Discovery (Meira)

[Taylor]

Niharus stepped lightly on the ground trying to make the least amount of noise possible. The empty halls echoed with the soft thump of his foot meeting rock. He grimaced as the sound continued to echo for little over a minute. "I hope no one is here, if so I've announced my prescience. I best be on my guard." Niharus thought to himself as he stepped over the threshold of the Dantooine temple. He crossed his fingers an inch away from his chest his face hidden behind the dark folds of his hood. His gaze never drifted beyond what was in front of him. He had come her in search of secrets that might assist him in his quest to regain his full power. He knew if such a thing existed it wouldn't be located near the entrance of this place, it would be near the very end of it. He ignored each room, door open or closed.

He stopped when he reached a hallway that branched off into two different directions. The last thing Niharus wanted was to be lost in this place or be here any longer then needed. Before he decided his path he wanted to make sure that he had tried his best to figure out which route was best. Niharus slowly sat down on the could floor and crossed his legs. He closed his eyes and his head leaned forward. Minutes passed as he focused on his surroundings he attempted to locate any source of force energy or anything note. Minutes passed and yet he didn't awaken from his trance. It wasn't until he heard the subtle sounds of a sentient being entering the area he was currently observing through the force. He slowly opened his eyes a grim smile playing across his face. He didn't raise from his place on the floor, instead turned so who ever came towards him would be with in his eye sight.

Niharus placed a hand on his lightsaber that was concealed in the folds of his robe. He would only attack if he needed to, but until then he would try to avoid conflict. He usually wanted to battle, but this was different. He didn't have time to waste.

[Meira]

Dantooine was a peaceful planet. Renata would be lying if she said she didn't like it. It was a place where she could feel both powerful and calm. When the Sith took control of the Galaxy, she would enjoy this planet as her own, if her master saw fit to give it to her. That would be a lovely gift indeed.

There was a small trade outpost on the planet. It was a place where the large land owners and salvagers alike could come together and trade or buy supplies. It was remote and unassuming. Renata landed her ship here and led her newly found follower to a medical facility. The doctor was a feeble minded man. It did not take much convincing to fit Grawn with a cybernetic arm.

But while the doctor was doing that, Renata felt a pulse in the Force. She cast her senses out to better detect what she had felt. Indeed, there was someone not too far, one who could benefit their cause. Leaving Grawn with the doctor, Renata set out to find this being. Grawn would be more than capable of catching up when he was ready, she wasn't his babysitter.

She reached the entrance to the old Jedi enclave temple and moved inside with a slight hint of disgust. When the Sith ruled, she would erase the very existance of this place. She continued to move forward, deeper into the place until she came into view of a figure seated at the end of a hall where it split in two directions.

Only a fool dwells on the past. She said, meaning one who would visit this broken place. Even more a fool is the one who would seek to learn from the Jedi. She moved forward, stopping in front of the man at a safe distance. But you do not seem like a fool... She said, noticing that the man was prepared to strike out if need be. Tell me. Why are you here?

[Grawn]

"This might hurt a little", the man above Grawn said nervously. The doctor was right to be nervous, putting a cybernetic arm on someone that resembled Grawn would surely unnerve most. The Dark Jedi laid on a cold steel medical table, his clothes on the counter not far from him. His yellow eyes watched the doctor, he wasnt worried of course, Renata had easily been able to convince the worm to get him a new arm.

"Pain means little to me", he growled and he glanced down at the base of the arm that had been attached to what was left of his severed arm. He cared little for the circuitry design of it, all he knew is that his arm would attach to it and through his nerves he would be able to control the cybernetic attachement.

Grawn watched the man pick up a large metal arm and watched with interest as he tinkered with it. The arm would have to do even though it would never replace his old one, it would have to do. The arm was bulky, resembling his organic arm in size but it was of course made of circuits and tech the Dark Jedi cared little to know of. What interested him was the fingers of the arm, they resembled claws more than actual fingers.

"Im about done. Your Lady friend ever mention how you planned to pay for this?", the doctor asked, glancing away from his work. When Grawn returned his look with an icy glare, he went back to the arm rather quickly. "Your payment will come after the arm is fully functional on my person and no sooner.", the Dark Jedi replied sternly, making it clear he wasnt to be trifled with.

