The Price of Power (open)

[Cain]

It had been another restless trip through hyperspace before Jack Makura's Aurek tactical strikefighter finally arrived on the outskirts of the Horuset system. Hyperspace was quiet... too quiet for Jack's taste. He could still hear the voice of his old master crawling around inside his skull. He could still feel her anger, her pain at the moment he had ripped her identity from her body. It was all Jack could do to keep from igniting his own lightsaber through his temple in an attempt to bore her out. Trips through hyperspace were especially trying. Alone with nothing but his thoughts Jack would catch himself having conversations aloud with no one at all. He had to get a grip on himself. He needed some help and of all the possible people to see the current residents of Korriban seemed to make the most sense.

Jack brought his fighter towards the planet, it had been some time since he'd been there last. The call of the dark side was strong on Korriban, so it should not have been surprising that the Sith would continue to congregate there. Still... Jack found something unsettling about choosing to live in what essentially amounted to a graveyard. The Valley of the Dark Lords was more of a reminder to the impotence of Sith power through the years then a monument to their glory. If a true Sith never dies then it sure was curious that so many of them were buried here. Needless to say Jack didn't have much respect for the Sith as a whole, but that wasn't to say he couldn't learn anything from them.

The strikefighter made its landing among the deserts of Korriban and Jack hopped out just as quickly as he could. His legs were aching in protest to having been cramped up in the small fighter for such a long time but what's more he had developed another splitting headache. It had become a common occurrence since his failed attempt to drain Lynn's knowledge, a subtle yet persistent throbbing near the front of his forehead. It might have been due to his old master's presence in his mind, his near complete lack of sleep, or a combination of the two... whatever it was Jack found it had only one cure.

Jack's hands reached around inside his robes and began to pat his torso frantically before finally locating what he'd been searching for. With a sigh of relief Jack pulled out his cigarettes and examined the pack. Two left... this was gonna be a long trip. Jack gave the pack a few taps against his palm as he surveyed the area around him. Quiet as a tomb. Though he was sure there would be someone watching. Jack removed one of the cigs from the pack and placed it on his lower lip before tucking the last one back into his robes. Jack opened his hand and his lightsaber jumped from his belt to his palm. With an audible snap and hiss the red blade ignited into Korriban sky. Jack brought the saber to the end of his cigarette, lighting up before disengaging the lightsaber and placing back on his belt from wince it came. Jack took a long draw on the cigarette, exhaling slowly.

"Well... here goes nothing..." he sighed, finishing off his cigarette and flicking it to the side before heading towards the Temple in the distance. The walk was longer then it had first appeared and the wind had begun to pick up as Jack approached the Temple. He brought his hood up off his shoulders and over his head to shield himself from the blowing sand. Once he reached the front doors Jack wasn't quite sure what he should do. I mean do you knock or ring the bell? Jack still had a feeling that the Sith would be watching, he figured that they would come to him if he made himself noticed. Jack took his lightsaber from his belt and kept it ready at his side as he stepped forward. If nothing else he could at least have a look around...

[Rugs]

{Mmk, here's your post, as I said}

Ah, there's another, Visari Netellus thought from his vantage point out near one of the Temple landing pads. He'd just returned from a trip to the Ballestra, which still sat in orbit; he did still have a corporation to run, after all. I'll have to make a trip to Balmorra soon, he thought. I've been away from there for too long. But that was neither here nor there. For now, his attention returned to the young man that was making his way toward the Sith Temple.

He was young, from what the Epicanthix could tell, and appeared to be Human, or of some near-Human species. The young man was more than likely another of the ones who had heard the calling of the newly reformed Sith Order. Now they flocked to Korriban, eager for more power, or perhaps the chance to cut out their own place of authority in the growing order. Visari smiled a knowing smile. Oh, how one could grow to feel jaded so quickly. He was a newcomer himself, though he'd been there longer than many of the others. But even so, there were those who had been there longer than he. Still, he'd risen in prominence, if not in rank (yet), probably in no small part due to his involvement in the fiasco with Raeg Vashin. Ah, now there was an incident Visari would rather forget about. He'd made a point to avoid the little freak of a Falleen since then, but apparently, Raeg had stirred up no trouble in the time since. How lovely.

The figure was getting closer now, close enough for Visari to make out the red lightsaber in his hand doing... something. From the distance, it looked like he'd done nothing more than wave it around in front of his face. Who could say? The Sith Order tended to attract strange types anyway, like that Noghri, Cho Wroth...

A few more minutes passed, and the newcomer arrived at the entrance. And, instead of causing a scene, as Raeg had, he stood around and waited. At least this one has good sense, Visari thought as he turned to go down to greet the young man. Dealing with Raeg had soured him on greeting newcomers into the Temple, but he was in a good mood today. As he stepped into a turbolift that would take him down, he activated Force Concealment, a favorite ability of his. To all others, his presence in the Force would cease to exist completely, as would the ability for others to feel out his alignment. It'd be like he was not a Force sensitive. He'd be blank. It was really a wonderful power for a CEO to have, and he'd come to learn to use to very well throughout his years. But there were more reasons to use it than to hide from any pesky Jedi he might happen upon during his time in more populated areas of the Galaxy. Here he'd found that it was often quite useful for getting a feel for another Force sensitive's personality. After all, Visari still acted the same, and he'd seen that some had rather... interesting reactions to being greeted and talked to as an equal by one who, as far as they could tell, couldn't touch the Force. Let's see how this one responds, he thought with the slightest hint of a grin as he stepped out of the lift and towards the entrance to the Temple.

