was crucial that members could hold their own and take responsibility for their own growth and accomplishments. Yes, they took apprentices and taught younger initiates, but even these had a great deal of freedom in the shaping of their destinies. Renata's own two apprentices were prime examples of this. Gabriella and Zarene were self-sufficient operatives that needed little actual guidance from their mistress, and they were advancing very well.

But even with this focus on independence, the Sith Order found it self, from time to time, in need of those willing to provide instruction for others. It was sometimes a challenge to find such people. Many within the Order were willing to take on an apprentice and share their skills and knowledge privately, but it was not always so easy to find those who might teach a lesson to anyone who might show up. Such was the nature of many within the Sith, and Renata could not blame people for it. She too was quite secretive about who she shared things with. But in order for the Sith to truly advance and become the all powerful force that would control the galaxy, they needed to concede to a certain degree of openness.

It was over the body of one such volunteer that Renata now stood. She couldn't recall his name, but she knew his face and remembered that he'd been quite good with the young initiates here at the temple. He'd been found earlier that morning when a student had come searching for him after he failed to show up at a scheduled instruction. At some point in the night, someone had stolen into his chambers and run a lightsaber through his chest.

The culprit had been found not long ago, wandering the lower levels of the Temple. She had obviously lost her mind, as she was now babbling incoherently as she was held kneeling before the Dark Lady and the corpse. With a sigh, Renata drew her shoto saber and swiftly cut off the woman's head. The guards were already removing both bodies from the room as she returned the hilt to its place at her hip.

"I want a list of possible replacements by the end of the day." she said to a protocol droid that stood beside her, and then she too removed herself from the room.

----------

After a night of narrowing down the list, Renata had reached her decision. She'd almost ruled the man out from the beginning, but the thought intrigued her. As she slowly eliminated other names, she seemed to keep coming back to his, until finally, he was all that was left. She'd checked with a few sources and found that many agreed that the man could often be found sparring with others throughout the temple.

In spite of his custom for sarcasm and insults, he tended to show an overall willingness to work with others, and indeed a formidable skill. There truly was no reason not to offer him the opportunity. So Renata sent word for him to meet her in what served as her office. Set high in the Temple, it housed something of a neural network that could tap into nearly any aspect of Temple life, and it also had a balcony with quite the view.

She waited on this balcony now. If Nieraan did not come, then she'd simply move on to the next name on her list. She had a feeling, though, that he would. As much as Nieraan liked to nibble at the hand that fed him, he never did truly bite... not if there was something in it for him.

[Rugs]

What does she want? Nieraan's mind turned over the question for what felt like the twentieth time as he stalked through the Temple.

Had he done anything to cause trouble lately? No, not really. Nothing he didn't do on a regular basis, anyway. Certainly nothing along the lines of the time he'd gotten into trouble with Makura. If anything, he'd been good, what with taking a student and going on all the missions and doing all the work they sent him to do. So, no, he hadn't caused trouble. He'd learned the rules and boundaries of the place. He'd also learned how to walk the edge of them without actually breaking them.

Normally, he wouldn't have even been worried about it. But a little while ago, a messenger had come to him straight from Renata, and he'd been informed she wanted to see him up in her little hidey-hole. Truthfully, Nieraan had considered just ignoring it for a few minutes. If Renata really wanted to see him, she could come find him herself.

Curiosity could at times be a powerful force though, and in the end the Firrerreo caved and found himself going to see what it was that the Dark Lady summoning to her quarters or office, or wherever he was going. He'd never been there. He just knew he was to go high in the Temple.

The lift he was taking pinged right as he came up to it, before he even had to summon it. His brows lifted slightly, but then another Initiate who must have been coming from one of the levels up--or down--stepped out. Nieraan instantly recognized the girl as one of the younger Initiates he'd spent a chunk of the previous evening embarrassing in the sparring yards. Her lip was still swollen from when he'd punched her. Pity. She had a pretty face.

For a few tense moments, she stared at him, reeking of a quiet anger in the Force. Nieraan, for his part just looked back at her, almost boredly. She shook her head and shouldered past him to go stalking off down the hall and off to wherever she was heading. He contemplated throwing her into a wall, but decided he had better things to do.

The lift took him up through the Temple quickly once he was in it. It was only a few short moments before it stopped with a ping! on the top floor. Nieraan stepped out, worked his way to a narrow flight of stairs to go one level higher, and soon found himself facing the door that led into Renata's lair. Let's get this over with, he thought with a sigh, and pushed the door open.

He looked around inside, past the equipment that was there and tried to find the fire-haired woman. A glance further in and a feeling in the Force found her not inside, but standing out on a balcony. He strolled through the room itself and out onto the balcony, pausing just after he passed through the threshold.

"Well, Renata, here I am," he said to get her attention, though he assumed she knew he was already there. He leaned against the doorway behind him and casually folded his arms over his chest.

"What do you want?"

[Meira]

When Nieraan finally arrived, Renata had nearly given up on him. She'd lost herself in thought as she waited, allowing her mind to wander where it would. It was a calming thing, to let go. She found the opportunity to do so quite rare now that the Sith had grown into a living thing. When it was new, just an idea in the mind of her master, Renata's time was still her own. Of course, she was not Renata then. That woman died a long time ago, and so did her worries. Renata's worries were different things altogether, ones that she never expected to have. Teaching. Who'd have thought?

