A Lack Of Usefulness (Meira)

[Nightender]

In the night, she'd been sold again. A trio of Sith recruits gathered some extra credits after a few rounds of pazaak. Wanting a thrill, they bought Jessa's claim and decided to have a few thrills.

The obedient slave hadn't resisted. She'd actually tried to do everything the commanded her to, no matter how odd or contradictory.

Finally, one of her new owners decided to prove himself worthy of advancement by having Jessa challenge him to a fight in the open. A small part of her relished the idea, as it called back to her origins and to a time when she had been Alindra Vordrinn, a capable Sith all her own.

The challenge Jessa the slave had to make was much different. She was to call out Jakr, the leader of the trio, and fight for her freedom. Of course, this was a ruse, a lie set up to make others believe Jakr might have more potential than he'd been able to show off.

As little more than a hoax, the neophyte let Jessa attack him and fight. He let her scream and cry out as she swung an old lightsaber. But he knocked the weapon away, just as he told her he would. Then he and his friends beat her, inevitably chaining her to a post in the Valley just outside The Sith Temple.

The sun rose hours later, threatening to bake the last thread of life from Jessa's body.

[Meira]

Interest would not be the word that Renata would choose to describe how she felt about the events she'd been informed of. The more correct word might be frustration, but even that gave those involved more credit than was due to them. Perhaps annoyance. Yes, like a fly buzzing in her ear, or a pebble in her shoe; that's what this was. An annoyance. She sighed as the yellow blade of her saber sprang to life. The motion that cut through the bindings was a lazy one and the blade was extinguished and stowed away just as quickly as it had been produced.

"What am I supposed to do with the likes of you?" She pondered as she paced around. "You got yourself into this position, you know. It's entirely your own fault."

"Mistress, please..." begged the man.

"Shhh." she crooned. "It's much too late for that now."

It was early, but already a crowd had begun to gather in the practice yard to watch what might become of the man who thought he could sell a slave within the Sith Temple. As if this were some hutt market place. As if he stood above anyone. With her assorted minions inconveniently absent, Renata was obliged to show the man just how low he was. Normally, Renata did not take the lives of those within the order, but this man had forfeited his right to life when he forfeited that of another.

"I don't want to have to explain this again, so pay attention." she said to the crowd as she stepped behind the man. The blade hissed as it sprang back to life and moved in a smooth arc. The man's head fell to the ground, lips still twitching. "Bring me the other one." she stated, stowing her lightsaber again as two guards rushed forward to clear the corpse away. Two more approached, dragging Jakr out to the middle of the yard and dumping him there.

Renata ordered the two guards to quickly fetch the woman from where she'd been left outside of the temple as she walked over to a cushoined chair that sat under the shade of an awning brought out for her. Beside the chair, a jug of chilled water waited with a glass next to it. She poured herself a glass of the water and sat down. Hopefully they could have this settled soon and she could retire back to her room for a decent breakfast.