‘A’ is for Apple (Complete)

[Zereth Lancer]

And ‘B’ is for blaster

No, his reading skills hadn’t deteriorated to that level, but it came close. Zereth has always been a man of action, and not of words. He could read a simple list on a datapad, but when it came to reading a book on sith history; he struggled through the sentences. It wasn’t too bad, its just some weird word would always come up and he would spend twenty minutes just trying to pronounce it right. It wasn’t really his fault, was it, that his mouth moved when he read and he had to trace the sentence with his finger or he’d lose his place? I mean, couldn’t the historian have used smaller, more agreeable words? Zereth shook his head and flipped the page. He had just finished reading a brief biography of the life of Naga Sadow, the ancient lord of the Sith who started the ‘Sith wars’ with the Republic. He had been defeated and driven back into Sith space, only to be attacked by his own people. Sadow found solitude on Yavin and used the life force of his Massassi servants to preserve his soul for eternity. It was the ghost of Naga Sadow that appeared in many more tales of the Sith. Now Zereth was reading about Darth Bane and Bane’s encounter with the Orbalisk life form. It was all very interesting, especially after he used a dictionary to find out how to pronounce Orbalisk, how Bane had bonded with the parasite creature and in turn it covered him with an invincible shell.

Stuff like that didn’t happen anymore. It only existed in tales and legend. It would be a grand adventure to live through just a day in the life of Bane, Exar Kun, or Freedon Nadd. Zereth sighed and closed the book and looked down at the simple title “Sith History, volume eleven.” He got to his feet and walked down the dark aisles of the library. He returned the book to its place and began searching for an interesting title.

[Lucianus Adair]

Phoenix Whyte had spent a lot of time in libraries. His own, the grand libraries of Coruscant, Corellia...countless planets. And never in a lifetime would he think to see Zereth Lancer's type in one. Much less Lancer himself.

"Well, I must say this is an odd occurence. I have never seen the likes of you in a place such as a library, Zereth Lancer."

They had met on occasion, once or twice in the past several years.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth ignored Mars for the moment as he pulled a dusty tome off the shelf and examined the title on the binding. “Bleh,” He mumbled and quickly replaced the book, “I surprise myself by coming in here, it’s not my favorite place. I belong on a battle field, not in a library. But I find that the information concealed in these weathered tomes can be as powerful as the mightiest blade.” He turned from the shelf to look at Mars. It had been a good year or two since he has last spoken to him.

It was always an odd occurrence when the two giants met, and usually resulted in a spar of some sort. Mars was just about the only one within the order that was as skilled as or more so then Zereth. “It was Jezreal that made me start reading, told me I’d learn more from these then studying my opponents. Although I still prefer the latter.”

[Lucianus Adair]

"I too seem displaced in a room such as this. However, my school of thought runs much along what Jezreal has said to you."

Mars was carrying what appeared to be a bookbag. It was, in fact, that very thing. He patted the bookbag that hung slung over his shoulder.

"Much of the way in which I perform in battle has been molded by the study of texts such as the ones around us. Relaxed studies with a book allows my being rest, but I am able to train my mind at that time as well. You have seen how little I sleep, if at all."

The amount of sleep needed was because of this self-conditioning, but its success was also leant from his racial differentials.

"Much of my work has necessitated patience, and a much deeper demand for control of the self, and of my surroundings. Is there anything specific that you seek to learn from parusing the writings of those that have come before us?"

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth checked a few more book titles before replying "I prefer to teach myself how to perform in a battle, not copy off the techniques of others. It just seems un-honorable to steal their lives work just to better myself. Instead we should simply remember them for who they where and give them the respect they deserve." He pulled a tome out of the shelf and opened to the first page, which turned to dust in his hand. "Wonderful," He muttered before jamming the book back in its spot. These books really needed to be re-written or written down on a datapad. "No, I am not looking for anything in particular, I just enjoy reading about the Ancient ones and their adventures of old. I seek pure adventure and have no interest in those silly romance novels that Jezreal forced me to read." He found a small book wedged between two giant tomes and pulled it out. It looked brand new compared to most of the books in the library. It had to title and the cover was a vibrant red. He cracked it open to the middle and then quickly closed it, his face having gone red. He returned the book to its place and forgot about it. The last thing he needed on his reading list was a book with dirty pictures.

“What about you, Mars? What are you currently interested in?”

[Lucianus Adair]

His physical performance in battle had never been drawn from the texts. Just different teachings on mental abilities, much of the things he had read were items of interest that were unfortunately highly dangerous and detrimental to the user if one so chose to put them in to practice without extreme care.

