Welcome to My Party [Baba Yaga, Rugs, Meira]

[Faeruy]

Llokin had to admit; Danica had the nicest ship he'd ridden in since leaving the Chiss Clawcraft. Then again, since his main form of travel up until now had been a rust-bucket pirate ship, he really didn't have much to compare it to. It was definitely fast; they had gotten to Korriban in almost no time at all, a definite relief for the Chiss. The less time he actually had to spend in the company of his employer, the better.

If he could have done this without her, he would have. The Chiss thought Danica Liviana was stupid, petty, unreliable, and far too chaotic. But she was also rich, successful, and connected; things that he was not. So for now she owned him. She had made that abundantly clear, in a way he did not all appreciate. But it would not last forever. Just a year. By then he would be well on his way and he wouldn't need the spoiled human's money.

He could kill her then.

The dark shadows warred with his reason. Even after their partnership was dissolved, she might still have use if kept alive. He shouldn't allow his disdain for her cloud his judgement. But being under the thumb of someone else chafed, and Llokin didn't know how long he could stand it without exploding.

Calm. He had to stay in control. They were here on Korriban for a reason. Llokin strode out into the shipyard. He kept his lightsaber hidden for the moment, though any Force User would be able to tell immediately that he was one as well. Danica insisted he go first, and he wondered if she was trying to get him killed. What did she have to be afraid of? A human with a Sith lover, surely she was relatively safe here. He was an unknown Force user. If he were in charge, a person like him would be captured and/or killed immediately.

The fact that he wasn't didn't impress him. The Chiss let his Sense do the work. He could feel the strength of the Dark Side here, and the hint of others like himself. Some were near here, but they were weak compared to himself. Nothing he couldn't handle. Llokin remembered Cassius though, and his ability to hide himself from the Chiss. He wouldn't be caught off guard again. Llokin waited a few moments, but nobody came forward.

"It is clear, Ms. Liviana." He called back up to the ship, where Danica awaited. "Let us not waste any more time."

[Poludnica]

Theme

One thing she learned about Llokin during this trip, aside from fact he clung to grudges, was that he had this amazing gift that sucked away joy from every social meeting. Rather grumpy, humorless and without any distance to own flaws. He was certainly cleaner than Nieraan in both: attitude and appearance but certainly lacked this cheeky, roguish charm. Life with the Sith Lord would never be boring and that was what she needed. It had taken Danica more than a year to finally unravel the mystery that kept her with one man for so long: Nieraan and boredom were oxymoron. Though for this trip she was stuck with the Chiss who was at least pleasant to look at even if most of his stares brought anger, promise of pain. Certainly passing out in own vomit was a memory the male wouldn't be forgetting soon.

There could be something exhilarating in this power and Danica began to understand Renata. Among the Sith she discovered strange layers of wickedness that slowly replaced brewing anger the woman held against the world. Oh Llokin would meet the Sith, one of the most important ones but not on his terms. First, Nieraan whose rank now placed him among the higher echelons on Korriban. Not bad for a street rat...She wondered if Llokin had what it took. Sith weren't a bunch of mercenaries and criminals but an Order. A twisted reflection of their Republic counterparts. Forged from anger and passion. Seeing how emotionally flat Cassius was, no wonder he stuck with the light side.

After rather uneventful flight peppered with shallow conversations, spiked with mutual animosity they reached Korriban. Nieraan should be waiting on the landing pad but knowing him being late was always an option. Danica let the Chiss step out into hot, desert air while she finished the make up. Dark kohl above eyes and crimson gloss. A bit of blush to mask inherent paleness of her skin. When Llokin called out it was clear the woman sighed loudly, gathering the flowing white dress. She preferred fitted dresses but in the Korriban heat it would change into a messy, wet towel in a matter of few heartbeats.

The planet greeted them with unbearable heat that never changes. On this dried rock seasons never existed. It could be searing hot or bearably warm but nothing close to comfortably mild. Dry wind whipped the tall canyons, stealing away whatever water gathered through the night. A far cry from where Chiss came from certainly. Danica belonged to a human race, one of the most adaptive wide spread races out there and yet still suffered on Korriban. Somehow though it didn't surprise her the dark side chose this place to haunt...

