|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 7, 2010 17:58:18 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 7, 2010 17:58:18 GMT -5
Kvothe looked out onto the world that sat suspended in the black of space before him. Ruusan, it was called. It looked different than Aiaru did from space. For the most part, it seemed to be covered by land, where Aiaru had a very large amount of water on it. The various shades of green and browns that dotted the land were familiar, though. "Maybe this won't be too bad of a place, eh, Fas," he asked as he turned to look at his companion, who was laying on the floor near the entrance to the transport's cockpit. The Flickercat picked his head up to look at Kvothe, and Kvothe felt a bit of interest well up through the bond the two held in the Force before Fas turned and laid his head on the ground once more. Kvothe smiled a little and turned to look out to the world that was before him.
He'd not expected to be here a few weeks ago, honestly. He still believed that his place was on Aiaru, carrying out the duties that he'd sworn to do in service of the Tower as a Sword of Diligence. But no, apparently it was here. His work in fighting those who would betray the Tower had been hard, and not just in the combat that came with it. A number of his former friends had been slain by his hand, and it had been taking a toll on him mentally. His superiors called him in, and told him they thought it would be best for him--and his sanity--if he took a break from Aiaru. A break from the fighting. A break from killing those who were, or had been, rather, his friends. They said that, though he might not notice it, he was starting to change for the worse from the pressures, and that worried them; they didn't need him cracking because of the work he did. Especially not if the conflict that was stirring on Aiaru broke out into open war. Kvothe would need to be refreshed and ready to go for the times that would come then. So they sent him away. It was not an uncommon thing for a Mythic to take a trip through the Galaxy when needed, and a great number regularly traveled the Galaxy in search of knowledge. Kvothe had argued at first, but in the end, he agreed. His superiors told him that he would be contacted when they were ready for him to return.
And so he'd left with Fas, his staff and sword, a borrowed ship, some food and money, and enough Etherium to kill a rancor. He didn't have any particular goals in mind, so he just decided to drift from world to world until he was called back. Ruusan just happened to be his first stop. It would be his first time on a world other than Aiaru. A strange thought, considering he was thirty years old, though one who didn't know him and looked at him might think him to be in his early twenties due the longer lifespan of his species. Better late than never, I suppose, he thought with a shrug and began to maneuver his ship down to a city on the surface.
--------------------------------------------------------------
A short while later, his simple leather boots stepped from the spaceport out into the city, with Fas at his heel. It was a bright day, and he put a gloved hand up over his eyes to keep the sun's glare away. It was a nice place. It was clean pretty, and the people seemed to get on well enough. Though, threads of orange did work through his hazel eyes at the looks he got from some of them, but faded away after he gave some thought to it. He was a strange sight, he supposed, with his loose robes, and the overly-ornate sword hanging behind him through the sash at his waist, or with the dark green tattoos and the scar that decorated his face. Kvothe chuckled to himself a bit as he adjusted his grip on his staff, which he held upright. "Perhaps I should've brought my armor instead of leaving it on Aiaru, then" he said to Fas. "I can only imagine how they'd look at me then."
But where to go? A cool wind blew down the street, ruffling the Rilan's messy auburn hair and the short, tattered (but clean) cloak that hung from around his neck as he looked about. Kvothe didn't really have anything in particular in mind for his stay here. He could always just look about and investigate into the local life here; maybe someone would tell him something that could lead to some old, hidden knowledge. Perhaps he could just sit and watch the auras what swirled about the people as they passed by. That would be interesting enough on its own. But no, he'd have to do something, if no more that look around. So with a shrug and a motion for his Flickercat companion to come along, he set off into the city. Perhaps fate would bring something interesting his way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 8, 2010 2:33:57 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 8, 2010 2:33:57 GMT -5
After Alindra's first few exercises among the Sith, her lacking skills in some areas started to become visible. She was starting to stand out, not because of her looks or kind demeanor, but because she lacked most of the hard training the other acolytes had gone through before they sampled the Dark Side. While it gave Alindra rage, she had no clear way to express it and she knew she would not be given any help, at least not in the ways she needed it. There had to be another way for her to prove herself, prove that she was a valuable asset, not just another would-be Sith.