He stepped out into the sunlight, and Jack would find that he suddenly had company. Very well dressed company, with Visrari's fine black knee-length coat with the gold trim, his expensive vest and shirt under that, and his pants that were tucked into his Rancor leather boots. And of course, one couldn't forget the thin, smooth polished silver cane that he held in his right hand. Curiously, there wasn't a lightsaber to be seen on him, but he certainly had one. "Another newcomer is it," he asked to the young man before him. One of Visari's white eyebrows lifted at the sight of the cigarra in the man's mouth. "Smoke, do you? I'll admit I'm fond of a good smoke on a pipe every now and then," he said casually as he walked out a few steps closer, his cane ringing lightly as it tapped the ground. "Alderaani tabac is absolutely wonderful if you ever get the chance." The Epicanthix stopped again and looked at Jack, as if sizing him up, which is exactly what he was doing.

"So then," he said after a moment, "what's your business here? Are you another of the ones here to see if the rumors are true? Or perhaps you want to see if you can carve out a rank of respect among the Stih? Or," he said with a knowing grin, "do you want something more... personal? Knowledge, or power perhaps? Yes, tell me..." Visari paused thoughtfully for a moment before going on. "Well, your name, but more importantly, what it is you're seeking here." All of this and his Concealment didn't waver. As far as Jack would be able to know, he was being questioned by some servant, though if he had any intelligence at all, he'd realize from Visari's manner of acting that he was far more than some servant.

Regardless, his response would be enlightening. Of that, Visari had no doubt.

[Cain]

Jack was just as cold inside the Temple as he was out in the howling winds of the Korriban desert. It could have been the cold or might just have been the uneasy feeling he'd gotten from the place. It was much different from the endless noise Jack was used to on Nar Shaddaa. Things were quiet here, quiet but certainly not peaceful or tranquil. It was the kind of quiet one might expect to find in a graveyard at night, each small sight and sound alerting the senses to possible danger. And though Jack was aware of the dangers his outward expression could hardly do less to convey it. As if attached to a pair of tiny weights his eyelids sagged downward and he let out a long, loud yawn before he'd finally noticed Visari.

Now, Jack had never actually seen a Sith before. Though, from the stories he'd heard about the corrupting nature of the dark side Jack had imagined them as brutish or grotesque looking creatures, fangs, claws, gnarly disfigurements and scars and whatnot. Certainly the last thing that came to mind was this gilded pimp that strode up beside him. As Jack caught his first glimpse of the man his tired eyes couldn't help but open wider to be certain he was actually seeing things properly. Observing how well dressed the man was only made Jack that much more conscious of his own unorganized appearance. There was the outer robe he'd taken from the catatonic corpse of his old master that he'd not yet even bothered to wash, the dark rings that had formed under his eyes from sleep deprivation, and his matted down hair that looked as if he'd just spent 17 hours with his head pressed against the hatch of a star fighter.

Jack attempted to straighten himself up as he studied the man on approach. His thoughts were clouded somehow, impossible to read. It was difficult for Jack to tell much of anything about him through the Force alone. Immediately Jack's thoughts flashed back to the synthetic he'd encountered on Tatooine, but the idea that this was a droid as well was one Jack dismissed quickly. For one, if this was how the droid was dressed up Jack shuddered at the thought of the master. But what was more, the Force wasn't the only tool Jack had to read someone with. The man had a confident walk that was complemented by the superfluous use of a thin silver cane... and that smile, that smug contemptuous smile... there were few things that irritated Jack more then condescension.

While the man spoke Jack listened silently with what had become his standard look of malaise about his face. Why was he here, the man asked before continuing, eager to answer his own question. Jack couldn't quite figure what this guy's angle was. He certainly wasn't a servant or some small time grunt, Jack could tell that much just from his clothing and from the attitude with which he had regarded the mysterious new comer before him. If he were as deficient in the Force as he'd first seemed then he certainly had a lot of balls to be wandering around a place such as this, introducing himself to shady characters and prodding them for information. It left only two possibilities in Jack's mind; either this man was very stupid or he was hiding something important. In either case it meant he could potentially be dangerous.

"You certainly are a curious one, aren't you?" Jack responded finally, careful not to use his expressions to betray any of his emotions, "It seems rather impolite to demand one's name before properly introducing yourself first. However I suppose given the circumstances I can't expect the same etiquette I would receive in more... decent places. My name is Jack Makura," Jack said with the slightest bow of his head, "Knowledge and power are means to an end, but not the end itself. What I seek is perfection." Jack kept his answers cryptic on purpose. There was no sense in showing his hand too quickly. Besides, he wasn't done feeling out Visari quite yet.

"And what of you? You can't seriously expect me to believe that you just happened upon this temple looking for a cup of sugar. What is it that has brought you to mingle among the halls of the dead? What drives you?"

[Rugs]

Visari's smile deepened imperceptibly as he watched Jack for signs of his response. There was more to this young man than met the eye. Visari supposed that was a good thing, given that physically, the Human wasn't very intimidating, and looked like he was about to pass out for want of sleep. Ah, but there are those who've said the same of you, are there not, Visari, he thought with some amusement. After all, he was old; sixty three, which was getting up in years by human standards, but his species lived longer than Humans, so he was much nearer to that of a man in his late thirties or early forties. Still, his white hair made many think him old and frail, and such errors in judgment had been the end of a god number of people.