”He should be here any moment.” Danica noted curtly, at the same time sending a rushing message to Nieraan personal comm device. A bit of irritation in her movements, betrayed in a haste the woman's slender fingers tapped the haptic keyboard.

Where are you?

[Rugs]

Nieraan walked, groggy and slightly irritated, to the landing pad. So Danica him to go out to meet her ship as it came in from wherever it was she’d gone off to this time. Alright, fine, no big deal. He didn’t mind that much, really.

But you fall asleep for ten minutes and you’d think the world was falling apart. He yawned, not bothering to stifle or conceal it as he walked along, lazily scratching the side of his head. The trio of lightsabers at his waist clanked along to the rhythm of his booted footfalls on the bone-dry metal walkway. He wore a sleevless shirt he’d hastily tossed on after rousing from his bed, with his jacket unzipped over it. His black pants were wrinkled, to put it lightly.

Part of him wondered what had Danica so obviously distressed—she wouldn’t have been blowing his comm up with messages if she wasn’t. Another part had been tempted to make her wait a few minutes longer. But he supposed she’d waited enough already anyway, though he certainly didn’t rush.

He felt her presence long before he felt any others. Their time together made it easy for his already-acute senses to pick her out. In a crowd, from a distance—it didn’t matter. She was a like a shell, standing out among countless grains of sand on an alien shore.

He felt, then saw, that Danica wasn’t alone at the designated landing pad. Some Force user was with her. An easy assumption would be that it was Renata—the two women seemed to adore each other—but Nieraan noted it was not at all the Dark Lady’s easily-identifiable presence. This was someone else, and not a presence he was familiar with.

As Nieraan rounded a corner and the landing pad came into view, he saw a blue man standing in front of the ship, where Danica was making her way down. The man, whoever he was, was the source of the signature. Nieraan lifted a brow slightly as he approached them. A cursory bursh of the senses led Nieraan to believe the man wasn’t a Sith. He didn’t seem particularly weak, but he didn’t make the Firrerreo feel threatened either.

“Who’s this?” he called out as he approached the pad. Again he yawned, and again, he didn’t take any care to make himself seem more polite. “You decided to go out recruitin’ now? Or are you setting up a shelter for the victims of giant blue paint vats?”

[Faeruy]

The longer he stood out in the sun, the worse it got. Llokin was Chiss, born and bred for the ice and cold. The heat of Korriban was not to his liking at all, and he realized what prevented many from coming. Only by sheer force of will and a little bit of the Force made it possible for him to stand there in his black uniform without passing out.

The Sith could keep this planet when the Chiss took over, Llokin decided. It was too hot.

He didn't look at Danica as she joined him on the ground, though he was aware of her presence. He was keeping an eye out for the Sith. The whispers he had heard were interesting, and he had to admit he was looking forward to seeing the truth.

A man approached, another Force user. In the distance, he looked metallic, and Llokin was sure that it was a trick of the light. He was dressed like a slave and Llokin was confused; did the Sith use other Force users as slaves? There was no collar though, and this man seemed very strong in the Force, possibly even more skilled than Llokin. But that didn't mean he wasn't a slave. An Order as powerful as the Sith, he wouldn't put it past them to consider using their own as slaves when needed, especially if it was the only way to control them. As the man approached, the Chiss could see that it wasn't his eyes playing tricks on him; his skin really did have a bit of a silver sheen to it. Firrerro, then. He looked young, much younger than Llokin, and also a good deal smaller. Llokin glared down his nose at the newcomer, his eyes narrowing to red beams.

The man spoke, and in such casual, familiar tones that it made Llokin even more confused. He looked at his employer, in her gauzy white dress, trying to gauge her reaction. Was this normal? There seemed to be such a lack of order here, especially if this apparent lowlife could speak so freely. And insultingly. The Chiss gritted his teeth at the insult to his person, and his hand went to the single lightsaber at his side. But he stayed his hand.

"Miss Liviana?" He said, his question unspoken, but very much implied. Who was this man, and should Llokin kill him?