A few shuttles were heading out and she stowed away on one of them, not caring exactly where she ended up. If she found nothing, she knew where the supply lines for Korriban ran and how she could get back to the Sith when the time came.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alindra found her way closer to civilization, exiting on Ruusan. It wouldn't have been her first choice, but destinations have never been her choice, not as a slave, not even in trying to seek out the Sith. It was something she would have to correct, if only by learning to fly a ship on her own. People who've been frightened into a catatonic state can't fly Alindra anywhere.
Having decided to train herself in more practical matters, she left her dress packed and wore less fashionable clothing. Her top was made of a dark cloth that reflected light along several edges. She held it together with a dark red corset, making it not appear as robes at all. Even with a more relaxed look, Alindra was unwilling to surrender her attractiveness. It was often her best trait.
She walked around the spaceport, looking at how people interacted. Finding anything would be hard, but not impossible. Freelancers would have to most to offer, but few freelancers were also Force users or flight instructors. Still, she knew there had to be something for her to accomplish or she wouldn't have been able to bring herself to leave Korriban so soon after getting there.
Alindra thought staying near the spaceport might bring undue attention to her, so she ventured toward the city itself. There would be little time for her to pick up any leads and return to the port itself in time to head back to Korriban on the supply run. With only a few days, she had to choose her moves carefully. Time was against her for once, not to mention the threat of discovery by the Republic. They would not take kindly to having a Sith venturing through their worlds. They would want her to tell the Jedi where the Sith were hiding.
But most people wouldn't believe she was a Sith, much less a Force user. They were always too busy looking at her shape, at her hair and her smile. Let them, she thought. Looking up and down the streets, Alindra began to wonder if she should just step into one of the bars and see if someone would be willing to buy her a drink. It was a test she wasn't sure she wanted to take, especially since she didn't know who might be around.
|
|
|
|
|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 8, 2010 12:14:34 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 8, 2010 12:14:34 GMT -5
Onward through the crowds in the street Kvothe went, looking for something that might pique his interest. There were places that looked interesting, sure, but nothing that stood out. Not yet, anyway. He shrugged mentally. Something would come in time; it wasn't like he was in a rush, anyway.
The young Rilan and his feline companion continued on for a little while longer, until Kvothe noticed an establishment that got his attention. It looked like a restaurant of some sort, perhaps a bar. A light smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Yes, I'll go there. Even back in the various towns and cities on Aiaru, there were few places better for meeting interesting people than bars, cantinas, taverns, or whatever the local name for them was. "Hey, come on Fas," he said to the Flickercat with a look in his direction and a short motion to follow.
Kvothe stepped off as he turned his head back to the front, and was stopped short when he accidentally bumped into a man. His staff almost fell to the ground, but he reached out with his hand and grabbed it, before muttering a quick "I'm sorry" to the man and starting to move on. Apparently, that wasn't enough.
"Damn straight you are," the man yelled back at him, and Kvothe stopped in his tracks before turning around. A datapad lay broken on the ground where it had fallen, and was obviously the source of the ire that was now being directed at Kvothe. The crowd, as crowds have a tendency to do, seemed to sense the potential for something bad to happen, and parted, giving Kvothe and the one he'd angered a fair berth. Some people even stopped to watch. "Do you know the value of the information I had on that?! Huh?! You big clutz!" He looked to be a Human, or some near Human species. From the way he dressed, Kvothe guessed that he was one of the fools that thought a bit too highly of themselves. "You give me one reason why I shouldn't beat the money to pay for what I've lost out of you right now," the man continued on, walking forward until he was near enough to angrily shove Kvothe.
Kvothe only took a step back from the push, and before he could react, he felt a sudden surge of anger from Fas through the bond, and the Flickercat was suddenly in between him and the Human. A low growl sounded in Fas' throat, and the lights at the end of the three prongs of his tail suddenly went from their normal, calm blue to a threatening red; the prongs flicked back and forth threateningly, making a plain show of the sharp barbs that tipped each of them.