"Well, Renata, here I am,"

He hadn't exactly surprised her. Open as her mind had been, she'd become aware of his presence, but in the way one might become aware of a slight change in temperature. He'd been there, at the back of her mind when he'd started to climb the stairs, but she had not brought her full focus on him until she heard him speak.

"What do you want?"

Renata almost rolled her eyes. She wondered what might lie beneath this mask of indifference Nieraan liked to wear. What did he feel such a strong need to hide? But she did not voice this. There was no point. He would not answer, and frankly, her care for the subject didn't venture beyond the realm of mild curiosity.

"A pony." she replied, flatly. "Did you bring me one?" Renata turned and, seeing no pony, gave a mock expression of sad disappointment. "Pity."

Leaning back against the balcony railing, Renata crossed her arms and made a study of the man, mentally revisiting her decision. If nothing else, Nieraan was much younger than the last man. Yes, he'd be a fine choice... if he accepted. That was the real question here. Would Nieraan do as he was bidden, or would he scoff at the offer and stomp away?

"I didn't ask for you to come so we could talk about what I want." she said, her eyes looking into his as if to open his mind through them. She did not try to push her way into his mind, that was not her habit. Renata preferred to linger on the edges and wait to see what was opened to her. "What do you want, Nieraan? Why are you here?"

[Rugs]

"A pony," Renata answered him. "Did you bring me one?" Nieraan remained still as Renata turned around, meeting her little look of disappointment levelly. He had not, in fact, brought her a pony.

"Pity."

He snorted softly and shook his head slightly, keeping his eyes on the Dark Lady. "Truly." What did she want with him? Surely there was more than what she was showing now, though he had to expect that she was simply expressing annoyance at his constant sarcasm and lack of respect. Not that either of those would be changing soon.

As she looked at him, seeming to study him in some way, he looked idly back, arms still folded casually over his chest. He really hoped she said something about what it was she'd called him for soon. Or said anything; he'd hate to have to walk out on her.

"I didn't ask for you to come so we could talk about what I want."

A black brow lifted. You'll have to forgive me if I don't exactly buy that, he thought, but as she yet spoke, he kept it to himself. For the moment.

"What do you want, Nieraan? Why are you here?"

Nieraan snorted again and shook his head. His yellow eyes looked back up to hers, meeting them confidently, almost challengingly. He didn't care that he was in her lair, nor did he care about her power or rank. For nearly half his life, he'd lived under heavy thumb of his mother's brutish authority, and he refused to bow or scrape to anyone. Never again.

"I want," he started, still leaning against the doorway, "to know what you wanted to talk to me about badly enough to call me up here. I know you don't like me well enough to just want to have an idle chat. You want something from me. But fine," he shrugged and allowed the corner of his lip to turn up just enough to show a trace of an insolent smirk, "I'll play your game.

"I want power. I want strength." Freedom from the threat of being forced to bow to another's will. That was what he wanted. But he wasn't so foolish as to go speaking about it to other Sith. There was more he wanted: the ability to force his will on others, even recognition of his strength. But all seemed to pale against the first.

"I haven't really tried to hide that since I've been here. That is why I came here. That's why I remain here." Another snort escaped him and he looked past Renata, out toward the distant terrain. "Though I had expected more from the ranks here." His gaze shifted back to her. "I don't know how any of you expects to win a war with all the half-trained fools you have running around here."

He shrugged dismissively and leaned back against the door. The war was near the bottom of his list of concerns. So long as he got what he wanted, the fortunes of the Sith or the fall of the Jedi meant relatively little.

"Does that satisfy you well enough?"

[Meira]

Renata mirrored the man's posture, leaning back against the balcony railing, arms crossed, and her own ice blue eyes just as challenging as Nieraan's. Every sense she could pull from him screamed defiance and haughty pride. She continued to wonder what it is he was trying to drown out behind these waves of insolence. Would it be a hindrance in the task she would put before him?

Her features never wavered. Not through his snorts, nor through his smirks. Her eyes remained fixed on him, almost unblinking. After posing her question, Renata kept her silence, waiting to see what would be revealed in his response.

"I want to know what you wanted to talk to me about badly enough to call me up here. I know you don't like me well enough to just want to have an idle chat. You want something from me."

No... she thought, her own thin lips curving ever so slightly. Well, yes. But more interestingly, she wanted this not just for herself. Surprisingly, Renata wanted this for him as well. She couldn't deny that all she did, she did to ensure her own power and place within the Sith. They all did. The difference was a certain willingness to see beyond the self. It was a difficult thing to do within the grip of the dark side of the force.

"But fine, I'll play your game."

Her smile spread, showing white teeth, but she still remained frozen, staring. She had hoped he'd indulge her, and had a feeling he might. He'd come all this way up to see her after all, and only after a simple summons. Had curiosity driven him? Or perhaps he wasn't quite as insolent as he seemed, as long as there was something in it for him. Renata could understand that.

