Past and Present (Ambrose)

[Jorshal Vuntana]

Jorshal shifted his position in his chair within his office and set down a datapad. There was a new member of the Sith Order that was raising many questions in his head: Ambrose Braeden. The man had once been apart of the Shrine and had recently joined the Sith Order. He was experienced in the Force, but that also made him potentially dangerous.

Once before, when Jorshal was young, the Sith Order had accepted a Sith Lord trained from outside, Lord Rivin. Rivin became a traitor but he managed to escape the wrath of the Sith Order; a fact which would remain hidden. Should Ambrose ever show a sign of treachery, Jorshal squeezed the hilt of his lightsaber as he picke dit up from his desk, he would be dealt with much more effctively.

Jorshal stood up and clipped his hilt to his belt and left the room, locking it behind him. The sound of his boot connecting with the floor echoed throughout the hallways as he briskly paced towards the main meeting chamber within the collective area known as the Citadel. He had requested Ambrose meet him there, but whether the man would remained to be seen.

[Ambrose Braeden]

The darkness was a world all its own. You could live within it, or die from it. Within the darkness stood a lone figure, enthraled with his surroundings. The hallway was dimly lit, candles adorned the walls a few meeters a part from each other. Ambrose stepped out from within the shadows and walked down the corridor that he was presently in. The Vampire had recieved a message not to long ago that a man by the name of Jorshal Vuntana requested his presence within the Citadel. Jorshal was a Member of The Sith Order, the place that Ambrose now called his home. As he walked down the hallway, his night colored robe rustled around his feet. Soft taps echoed off the walls as his feet made contact with the cold stone floor.

As the Vampire entered the room that was officialy called the Citadel, he could feel a ripple within the force. It was not much but what he felt was uneasyness. Ambrose knew that his presence at the establishment made people weary of him. But for what reason he did not know.

Removing his cloak, Ambrose lightly placed it on the floor. Dropping to his knees he closed his eyes and calmed his breathing. Anger and aggresion were the only things that were in the Vampire's mind, and with that came the Darkside. The Darkside of the force fed upon anger and dark emotions. The Darkside coursed through Ambrose's veins as if it were his own blood. He sat waiting for Jorshal to arrive.

[Jorshal Vuntana]

Jorshal pushed the half closed door open and found the man he was looking for standing in the Citadel chamber facing away. Jorshal wasn't that naive to think Ambrose hadn't noticed him enter. As a matter of fact, he was positive the knight knew he had entered as he was strong in the darkside.

"Ambrose, I'm glad you could meet me here." With the Force Jorshal could tell Ambrose was aware of the uneasy feelings those of the Order felt about him. "You do understand why older members are hesitant to completly accept you, don't you?" He said bringing matters quickly down to business.

[Ambrose Braeden]

"You do understand why older members are hesitant to completly accept you, don't you?"

The Vampire stood to face the other person who had entered the room. It was Jorshal, as expected. Ambrose pivoted so that he was facing the Sith. His fierce eyes staring straight into the soul of the man who now stood but only a few meeters away from him. The lights danced across the two beings faces as the candles burned.

"Yes I do understand why the order distrusts me. Is is the fact that I am an outsider, and you do not trust one such as my self."

Ambrose placed both of his hands behind his back, interlocking his fingers. He stood poised, not moving, waiting for the responce from the tall human standing in front of him.

[Jorshal Vuntana]

Jorshal met his stare. "It isn't that the Order doesn't trust you, I did let you in after all. But you are correct, you are an outsider in many ways. You see, most of those who've come here have never been raised before. They've been alive but have never lived. Through the Sith Order is the only correct way to be raised, to be taught, to learn how to live..." Jorshal broke the stare and paced around the chamber admiring the portraits of now dead Sith.

"But you have been raised in a way similar to ours, but not quite perfectly, but close enough. The true issue is how loyal are you to this Order?"

[Ambrose Braeden]

"But you have been raised in a way similar to ours, but not quite perfectly, but close enough. The true issue is how loyal are you to this Order?"

Ambrose never took his eyes off of Jorshal as he paced the room. His footsteps were very gentle as he walked. The painings on the walls were very intircate in design, although the Vampire had no idea of what they had represented. Ambrose pivoted his head so that he kept the tall human in sight.