"Fas! Stop that" Kvothe said sternly. Fas responded with a look back before turning to glare at the man a few moments more. Then he relented and moved back to stand by Kvothe's side, though his threatening stance did not change. Despite the man's anger and Fas' show, Kvothe was a bit amused, and it showed in his eyes, which had taken on a forest green. "I don't think he knows that I've killed more men than he could ever hope to," Kvothe said, seemingly to Fas, though it was obvious who the message was intended for. If it wasn't, it was when he looked up to lock eyes with the man. "And if he tried anything, he'd be on the ground faster than he could blink." Kvothe smirked at the man before reaching out to him with his mind. "Now run along, and don't cause any trouble," he said, though it would sound within the man's mind, so that only he could hear it. Kvothe was using mind speaking, a talent he had as a Rilan. It had the desired effect. The man's eyes went wide and he stammered something so quickly that Kvothe couldn't understand what it was, though he did catch the word 'Jedi' before the man ran off.
Kvothe stared in the direction the man ran off in for a moment before shaking his head and turning to go into the bar, like nothing had happened. Kvothe wasn't arrogant, though he knew he was skilled in combat and in the use of Mythos--what the Mythics called the Force--but the man was a fool, and Kvothe would not be cowed by him. Though really, if the man thought the only Force users in the Galaxy were the Jedi, he might be a bigger fool than Kvothe thought. "There's no helping fools, though," he muttered to himself as he sat down at a table. Hopefully he wouldn't run into too many more fools in this place. He'd hate to have to hurt someone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 9, 2010 0:41:21 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 9, 2010 0:41:21 GMT -5
Passing through the crowds, there was a spectrum of emotions to feel. Some felt joy for winning at games, for finding an old friend. Some felt worry, depressed over losing their job or maybe their dog. But with all the fighting and violent tendencies around Alindra, she felt a deep well of rage and aggression.
She watched as a crowd parted around two men, one clearly burning to get into a fight. The need for violence was thundering around him; he'd been looking for a reason to get into a brawl all day. He was close to human, though his barbaric looks were a total turnoff for Alindra. She hoped the other contestant in the battle would be victorious, or better. Some men weren't meant to breed.
"Stomp that datapad into dust!" Alindra screamed out. She wanted to see how much rage could fill the air. It was exhilarating for her to touch the wellspring of emotion coming from the crowd. That, and she wanted to see what the auburn-haired man was capable of.
Something jumped between the combatants, a cat of some sort. The cat stood with the auburn-haired man, defending him, or at least trying to figure out if the enraged man would make a suitable meal.
Before anything else happened, Alindra's attentions were called away. A Rodian pulled her by the shoulder and started making odd gestures with his fingers. Alindra felt a sensation coming from the Rodian. She had felt it in such a way once before, long before she understood her inherent connection to the Force. The Rodian wanted things from Alindra, things she swore she'd never let anyone take again. She made a repulsed face and started walking away, but the Rodian wouldn't take no for an answer.
"Fine," Alindra said, rolling her eyes. She took the Rodian's hand and pulled him down a side alley. It was a short path, still close to both streets and many people, but secluded enough to serve matters properly. The Rodian made an inquisitive sound when they were in place and Alindra nodded. "This place is perfect. Go ahead and loosen your belt."
Just as the Rodian started to do as Alindra asked, he felt a great pressure holding him against the wall. Blood started seeping into his eyes. "Just so we're clear," Alindra said. Her voice had gone dark and cold. "No means no." She moved her hand, tossing the Rodian down the alley. "You're not my type at all."
Returning back to the scene of the action, the fight had ended and Alindra noticed the auburn-haired man going into a bar. The man who'd wanted to fight him stepped down the street, trying to get as much distance between him and the rest of the world. On a whim, she decided to follow the auburn-haired man, curious to see if anything else might happen. There was something different about him and Alindra was a little curious to see what that might be.
|
|
|
|
|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 9, 2010 14:11:46 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 9, 2010 14:11:46 GMT -5
{A bit on the short side >.<}
Into the bar Kvothe went, before going to find a table over in a corner away from anyone else to sit in. He set his staff against the wall near him before sitting down, and looked out over the interior of the building. It was well enough lit, though it wasn't bright, necessarily bright. The low din of conversation from the other patrons filled the place, and the soft music from a musician playing on the other side of the establishment drifted over on top of that. Fas laid down near his feet, and a waitress soon approached the table.
She looked to Fas for a moment, but didn't say anything about him. "Welcome to Rizney's bar. What can I get for ya?"