[Poludnica]

There he was, she could from afar pick him up from crowd: the leisure way the Sith Lord walked, his choice of clothing. A faint smile ghosted across her lips only to fade into a tired sigh. Even after all this time Danica coudn't teach Nieraan a proper dress code. Unless the Coruscanti woman forced neat clothes on him, the Firrerreo remained faithful to his messy, casual style. Today though his pants looked in particularly wrinkly. Danica rolled her eyes in a slightly theatrical gesture. ”I am gone for less than a week...” The human commented and stepped in front of the Chiss. To greet Nieraan first.

Before she could say a word though, the Sith already rudely commented her company. Danica had to smother a chuckle but couldn't fully and her lips barely hinted at amusement. It was what drew the dark haired girl to the someone like Nieraan. They seemingly had nothing in common, not even something was basic as species but his unpretentious attitude had always been liberating. The Firrerreo didn't care about norms, good manners. He was free of those restrains.

Llokin didn't look overly pleased, his crimson, narrow gaze betrayed this much. Danica left it without any comment and walked closer to Nieraan, gently brushing through black blue hair. Trying to create something akin to order on the Sith's head. Of course without any success. ”You look like you've just rolled out of bed.” Danica noted with an impish smirk before turning back to face Llokin. Another man would probably feel jealous or threatened by another male accompanying his lover but Nieraan was too confident even for that. Feeling superior to any man around and sometimes Danica felt he really had reasons to.

Not that Llokin had nothing to offer if only got rid of this stick out of his ass. Renata would certainly like his exotic appeal and Danica couldn't wait to see how this all ends. An impish part of her soul simply relished what was about to come next. ”Llokin, meet Lord Aurelius. He will handle your recruitment.” Danica announced, only guessing how the Chiss would feel now, after his hesitant question. To be tested by a Lord that looked like a very young adult...Must have hurt a swollen ego a bit. ”And he isn't a victim of a mad body painter but a Chiss, my dear.” She added with a sly smile. Nieraan was smart, street smart and clever. Cunning even but what certainly lacked was formal education.

”He is also my new employee who is eager to join your Order.”

[Rugs]

“Careful now, blue boy, that’s an easy way to get hurt, if you don’t watch yourself.” Nieraan smirked, exposing a pointed canine. He wasn’t blind to the mysterious’ man’s hand going to the single lightsaber at his waist. Nor was he blind to the man’s apparent annoyance at his earlier state. He hardly saw the latter as his own problem, though.

After all, if the man didn’t want people thinking he’d painted himself blue, well, why had he painted himself blue? Seemed an easy enough thing to fix, to the Firrerreo.

Danica began to approach him, and he couldn’t suppress a huffed chuckle as she tried to pat down his hair. He figured she’d be used to unchanging disorder by now, but some things apparently never changed. “I did just roll out of bed,” Nieraan muttered. He flashed a deviant smile, ignoring the strange blue person. “And all by myself. That’s a pity, you know.”

Danica turned back to the blue man—Llokin, as she introduced him—and explained the circumstances that saw him accompanying her. He was, apparently, a new employee of hers. For what, Nieraan had no idea. He was also a Chiss.

Whatever those were.

“He’s a what?” Nieraan’s brows knit. Chiss. He’d never heard of the species. Or people. Must not be too important, then, he decided with a shrug.

Either way, this Llokin wanted to join the Sith, and being the only Sith of note currently present, Nieraan determined that matter fell to his shoulders. It wasn’t as if he’d never taken it upon himself to test hopefuls anyway. Still, this Llokin fellow had some promise, he supposed, if he looked past the weird blue color. The Force certainly exuded from him more than the typical recruit.

But it took more than that to impress Nieraan. “So blue boy wants to join the ranks,” he said, folding his arms. He made little attempt to hide his presence as his sense washed forcefully over Llokin’s — in fact, he was loud about it. Rude, pressing.

He shrugged

“And what could he possibly have to offer, hm? Or is he just another hopeful waiting to have his sprits smashed against the rocks?”