"The Covenant that I had been a part of many years ago was the only thing I knew. If there was no loyalty, there was no life. I intend to implement the same principals that I carried with me from there to here. My loyalty will never waver from sight."

Ambrose turned on his heels so that Jorshal would stay in his sight. The Vampire could see him, but then he would dissapear behind one of the many arcane colums that filled the room, only to apear again on the other side.

[Jorshal Vuntana]

"Hmm." He murmered approvingly. He'd believe it when Ambrose proved himself. "And what about your dedication? Or your leadership?" He smiled it was almost fun to completely call out someone's values directly to their face.

[Ambrose Braeden]

"And what about your dedication? Or your leadership?"

Ambrose was taken back at how Jorshal had just put out in the open a man's values. Other men would beat around the bush and try to figure out thier answers by using different questions. For Jorshal to come out and say a blatant coment showed the Sith that he was a man of buisness. Ambrose put his fingers up to his chin in thought for a moment to think of the answer to the question that was just put before him.

"Leadership...I have been a leader before, and I have been a follower. To be a leader requires a great amount of responsibility. I guess it depends on what the situation calls for."

[Jorshal Vuntana]

Jorshal nodded his head in agreeance, responsibility was most essential. "You've made it apparent that you would like to take an apprentice on. But we're obviously hesitant to allow you to take one on so soon. But there is a place for you within the Order, at least that is what I believe. How do you see our future, Ambrose? In realistic terms."

[Ambrose Braeden]

You've made it apparent that you would like to take an apprentice on. But we're obviously hesitant to allow you to take one on so soon. But there is a place for you within the Order, at least that is what I believe. How do you see our future, Ambrose? In realistic terms."

"I see The Sith Order becoming a force to be reconed with. I can see that with everyone's help within the Order we can become one of the main influences in the galaxy, and we can finally wipe the jedi out. In time we can have our revenge on the Jedi."

After Ambrose voiced his responce to Jorshal, he went back to watching him as he paced the room. The room seemed to get a bit darker now that the candles burnt lower on their sticks. Hot wax formed at the base of each one as it continued to burn.

[Jorshal Vuntana]

"That's very optimistic." he remarked as he came to ahalt against the railing. "Perhaps one day we shall overrun the Jedi. Most likely not within my lifetime, nor yours. Even Palpatine and Vader couldn't achieve such glory and surely you do not believe yourself to be so great?" Jorshal continued before the rhetorical question could be answered. "Some believe that Skywalker overthrew the Sith and the Empire. I believe he overthrew the Empire, not the Sith as they are not one entity with the Galactic Empire. Palpatine, in all of his wisdom and enlightenment, failed to see that politics and beliefs are not meant to be blended. I do not believe that the era of the Sith is over. I have a dream that one day the beliefs of the Sith will occupy the minds of all of the galactic citizens, regardless of who they pay their taxes to." He paused and met the eyes of the knight before him to see if the idea held any sway.

[Ambrose Braeden]

"Some believe that Skywalker overthrew the Sith and the Empire. I believe he overthrew the Empire, not the Sith as they are not one entity with the Galactic Empire. Palpatine, in all of his wisdom and enlightenment, failed to see that politics and beliefs are not meant to be blended. I do not believe that the era of the Sith is over. I have a dream that one day the beliefs of the Sith will occupy the minds of all of the galactic citizens, regardless of who they pay their taxes to."

Ambrose met the eyes of Jorshal, and both men did not blink for a long while.

"I see what you mean. I do not claim to be all powerfull, but I have shown a few jedi the ferosity of my wrath. Hopefully I can perform the same duty for the Order."

[Jorshal Vuntana]

"I have faith that you will." Jorshal nodded. "The Order has a place for strong followers and admirable leaders. Greatness and glory awaits them as it awaits the Sith Order. Mark that as a promise between you and I. No service to the Sith Order goes unrewarded."

A door behind him slowly opened and a hooded figure walked out carrying a wooden box. Without looking at Jorshal or Ambrose, as not to insult them with its glance, the figure replaced a candle and lit it with the flame of the replaced.