"Juma juice will be fine for now," Kvothe said with a nod and a smile, and the waiter went off to get his drink. His eyes, which were still green, followed her as she left. She's certainly pretty enough, he thought as an amused grin grew on his face. But his eyes drifted back to look out over the people in the crowd after a moment, taking in the array of auras that danced around them. It was an interesting thing to see, really. Rilans could see auras around everyone, though, as far as he knew there couldn't be much, if any, information gleamed from them. Not without knowing the person, anyway, and then they just seemed to fit the personality of the person; though, trying to apply characteristics of one person to another was a very difficult thing, and, in Kvothe's mind, a waste of time, as they were all unique to the individual. The auras had been amazingly distracting when Kvothe first gained the ability to see them, but now, he almost never paid too much attention to them unless he was specifically trying to watch them, as he was now, or one grabbed his attention.
A few moments later, a woman with honey gold hair walked into the bar, and something about her caught Kvothe's attention, though what it was, he couldn't place. His eyes went up to hers for a moment before breaking away. It's probably nothing. With that, he went back to studying the crowd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 10, 2010 3:54:13 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 10, 2010 3:54:13 GMT -5
Alindra walked inside, letting the door sway shut behind her. She let her eyes glaze over the room, even though she found what had drawn her inside in the first place. It wasn't her desire to be obvious, but she was curious about the auburn-haired man she saw on the street.
There was a small table open in the middle of the room, so Alindra took it. No one would be able to miss her entrance, but she didn't have a problem with that. She liked being seen.
A waitress appeared, dulled with exhaustion, but still trying to be enthusiastic. "Welcome to Rizney's bar. What can I get for ya?"
"Some kind of clear ale, if you have it," Alindra said. "I'm not looking to grow any chest hair."
The waitress scampered off, trying to hunt down the proper liquor. Or some stims. There was no way to be certain.
While Alindra waited, she kept makeing occasional glances. Her eyes tried to be the main charm, slight gems that could attract collectors throughout the galaxy, even if they were hormonally-driven Rodians. Part of Alindra wanted to just blurt out the question nagging at her, but she knew that would be a breach of etiquette, a deplorable thing that should not be explored unless absolutely necessary. She was curious if she could get the auburn-haired man to say something to her first anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 10, 2010 18:09:01 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 10, 2010 18:09:01 GMT -5
Kvothe nodded to the waitress when she brought him his drink, and returned to looking out over the crowd. And, no matter how much he tried to avoid it, he found that his eyes always ended up returning back to that woman with the honey hair. Why, he still could not say, but they did. Perhaps she's someone you should look into, eh, he thought as he took a sip of his drink. But he hesitated. It seemed to Kvothe that simply walking up to a woman he didn't know and making conversation about how she kept drawing his attention might come across in a way that was different that what he meant, and--depending on the woman--get him slapped.
Of course, if Kvothe wouldn't go investigate, then Fas would. As usual, Kvothe's emotions were vaguely mirrored through the bond to his feline companion, and Fas picked his head up and stared off in the direction of the woman. Kvothe wasn't paying attention, though, and didn't notice Fas was moving toward her, until he saw the Flickercat's three tails waving around with interest as he pawed toward her. Kvothe nearly spit out his drink at the sight, and could feel color rushing to his cheeks. "Fas! Come back here," he called out in a loud whisper. But Fas merely looked back before deciding to continue on.
Kvothe grumbled under his breath. Fas was a loyal companion and friend, and he was extraordinarily protective of Kvothe, but sometimes he got into moods where he'd do what he felt, Kvothe's will be damned. And, as luck would have it, Fas was in one of those moods.
He stopped by the woman, and pointedly sat down on the floor next to her before turning his head up to look at her. After a moment of that, he turned his head back to Kvothe, as if to indicate that the woman was safe. Kvothe only rolled his eyes, which were now a mixture of orange and green, before he grabbed his staff and his drink and walked over to where Fas sat, next to the woman.
"You'll have to forgive him for his curiosity," he said as he stopped to stand before her and gave Fas a rather pointed look that the Flickercat seemed to ignore. "He sometimes gets a bit too curious for his own good." And now that he was closer to her, he could feel what it was that seemed so off about her.
She could touch the Force.