[Faeruy]

This was her connection to the Sith? This was a Sith "Lord"? Llokin couldn't believe any of it. Well, he could believe that his employer would go for a man like that; high-born rich fools were often drawn to things that would appear to buck expectations. What he really couldn't believe was that this young, unkempt ruffian was a powerful Sith Lord. In all of the rumors he had heard, he had developed a picture in his mind. This was not it.

Llokin wondered if Danica was playing another prank. She seemed to enjoy irritating him for no real reason other than to exert what power he allowed her to have over him. Then again, she wasn't that good of an actress and the affection she showed for rat-faced child appeared genuine.

He let his hand drop from the lightsaber. There was no danger here. Yet. He was sure the time would come when he would need it and he would stay alert, but there didn't seem to be much threat coming from two foolish lovebirds.

"Chiss." He responded to Nieraan's possibly rhetorical question. "I am Chiss. It is not surprising you have not heard of my kind. The Ascendancy is far from here and has the means to enforce their isolation from the rest of the galaxy." Though such isolation was bound to come to an end sooner or later. Llokin would rather it was on his terms.

The Firrerro looked at him, and only then did Llokin Sense the full power held by this Lord. So Danica was not lying after all. He was stronger than Llokin, at least in the Force. The Chiss felt something inside yearning for that power, and much, much more. His jaw clenched as he struggled to restrain his desire to meet force with force; to prove to this other man his own strength. There would be no purpose in doing so. Not yet.

"Lord Aurelius. I have heard much about the Sith, and what I have heard is impressive. I feel that the goals of your Order and mine are similar, which is why I wish to join you. In return, what I have to offer is myself. My strength, my power. My training in strategy and war. My contacts in the underworld. I offer alliance with the Chiss Ascendancy as it's vanguard." Which at the moment,given that he had not seen Csilla in twenty years, such alliance was limited to Llokin himself. But he believed entirely that with enough power of his own, he could shape the course of his people.

But this man had never heard of his people, so Llokin was afraid that he would not see the gift of alliance for what it was. Luckily, there was something more.

"All of that aside, your lady and I have a contract; I am her bodyguard and sword for the next year. Being in such close proximity; I'm sure both of you would be happier knowing that my allegiances were secure."His stoic mask didn't move an inch.

[Poludnica]

Lord?

A sly smile ghosted across full, glossed lips. That was exactly what she expected from Llokin at the sight of messy looking Firrerreo whose features masked the true age. To someone who didn't know or was arrogant to miss obvious tell tales that spoke about power, Nieraan looked like a cheeky pup that barked more than bit. She liked it in him, this youthful roguishness that hid a skilled, determined warrior. ”Lord Aurelius.” Danica corrected Llokin, not without a certain, wicked pleasure before turning her attention to her lover who didn't hold himself back in a rowdy comment. An alpha male marking his territory one could think though unnecessarily so. There was more resentment between her and Llokin than any real attraction. He reminded her of Cassius too much, of this smug arrogance that everything should adjust to their worldview.

”You better be all by yourself.” Danica commented dryly but couldn't hide a bit of amusement when Nieraan smirked showing pointy fangs. Nicely adding a certain edge to already open threat. Of course Nieraan wouldn't know about the Chiss, they were a vague part of Galactic society. Danica only knew because her studies included most of obscure races, even those barely significant. Chiss were...intriguing with their isolationist, paranoid nature. Explained well Llokin's stick up his ass. Nieraan would have plenty of fun, though knowing Jack, maybe those two could even befriend. Danica shuddered at the thought, but maybe even an uptight Chiss was better than this unpleasant, skinny creep of vague sexuality.

Even Danica could sense something changed in the surrounding air. It oddly thickened and pressed against her chest when Nieraan assessed the new hopeful who stood unshaken nor intimidated. At least that. The Firrerreo asked about potential gains and she just couldn't help herself. ”Llokin recently got walked over by my father, maybe you two can bond over that.” Danica muttered in a barely audible whisper so only Nieraan could hear. There was still plenty of anger that stemmed from a simple fear she had been so close to losing him. That this hospital visit left more than just unpleasant memories but true neurotic anxiety this could happen again. That Cassius simply let them all live.