But what he offered her next was something of a disappointment. The smile fell from her lips and Renata broke her eye contact with Nieraan. Choosing, instead, to turn her head to the side. Her lips pursed slightly in annoyance, causing them to all but disappear.

Power. Strength.

She let out a breath, her shoulders slouching slightly as he continued to speak. Perhaps she was wrong about him, or had at least hoped too much. She understood masks, could accept them. But she needed to see that Nieraan could remove his, or at least change it. She was willing to give him a measure of power here, one that ran deeper than many might expect. But just like Nieraan, Renata needed to be sure she had a return on her investments. If it didn't benefit her, and the Sith as a whole, then it wasn't worth her time.

His comment on the state of their order's members only served to furrow the Dark Lady's brow. He could see it too, the pettiness, the self satisfied squabbling. It was an inherent shortcoming of those who succumbed to the temptation of the dark side; their most fatal flaw. It was an eternal struggle to keep it in balance, to satisfy the collective hunger for power without allowing the beast that was the Sith to consume and destroy itself in the process.

They needed the strong and intelligent to shepherd the ignorant. All were beneficial and had their purpose. She had hoped Nieraan to be of the former, but if this was all he could give her... this superficial, lazy answer, then she was wrong about him.

"Does that satisfy you well enough?"

When Renata turned her gaze back onto the golden eyed man, the intensity of her eyes had changed to something more akin to a quiet, frozen rage. Her jaw had tightened, causing her already sharp features to seem razor-like. Her brow, still furrowed, encroached low over her eyes, which had turned cold.

"Not in the least." she replied, her words soft, but jagged. "For all your strutting, all your defiance, I have waited. I've heard reports of your skill, and I have waited. I am tired of waiting, Nieraan."

She turned away from him, looking out again across the barren landscape. She had been so sure there, for a moment. Was she losing her touch? She used to be so very good at reading people. Perhaps her own experiments had caused her to lose her focus.

"If that is all," she said, not bothering to turn back to look at him, "then I apologize for wasting your time."

[Rugs]

"Not in the least," she answered. Nieraan bit back a sigh and fought the urge to roll his eyes. Of course it isn't. He should have known.

"For all your strutting, all your defiance, I have waited. I've heard reports of your skill, and I have waited. I am tired of waiting, Nieraan."

As she turned around, he narrowed his eyes a touch and lifted a brow, wondering what she was talking about. You've waited?

"If that is all, then I apologize for wasting your time."

A touch of irritation ran through Nieraan at that. A dismissal? You called me up here for this? For the first time since his arrival, he stood up on his own, not leaning against the doorway and let his arms fall to his side. He waited to see if she had anything else to say, but it looked as though she was either waiting for him to say something else or he truly had been dismissed.

Nieraan considered his options for a moment. On the one hand, he was perfectly capable of leaving. If she wanted to play her cryptic games and then dismiss him, then let her. He had better things to do.

On the other, he truly was curious to know what it was she wanted. He still didn't think he was wrong to believe she wanted something from him. And if she was making this much of a hassle over a question, perhaps it was something worth having.

She won't hear me beg, though, he told himself. That would be fitting for one of the Lords, wouldn't it? If that's what she wants, she's out of luck.

So with a silent shrug, he turned around and started to leave. But that didn't sit right with him, either. What if this is what she wants? More importantly, he had to ask himself, was it what he wanted? To come here, and get brushed off like that?

Not a chance.

"You know, Renata," he said, stressing the name as he stopped a few paces into her office. "I'm sorry that you didn't see whatever it was you were looking for in my answer." He turned his attention to his right, to a desk he'd stopped near. There were a few things on it, mostly some worthless-looking bits and bobs. Across the room was a large screen, made up of a bunch of panels that showed various views of the Temple.

Nieraan reached down and plucked flimsie from the desk's surface. "And I'm sorry that you've waited oh so very long for whatever it is you want." He started glancing over the sheet as he spoke; it wasn't very thrilling, really. "But, then again, I can't do much to help you if I don't know what hell you've been waiting for, now can I? A display of my skill? The reason I'm so confident?" He snorted. "Forgive me if I haven't exactly been stressed over showing you why I am the way I am."

He turned around so that his back was to the table, and looked up at Renata with an insolent grin on his face as he leaned back against it. "It was the pony, wasn't it? I should have known.

"That said, I'm going to hazard a guess. You wanted to know what I really want." He set the flimsie down and picked up a little switch and started flipping through the camera channels. "You wanted to see a little bit of what makes Nieraan tick, hm? The man behind the mask, I believe the saying goes? Someone more than the man that always makes quips and gives you lip."Nieraan looked at her from the corner of his eye, then turned his attention back to the video screens. "Sorry, my Lady" he said in a tone that was decidedly unapologetic, "I don't make a habit of telling my motivations to people around this place."

He finally found a view he liked--an image of the training yards projected across the whole of the screen--and set the remote down. "So, if that's what you wanted, I have to say sorry. But you still called me here for something. And I'm not quite ready to leave just yet."

Nieraan leaned back further and put his palms of the edge of the desk. Then he pushed himself up onto the top of it and slid back--just far enough to nudge something behind him and send it to the ground with a loud crack!

He looked back at the sound, even though he'd done it on purpose, and then to Renata and lifted his brows in a way that managed to be disingenuous.