That's interesting, he thought. He'd lived among Force--or Mythos, as the Mythics call it--users all his life, but other than the heretics who were currently trying to fight back against the Mythics, he'd never met one outside of the Order. But for now, he'd wait to see if she said anything before going on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 11, 2010 3:23:18 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 11, 2010 3:23:18 GMT -5
She sat and waited for her drink. There wasn't much else for her to do. Something began to approach, a sense of curiosity more than anything else. When she looked around, she noticed the feline with the auburn-haired man had decided to take a look at her. Alindra didn't mind animals; she found some of them to be quite tasty.
The feline drew closer, taking careful steps along the way. Alindra gave it only faint notice at first. She didn't want to disturb the feline and she had never seen anything quite like it before. The idea of something having three tails had never crept into Alindra's imagination, even as a child.
But she was enchanted. Such an interesting creature. She kept looking as the subtle movements locked Alindra's fascination. The feline sat close to her feet, looking into her eyes. Both animals understood something about each other, quietly agreeing they had no grudges or reasons to attack.
The auburn-haired man stepped over after a moment. He'd been calling out to the feline, Fas, for a minute before deciding to move. "You'll have to forgive him for his curiosity," the man said. "He sometimes gets a bit too curious for his own good."
Alindra looked at the man and smiled herself. "It's no problem. He's a lovely creature. I've never seen anything like him before." She started to feel something coming from the man and wanted to know more. What she felt might have been why she was so curious, so interested in what he was doing. "If you like, you can join me. I'm Alindra."
|
|
|
|
|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 11, 2010 19:50:38 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 11, 2010 19:50:38 GMT -5
"I would be glad to," he said as he sat down in a chair across from her, leaning his staff against the table next to him. He looked to Fas for a moment, and watched the lights on the end of his long tails bob and sway hypnotically as he watched the two. "Very few people outside of our homeworld have seen a Flickercat," he said as he returned his gaze to Alindra and the last bits of orange seeped away from his irises, leaving them green once more, much like her own eyes. "He can be a bit stubborn at times, but he's a good friend." Kvothe reached down to scratch the top of Fas' head, behind one of his ears, and the Flickercat purred lazily. Kvothe chuckled lightly as he pulled his hand back to the table and felt a wave of annoyance through the bond when Fas looked up toward him, as if wondering why he'd stopped.
But now Kvothe's attention had returned to Alindra, and he took another sip of his drink before going on. "But I forget myself. I am called Kvothe," he said. Perhaps she might pick up on how he did not say his name was Kvothe, but rather, he was called Kvothe. To a Rilan, a name held a great deal of power, and there was only one other living person in the Galaxy that knew Kvothe's real name, and they weren't on the best of terms. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Alindra," he said with a slight nod to her.
"I had been hoping," he continued, "to find someone of interest here. I admit, this is my first time on this world, and the first man I met," he trailed off for a moment and smirked wryly. "Well, he didn't leave the best impression." Kvothe left the details unspoken. Perhaps Alindra already knew, and if she didn't, she probably would, with the way word of such things tended to spread. "And then, I find myself sitting here across from you," he went on, before taking another sip of his drink, "and cannot help but notice that, apart from some obvious differences, we seem to have some things in common."
Kvothe lifted his eyebrows slightly, in an expression that made him look like he was asking if she knew what he was getting at. Perhaps it wasn't the most subtle way to bring up the Force, but Kvothe had never really been a subtle man, and it'd have to get brought up at some point anyway, so he just pushed ahead. Besides, surely she could sense his ability to touch the Mythos, as he could sense hers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 12, 2010 4:16:23 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 12, 2010 4:16:23 GMT -5
A Flickercat. That's what kind of feline it was. Alindra watched as Fas moved around, bobbing his tails as he was praised. With a laugh and a slight turn, the auburn-haired man turned to face Alindra once more. "I am called Kvothe," the man said. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Alindra."
With a smirk, she responded. "You're not the only one," she said, looking over at Fas. The waitress came by, setting Alindra's drink down without saying a word. Alindra took a drink, giving Kvothe a chance to say his peace.
"I had been hoping to find someone of interest here. I admit, this is my first time on this world, and the first man I met--well, he didn't leave the best impression."
Alindra shook her head. "No, he didn't. I was hoping to see the two of you teach him a lesson, but I was distracted by someone who just didn't understand the word 'no.'"