But Visari had long ago learned not to make the same mistake, though he could see how others might dismiss the man before him. He was thin looking, and pale, and of merely average-ish height, but there was more than that to him. There had to be, for one who would come alone to the home of the Sith Order. Those brown eyes with the yellow tint of the Dark Side showed the world fatigue, or maybe disinterest, but Visari saw more. He saw intelligence behind those eyes, or cunning, even. He saw that Jack was sizing him up in the same fashion that he'd sized up Jack. Excellent. No, this man was not one to be taken lightly. One learned to read people after being in Visari's position for so long. Or, perhaps he was going crazy and seeing things that weren't there. Who could say? Though, Jack's words lead him to believe that he was not mistaken.

Visari chuckled softly to himself once Jack had finished speaking. Yes, there's one with a spine, I like that. "Fair enough Jack," he said as he shifted, placing his both of his hands onto the head of his cane before him. "My name is Visari. Visari Netellus. And yes, you are right," he said as his voice took on a note of amusement, "I found no sugar here, though I've reason to believe sugar from this world would be quite disgusting, what with everything being dead and all." His emerald green eyes locked with Jack's for a moment before sweeping away to take in the area around them. "Instead, I found an order gathering around a man with a plan grander than most could hope to ever dream of carrying out, much less be on the road to accomplishing. Yet here they are, gathering under his banner, preparing to carry out his will. It's fascinating, really." Visari paused for a moment as he considered Jack's question before continuing on.

"But you are correct. Knowledge and power are means to an end; powerful means, mind you, but means none the less." Visari nodded slightly to Jack at that, a sign of some respect. Already, he was wiser than most who came, seeking power only for power's sake. Visari knew how he felt about them. Fools, the lot of them. But he kept that to himself and carried on. "But as to why I'm here... Why, I found the architecture of the Temple so marvelous, so intriguing that I couldn't help but come and look." He let his Concealment slip just a sliver, so that Jack would feel some degree of his ability to touch the Force, though it wouldn't seem like much at all. In fact, it was the sort of wild fluctuation one might expect from someone who hadn't yet learned to control their ability to use the Force. It was only there for a moment, and then it as gone once more.

"To be serious," he said as he returned his gaze to Jack, "I seek influence. Though, I suppose you could call that a form of power in and of itself, though one needn't be strong to be influential." His words were true enough. The war was just beginning, but he could see that the time was ripe to expand his already massive business as the Sith pushed further into the Galaxy. That had been his primary motive for joining the Sith Order, though it had certainly helped that they were a collection of Force sensitives that shared his view of things certainly didn't hurt. "And if I gain some strength along the way, then all the better for me, no?"

That was a good enough answer for the time being. For now, he had something he wanted to ask Jack. "However," he said in his rich baritone voice, "you're selection of words intrigues me, Jack. 'Perfection.' It means a great many number of different things to a great number of different people. To the Jedi, perfection could be a beacon of the light, whole and selfless in spirit. Or to the Matukai, it could mean absolute purity within the body, achieved through meditation and other such methods. I have no doubt that even within this Temple, views on the matter differ from person to person. So, Jack," he said with a slight raise of his eyebrows, "what is perfection to you?" Visari suddenly chuckled softly at the end of that before adding "And when was the last time you got some rest?"

[Cain]

Jack had been quite interested in what Visari had to say about his purpose on Korriban among the Sith. Influence... a simple enough objective, though one that only raised more questions than it answered in much the way Jack's response of Perfection had. It was clear that the conversation these two men were engaging in had little to do with the actual words they were speaking. The chess game the two were playing was just the sort Jack enjoyed most. So far each side had sent their pawns forward and found their foe was indeed formidable. From this Jack was able to dismiss the possibility that perhaps this man was just a simple traveler, unaware of what he'd wandered into. This only left the possibility that he was hiding something.

Visari then made his move, offering Jack the slightest of glimpses at the Force he concealed within himself. It was a shrewd move, though Jack had already come to suspect that Visari had some power, the slip of his concealment still wasn't the tell Jack was looking for. There could be any number of explanations or motivations behind it. Jack decided the best course of action would be to ignore it for now. He couldn't lose his focus. After all, it was his move.

As Visari began to speak of perfection Jack paid close attention. He allowed a hint of a smile to curl around the corner of his mouth, his eyelids settling down gently while awaiting his chance to respond, "Somehow I doubt the Jedi would allow themselves to contemplate such an idea," Jack answered with subdued confidence, They seem more content to settle within the walls they've built up around themselves rather then test their limitations. But that is what perfection is all about; testing limitations. The Force is perfection. Through it we can gain glimpses at the breadth of our own potential, but ultimately weakness holds us back... and that brings me to why I'm here..."

Jack cut himself off, pausing to allow his words to take proper affect. When Visari asked about when he'd last gotten rest Jack answered plainly, "I don't sleep." Jack was eager to see his opponent's next move. Though his thoughts were presented in a rather guarded manner there was a great deal of truth in what Jack had said. It all was built upon one of the very first things his mentor had taught him about the Force. The Force's limits are your limits because the Force has no limits. Jack had conducted his training thus far considering this to be an absolute truth. He had subscribed to the ideal that imperfection was not in the Force but in the individual, and that only by ridding oneself of weakness could one truly harness the Force's power.

Honestly, Jack could care less about the advancement of the Sith or the dreams of one far sighted man. He was much more interested in how these Dark Lords could be useful to him. But if falling in line would prove to be Jack's means to an end, he would accept it for the time being.