"Oops."

[Meira]

She was still as stone after she spoke. Her whole frame hardly moved at all. Not even her breathing disturbed her stillness. This was his last chance. Why she even bothered, she didn't know. Perhaps she was still holding on to that hope that she had seen something in him. Perhaps it was because the next name on her list hadn't intrigued her half so much as his. Whatever the case, the next move was Nieraan's to decide. It was his future, after all. it was only appropriate that he be the one to decide it.

Her senses were fully extended toward the man. Eyes closed, she could almost see him perfectly. He'd stood straight at her final words and she could feel there was a commotion of thought in his mind. But she did not prod. She continued to linger on the edges. But then he turned and began to walk away.

She was almost surprised by her disappointment. Again, her shoulders seemed to slump as she released her breath. Leaning forward, she put her hands on the railing and allowed her weight to settle in her arms to support her. Her head fell slightly, allowing her red hair to tumble around her shoulders.

So be it. Nieraan didn't want to beg any more than she wanted to dangle a treat over his head. But with each step he took away from her, she could feel the promise of what he could do for the Sith slipping away as well. Oh, how she wanted to turn and blast him into the wall. She almost wanted to slap him. What a waste! But it was his waste, his. Not hers.

"You know, Renata," She had to consciously stop her head from lifting up at the words. "I'm sorry that you didn't see whatever it was you were looking for in my answer."

Slowly, Renata allowed herself to raise her head. She could feel a shift in the man behind her. But again, without an actual effort to probe into his mind, she could not say for certain what that shift was. At his next words, she turned herself around, crossing her arms again across her chest as she leaned back against the railing.

"...I can't do much to help you if I don't know what hell you've been waiting for, now can I?"

No, you can't, she thought, because you can't see past your own nose to see what's about to be laid before you. Did he really think this was a game? That she had nothing better to do than to toy with him? The irritation welled up inside of her as she watched him, and suddenly he was far more irritating than she ever allowed.

"You wanted to see a little bit of what makes Nieraan tick, hm? The man behind the mask, I believe the saying goes? Someone more than the man that always makes quips and gives you lip."

Right now, I want to peel the skin from your face. Her eyes were flashing with anger, her neck tense. But he kept talking! She knew what he was doing, and for once, it was truly working. Nieraan wanted to get under her skin. Well he was. When he sat himself on the desk, causing something to fall with a crack, then turned and muttered his "Oops", that was it.

Not caring any more about the composure she was always to careful to show around the temple, Renata moved forward with quick, angry steps until she was standing right in front of his insolent, smirking face. When she spoke, her steady voice was a sharp contrast to the anger that was evident around her.

"I couldn't give a nerf's ass about what brought you here. And your motivations don't interest me. What you do with them is what I care about. What I have been waiting for, Nieraan, is some sign that you are more than those 'half-trained fools' " she said, throwing her arm out to point toward the door in a gesture that encompassed the whole of the temple. "But all you've shown me is disinterest and laziness. I've wasted my time and so have you."

With a huff, she turned, taking a few steps away from where Nieraan sat on the desk. "If that's all you can offer the Sith, then you might as well go play with trash like that creature Cho and be done with it."

[Rugs]

Someone was getting angry. Temper, temper, Nieraan silently crooned as Renata came storming into the office, her face an angry thunderhead. Pity she angered so quickly. He would have expected a Lady such as herself to have a bit more control of her emotions, but then again, he couldn't say he wasn't pleased to see that he was having an effect on her. Pushing buttons was what he did, after all, and if she wanted to play games, he'd play right back.

She stopped right in front of him, fury and all. He could have reached up and hit her, they were so close, but he wasn't so eager to test her as to try that. Insolence and foolishness were two different things. Sometimes.

Despite her obvious ire, he couldn't help but smirk more, revealing the tips of his fang-like canines.

"I couldn't give a nerf's ass about what brought you here."

Don't you? he wondered. She'd surely gotten worked up over it.

"And your motivations don't interest me. What you do with them is what I care about. What I have been waiting for, Nieraan, is some sign that you are more than those 'half-trained fools.'"

For all the anger Renata was putting on display, and the way it roiled through her presence, her voice was oddly restrained. Hard and cold--the heart of winter, contrasting starkly with the fiery fury that spilled from her in other ways. But for all that, her words were still sharp, her displeasure still apparent. Nieraan's smirk faltered slightly, and his brow began to furrow.

"But all you've shown me is disinterest and laziness. I've wasted my time and so have you."

Nieraan snorted as she turned around. The smirk on his face continued to fad, replaced by lips that were pressed thinly together as annoyance began to grow. She spoke again before he could offer any retort.

"If that's all you can offer the Sith, then you might as well go play with trash like that creature Cho and be done with it."

"Don't even try it," he growled. Lowly. Threateningly. Annoyance had come and gone, and now anger was beginning to take its place. "I may be many things you don't like, my Lady, but if you think I am anything like Wroth, you're more blind or more stupid than I thought."

The Force stirred with his anger and flickers of electricity danced between his fingers as he stood up from the table. He followed her steps away from him, keeping the distance between them short. He nearly towered over the thin woman, with almost half a foot of height on her.