They spoke for a moment longer, Kvothe remarking on his similarities to Alindra. "You're right, I think. We look at things differently than anyone else in this bar might. And while everyone here might be armed--" Alindra glanced at Kvothe's staff and down at a pocket inside her sleeve. "--I think we're both unconventional in our choice of weapons. Does that sound about right? Did I miss anything?"
|
|
|
|
|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 12, 2010 23:23:13 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 12, 2010 23:23:13 GMT -5
Kvothe laughed warmly. "I suppose you could say that," he said. "Though, to be fair, I think any idiot could learn to fight with this thing." He nodded toward his staff before patting the hilt of his sword, though it was below the table and out of Alindra's sight; she might have seen it earlier, though. "Or this, for that matter. But most are too lazy, I suppose." Kvothe shrugged dismissively. "And I'm sure whatever you choose to arm yourself with has some similar reason for being uncommon, yes?"
Kvothe scratched his ear for a moment as he thought. Part of what Alindra said caught his interest, so he decided to put the Force aside for a moment, and go with it. "You've interested me with something you said though, and you'll have to forgive me if I am so easily diverted around. But," he paused as he took drink, "you mentioned outlook on things. Now, I, at least, am interested in finding out some things about the way others view the world." Except for a select group of heretics back on Aiaru, but that didn't need to be mentioned. "My... well, order, I guess you could call it, is very much interested in the acquiring of knowledge. In all areas, mundane or interesting. I have other priorities, certainly, but I suppose I'm not too different than some of the others who are more devoted to the search in my interest to find various things about what makes people and our Galaxy tick, or of the histories that tell the stories of so many people." A thoughtful look passed over Kvothe's face before he went on. "If that made any sense. It did in my head, anyway. But I'm sure you know what I mean. But, I wonder, what is it that shapes your outlook on things?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2010 3:12:24 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 13, 2010 3:12:24 GMT -5
"And I'm sure whatever you choose to arm yourself with has some similar reason for being uncommon, yes?"
"That's part of it," Alindra said. "It's something I inherited from my teacher." She leaned closer, laughing a bit before shaking her head and holding her tongue. My lightsaber doesn't work very well. I need to replace it.
Something was running through Kvothe's mind. He wanted something and it was starting to seem like Alindra might be able to help him find it. "You've interested me with something you said though, and you'll have to forgive me if I am so easily diverted around. But--" He stopped to take a drink. Alindra tried a little more of her own drink, not wanting it to go to waste. "You mentioned outlook on things. Now, I, at least, am interested in finding out some things about the way others view the world."
As Kvothe explained what he thought about his search, he came to ask, "I wonder, what is it that shapes your outlook on things?"
The answer made Alindra become solemn, something she truly felt, but never showed. It had been too dangerous in the past to do so, but revealing herself to Kvothe, even in this small degree, seemed like a fair risk.
"Slavery." Alindra leaned back in her chair, finishing off her drink. She took a deep breath, not ready for the sting that came with her ale. "Before I say anything else, I need to know two things." Holding up her empty glass, she asked, "Are you a Jedi and are you paying?"
|
|
|
|
|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2010 21:49:55 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 13, 2010 21:49:55 GMT -5
Slavery.
The word echoed through Kvothe's mind after Alindra spoke it, and for a moment, all else was forgotten. He personally was not too particularly fond of the practice, but, despite the barbarism that was inherit in such a thing, he knew it was common throughout the Galaxy. Has she been a slave, then? Or perhaps a slaver...
Kvothe came out of his own musings just in time to catch Alindra's question. His brow furrowed slightly at a pang of irritation, but he pushed it away. He could see how some might think he was a Jedi, but still, it annoyed him a bit. The matter was no fault of hers, though. "No, I am not a Jedi," he said flatly as he put his arms up on the table and steepled his fingers. His left sleeve which, unlike his right sleeve, was made loose, fell down his forearm to gather around his elbow, but he paid it no mind. "Nor am I a Sith or whatever it is their dark counterparts are calling themselves these days. My order cares very little for the struggle between their perceived light or dark." The Mythics thought the Sith and the Jedi were often fools, truthfully, but he left that unsaid. "As I said, we are more interested in the acquisition of knowledge than the struggles the Jedi concern themselves with."