The next words that left Lokin mouth did little to ease this tension. Danica could very well read between lines. She lacked many things, emotional stability among them but social games were ones the Coruscanti woman rarely lost – it was a veiled threat even if flat cadence hid it. Her gaze narrowed and soft, oval features turned into a cold, aloof mask. ”Careful, Chiss.” Danica warned him. ”Or you will end up with two enemies rather than secured business associates. The woman didn't even try to pretty this up in innocent tone. ”And that would be very bad for your ship hunt.” Dead men don't own ships. She finished but never voiced it. Danica was a woman of fiery temper, a lioness rather than sweet, spoiled kitten. If anyone threatened her relationship with Nieraan or any of them, they would face a very angry, determined and mouthy opponent. Her body language also changed and she placed herself between Llokin and Nieraan with arms sternly crossed.

[Rugs]

So the blue man was from some civilization Nieraan had never heard of off in the deep reaches of space. “How.... fascinating,” the Firrerreo said, though his voice indicated he through something else entirely.

Still, as he regarded the strange, grouchy-seeming man, with a loud snort at Danica's blithe comment about her father — he didn't feel like engaging her on that front at the moment — Nieraan supposed the Order could probably find a use for him somewhere. Something made Nieraan doubt the Chiss' self-proclaimed importance, at least in acting as a potential catalyst for some deeper relations between the Chiss something-or-other civilization and the Sith Order, but then again, that wasn't really any of his concern.

Let the Sanctum deal with the tedium of alliances. Nieraan preferred more tangible interactions.

What was his concern, however was the not-so-subtle threat this Llokin fellow decided to end his introduction on. Nieraan's focus sharpened on the blue fellow and his eyes narrowed every so slightly, even as a the faintest predatory smile touched his lips. “Careful now, blue boy,” he said, stepping forward and easing Danica, who'd stepped forward to put herself between him and the Chiss, aside. “Contracts can be terminated. Plans can be adjusted, bodyguards lost out in the desert, never to be heard from again. And that would be such a shame, don't you agree?” Of course, that was far too subtle for Nieraan; if he decided the Chiss was worth killing, there wouldn't be any question of how the man ended up with a saber blade through his brain.

He stepped very close to Llokin, intentionally invading the man's personal space as he studied him for a moment, yellow eyes locked confidently on the Chiss' red. Then he huffed a laugh. “You've got balls, at least. You might make it here.”

Interest apparently waning, he turned his back to Llokin and strolled casually away from the ship, but he spoke again, as he rejoined Danica.

“But foreign civilizations and vanguards and alliances are all well and good, Blue, but I'll be honest with you — I've cared more about some dumps I've taken lately than whatever vague promises you have to offer,” he said. “Prove to me that you alone are worth half the effort it'd take to let you in, and you might find a home here.”

Nieraan paused, then shrugged. “Or you can keep baking out here in the sun. Doesn't really make much difference to me.”

[Faeruy]

Danica reacted pretty much as he had expected to his ambiguous threat. She wasn't a business woman for nothing, nor was it the first time he had made such insinuations to her face. Despite his status as her employee, their relationship was tenuous at best and dependent on both parties keeping their word. But Danica's reaction didn't interest him all that much. The Firrerro's did.

He wasn't disappointed. The Sith was smart enough to catch the threat,savvy enough to not dismiss it entirely, confident enough to keep a cool head about it, and most importantly, at least as far as Llokin was concerned, either enamoured or possessive enough of Danica to care that the threat was made at all. Hurting her would affect Lord Aurelius in someway, and Llokin considered that a very useful bit of information to have on both the Sith and his employer.

The Chiss wasn't particularly fond of being called 'blue boy' though he had heard it plenty; practically from the moment he stepped onto the Baleful Vronsk twenty years ago. The nicknames were meant to demean and demoralize; they only stopped when Llokin proved himself and earned their fear and respect. There was no intimidating this man though; he'd have to earn his respect and his name. Which apparently started with a staring contest. They were fairly close in height, though Llokin was a few inches taller, and while the Firrerro made it a point to invade his space, Llokin neither budged nor blinked. Neiraan broke first; though the Chiss was aware that it did not mean he won the round.