"Disinterest and laziness, you claim, when I've done more this Order than half the other mewling babes that have come here. Every mission I am given, I complete, no matter how stupid or trivial." He stopped, keeping a pace or two between them. His hands were clenched into tight fists. "I have even taken a student, to try him into something resembling a respectable warrior. How many others of my rank and level have done the same? Is that your 'disinterest and laziness,' Renata?"

Nieraan narrowed his eyes down at her. Her claims, he could take. But being compared to Cho was not something he was keen on, nor was it anything he would allow to be done freely. No matter who did it.

"And before you go thinking you may compare me to Wroth, know this: Wroth is an old, tired dog that's incapable anything but submission." Nieraan's face darkened dangerously, and without really thinking about it, his hand was on the hilt of one of the lightsabers at his hip. "I am not."

[Meira]

Her anger seemed to make the room pulse in the force. And if her own emotions weren't enough, her words made certain Nieraan would add his own anger to the mix. Part of her smiled as she felt his ire flood the already charged room. It was a wonder the little electric sparks in his hands didn't set a terminal to explode.

So now I have your attention... she thought, keeping still even as he approached. She knew it was a risky thing, to provoke another in this way. There were areas of the force and in combat where Renata was rarely worried about her abilities, but one could not deny the pure physics of the fact that Nieraan was bigger and stronger than she. In such close quarters, it was hard to be sure if she could gain an advantage or not. But if this was the only way to get through to him, then she had to at least try.

As he made his case, she turned back to face him. Her features made a mask of her own, one that lacked any sign that she was impressed by his endeavors. Oh yes, he'd done well within the Order, even in spite of his bad habits. Would he be standing here in front of her if it were any other way? No, she wouldn't waste her time on him if he wasn't doing well. That was the point, couldn't he see?

"What do you expect? A medal? A feast in your honor? You have done all that is expected of you." she paused a moment, taking her own step toward him, unafraid to close that distance. "And not a bit more."

With that step forward, Renata also pushed into the man's mind with the force. No longer content to linger on the edges of his consciousness, Renata determined that Nieraan needed more than the subtle approach. She kept her eyes locked on his as her will wormed its way into and around his. Curling like a snake, she coiled her influence around his very being, conjuring her power and station within the Sith.

"You can only raise yourself up so far." she said, her voice that same cold, hard tone. "What power you gain, you do so by the grace of the Inner Sanctum. If I see it fit, you would not exist. If I deem it useful," again she paused a moment to add emphasis to her words, "you would be a toy for that old, tired dog." She pressed her will tighter around his. "So before you go thinking about stepping out of your place, know this: You rise or fall within these walls according to my will."

[Rugs]

Nieraan stared Renata down as she closed the distance between them. She wanted confrontation? She could have it. But he wouldn't be backing down. That wasn't his way.

"What do you expect? A medal? A feast in your honor? You have done all that is expected of you. And not a bit more."

Nieraan narrowed his yellow-gold eyes at this. The hand that held loosely onto one of his lightsabers tightened its grip, and his other hand curled further into a fist. Of course he should have expected that she wouldn't, couldn't see what he'd want. She was a Lord--or Lady, as she preferred--why should he expect any different.

Words began to form on his tongue for a rebuke, but before he could open his mouth, he felt something. It was an ethereal thing, something that could only be in the Force. Cold and smooth, slithering and sliding invasively against the edge of his mind. For a fragment of a moment, he was caught off guard, but then knowledge of what was happening came crashing down onto his shoulders.

It's her.

Fury, true and pure, began to boil deep within Nieraan's person. She would have been wise to keep talking down at him. That much, he could at least endure. Now, however, she'd gone too far, and as she attempted to tighten her will onto him directly, he hardened his mind against the influence. Time was important now. He had to stop her. Thankfully, he knew she didn't know him, didn't know his mind well enough to so easily manipulate him. But if she kept on, she'd find a way.

As with anyone, Nieraan knew he had weaknesses, and he knew this type of battle wasn't one he would win, if he allowed her to keep toying with his mind as she pleased. He could fight back, but fingers shoved into a leaking dam could only delay the eventual break for so long. No, Renata had taken a step too many, and he she could rule all the planets of the Galaxy and have him torn to shreds in an instant, but she was a fool if she expected him not to fight back.

Would it land him in trouble? Almost certainly. But when had that ever stopped Nieraan Onin?

Yes, he heard her words. Even understood. But he didn't care about what she had to say--especially not in the humbling way she likely intended. If anything, they only fed the flames of his rebellious anger further.

"I don't give a damn about your will," he spat at her almost as soon as the last words left her mouth. "Your will," he continued, moving forward even though there was hardly any room left between them, "in this place only exists as long as others will bow and scrape to your demands. Your power only goes as far as the ones beneath you will allow it."

Suddenly, his hand shot out and up, and found Renata's throat. Nieraan needed some way to stop her meddling, some way to show that he wasn't going to just bow down because she demanded it. And he knew that if the mind was the preferred battlefield of the thin woman, the physical was his. He knew he was bigger, he knew he was stronger. And he wasn't afraid to retaliate.