[Rugs]

Visari merely nodded to himself at Jack's response. So he'd be coy, would he? Fair enough. If Jack was looking for a response from Visari, that nod was all he'd get. But Jack's words were interesting enough. Perfection. It was such an interesting concept, to be sure. True, it was the weaknesses of an individual that held one back from achieving what could be described as perfection, but to seek to get rid of all of one's weaknesses? Was that what Jack was after? If it was, Visari hoped the young man would have some way to extend his lifespan by a few hundred more years, if not longer than that. But still, it was something to consider. Perhaps Visari merely misunderstood Jack's intent, though he'd wait for Jack to reveal his cards on his own. Visari didn't plan on being the first one to give in in this little game of theirs.

"Well, perhaps you should try it," he said with a chuckle, choosing to address Jack's last statement first. "You'd be amazed what it can do for you, no?" He paused and mused idly to himself for a few moments, and allowed another flicker in his concealment, smaller than the last, though he made no outward indication that anything had happened. Instead he went on. "And, though there are not many here who would openly admit it, you would be wise not to underestimate the Jedi, complacent though they may be... but there is truth to your words. Testing your limitations is the only way to get better, and I've found that most limitations seem to exist only in the mind, though perhaps those we put on ourselves are the strongest." There was another flicker, this time stronger than those had come before it. "Surely you know this, yes? You don't strike me as the foolish sort." He nodded to Jack, indicating that it was his go once more. Interested though he was to see what Jack's goals were, Visari would have to hold back and wait until Jack revealed them himself.

Truly, Visari's opinion was starting to warm on this Jack fellow. It was true enough that he didn't know Jack by any stretch of the word, but already, he was showing that he had at least more mental competence than many others that came seeking to join the new order. Were Jack's motives to come and join due to the grand plan that Iniquitous had laid out for them? Visari rather doubted that, but he himself hadn't come with such intentions, though he'd come to believe in Iniquitous' vision. Many recruits came seeking their own ends, and if they had to follow the orders of those higher than them to do, then so be it, and so much better for the Order.

I wonder how strong this one is... Visari suddenly wondered. He couldn't say what Jack's ability in the Force was, as to do that, he'd have drop his shield and reach out in the Force to feel him out, and he wasn't ready for that, not yet. And for the time being, neither of them needed the Force. No, now all they needed was their wits and their words, as their little game unfolded, and each tried to figure out the other .

[Cain]

"There is no time for sleep," Jack responded to Visari's suggestion that he give it a try, again keeping his answers on the matter short and concise. The truth behind his sleepy state had everything to do with Jack's most dangerous and powerful ability, the one that had allowed him to get the better of his last master. It was the "Queen" on his chess board, and he wouldn't allow Visari... or anyone for that matter an opportunity to neutralize it. If needed Jack's ability to Drain Knowledge could be used to destroy potential threats, reducing them to little more then harmless lumps of flesh and cloth. However, the technique was far from perfected. Due to his lack of control the effects of unleashing such power were nearly equally traumatic to Jack himself. Which was in fact the main reason why he had come to Korriban.

"Don't mistake my words to imply any disrespect," Jack said in response to Visari's comment about the Jedi. Jack was well aware of the power a Jedi could wield having witnessed just one hold off ten of Lagra the Hutt's Dark Jedi on his own. Though even he fell in the end. Such a waste... had Master Maha used the Force to attack the Dark Jedi instead of simply allowing himself to become surrounded he might have survived. This was a perfect example of the "walls" Jack had described, "I have seen the abilities of a Jedi Master myself, they can be truly impressive. However, it can be difficult to emerge victorious in a game of chess if the movements of your pieces follow strict rules while your opponents are free to move unpredictably..."

Jack was indeed quite the connoisseur of the game of chess, if it wasn't obvious by now. He'd studied the game ever since he was eight years old, it appealed to his meticulous nature. There were many parallels that one could draw between the game, war and even the Force. Jack often thought of the galaxy as one big chess board and most of us were just pieces in the game. The ones with the real power were the players, the ones manipulating the pieces. The Dark Lord of the Sith, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, they moved the rest of us around on their board as if we were puppets on strings. Of course, some pieces were more important than others... but which was this Visari? Jack found it highly unlikely that he would be a pawn. Flashes of the Force within Visari continued to be wafted in front of Jack, it still was not enough for Jack to properly gauge the man's power but Jack was quite sure these glimpses were not accidental.

Jack nodded in agreement to Visari's statement, limitations we place on ourselves are the strongest. After listening to the old man for a while now Jack had made the assumption that he could use the Force, but he was still curious to how much power this man truly had. If he was hiding his power would he still be able use it? Jack's mind began to race with the possible methods he could use to test this and force Visari's hand. Obviously he could not effect Visari directly, but even so Jack was far from out of options. Keeping his attention on Visari and his surface thoughts mindlessly reciting chess moves Jack began to build a barrier with the Force behind Visari.

[Foxfire]

(OCC- From 'Of Metal and Monsters)

Days, weeks, heck it could have been years since his servos had shut down and not just his legs, but all of them. The only thing that still worked is his Wi-Fi systems and his main processors. He would take time each and every day and blast the coms of the temple with static and noise. This days was like no other except for the ignorant fool who decided to use him as a park bench.

It was in the middle of his static transmission when the fool sat down on him. His sensors were gone so he could not see who or what but other sensors functioned and recorded the weight being applied to his back torso.