That left the second half of the question. Payment? Kvothe hadn't planned on paying her anything, though he'd taken a large sum of money with him when he left Aiaru. Perhaps she doesn't mean in hard money, though. A trade of knowledge, maybe? "I think," he said slowly, "that might depend on what you mean by 'paying.'"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 14, 2010 3:40:07 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 14, 2010 3:40:07 GMT -5
Alindra choked down her smile when Kvothe said he wasn't a Jedi. She could tell he wasn't lying to her, just like he wasn't lying when he said he wasn't a Sith. The man actually didn't care about either philosophy. Alindra didn't mind; she didn't care much for philosophies herself.
"Knowledge is a wonderful thing," Alindra commented. "I can't say I had much knowledge growing up. I eventually learned to dance and I really enjoyed that. But we need drinks first--that's where your payment can start."
She waved the waitress over. "Is there something else I can do for the two of you?"
"Yes. We need two more. Another clear ale for me and whatever my friend was drinking." The waitress took down the orders and went back to fill them.
Alindra swept her hair back and sucked on her upper lip for a moment. "When I was five, I was abducted and thrown into a mine, which was where I stayed until I started to resemble an adult." Tilting her head and giving a playful smirk, Alindra said, "It only starts to get interesting after that point. So, before I can think of any real terms of payment, I have to know, just what is it you're after?"
|
|
|
|
|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 14, 2010 18:38:33 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 14, 2010 18:38:33 GMT -5
Kvothe barked a short laugh when Alindra told him he'd be paying for the next round of drinks before ordering their replacements. "Alright, fair enough then," he said. "I suppose I had that coming."
He fell quiet again as Alindra began to speak, and he frowned a bit when she said that she'd been taken as a child. So she was a slave, then? That was unfortunate. But she stopped her story short, teasing him with more information before asking what he was after.
That was a something he wasn't quite sure of. Kvothe hadn't left Aiaru because he'd planned to, and as such, he didn't really have any plans for what to do as he waited for his superiors to call him back to resume his work for the Tower. Until then... What was he after? For all intents and purposes, he was just a drifter for the time being, unless something caught his interest. His brow creased in thought, though the waitress returned, giving him a few extra moments to think without having an awkward silence settle over the table. Kvothe set his drink down before him, and passed Alindra her ale before saying his thanks to the waiter.
"That," he said as he leaned back in his chair and reached down to scratch Fas' head again, "is a good question." The thing he wanted most--revenge--was out of his grasp until he could return to Aiaru, and he found himself wondering if he'd lost sight of other things in his single-minded pursuit of it. "I cannot say for sure, really," he said before taking a drink from his new glass of juma juice. "There is one thing I want for certain, but it is not something that you or anyone else can give me. Perhaps," he said as he took his hand away from Fas to idly tap his fingers on the table ,"if I can say I learned something of interest, or was bettered in some way when I leave this world, I will be satisfied." Kvothe shrugged. "Or perhaps it won't even take that much. I'm a wanderer for the time being, and since I don't have any particular goals in the moment, I can't say what it will take for me to feel like my stops were worth it."
Kvothe laughed a softly as the hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth. "It's a bit of a cop-out, I know, but that's all I can really think to say." He withdrew his arm from the table and leaned back again, waiting to see if what he'd said would suffice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 14, 2010 19:34:20 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 14, 2010 19:34:20 GMT -5
Alindra picked up her next glass and took a drink. She listened to Kvothe's "answer," amused that he was being a bit evasive.
"Fine, if that's what you want, we can play that way. It doesn't bother me at all." She glanced to the front door for a moment, letting her thoughts gather. The level of distrust she tasted every day had started to become bitter on her tongue, but confessing her secrets--all of them--didn't seem to be a good idea.
"I was eleven when they took me out of the mines," Alindra said. "They thought I was too pretty to keep down there. Dirty. Filth-ridden. Unclean. I have never been as covered with dirt and soot and muck as I was then.
"They thought they could clean me up, make me look pretty. And if I looked pretty, they thought they could get a high price for me, sell me to someone who provided staff at parties, serving drinks and orderves. But they never expected me to have enough dexterity to keep from dropping everything I carried, even when someone bumped into me."