"But we are alone, Renata, and one thing I will not allow," he said angrily, tightening his grip on her neck, "is what you just pulled. I don't care who you are or who you think you are. Keep your fingers out of my head."

[Meira]

The flash of anger hit her like a wave of blistering heat. Nieraan had realized what she was doing and his will came down like a guillotine around his mind, cutting her off. She smiled, even bit her lip at the feel of his his rage. It was a delicious thing, causing pure, true anger. Often too easy among most of the Sith Initiates, Renata had long ago stopped trying to elicit it from them. She'd almost forgotten the pleasure of it. It was only ever truly enjoyable when coerced from someone who's wrath held any real threat to herself. Eurachis' anger, for example, was exquisite. And now, here she had made herself vulnerable so that she might extract it from Nieraan. She was not disappointed.

And his defenses were commendable. He could not keep her out, not indefinitely, but she was pleased that he tried. This must be some sore place for him, she thought. Who has wounded you so deeply, Nieraan? She continued to press, even as he closed the distance between them and growled out how own retort to her words. Just... a little... longer, and she'd have him. She'd know his fears and his shame. She would have her claws around his very soul and he would be helpless against her. Renata could feel her skin prickle at the thought, at the power she might have over such a rebellious mind. He could be her finest trophy.

Lost in the haze of her greed and lust to control the man, Renata never saw his hand. Too late, she brought her thoughts back to the present only to find the air cut off from her lungs. Her mouth opened, trying in vain to bring in air. Eyes widened as thin hands grabbed at his, but no good. Her fingers could do nothing to budge the iron grip Nieraan had on her throat.

"But we are alone, Renata, and one thing I will not allow, is what you just pulled. I don't care who you are or who you think you are. Keep your fingers out of my head."

Already, the edges of her vision were beginning to dim. Lack of oxygen was causing her legs to slowly give out. She was slumping in his grip, and with the darkness fear was encroaching. Would she die here, pathetic and defeated? Had she come through so much only to be blotted out, no better than the man she was trying to get Nieraan to replace? She'd be forgotten. She'd be nothing.

With that thought, she teetered on the edge of consciousness. And with that thought, she found the will to fight back. Her eyes locked onto his once more, and with all the will in her being, Renata threw herself once again at Nieraan's mind. This was no time for subtleties or delicate maneuvers of influence. No, now she was as direct and ruthless as she could be. She'd only done this a few times before, as it was incredibly draining and not without its backlashes. But she had no choice.

Fortunately, Nieraan's focus was on her, and not on himself. Her sudden retreat from his mind when he'd closed his hand around her neck had caused the man to lower his guard. Renata took advantage of this now. She attacked directly at his brain and, through it, sent a signal down his spinal cord and through his hold body that caused his nerves to fire.

Pain. What a powerful tool. So primal, it had a direct path within the body that was near impossible to block. No other sensation was treated with such importance within the mind. It could not be diverted or interpreted before a response was made. No, of all functions of the body, response to pain was near instantaneous. It had to be, for survival.

Already, Nieraan's grip had fallen away and Renata struggled back to her feet as oxygen once again found its way into her lungs. With the energy it brought, Renata strengthened her assault on Nieraan, smiling down at his weakening form.

"You are lucky that we are alone." she cooed, almost affectionately as she began to lessen her attack. Kneeling down beside his body, she took hold of his chin with her hand. The pain would fade, but it would take time for it to completely dissipate. Few beings in the galaxy could say that they knew the feeling of white hot pain in literally every nerve of their body. Renata did, and now Nieraan did to. Perhaps one day he'd see the value of this gift she'd given him. Not only had she spared his life after his terrible lapse of judgement, but she'd also made him stronger for it. "All of that rebellion would have been a terrible waste."

[Rugs]

Any other time, Nieraan would have smiled. Wickedly. Cruelly. He even may have laughed in the woman's face as his grip pushed her further to the grip. After all, here was Renata, one of the highest Sith in the Order, gasping for breath, slumping as his hand squeezed the air from her feeble neck. Her 'will' didn't mean a damn thing, not with his hand to her throat. She tried to break free, her thin little fingers tugging vainly at his hand. But he was stronger than she, and his grip didn't budge. In truth, now she was no different than all of the others he'd beaten in the training yards.

Yes, any other time, he would have mocked her, taunted her. But rebellious fury still burned hot and wild within him, and the only thing he had on his mind was making her pay. He could even kill her if he wanted. But he wouldn't. He would stop before things got to that point, but he would be sure his point had been made. In her lair--the very place she'd summoned him to. That would send a signal to everyone that Nieraan Onin would not be subjugated.

As she slumped more against his grip, a smirk started to break through on his features, as grim satisfaction rose. And then she looked up at him, directly into his eyes.

Then the pain started.

It came from nowhere, and filled his body from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. He was dimly aware of yelling out as he recoiled away from her before the world started going white. He felt the cold, rough stone walls as his hand searched for something to support himself, and then there was a crash, an impact as he collapsed to his hands and knees.

Nieraan screamed. Pain was no stranger to him; it had been a constant companion when he'd been put his mother's abusive training regimen. But this was different. It wasn't like the feeling of fist flashing into his face, nor was it the kind of crushing pain of a knee slamming into his gut. It wasn't like the countless licks from a lightsaber, or the lightning that had ravaged him time and time again.