*Shrieking on all speakers-Get OFF!!!!! I'm no park bench I am a War Droid of the Krath military. Remove your butt from me this instant. I WILL kill you if I could...........move. *sigh* If any body is out there get this creature off of me. I don't want this humiliation any more.

At that moment he thought someone had heard him for the fool left but return with another fool whom sat on him as well. To fool bird these are, he again thought. He could do nothing but wait. What he would not give to be awed to see the sunrise again, or at the very lest to move away from these two fool birds lighting on him as a statue in the park. Now he was less than that, he is a bench in front of the Sith Temple probably covered in dust and rusting solid.

[Rugs]

"No time," Visari asked amusedly, "not even for sleeping? Are you that busy?" He chuckled at that, and scratched absentmindedly at his neatly-trimmed goatee in thought for a moment. "Or, do you run from sleep, I wonder?" Visari knew of that too well. There had been time in his life--after the death of his teacher, or after he'd had to watch his love die in his arms in the middle of a crowded street and no one came to offer help--that his sleep had been more hellish than restful. He'd been plagued by nightmares; nightmares that would on forever, it had seemed. And as such, he'd started to avoid sleep to avoid his dreams. It hadn't been a pleasant time. "Could that be? Is there something that haunts you, Jack? Something that you will not allow yourself endure in sleeping?" He let the words hang for a moment as he watched Jack for any sign of response before shrugging dismissively. "Or maybe you just have insomnia," the Epicanthix said. "You know they make medicine for that, yes?"

Of course, Visari's talking had been more filler than anything, to give him time to ponder on Jack's statements about the Jedi. "Fair enough," he said, "there is some truth that." But then his mind was at Subterrel once more, and he shook his head slightly. Oh, they had been so sure of their victory over the Jedi! But things had not gone as planned. A pity that, but there was no use contemplating it too much. "But still, do not underestimate the lengths that some--even the Jedi--will go to in order to ensure that their goals are met." That brought thoughts of the Blades to mind. Apparently they were some splinter group that had gone off to war, apart from the wishes of the Jedi Council. They'd been at Rhen Var, from what he had heard, and they'd been defeated. But then again, they'd been outnumbered and didn't have the backing of an army with them, and Sith casualties had been nothing to scoff at, if the reports were to be believed. Who knows what would have happened had the two sides been equal in power? "Especially those that think their cause is righteous. But," he added with a small smirk, "if you are to be joining us, I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities to test the Jedi and their limitations in the coming days, no?"

With that, he nodded to Jack, indicating once again that it was his go. This whole conversation very much reminded Visari of his first hostile takeover of a competitor company, back when Visari Enterprises had just been Netellus Arms. There had been meetings with the board of executives from the other company, and though the subject had obviously been different, the tone of the conversations had been much the same. It had just been him against the board, and oh how he had played them against each other! It was one of his finest achievements, really, getting the heads of the company to turn against their leader and accept his terms. Of course, a little manipulation from the Force had helped, but it had been subtle; one couldn't bludgeon their way through such people and expect success.

Jack very much struck Visari as a similar sort of person. He was subtle, and hid his cards until he wished to reveal them, while trying to force his foe--Visari in this case--to reveal theirs. It was a game everyone played, though some were better at it than others. Visari wouldn't be surprised if he learned that Jack was quite good at it.

Once again, his concealment wavered, and for a moment, he glimpsed something that caught him just a bit off guard, though he maintained his outward composure. His glimpse only lasted as long as the flash of his concealment, but it had been enough. A secondary benefit to allowing his ability to slip out from time to time was that it afforded him his sense again, if only for an instant. And in that instant, he'd felt Jack doing something. What that something was, Visari couldn't say, but he could imagine that Jack would try to Force him to stop hiding his power. Ah, clever aren't we, he thought as he smiled knowingly at Jack. Very well then. Let's see what you can do, Jack Makura. Jack might make Visari have to stop playing this game blindly, as he had been, but if he did, Visari would counter.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sudden screaming of some droid over the speakers of the Temple. What in the Galaxy is that? Visari looked around for a moment, only to return his attention to Jack, with a single eyebrow quizzically lifted.

[Cain]

"Do they?" Jack answered to Visari's comment about medicine, "Well that might not be quite enough for what I have..." Jack nodded silently while listening to Visari speak more about the Jedi, careful to note his use of the word "us" when referring to what Jack had come to Korriban to join. No doubt this was the Sith. Visari might have just haphazardly played his hand, but Jack was still curious as to what sort of power this old Sith had. While engaging in their pleasant conversation Jack slowly began to bend his barrier behind Visari, turning it into the shape of a right angle.

The sudden interruption over the loud speakers was just the opportunity Jack needed. He casually removed his black gloves as Visari's attention wandered around the room. His eyes shut softly as he prepared for what was about to unfold. Though his outer thoughts remained a steady stream of nonsensical chess jargon, an inner inferno began to grow, "Why stop at Jedi?" Jack asked rather pointedly, his tired eyelids lifting to reveal a flash of dull yellow as Jack's gaze met back with Visari's. His opponent was clever, a direct attack would probably not work. Jack would stick with the unorthodox hoping to throw Visari off. The game the two had been playing allowed Jack to set up a more complex attack then he would have been able to had the old man simply attacked him from the start.

Jack extended both his arms forward and to the sides, driving the Force down through them and allowing it to explode outward in the form of lightning that arced and forked from each finger tip. The lightning was not aimed at Visari however, instead at the carefully placed barriers behind him. Jack intended to use them like mirrors, reflecting the lightning and concentrating the assault on Visari's blind side. The slightest grin formed on Jack's face as he attacked. He was quite eager to see what his new friend could do.

