Time to set some things straight [Karl, Hotel]

[Hand Soler]

Marie shook her head, leaning against one of the walls in the main room of the Sith Temple, her eyes sweeping over the room. She was obviously waiting for someone, but it's not really clear who from a single glance. But anyone that could read thoughts would know exactly who she was waiting for.

If this is what I can look forward to in being Shard's apprentice, then I'm not exactly sure I want him to be my teacher. One hand came up, swiping a stray strand of hair out of her face, tucking it back behind her ear. The other arm stayed across her chest, her shoulder leaning into the wall as she waited.

I told him I'd be here fifteen minutes before now. Why the hell are they still not here? This is ridiculous. I'm getting tired of waiting. If they aren't here within the next forty-five minutes, I'm going back to my room. They can come and find me there.

She sighed, and pushed off from the wall, shaking her head. Her frustration was evident in the look on her face, and it was clear she was getting extremely impatient. Almost an hour ago, she had sent a message to Shard that she would like to have a chance to sit down and talk to Shandari so that she could make an informed decision. His offer of unlimited power intrigued her, certainly, but for some reason she felt more comfortable around Shandari.

Perhaps it was the fact that Shandari was the first kind person she had seen here, or perhaps it was that Shandari was another female in a temple that seemed to be packed with males. Whatever the reason, she just had this feeling of relaxation around Shandari. At least, that's what she thought she had felt. Her mind hadn't exactly been all there the first time the two Sith females had met.

[Hotel]

The Rilan let out a silent sigh. Where was Shard taking her. And why wouldn't he tell her. She looked at him closely, then let out another silent sigh. She figured she would find out soon enough. Suddenly different thoughts would pop into her head. He was taking her somewhere, and not telling her. Could he want something of her, or want to tell her something? She began to fidget, still not accustom to the feelings she felt around the Miralukan.

As they rounded a corner, there the human girl that she had found in the ship wreckage was, standing there, seemingly waiting for something. She tilted her head and looked back to Shard, her face asking the unspoken question.

[Karl the Unfettered]

Normally, Shard was punctual, always punctual; in fact he usually made a point of being early. However, he felt it prudent to test the new girl, find out her limits, and if fifteen minutes' waiting was enough to annoy her, well he wasn't certain she was ready to be taught.

Sure enough, Marie could be seen fidgeting and pacing near her chosen pillar, and Shard shook his head. "Distract her briefly," he told Shandari, as he drew down the Art of the Small and kept on walking. Thus disguised from all view, he crossed the room and stood in front of the impatient girl, smirking slightly.

"Marie Desikot, meet Shandari Banaan," came his voice suddenly, from behind Marie's ear; it was simple enough for the Miraluka to throw his voice even without the Force, but with it he could do all sorts of confusing and confuzzling things. Naturally there was no one back there.

"You could say, Shandari rescued you," he went on, now pitching his voice from behind her other ear. "She pulled you from the wreck, at some cost to herself; look at her wing, for example." He knew the Rilan woman had natural healing processes, but there would surely be some remnant of the injuries she had sustained while walking through the burning ship.

"However, you seem to be mistaken." Suddenly his hand shot out, and with terrifying strength latched onto Marie's throat and lifted her into the air, slamming her against the pillar. Just like that, Shard was there, scowling up at her, his fingers tightening mercilessly around her throat...

Just before she would pass out, though, he relented the pressure of his fingers and threw her to the floor. "You expect us to waste our time persuading you," he hissed, his apparent anger all the more terrible for the even calm of his voice and the studied impassiveness of his face, beneath the glasses and goatee. "It is you who should persuade us. Now, explain to Shandari and I why one of us should take you on as a student, or face the consequences of irrelevance."

He didn't mean much of it, of course, but neither Marie nor Shandari would be able to tell.

[Hand Soler]

Marie's eyes lighted on Shandari, just missing catching sight of Shard as he faded, and bowed softly, but she straightened when Shard's voice was heard from behind her. Her head turned, and she raised an eyebrow, turning the other way when his voice sounded from the other side.

Seemingly on command, she looked over Shandari's wings, and winced at the very light marks she could see there. She started to apologize, but was cut short as Shard slammed her against the pillar by the throat.

Her face twisted into a furious expression, as she dug her fingers into his wrist, attempting to cause enough pain to force him to let go. Of course, she wasn't able to, and started to go light-headed, the world swimming before her eyes.