After about an half an hour, the doctor sighed with relief. "It is done", he declared happily and picked it up, "It is as nimble as an actual arm. Not bulky and encumbering as a droid arm.", he mentioned as he walked over to Grawn. He watched as the doctor brought the arm level with the socket on him and pressed it into place, a large needle stabbing into a hole in the socket. The pain of it digging into him was shrugged off and about two minutes later, the doctor wiped off his hands.

"There we go. The arm should be functional as of now. Give it a whirl!", he insisted, watching Grawn cautiously. The Dark Jedi shifted, swinging his legs around and hopping off the table. The arm seemed to be as weighted as his own normal one, which would be convivent for if it was heavier there would need to be alterations to his lightsaber styling. As if he was born with it he began to move it, shrugging his shoulders and listening for anything wrong with the working of it. He tested the elbow joint and then the wrist, finding to his surprise and delight he could rotate it at a 360 degree. Afterwards he flexed the fingers, the claws looking extremely menancing.

"It would seem to be working", Grawn informed the doctor, looking at the device that would be apart of him for the rest of his days. While it would never be able to conjure the Force, he had regained a vital function. "Good" the doctor replied, eyeing the arm,"It is completely water proof, no need to worry about it malfunctioning. All you'd have to look out for is ion devices, anything capable of disabling electronics. The arm wouldnt be ruined but it would need to reboot itself.", he finished, watching as Grawn walked over to the table.

The Dark Jedi quickly put his black shirt on, covering the bandages still wrapped around his waist and body from the events on Korriban and belted on the black skirt that went over his pants. Slipping on his glove, he realized he wouldnt need the other one and left it on the table as he placed his cloak upon his shoulders. The last of the items was his mask, the item still damaged from what happened on Korriban. He wouldnt seek repairing it, being able to see in both spectrums had its advantages and plus he highly doubted there was anyone that could do such a repair.

He placed it on his face, the vision of his left eye being replaced by Force "vision" and his right remaining the same. He felt powerful again but he knew he had to change. Grawn had let himself be defeated by letting the feeling of victory cloud his judgement. His emotions had prevented him from making the clear choice, killing the Jedi before he had the chance to rise. He needed to feel NOTHING.

"Now the matter of payment", the doctor interrupted, bring Grawn out of his thoughts. "Ah yes", the Dark Jedi remarked, bring his cybernetic arm to the artifical light of the hanging headlights. It gleamed magnificently but soon it would be marred with blood. "You have the option of continuing your existence. Or death.", he replied darkly, looking sharply at the man. The doctor went wide eyed and started to back away, grabbing for something on his desk. Through the Force, Grawn read the mans thoughts, the word "ION BLASTER" the loudest out of all of them.

Before the man could raise the gun to shoot, Grawn was in front of him and without hesitance, drove his clawed hand into the mans abdomen. The sharp fingers dug deep and blood spurted, a vital organ had been pierced, from the mans mouth as he looked fearfully into Grawns mask. "The choice was yours", the Dark Jedi whispered and withdrew his new cybernetic hand. The man stuttered as blood began to come from his wound and mouth as he fell to the floor. Grawn watched the man for a moment as blood started to pool but it began to channel to a nearby drain in the floor. Without regret, he left the facility and as he stood outside, he looked for Renata through the Force.

Looking to the directions indicated by the Force, blood still dripping from his claw he set out to find her.

[Taylor]

Niharus smiled at the woman's words. "I sense great power in you...yet you aren't as wise as I would have expected." Niharus countered his words laced with irritation. "The past has much to teach us even if it is the past of our enemies. I can learn the weaknesses the Jedi posses and learn how to corrupt powers they hold. That is what a true master of the dark side does. He destroys his enemies with their own teachings." He spoke again each word carried a very tone to it, the sound of many years. Niharus chuckled at her last question. "That shouldn't be the first question you asked me. The first one should have been whom am I alleged to and even then I could be lying about it." Niharus said correction her choices. He didn't care of her fate, but he would give his own piece here and there. "I shall tell you this. What does one seek when they wish to be who they once where? To restore to their former glory and surpass the limitations of their body? That is what I seek nee! That's what I need and desire. Even that does no explain what I seek how ever...that is merely an understatement." Niharus stated his eyes lazily drifting towards the woman.