"No disrespect intended. I only meant that there are promises to be kept on both sides, and there are consequences if those go unfulfilled." Llokin inclined his head slightly towards Danica and Neiraan, not quite a bow, but as close as he was willing to get at the moment.

The Sith started to move away; Llokin threw a quick glance at Danica, a silent question of permission, before following after. "Proof? Proof of my worth I can give you." He said, one hand going to his sheathed lightsaber. "As for whether or not I call this 'home', Lord Aurelius, depends on if you can prove to me that the tales I've heard about the Sith are not just rumors and fairy tales." Not that this place wasn't well on it's way to proving that. Llokin could feel the power here; Dark and stronger than anywhere else he'd felt in the galaxy. But while the Force was strong here, he had questions about the Sith who used it. So far; this Lord Aurelius only brought up more questions than he answered.

[Poludnica]

There were a lot of things in Nieraan that irked her, there were even more things that betrayed the lovers came from entirely different backgrounds. A poor street urchin, a child of two Jedi castaways and a killer that in one, particular moment almost two years ago happened upon a spoiled, rich yet utterly abandoned girl living in a shadow of a dominant, abusive father. Their meeting had been as unlikely as their relationship but they prevailed. Danica finally found a man that was thrilling and dangerous enough to force this flaky being into some stillness. She simply couldn't help but feel a pleasant shudder whenever he showed this predatory side. The primal one, the vicious one. No matter his formal education or how much the Firrerreo yawned at official events or ignored new trends in art: the Sith Lord was an alpha male in every aspect. Yet he did it to effortlessly, simply born with those qualities which became evident when Nieraan stepped closer to the Chiss. Standing between him and his lover.

When Nieraan joined her, she placed dainty, pale fingers on the male's shoulder, leaning slightly against him. By now the Sith's body was a familiar haven, Danica knew every little detail. Every scar and every nook of a muscle. He almost never wore cologne unless Danica asked him – leaving only strong masculine scent that after all those months could leave her mad with desire. ”I always uphold my contracts unless the other side fails miserably.” She offered, now focused on Llokin instead. The blue male didn't seem threatened but toned down...Wise move considering he was surrounded by the Sith. Unless one could boast with strict Force mastery, they shouldn't goad Nieraan. The Chiss seemed smart, much smarter than most in the Temple, a fact Danica wouldn't admit out loud.

Leaving the two to solve this between themselves and took a step back from the Sith. An impish smile played on her lips, enjoying this. Llokin wasn't abhorring nor stupid, even good looking if a girl went for azure rather than silver but had this one, annoying quality. He reminded her of Cassius, too much. Controlled, cold, aloof, passive aggressive and focused. ”Don't take too long, we have a party to attend.” Danica reminded, wondering if Nieraan knew from Renata about their ploy. To give Llokin a special baptism of their own...

”Someone should tend to our refreshments after all.” She added with a venomously sweet grin, still sore about the open threat.

How dared he?

[Rugs]

Nieraan smirked subtly, allowing the tip of a pointed tooth to poke out beneath his lip. “Oh, can you?” he asked, stepping forward again. Talking bored him. The back and forth of subtle threats and not-so-subtle insults could be entertaining, for a time. But he’d learned that in the Sith Temple, words were often useless unless you could back them; a threat without strength behind it held precious little water out here, in the unforgiving desert.

“Now that’s something I’d like to see, yes,” he said. He stopped a few paces away from the Chiss, close enough to engage him, but far enough that each was out of the other’s reach. “Though whether you live here,” he motioned to the Temple that sprawled behind him, “or not, I don’t care. But I do hope you can impress more than some of the others who’ve tried to gain entry through me.”

Nieraan recalled an encounter with some former Jedi master he’d had a bit over a year past. She was powerful, but an idiot. He’d allowed her entry, in the end, but made sure she was stuck training with the youngest intiates, learning basic footwork and saber-wield principles to reinforce the ones she so sorely lacked…

Surely you can be better than that, Blue, he thought, unclipping a lone saber from his belt. You’d better be, for your own sake.

”Don't take too long, we have a party to attend.”

Nieraan sighed, shoulders dropping visibly as his expression flatted. “Of course, Danica,” he said, looking over his shoulder with a sardonic grin. “Force forbid we delay your party.”