When he let go, she dropped to the floor on her rear with a solid thunk, sprawling there for a moment where he had thrown her, before pushing herself up to a sitting position, then back to a standing position. "Your threats mean nothing to me," she hissed, shrugging to rearrange the robes. "However, since it is clear that you, at least, have much more experience than I," she said, a tone of respect mingled with a bit of anger in her voice. "In light of that, I will explain what I meant by my message."

Sighing, and drawing herself up, she began to speak quietly. "My uncle was my teacher before he was taken by the Jedi, as you well know, Master Shard," she said. "He taught me what he could, and what little he could teach me before our time together was cut short has... Well, left a desire in my heart for power."

She looked up, her eyes meeting the lenses in front of the Miraluka's empty eye sockets, before darting over to lock to Shandari's for a moment. "I want the power to be able to walk into the Jedi Temple on Coruscant with IMPUNITY, and kill the one that stole my teacher from me. Master Shard here has already shown what he can do, but... forgive me or not if I sound disrespectful, but.... I have seen NO such display of power from YOU, Master Shandari," she said, folding her arms over her chest.

[Hotel]

She watched with an almost bored expression as Shard grabbed the girl and spoke to her. She had to hand it to the girl though, she did manage to keep her cool. Just when she began to think she might have been wrong about her, the girl had the audacity to show her just why the Rilan woman should have the right to teach her. Why should she need to prove herself? She should be proving herself to the woman instead. Her voice echoed in Shard's head. "Arrogant girl, isn't she?"

She walked up to the girl, placing a hand under her chin and raising it, her black orbs staring into the girl's own eyes. Her voice would enter Marie's head, sounding menacing and cold. "Why should I have to prove myself to you? You have given me no reason to, shown me nothing that would entitle you. My wing is injured because of you. And you think you have the right to ask me to show you what I can do?" Not once did her eyes ever leave the girl's, not once did they blink, not once did she move, still connected to the girl's mind, hearing her every thought. She was curious to see just how she would react.

[Karl the Unfettered]

They're getting along so well, Shard thought, repressing a smirk. In truth Marie had impressed him already, with her boldness and determination. He had half a mind to let Shandari take her, though; the Rilan was without a student, and Shard already had a fine one in Miss Looma. He had been neglecting her lately, to his private shame and no doubt to the Twi'lek's chagrin.

Nevertheless he had to keep the charade going, so he took a step forward. "You wish to assault the Jedi," he said, steepling his fingers before him. "An admirable goal, and a lofty one; perhaps too lofty, even for a Sith. You want power?" One hand came up, pointed at the ceiling; a massive surge of Force Lightning erupted forth, burning the air and singing the roof far above their heads.

"You want to walk about with impunity? Why not run, or even fly?" Scorn laced his voice lightly. "To destroy the Jedi, yet crawl on the earth like a grub? Get your goals straight, girl, you have to learn to walk before you can run."

Now he smirked. "Even with all that, what else do you have besides vengeance lust and a thirst for destruction?" Silently, he addressed Shandari: "I believe I'll leave this one with you; if I took another student now I would be neglecting Miss Looma." With that decided, he stepped back to allow the two some space.

[Hand Soler]

She snorted, not turning or pulling away from Shandari's burning gaze, her own eyes boring right back as she stood there, her arms crossed over her chest still. She didn't even flinch at the explosion of Force Lightning from Shard. She wasn't about to back down in her determination, not now. She'd already put herself out there, and if they were going to kill her, well... there was nothing she could say or do that would change their minds.

She finally did break the stare, pulling back with a single step, turning to look at Shard as he stepped back. "I already know there's a lot I haven't learned. I don't need you to tell me that. I freely admit there is much of the Force that I don't know. As I said, my training was... ended rather abruptly. But I'm not bemoaning my fate. Rather, I'm thanking the stars that it is what it is. Otherwise, I might not have the drive to succeed that I do."

She shrugged, and then turned back to Shandari, assuming -- probably wrongly -- that with Shard having stepped back, the two had decided between themselves that Shandari would be training her. So be it. It meant little to her. Both of them were just a stepping stone on her path to far greater power. "As I said, I meant no disrespect to you, Master Shandari. I was merely commenting that I had seen no major displays of power from you, as I have from Master Shard three times now."