Slowly Niharus got to his fit and moved his hand from his lightsaber, but only so that he could push the hood of his robes back. Once the curtain of black had been removed from his features he placed his hand back on the hilt of his lightsaber. "I take you to be a sith not that it matters to me. I strike them down all the same if they prove to be a problem." Niharus spoke. "So...what is your purpose for being here? I doubt you here just to enjoy the scenery." Niharus snarled, his tone wasn't malicious just slightly threating...warning almost.

[Meira]

If you truely sought to learn from them, you would not be here. You would be at the Great Library on Ossus. But no matter, you will find plenty to learn soon enough. Renata said as she lowered her own hood to reveal her thin, sharp face and her flaming red hair. It fell in waves on her shoulders. Her own hands hung freely at her sides, utterly unconcerned with the prospect of battle.

Her words ended with a thin, wide smile. Knowledge of the Great Library on Ossus had been all but lost to time. Only a very small number knew of it's existance now, and she was one of them. But she was still unconcerned with studying the past. She would leave that to Veratos or Iniquitous. Her place was the present, her skill was action. Let others do the book work.

As the man inconvenienced her with his speech, she stood idly, waiting for him to finish. He had not answered her question really. His response was superficially cryptic. It reminded her of Gordon, and that was vexing indeed. She nearly laughed out loud as he tried to lecture her on what a true master of the dark side would do. This man knew nothing of the dark side. He had barely scratched the surface. Poor thing.

He then said something, causing her to raise her eyebrow. He was perceptive if he knew her as a Sith. The galaxy had not known Sith in many lifetimes, how interesting that he jumped to that conclusion so quickly.

I am here because I sensed your presence. She said simply. Renata was not one to dance around the subject. She was direct and to the point, and didn't enjoy those who took too much time with their answers. I am charged with gathering those who would serve our cause. You are correct in your assesment of me. I am Renata, Dark Lady of the Sith. My master, Darth Iniquitous seeks to bring the galaxy under the rule of the Sith and has sent me to collect those who might serve his cause.

She paused, allowing the information to sink in, and for the man to think about it. She didn't much care for him, she could already tell. But it wasn't for her to ignore her duty simply because she didn't like someone. She'd let him join, or maybe kill him... but she had to offer first. With a sigh, she looked back to him. Well?

[Grawn]

Grawn stood before a decreipt building, his senses telling him Lady Renata was within...with another. While he cared little of whom the other was, if it was a threat to the women who had saved his life, he would remove it. Most likely though, it was another soon to be follower and if it wasnt, it would most likely be a soon to be corpse.

His eyes scanned the ruins, feeling little. The place could have once been a great place for knowledge, it stank of Jedi but it was a stink long gone and all that was left the ghosts of past events. If he had to guess, the enclave had been wiped out when the Sith military took over the planet but that meant little now. Grawn quickly entered the structure, travelling down its dark stone hallways looking for the one who had given him his chance. She was easily detectable, her power was magnificent to behold but it was locating her exact location in the god forsaken building that was proving to be the most annoying.

Turning a corner, having the Force guide him he entered a hallway that split in two and at the end was Lady Renata. Across from her was a man, his aura was a light red to Renata's dark red/black in the Force through his mask. His boots making soft knocks on the floor, caring little if he announced his presense or not, he walked toward them. Flexing his cybernetic claw, he stopped a few feet away from her and bowed.

"I have returned", he said, straighting up and looking to the man. Grawn wouldnt tell his features from this distance and from the shadows cast about the place but he cared little. "Is there a problem, milady", he asked, still watching the man and stretching his claw as he did.

[Taylor]

“Ossus…it doesn’t appeal to me at this time. I wish to learn from all the teachings that I can find. The cure I seek is complex and will take understandings of many things. So don’t think of me as a misguided fool especially when I have outlived you at least by four centuries. The knowledge and wisdom a hold is by far wider then your own.” Niharus stated, his words filled with loathing. He hated those who thought themselves above their elders in terms of wisdom. It was a foolish thing to actually think of oneself. Niharus slowly moved his head upward so that he was making eye contact with this so called sith. His graying black hair fell in curtains over his eyes. Slowly they parted revealing his corrupted yellow eyes. The pupils looked almost slanted.