[Rugs]

"Well then, someone might make a great deal of money fixing whatever ails you then" Visari said with a hearty laugh. Still though, there was some insight to be gleamed from that. Perhaps it was true then that there was some was some deeper reason to Jack's inability to sleep than mere insomnia. What that might be, Visari couldn't say. It would be safe to assume that it was something of interest though, as Jack was clearly quite reluctant about talking on it. Interesting...

Jack's response--which was markedly more pointed than the rest of his speech had been thus far--drew Visari's attention, and he raised both of his eyebrows questioningly as Jack's arms extended. He didn't need to be able to sense Jack to know the young man was up to something. But just what are you up, to, I wonder? Visari realized that he might have to let his concealment go and use his abilities in the Force. So be it, then. This was a game Visari had far more experience in than Jack.

Lightning exploded from Jack's fingers and Visari pulled away his concealment, revealing the full extent of his power to Jack. And, perhaps it was habit that saved Visari from Jack's set up. A barrier of the Force went up around him, covering him from all sides, and just in time to block Jack's reflected lightning. There was a dull whoom! when the two forces collided, and dust was kicked into the air from the energy that was thrown about. The whole exchange took only a second or two, but that was the way such things worked. Visari could tell from the impact that Jack had a good deal of strength, and underestimating him would be unwise; of course, Visari had come to the latter conclusion long ago. As for the former... well, how fortunate for Visari that he happened to be one of the most skilled practitioners of the arts of protection in the Temple.

Sparks of residual energy from Jack's attack danced over Visari's shield as he nodded to Jack. "Well played," he said earnestly. At the same time, he reached out through the Force, brushing mental probes up against the walls that formed the mental defenses of Jack's mind with just enough force that Jack would know he was doing it. It was his move, after all. But it was merely a distraction; he had no intention of trying to break into his opponent's mind, or at least not at the moment. "You seem to have some strength to you," he said as his green eyes stared into Jack's dull yellow. As he continued his probing, he reached out with bonds of air, wrapping them around middle of a sculpture to the side of both of them until he was ready to use them.

"But, to answer your question," he said as his probing suddenly came completely to a halt, "it's because here, you might get yourself killed." Then, as one, the probes slammed into the walls around Jack's mind, though again, their purpose was not to break through the defenses, but only to distract. A heartbeat later, and at the behest of a twitch from Visari's finger, the sculpture was in motion, flying through the air towards Jack. Would it hit, Visari couldn't say, but he was more interested in gauging Jack's response. He'd been full of surprises so far. Surely the young man had something up his sleeves.

[Cain]

The old man was good. His ability to raise a barrier and use the Force for protection, and quite quickly at that, was on par with Jack's... if not better. The sudden crack of the sculpture breaking free to his side caught Jack's attention. Trying to stop it outright would require a lot of power, but taking a glancing blow and simply redirecting the projectile would not only demand less strength but also could turn the danger on his opponent. Jack waited until the last possible moment to raise his barrier at an angle which would deflect the sculpture toward Visari. Of course, if he had any deal of control over his own telekinetic abilities this wouldn't pose much of a problem.

"Hmph! You say that as if this were some place special" Jack answered with a chuckle. He reached into his jacket as if going for a weapon only to pull out his last cigarette instead, placing it between his lips. Visari had let down his veil and the Force was indeed strong with him. Jack could feel him probing and slamming against the carefully constructed blocks he had raised in his mind. Telepathy was Jack's specialty... was this Visari strong enough to win such a struggle? Perhaps... but it may cost him more then he would be willing to give. Jack made no move in response to Visari's prodding of his mind other than tapping at his temple while gently shaking his head, almost daring the old man to push harder and take a peak.

Jack then picked his lightsaber from his belt, igniting only to light up his cigarette as he'd done earlier before disengaging the weapon and placing it back away, "I don't think you want to go in there yet. No need for us both to be carried out of here," Jack wasn't sure how Visari would react to such a threat. Sith had notoriously short tempers and while Visari seemed the level headed type who could say what buttons Jack's sudden attack might have pushed. Most would not be able to break into Jack's mind, but Visari's strengths seemed strikingly similar to Jack's. It would not be surprising at all if he was also gifted in the use of telepathy. Though if he were to break through things could get ugly fast. Jack's words did indeed have a ring of truth to them. Using Drain Knowledge would be bad news for the both of them and certainly was not something Jack wanted to have to unleash a second time before he'd perfected it.

Taking a long drag off his cigarette Jack had calmed considerably. Jack's control over his emotions was partially a result of training his mind, but it was also due in no small part to the fatigue that plagued him on a nearly constant basis. He simply did not have the excess energy to expend on getting himself too outwardly emotional. Throughout the brief but intense clash the only indication that anything had changed within Jack had been the color of his eyes which slowly melted back to their original brown color. It had only taken a few seconds of actual combat for Jack to determine that Visari was worth his time. It would be foolish to continue considering the inevitable outcome.

"I suppose it's true what they say," Jack commented, exhaling smoke, "You can learn far more about a person in a fight than you ever could in a conversation. It was nice to finally meet you..."