She took another drink and leaned in, smiling at Kvothe. "Now, wanderer, I wonder, do you know how to pilot a ship?"
|
|
|
|
|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 14, 2010 23:08:06 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 14, 2010 23:08:06 GMT -5
"Scum, all them, I'm sure," Kvothe said with a snort after he took another drink of his juma juice. It boggled his mind that there were those that would force a five year old into labor in some mines, but it was what it was, disgusting though it may have been.
He went back to listening to her, expecting her to go on, but she did not. Instead, she teased him again with a bit of her story before asking something of him, this time if he could pilot ships. It was an interesting question, though he'd rather her continue with her tale. Kvothe didn't mind though. He could be patient. Sometimes.
"Aye," he said as he leaned back with a wry grin. "I learned how to fly a ship a few years back. Wouldn't be much of a traveler if I couldn't do that, now would I?" I even have a ship of my own, he thought to say, though he bit his tongue on that at the last moment. Well, technically he'd borrowed it from the Tower for his travels, but for all intents and purposes, it was his. "Why do you ask?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 14, 2010 23:41:58 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 14, 2010 23:41:58 GMT -5
Kvothe not only said he could fly a ship, but followed up with a question of his own: he wanted to know why Alindra was so curious.
"Not to give too much away, but it's a skill I've never picked up and I was looking to correct that. Like you said, one isn't much of a traveler if they can't fly themselves where they want to go."
It was the one constant of Alindra's life. Every worthwhile thing she ever learned in her life, she picked up on the fly. Only when she learned to dance and service the opulent did she get the benefit of formal training. Fighting, hunting, use of the Force, learning that she had a sister, it all came at a fast pace. Alindra had to use her wits to stay alive, which meant she had to put some things together herself through trial and error. She didn't dare attempt trial and error on her lightsaber; it'd likely kill her if she did.
"I'm not looking to overstay my welcome or anything. I just think I need to figure out how to pilot a ship. They don't teach that kind of thing in a mine."
|
|
|
|
|
Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
1,102 likes
Friendly neighborhood CEO
|
|
last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
Administrator
|
|
|
Mar 15, 2010 22:22:16 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 15, 2010 22:22:16 GMT -5
An interested look passed over Kvothe's face as Alindra spoke. He didn't know if she was a traveler as he was, or even why she was on Ruusan, for that matter, but the wheels in his head started to turn as he contemplated what she was saying. It would be safe to assume she'd want him to teach her; it only made sense after her question and admission that it was a skill she lacked, followed by her pointing out that she wouldn't mind learning how to fly a ship. That or she was leading him down some topic of conversation that held no real purpose, but Kvothe didn't think she was. There was only one way to find out.
"I could teach you," he said, keeping his voice purposely neutral. "It's not that hard once you get the hang of it, really.
"But," he added as he set his elbows on the table and laced his fingers together, "if I do, I want something in return, though my terms would be light." He smiled as he leaned back into his chair and took another drink of his juma juice. "Well, actually, I guess that would be a subjective thing, but I could certainly ask for more," he muttered, more to himself than to Alindra. "But I'm sure you can guess what I'd ask for, yes?" Kvothe lifted his eyebrows again as he asked her. He thought the answer was fairly obvious: he wanted to hear the rest of her story, if for no other reason than because it had caught his interest. Besides, perhaps something within would catch his attention and lead him onward to wherever his next destination might be, and if not, there were certainly worse things that could happen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
|
|
|
Mar 16, 2010 12:07:27 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Mar 16, 2010 12:07:27 GMT -5
Alindra nodded. She knew of two things Kvothe might want, but one of those relied on her assumptions about male behavior. The other was to continue telling Kvothe about her own history.
"That sounds reasonable." Alindra gave a nod and took a sip of her drink. "Where did I get to? That's right; the bastards in the mines actually did something somewhat nice for me. They sold me to a man who needed serving girls for parties and trained staff for palaces. Rogues and robbers who called themselves princes and dukes. All bastards if you ask me."
The smile left Alindra's face. She felt the heel of her foot shaking as she spoke. Only once before had she ever told anyone the story of her life. That had been to her parents when she finally saw them again, just before she learned of her sister, Laira.
"You'll have to forgive me. I don't tell this story very often."
|
|
|
|