Niharus was surprised by how far someone of the new order of sith had fallen. “How can you fall so and wield such power yet learn nothing from it. Such is what happens to those unprepared for power.” Niharus thought to himself, his eyes narrowing at the prospect that he might have to answer to this creature one day. That would be a short lived inconvenience though. He refused to be shackled to such a simple minded and naive thing.

“I should have known I would draw someone’s attention at some point. I had wished to avoid getting involved in the winds of change until I found what I sought. If how ever I must join the fray I shall do so. There is one thing you should know…I don’t bow to humans unless they are able to make me. Humans deserve the least respect out of all the sentient beings…such a sad and foolish race and so short lived.” Niharus spoke his words just there. They held no emotion just stated like the dry words of a book. He knew his statement wouldn’t make this particular creature happy, but his purpose wasn’t to keep in mind the emotions of others. “The Sth have returned…I had been hoping for such. I spoke out of term when I call you Sith before, the changing titles sometimes annoy me however. The sith were a great force from the few records of them I have found, only historical I’m afraid nothing of their teachings.” Niharus spoke waving the mistake off as if it where nothing.

Niharus pondered her offer. It only took a minute or two for his conclusion to be gathered. “I shall join this cause…but I only hope your master is more tolerable and has a duller whip of a tongue when matters require it to be held between clenched teeth.” Niharus stated. If she had expected his view of her to change because of her title she was sorely mistaken. He sought no fight, but he would deal with little of this argument and her arrogance.

Niharus looked beyond the lady of the sith when someone else joined their little conversation. "Your master needs to assistance we are merely conducting business and having a small conversation...that is it." Niharus stated not in the mood to deal with possibly two irritations at one moment.

[Meira]

The fire licked inside her, begging to teach this fool a lesson. It knew that the power she had been given would be enough to silence him. But Renata was the master of her fire. And she was not about to let that change because some man thought himself superior. Indeed, he was due for a lesson in humility, but it wouldn't be her place to teach it to him. No. Iniquitous would show this pathetic thing proper manners. Renata wouldn't have to lift a finger. He'd bow of his own accord soon enough. But as he had before, he spoke with long winded words full of very little. For one who claimed to be so wise... he didn't say much worth while.

It is obvious you know nothing of the Great Library. If you so wished to study the Jedi, it is the only place you would need to go. Everything they ever recorded, no matter where they recorded it, was copied and filed there. All of their knowledge, everything that could be learned from them, is there. Your words are empty as your logic.

Renata felt Grawn's presence as he entered the enclave and made his way toward them. When he reached the hall where they stood, she said nothing as he approached. However, when the stranger answered Grawn's question, the fire once again jumped up inside of her. Such arrogance. He would learn. Or he would die.

You could learn to hold your tongue when not spoken to. Her words were sharp. I believe our business is done. From within her robe, she retrieved a small communication device. Tossing it to the stranger, she turned to walk away. If you are needed, we'll be in touch.

Without another word, Renata was gone into the shadows of the enclave. She didn't look to see if Grawn would follow, that would be his choice. She made her way back to the ship, where she sank into a deep meditation. As foolish as that man was, he had struck a point with her. He didn't know it, but his arrogance showed her that her control over her own great power was thin. She knew that as time brought about Iniquitous' plans, she would be at the forefront of the rise of the Sith. All would seek to destroy her. There were only two in the Galaxy she could trust, and all others, even supposed allies, would seek to bring her down from her place of honor at Iniquitous' side.

That stranger in the enclave went for an easy strike. He tried to bring her into doubt by ridiculing her youth. It was a superficial attack, and pointless to say the least, but it was an interesting taste of what would be to come. One day, there would be many more attackers, and she would be able to weather them all. As arrogant as they tried to paint themselves, it mattered not because she was the swift hand of the Dark Overlord himself. That stranger tried to taunt her down to his level with petty boasts of not bowing to a human. Well, time would see him wrong indeed. With her Master as the ruler of the Galaxy, and she and Veratos at his sides, there would be none higher. And if he loved his life enough, oh he would bow. If not, it wouldn't be her loss.


((OOC: This is the last post for Renata here. My post in the Calling the Dark Lords thread explains her departure to Korriban. Lol, fun RPing with you guys. We'll be in touch very soon for the fun stuff. Niharus... I have a feeling our two characters are going to have interesting encounters in the future, lol. And Grawn... hope the claw works out... it's particularly wicked... and I think I like that! ;D ))