[Rugs]

Aaaah, clever, Visari thought as the statue suddenly changed course and was moving toward him, rather than at Jack. He calmly held a hand up, and the piece of stone eased to a stop a few inches from his palm, before he gently set it back down in its original place. His eyes shifted back to Jack and he let his shield drop. A light laugh came from him at Jack's statement. "And you say that as if you were anything special, Makura." It was mostly in jest, though. So far, Jack had shown himself to be a cut above most of the idiots that flooded to the Order, and the Force only knew they'd need more people like that. Sure, the idiots made good fodder, but if they were going to have any chance of success, they'd need competent people among their ranks as well. True, those were concerns for Iniquitous more than they were for him, but his years as the head of a conglomerate had made such thinking second nature to him.

Visari laughed again at Jack's little gesture after he grabbed another cig. So confident was he? Perhaps he could keep Visari out, though telepathy was Visari's strongest area of expertise in the Force, but who could say? Visari still had no intention of breaking in, so his probes fell silent after a few more moments. He shifted his weight a bit, rolling his shoulders so that they popped as he worked out some of the tension that had grow in them. Then Jack reached for his lightsaber, and Visari's eyes followed it with a hint of interest. He could feel no intent to attack from Jack through the Force, though, so he wasn't worried; besides, even if Jack did attack, Visari could have his own lightsaber out in a heartbeat. But no, instead, Jack merely lit his cigarette before putting his weapon away. "So that's what that was..." he muttered, mostly to himself, as he remembered seeing Jack make a similar motion as he'd been approaching the Temple.

"Yes, wouldn't that be fun? Dragging out an old man and some newcomer no one's heard of? Sounds like splendid fun to me, no?" He chuckled a bit. Yes, he recognized the threat in Jack's words, but he wasn't the sort to get worked up over such things; at least not when there was no need to. If Jack was so certain that Visari didn't want in, then so be it. It could be determined later, if the need ever arose, but for the moment, it would serve neither of them.

Visari nodded at Jack's words. "So it is." He nodded his head to Jack in a show of respect to the younger man before shifting his weight again as he moved his cane from one hand to the other. "And it has been a pleasure to meet you Jack, but, if I may take it upon myself to ask, what do you intend to do? You came here seeking perfection, and I rather doubt you found what you were looking for talking with me." Visari paused for a moment before going on. "So, where do you plan to go from here?" Though he didn't ask it directly, what Visari was getting at. He wanted to know if Jack would be joining the Sith Order. His voice was steady, and his face impassive, only showing some interest, but within, he believed Jack could grow to be a valuable asset to the Order. But what would his response be?

[Cain]

Jack chuckled lightly at Visari's comment, As if I were anything special?... he thought. Jack slipped his gloves back on and then plucked his cigarette off his lip, giving it a tap and letting the ashes float silently to the cold stone floor of the Sith Temple. Jack had come to Korriban seeking the knowledge of the Sith, but more so he had come to see if these so called "Dark Lords" were even worth his time. If Visari was any indication it would seem that they were. Visari's questions posed an interesting choice, however. As much as Jack hated being tied down by anyone it seemed the only way to learn from the Sith was to become one of them.

"Hmm... I suppose I'll be sticking around," Jack finally responded, "My old master taught me a good deal about the Sith... but I suspect there is little substitute for the real thing," Jack took a final drag on his cigarette before letting it drop to the floor and crushing the butt beneath his boot, "You have been a most entertaining adversary. If the Sith will accept me, I'm eager to see more."

As soon as the words left his lips Jack began to have reservations about his decision. He couldn't help but envision himself being tossed into a semantic nightmare with a bunch of Sith scrubs being taught the value of the "dark side" of the Force. The thought of having to conform to the guidelines of these bureaucratic organizations made Jack cringe. But what it was Jack needed could only be obtained from the Dark Lords themselves, and it seemed this was the only option that would lead Jack to them.

[Rugs]

Excellent, Visari thought as the hint of a smile touched the edge of his lips. He merely nodded, as if he had been expecting the answer that Jack gave. "And you have been a refreshing challenge," he said with a slight nod. "Perhaps we'll have to do this again sometime, yes?" Again, he shifted his weight just a bit as he studied Jack for a moment. "Yes, it is always different to learn from the real thing, is it not? And you will find that we will be most accepting for one such as yourself." Hell, if they'd taken in Raeg Vashin, it seemed to be to Visari that just about anyone could make it in. Of course, Raeg's ability had certainly not been lacking, but Visari wondered about his mental prowess...

He noted the hint of what looked like the expression one would have when having second thoughts about something. Perhaps Jack was having second thoughts, but it seemed that despite whatever was going on within him, he chose to remain on the path he'd set his feet on. "You will find," Visari went on, "that you will, for the most part be responsible for your own training, unless you seek someone out to train you. We are not like the Jedi, forcing you to a master if you do not wish it, but still, many of the younger Initiates find masters to learn under." And a great many seemed to always be vying for the attention of the Dark Lords, though they were understandably choosey. "And, you will find, that, save Iniquitous and his Inner Sanctum, you are equal to the rest of us. At least in rank," he added with a smirk. An Initiate. The Order was young, and everyone was still new to it. But that would not be the case for much longer. More experienced members, such as himself, would be fast tracked to rise to appropriate ranks when the time was right. But, for the time being, they would all be Initiates.

"But that's all you really need to know," Visari said after pondering for a moment. "Really, fall in line when you're told to and don't make an ass of yourself and you should be just fine. Of course, should you decide to make an ass of yourself as Raeg Vashin did," he said as he casually shrugged, "you may find yourself with a great deal of enemies. And those aren't the best things to have in this place."