Those were things he was used to. Those were things he'd grown to have a sort of tolerance for. But this wasn't something he'd ever felt before. It filled him entirely, hit every nerve down to the very smallest, and set them aflame with a hot, burning agony that grew stronger as Renata tightened her grip on him.

He wasn't aware of the sounds coming from his throat. Nor did he realize his head was on the ground and as his hands were pressed against the sides of his head until the pain began to fade and his awareness of the world began to return.

"You are lucky that we are alone."

He heard her voice over the sound of his own ragged breathing. It was soft. He closed his eyes, trying to make the pain leave him, but it would not. It began to fade, but it lingered on, in every corner of his mind and body.

A hand took his chin, cupped it and lifted it up. He groaned softly, and found himself looking up at Renata's face. Suddenly it was hard to look her in the eye. Nieraan looked diagonally down and away instead.

"All of that rebellion would have been a terrible waste."

Nieraan groaned again and shifted slightly, searching for any way to make the lingering hurt go away. Not even the Force brought him comfort.

A wariness began to creep into him; a wariness that quickly began to turn into a fear that he desperately to fight down and hide from her. He'd underestimated Renata, and severely so. But how could he have known she could do what she did? And now, he'd done something he tried so hard not to do; he'd shown a glaring weakness, and to the worst possible person.

What is she going to do? All he could see was his mother. All he could hear was her voice, telling him to do this, and the promise of pain if he refused to obey. Is that what Renata had summoned him here for? To make him a play-thing and a servant like his mother had?

That couldn't happen. He'd sworn to himself he would never let it happen again. But if she really wanted to, if she held this kind of power, how could he stop her? Run away?

"What..." he started, in a voice that shook far more than he would have liked, "what do you want with me?" He stopped, taking a few more shaky breaths to try and steady himself, and made himself look up at her face. "Is this why you called me here?"

[Meira]

She really couldn't help but smile when Nieraan couldn't meet her gaze. But her smile had a hint of disappointment to it that kept it from reaching her eyes. It was a pity they'd had to go this far for him to understand, but she thought that he did now. Renata released his chin and used a finger to brush a bit of the man's dirty hair out of his face as he continued to struggle against the fading pain. He'd done well bearing it all, and that spoke for his strength.

Renata too was feeling some of the pain. It was inevitable with such a connection she'd created with Nieraan. One couldn't access the mind like that without leaving the pathway open and the pain she'd caused in him was overwhelming. It was no surprise some of it flowed into her as well. She settled her weight onto the floor next to Nieraan, feeling an ache in her muscles. But Renata was no stranger to the sensation, and so it did now show.

"What... what do you want with me?"

For you. she mentally corrected him. Glancing down at him, Renata kept her face expressionless. It really was a pity they'd had to do this. Things would be different now. Oh, she was sure that once his strength returned to him, Nieraan would find a way to be his same old self. But there would be that knowing between them. Of course, this had its benefits. She was sure that she would not have so much trouble from the man anymore, at least not when others weren't watching. But she would miss having that card up her sleeve.

Renata quite enjoyed the fact that most were not aware of what she was truly capable of. Keeping such an air of mystery was important to her. As Nieraan had discovered, she had a considerable weakness when it came to physical prowess. She'd often used this fact to her advantage. It lured enemies in, giving them a false sense of security. Such confidence made her own strengths even more potent. She would not have that now with Nieraan. In the grand scheme of things, it mattered little. There were on the same side, after all. But she would miss it all the same.

"Is this why you called me here?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Of course not." she said, sighing before she continued. "I called you here to give you a promotion of sorts. Stand up."

Following her own command, Renata raised herself back to her feet. She moved away from Nieraan, straightening the front of her dress and running her hands through her hair in the moments it would take him to stand. The skin of her neck felt sore, but she made no move to touch it. Not while he was still here. When she turned back to face him, Renata spoke once again with that signature cold voice.

"This temple is in need of a combat instructor. Lightsabers, close quarters, whatever you deem suitable. I leave the details to you. You may choose when, where, and how you instruct those who come to you, but you must make sure to accommodate our younger and less experience members where you can." She paused then, considering her next words.

"You told me you want power, consider what this position will give you. You will have a knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of many within our Order. You will have a position of authority over their progress. And with many, you will have the opportunity to obtain their loyalty. This is a step toward the power you want. A subtle one, perhaps, but a step nonetheless.

Do you accept?"

[Rugs]

Stand, she told him. She did the same, picking herself up and turning away from him. While she faced away, he let a grimace roll across his face and fought to not pound his fist against the hard stone floor. He hurt so much. The worst of the pain she'd forced onto him had faded, but the stubborn remnant that lingered on was still bad. He hated to admit it, hated to think of how much she'd hurt him without so much as lifting a finger.

He hated to think of how quickly he'd been put back in his place.

It rankled. It reminded him far too much of the countless times his mother had used her strength to force him back in line whenever she thought he was being unruly. There wasn't anything he could do about it now, though, and brash as he could be at times, Nieraan wasn't stupid enough to challenge Renata a second time. Not now. Certainly not for something so trivial as soothing his own wounded pride. At least it had happened behind closed doors.