"The flames in the Citadel haven't died in over a thousand years." He mused. "What is it inside you, Ambrose, that will burn for a thousand years. I've shared my dream, now its time to share yours. What is it you aspire to? Why do you fight so relentlessly against, I'm sure, a multitude of enemies?"

[Ambrose Braeden]

"What is it inside you, Ambrose, that will burn for a thousand years. I've shared my dream, now its time to share yours. What is it you aspire to? Why do you fight so relentlessly against, I'm sure, a multitude of enemies?"

"I fight for honor and for blood. When I was a new Vampire, We would hunt in packs. Now I hunt alone. The Fire that burns within me is the thrill of the hunt and how it feels to finaly catch and kill your prey. I have been given a gift that not many recieve, the gift of the Darkside. Many have killed and have been killed to recieve such a gift."

Ambrose's eyes burned with a fire that he had never felt before. He was alive again, like he was centuries ago when he was a young Vampire. It was intoxicating.

[Jorshal Vuntana]

"You have passion, anyone can see that. Your passion will contribute greatly to the cause. What you give to it will return a thousand fold. If there is anything the Order emphasizes above all it is that the self-interested individual propels our galaxy. In empowering yourself, you serve the Order. In serving the Order you empower yourself. You see, its a elevating circle." Jorshal smiled thinking about the past glories the deadly Vampire might have indulged in. Perhaps some similar to his own youthful excursions.

"The stench of trechery still lingers from long ago, but perhaps your purpose here is to extinguish it?" He mused aloud. "I believe your quest for honor and blood will lead us all to greatness."

[Ambrose Braeden]

"The stench of trechery still lingers from long ago, but perhaps your purpose here is to extinguish it?" He mused aloud. "I believe your quest for honor and blood will lead us all to greatness."

Ambrose lifted his head and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and let it out. Lowering his head once more, he opened his eyes. The Vampire could here the soft taps of the Sith echo off the walls as he kept moving throughout the room.

"I will crush the thought of treachery as time goes by, you will see. And yes I do believe as you do, but it will not just take my strength. It will take all of us here at the Order to bring us to greatness."

[Jorshal Vuntana]

"Yes, a unified and cohesive force within the galaxy." Jorshal thought about actually making the Sith Order into that force. "But we're not there yet. The road ahead is rough, the apprentices need to be trained they need to learn to work and fight together. I think we all need to learn to work and fight together." He mused openly.

[Ambrose Braeden]

"But we're not there yet. The road ahead is rough, the apprentices need to be trained they need to learn to work and fight together. I think we all need to learn to work and fight together."

Ambrose looked at Jorshal with a look that he had given many times. It was agreement that Jorshal saw on the Vampires face. He had no doubt that The Sith Order could one day become one of the superpowers that could be a major influence in the galaxy, but Jorshal was right, it would requre a lot of teamwork and for the apprentices to develop skills on how to fight with one another.

"You are right, the apprentices need to develop some teamwork skills, or the Order is in need of different apprentices..."

[Jorshal Vuntana]

"True, we need more members and more diversity." Jorshal smircked at what he had said. Diversity was good when it came to Force users, more or less bad when it came to everyone else. It was unusual for him to openly encourage it. "It will give the Order as a whole more power."

"So I take it you've met the other apprentices? What do you think so far?"

[Ambrose Braeden]

Ambrose had not had much time to get to know the other apprentices, but of what he knew of them was good enought to give a good enough judgment. Ambrose had a run in with Saveer a few days ago and the Vampire had tried to show him the ropes, just give him a nudge in the right direction, how to tap into his anger.

"Saveer, well he seems to be coming along well within the Darkside. Tarsis, well I think that he will become a strong being within the force, but it will take time for them to develop thier skills. And Dakler, well he must need to be able to accept the thought of dropping the part of him that is hanging on to the assasin, and focus on the Darkside. But other than that they are coming along fine..."

[Jorshal Vuntana]

Jorshal nodded, taking in Ambrose's criticism of the Order. "Yes, most everyone here is young in the Force, they all have much to learn. In due time they will know much, though." He thought about the peculiar mix of people that made up the order. Neither of them having much in common at all, ranging from personalities to looks to skills. "Each one of us seems to bring a different aspect to the table, don't we?"