[Foxfire]

Resigned to be a park bench .925 decided to search this buildings computers for anything helpful. Going through system by system, .925 searched. Finally settling with the environmental's. Raising the air coolants to fridge and messing with the lights. The temple started to feel more like a twi'lek rave bar than a temple. The lights flashing like strobes and ice forms began to grow more intense.

If I won't be heard maybe I'll be felt.

.925 also gained access to another system that was not fire walled. It was a Media program that was buried deep, like as if someone was hiding their kinder gentler side. Come to find out it was a hutt singer's greatest hits. So nothing more annoying than the sound of a hutt sing, like garbage going down a grinder with a bad motor an dull blades. Piping it on all speakers .925 let loose the wailing of a Hutt-pop singer. If that did not make an interest in who was doing this .925 thought he might have to do some thing more drastic.

[Otterling]

“He’s right you know,” crooned a deep baritone from above the two men. Di’Shan had been watching the entire interaction between Visari and this newcomer with great interest from his perch in one of the balustrades that lined either side of the main great hall. He had also seen the figure approaching the Temple from a distance and had come to see what he could make of their new guest but, much to his delight, he’d found that Visari had beaten him there. It was a rare treat indeed to see the Epicanthix out and about and so Di’Shan had taken up a front row seat within one of the stone arches, his back against one pillar and his booted feet against the other as he balanced easily along the narrow railing. He’d watched with open interest as the two had bantered back and forth, feeling each other out while he in turn gained information about both. He’d never been formally introduced to Visari but the Twi’lek knew of him and what he’d learned so far had done nothing but impress him, a rare feat indeed.

Most of the Sith that filled the initiate ranks had walked through the main doors of the Temple wielding their sabers and Force skills with all the restraint of a two year old with a new toy. They had been far more interested in trying to forcibly gain respect by parading about like overblown peacocks than in actually learning anything and Di’Shan had dismissed most fairly quickly. He found some small amount of fun in toying with them but outwitting the idiotic wasn’t exactly challenging. He’d been meaning to hunt down Visari at some point but Di’Shan was nothing if not cautious and he was not the sort to underestimate someone he was impressed by. He’d spent as much time as he could trying to glean information about the mysterious Sith from anyone who might know of him, determined to gain at least some amount of knowledge he could use that might aid him in dealing with his fellow initiate.

Making enemies wasn’t on his list of priorities though. Instead, Di’Shan was more interested in making allies, however tentative that alliance might be, for he’d long since learned that everyone had a use. Even the stupidest of the Sith could be used to keep an enemy busy while one vied for a better position from which to attack but a man as intelligent and capable as Visari would prove far more invaluable. Trust wasn’t something that any Sith offered if they intended to stay alive for long but it struck Di’Shan as incredibly stupid to deny any sort of beneficial partnerships because of that. Thus he’d watched every tiny nuance of the interaction between the two men below him to determine as much as he could about both. He was pleasantly surprised by the capabilities and attitude of the newcomer. This Jack person had proven himself to be quick witted, powerful, and clever enough to have held his own to at least some extent before Visari and as such, he’d just made Di’Shan’s list of people he wanted to know better.

He opened his mouth once more to elaborate on his earlier statement but then the Twi’lek’s handsome face crumpled in abject disgust at the sudden wailing of a hutt singer over the speaker systems. The lights began to flash and flicker all around them and one green brow quirked in something less than amusement. “What in the name of dead babies is THAT?” he growled in irritation before idly rolling to his left and allowing himself to topple from his perch into a controlled dive toward the floor. His long form twisted and curled once to flip him to his feet moments before his boots impacted on the floor and the Sith popped back up from his landing crouch as if the movement had been as natural as walking. The thin silver bracelets around his wrists tinkled brightly in contrast to the normal tense stillness of the halls as he landed. “I would love to stay and make your acquaintances but it sounds like Cho may have found some sort of feline and is currently skinning it alive next to a microphone. I’m going to go find the source of that racket and put it out of everyone’s misery,” he drawled in a voice laced with boredom, “You are, of course, free to join me.”

Bright gold eyes turned pointedly in Visari’s direction indicating that his words held more intent than just a simple invitation to walk. After a second’s pause, Di’Shan glanced over at Jack and offered the merest hint of a smile that lacked any sort of warmth, an extending of his invitation to the other man as well, and then he turned on his heel and marched off in the direction of the nearest computer terminal, all the while carefully maintaining an awareness of the two men behind him. He lacked the ability at that time to hide his Force presence, part of what he wanted to learn from Visari if the other man would teach him, and so he didn’t even bother to try. He had other surprises up his sleeve if it came down to a contest of wills. He would have preferred to just stick put and have a long chat with them right then and there, have out their introductions however they would play out, but clever conversation and mental chess was going to prove highly difficult what with all the sudden racket that was pouring in from the loud speakers. Di’Shan did well to hide his irritation at the interruption but whatever was causing the ruckus had better have a good explanation or he was going to flay them slowly over the course of days for interrupting the conversation he’d been so enjoying.

[Foxfire]

.925 had thought that he had some ones attention. So he taped into the message boards at the temple giving his location and once again asked to get these fool birds off of his back. He even up loaded the last thing his visual receptors gleaned before they failed. It was him walking up to the temple steps and falling onto all fours.

These hours may have been short for most but to a droid it was an eternity. He had got give these being time. They could not help if they were slow and inefficient at what they do.

Just then .925's circuits had another failing. This time his Wi-Fi system failed no to over use but to moister some one had poured a liquid into his central systems. With a puff of smoke an a shower of sparks .925 went off line.