Even so, she'd said she'd called him for a promotion. Of sorts, whatever that meant. Though he wondered why she couldn't have just said that from the beginning, she had his attention.

After a few moments of gathering his strength, Nieraan slowly pushed himself up. His muscles ached, and his legs trembled a bit at first, forcing him to use the wall as a support until he was able to push himself up out of a crouch.

Renata turned around as he was standing up fully and dropping his hand from the rough stone wall so he could stand on his own power. He silently looked at her, meeting her gaze levelly, if levelly. At this point, he didn't care about defiance; He just wanted to know what it was she wanted so he could leave and lay down in his bed.

"I'm listening."

"This temple is in need of a combat instructor. Lightsabers, close quarters, whatever you deem suitable. I leave the details to you. You may choose when, where, and how you instruct those who come to you, but you must make sure to accommodate our younger and less experience members where you can."

Nieraan's felt his brows raising. Was she really saying what he thought she was?

"You told me you want power, consider what this position will give you. You will have a knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of many within our Order. You will have a position of authority over their progress. And with many, you will have the opportunity to obtain their loyalty. This is a step toward the power you want. A subtle one, perhaps, but a step nonetheless.

Do you accept?"

Nieraan shifted his weight from one leg to the other, biting back a grown as his body disagreed. Having an some sort of official title would give him a leg up on some of the other rabble in the Temple. And it was already something he did anyway, in his own way. Maybe if he was given some authority he could mold some of the Initiates into something resembling respectable.

But what's the catch?, he wondered, eyeing Renata warily. There had to be a catch. Wasn't there always one with the Sith?

"I can accept that," he said slowly, a hint of caution in his voice. "I do it informally anyway."

"Is..." his lips pressed into a thin line briefly, and his yellow eyes held steady on Renata's face as he contemplated further, "that all you would ask of me?"

[Meira]

Renata wondered how long it would take for Nieraan to settle back into his usual, irritating self. Would his sarcasm return the moment the pain faded completely? Or would the lesson hold out longer than that? It would be interesting to see. She just hoped that this change in understanding between the two of them did not spill over into his interactions with others in the Temple. Nieraan's fiery spirit was part of what would surely make him a good instructor. Sith, even the lowest ranking, would not suffer a weak teacher. Having to replace the previous one was evidence of that.

She knew he would accept the position even before he agreed. Superficial though it might have been, Nieraan's hunger for power was genuine. Of that, Renata had no doubt. There was more beneath the surface of course, there always was. But for the time being, the power would be enough. He will want more. She thought to herself. Perhaps next time, he'll be ready.

His acceptance of the position earned a satisfied nod from the Dark Lady. She was about to dismiss him when he spoke again.

"Is... that all you would ask of me?"

Hesitation? Doubt? Come now, Nieraan. Did I hurt you that badly? Renata might have smiled, if fatigue were not threatening to pull her down into a heap on the floor. Her will was strong, however, and so she stood fast, eyes locked on the man.

"For now? Yes, that is all. But I am sure you understand that this position comes with a certain expectation of cooperation." Renata stressed the last word by drawing it out slightly. "I trust that next time, we won't have to wade through the pleasantries, now that we have an understanding, yes?" She moved then toward the door. As she came close, it opened without a sound and she stood, her hand out to show that Nieraan was now free to leave.

"Always a pleasure, Nieraan." She said, with only the slightest touch of sarcasm in her voice.

[Rugs]

"For now? Yes, that is all. But I am sure you understand that this position comes with a certain expectation of cooperation."

Nieraan snorted softly. He picked up on the way she stressed the 'cooperation.' Yeah, yeah, Renata. I'll play along. For now. He wasn't stupid, despite his brash and headstrong ways of acting. Until he could figure out more about the ability she had or find some way to defend himself from it, he'd have to play along with her. He knew. She knew it.

It rankled.

"I trust that next time, we won't have to wade through the pleasantries, now that we have an understanding, yes?"

Nieraan simply stayed silent, watching her through his yellow eyes. "I imagine we can," he muttered. Even if it was you who started this mess in the first place. Maybe she'd wanted to test him in some way, but surely there were better ways than this?

Surely there were ways that didn't involve getting herself strangled.

He sighed and began to move when she opened the door for him. It hurt to move. It hurt a lot, but he'd be damned if he grunted and let her know how much he was hurting.

All he had to do was get out of there and back to his room. Then he could lay down. And think. Yes, he had a lot of things to think on, from his newfound understanding with Renata to the responsibility he found himself with.

Once he reached the doorway, he stopped. He was partway through the threshold, only a step or two past where Renata stood.

"Yeah," he said, turning his head back enough to look at the fire-haired woman from the corner of an eye, "always a pleasure. Remind me and we'll do it again some time."

It wasn't much, but some of the snidely insubordinate sarcasm that so often colored his words and voice returned then. For now, it would have to do, as would the little smile he managed that was hidden from her sight as he turned and walked off into the hall.

So maybe he hadn't had his finest moment just now. But all things considered, he was fine with that. So long as the knowledge of their little encounter only existed between them.