Though, he realized, it might be wise not to get swept up into that. The Chiss, he couldn’t speak for, but Nieraan Onin had no intentions of getting caught up in Danica and Renata girling up the afternoon.

“Well, you heard your boss, Blue,” he said, turning his focus back to Llokin with a wry grin. “Would be a shame to keep her waiting.” His lightsaber sizzled to life, green as Dantooine’s rolling plains. This was a blade he’d taken from a dead Jedi, rather than one of his own. If Llokin showed he was worth it, he’d get Nieraan’s blue and gold.

But for now he got green, and Shii-cho.

“Come now, show me the might of your Ascendency,” the word twisted in his mouth, disrespectful and callous.

The Force flooded into Nieraan and he pushed his senses out, to listen to the flow of battle as he always did. He flowed forward, and his blade lashed out like a serpent’s strike, flashing two testing blows at Llokin’s left, then right side. The strikes were about as basic as they came, but Nieraan sought to know the measure of his foe.

After all, he was not the one who had to impress his opponent.

[Faeruy]

Llokin didn't remember hearing anything about a party from Danica. He briefly wondered what possible party they could be having on this forsaken heated rock. But such speculation could be saved for later. Now there were more pressing concerns.

Llokin unsheathed his lightsaber; it hummed in counterpoint to the Sith Lord's own. Both his saber and his eyes glowed a foreboding red as he stared grimly at his opponent. His eyes closed, but he was not blind; he could not be with the Force flowing all around him. He meditated briefly, focusing on his will to fight. He did not know what kind of fighter Nieraan was; would he try and end this quickly, or would he draw it out to get the full measure of the Chiss? If it was the latter, Llokin was prepared, though he would do his best to end it quickly. He never liked battles lasting longer than they had to. He opened his eyes again.

He heard the words, but paid no attention to them; too many tried to rile Llokin's blood with insults only to realize they did nothing to shake his self-control. The Firrerro would realize the same soon enough. Llokin watched him; the distribution of weight through his feet and the way his shoulders moved. The Chiss moved into the Djem So attack stance.

The Sith struck first, which was just as Llokin hoped. There was nothing fancy about the blows; stuff that even a rank beginner could parry with easy. He didn't take his eyes off of Nieraan as he blocked the first blow to his left. He quickly brought his saber around his head to parry the blow to the right, then pressed his advantage. Using the momentum from the parried blow, he brought his saber down in a slice across the front of Nieraan's chest. The Chiss shifted forward, thrusting his saber towards Nieraan's ribs. The duel had begun in earnest, though Llokin was not yet using all of his tricks. At the moment, he was concentrating on forcing Nieraan to backpedal through sheer aggression and strength.

Come on Sith, show me what you've got. I've fought toothless nexu with more bite. The Chiss's face was a stoic mask as the red blade continued to whirl.

[Meira]

"Wonderful!"

Renata's head was tilted slightly as she peered through the bars of the gilded cage. Within, snuggled up on an overstuffed pillow, a tiny feline creature dozed. The acquisition of this Dire-cat had been something of an impulse for Renata. She had seen a fully grown specimen at a zoo before and had been fascinated by them ever since. When she'd stumbled across an exotic animal dealer, she couldn't resist contracting the man to find her one. It had taken some time for him to get ahold of one so young, but it was important that Renata raise the beast herself so that it might be trained. Now, she finally had it.

"We'll have to think of a good name for you." she cooed as she opened the cage and lifted the stirring feline into her arms. "Male, then." she said after a quick check. "I'll keep that in mind."

After thanking and paying the man, Renata moved along an outer corridor of the temple, two lightly armored guards carrying the dire-cat's cage and an assortment of toys the dealer had brought as well. The dire-cat purred in Renata's arms as she held him close to her chest, her own senses seeping into the creature and filling it with a sense of belonging to her. Over time, she would have the creature as loyal to her as it might have been to its own mother.

As she walked, a familiar sensation tickled at the back of her mind. At first, it was ignored, but when joined by another sense, Renata realized she was recognizing the nearby presence of two beings she'd taken under her wing. Nieraan and Danica. She was back, then! And with the gift she'd promised for their little "party". With a satisfied grin, Renata changed directions at the next intersecting corridor and made her way toward Danica, Nieraan, and the newcomer.

She came upon the scene just as Nieraan's lightsaber hissed to life. Having told her guards to wait behind, Renata approached alone with her new pet, eyes evaluating Danica's own new acquisition.

"And I was sure I'd be bringing the more interesting creature to our little get-together." she said by way of greeting as she came to stand next to Danica. "You were right, though." she said, studying the blue uniformed man. "He is quite a sight."

[Poludnica]

Painfully aware what Nieraan thought about her relationships with Renata and the afternoon parties. In their not so stable or much healthy dynamic, there was some equilibrium maintained. They both had own lives, they both had room on own ambitions and solitary activities. While Nieraan loitered with Jack, Danica enjoyed Renata's company. Sometimes she didn't even know where her lover was but maybe that actually made everything work between two so fiercely independent people. Danica had to hold back own urge to control everything, one she certainly shared with Cassius: her father smothered everyone around, dominated entirely. Samuel, Vanya, Artion. They all finally broke and Cassius loved it. Danica would never respect a man that gave in entirely into her whims.

Llokin seemed similar in that regard which would make being his liege this much more interesting. A dry smirk graced her lips at his comment. ”That's your boss' party, actually.” She reminded him before placing a soft kiss on his cheek. Danica now moved away giving the two males room. Llokin didn't seem worried, his stern, indifferent expression was almost unsettling. The familiar hiss of sabers stirred her heart into faster pace – excitement filled it. Danica adored watching Nieraan fighting. So much raw, untamed power. Llokin though didn't stay far behind: two alpha males going at it. What not to love? Renata, who appeared near by as if from thing air, seemed to appreciate the show as well.

The Coruscanti woman looked at the Dark Lady and smiled that faded a bit when rest on the fluffy animal. Danica didn't like animals, they were a constant, absorbing trouble – She already had Nieraan to fill this role . After a while among the Sith though, Danica stopped being startled about soundless footsteps and sneaking about. ”Llokin is quite a sight, shame he also has an Ascendency stick up his ass.” Danica snorted. Taller than Nieraan, a bit better built the azure male certainly dominated the fight when it came to grabbing attention.

”Is everything ready? I swear, I forgot to order this white wine from Naboo.” She sighed, while watching the duel. ”Maybe we can have Llokin bringing us the crate from the docks.” As the fight continued, Danica couldn't assess how Llokin handled himself. To her untrained eye those were equally skilled warriors. With equally dominant attitude that added spin to the dynamic.

[Rugs]

Strike left.

Strike right.

Block.

Block.

With those motions, the simple blocks of Nieraan’s almost painfully-simple opening strokes, Llokin passed a test of sorts: the can-you-move-a-lightsaber-without-killing-yourself test. Nieraan was pleased enough to see the Chiss could indeed move a lightsaber without kill himself, though that wasn’t setting the bar especially high.

But he at least met the bare minimum expectations, and even more importantly, decided to strike out on his own in response.

The first swing came at Nieraan’s chest, wide and aggressive. The Firrerreo took a simple half step back, leaning his torso just so to avoid the hit. He’d recognized the Sith’s Djem So stance as their fight began, and even if he hadn’t, the movements spoke to him—Form V was hardly rare within the Temples halls, after all.

It was a strong, aggressive form, one whose principles Kamirille had exposed Nieraan to early, as a a Jar’Kai duelist. And even if he used Shii Cho now, rather than Jar’Kai, the principles of standing against the form were simple enough to carry over.

The Chiss followed his swipe at Nieraan’s chest into a thrust directed at his ribcage. The Firrereo stepped just a bit to the inside and brought his blade up to defend, using it to allow Llokin’s blow to continue sliding harmlessly past him as he moved again.

He didn’t counter strength with strength. He could, using a single blade, but far easier—and more entertaining—to let the style’s aggression and momentum act against the user.

You’ll have to do better if you want impress me, Blue, he silently taunted as he quickly opened a palm and let out a burst of the Force to buffet at the Chiss.