"Whatever I do not already know tends to be of interest. Although, as one could imagine with as many years that I have spent in existence, there is a lot I have come to know. One can never settle for thinking that what they have is good is enough. There is always someone who will best you. This is why although we become masters in our arts, we are always training."

He plucked a book from its place, and quickly browsed through it. A slight look of disgust crossed his features.

"Keh. Filth like this..." he said, closing the book with a resounding SLAP.."...should have no place here. No such material would ever be found in my personal collection. It has never had a place there."

He held the book up.

"This should be burned."

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth paused in his search and concentrated on the book in Mars' hand. It levitated free of his hand and rose above their heads. The book started to rotate and spin in place, slowing speeding up. Soon it was nothing but a blur in the air and then it suddenly combusted and exploded in a flare of fire. A few ashes that floated down to the ground, was all that remained of the worthless book. Zereth hated to complicate things and this was simply the easiest way to remove such a unwanted book from the library, although He was sure many would disagree with his method of disposal.

"Yes, we are always training, always learning. There is no such thing as a master of an art, only an exceptional student." He turned back to the shelf and sighed. Nothing seemed interesting other then the history of the ancient ones. Maybe it was a worthless endevure.

"I hear you have attained the rank of knight since you returned. Congratulations on your promotion. I'm sure you are more then worthy of it." And we need as many knights as we can get. This order is on the verge of collapsing, again. All the Lords and Master had disappeared and left the order to three knights and a reclusive Lordess. Zereth had only just returned after being gone for over two years and Mars had been gone for just as long or longer. The order would surely benefit from their return. "You came back at just the right time. We have so many acolytes now and no one to train them. Training them is...taxing, for lack of a better word, but I has gives one a somewhat joyful exuberance to see your personal work being played out through the actions and thoughts of your apprentice."

[Lucianus Adair]

Phoenix nodded in agreement.

"I have already been approached by one acolyte. But he is ill-suited to what I have to impart. The youngling would make far better use of himself as a rug. This one of which I speak appears to value himself high above his station."

The predator unbuttoned the bookbag and removed one volume, on datapad, holding it out to Zereth.

"Here. I think this book may be of interest to you. This was one of many texts transcripted into much more malleable concepts by my first master when I was a much,much younger man, and is fairly understandable. I have been amongst the writings all my life, and the readings I take on are therefore much more complicated. The original text this came from, for example."

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth had an idea which Acolyte Mars was referring to, and it brought a smile to his face. He didn't say anything on the matter. He had yet to really meet the acolyte, but word in the halls was he was quite detestable.

A datapad appeared in Mars' hand and Zereth took the offered object. He disliked reading off a datapad. It was far easier to read but it seemed to steal something of the grandeur that reading from a weathered tome inspired. He activated the pad and browse through the contents. It looked interestingly enough. He'd have to find time later to read it.

"Tell me, Mars. I have seen you leave the castle many times and come back hours or even days later. Where is it you go?" He didn't like sticking his nose in other's business, but it was his duty as the protector of this order to know what its members where doing. Too many times have hard times fallen on tso because of its members actions. He trusted Mars to the up most, but he just had to be sure.

[Lucianus Adair]

Mars buttoned the bag again, and looked up to answer Zereth's question.

"I have remained on-planet. Have you never taken the chance to fully explore every nuance and crevice of this rock? There is a rather large estate, strongly built into lonely rock formation, away from most other structures on the planet. It is where I spent my youngest years, before memory allows, and much time afterwards. It is, so to speak, my home."

He knew his peer's concern was only for the Order. This was well understood.

"The library there rivals that of our order by much more, in size and contents....There is also a well-kept armoury and training courtyard amongst other things."

[Zereth Lancer]

"I have rarely ventured out of the castle. My work consumes most of my time and I spent my free time in meditation and training. I am far from the warrior I once was, I hope to return to how I was before I left." His journey had been very taxing on him. He had given up stealth for brute, animal power. It was the only way he could survive the inquisition, force hunters, and bounty hunters. He had found himelf wielding a blaster more often then his lightsabre. He had lost his Katana and every other piece of weaponry that had made him who he was. He had managed to get his Katana back from some slimy salesman advertising it as a sith sword. Well that man's vital organs where found three miles away from his body.

As for his work, Zereth had made himself the protector of the sith order. Him a few other physically strong sith acted as gate guards and hallway monitors. Something was stirring in Zereth's mind. A warning from the force itself, and he wasn't going to let anything catch them off guard. A large armory, he said

Zereth tapped his chin with the top of the datapad and he thought it over and then dismissed the thought

"How about you? Are you skills more or less the same as when we last sparred?"

[Lucianus Adair]

"Sharp as ever, Zereth Lancer. I am a hunter. The state of my skills is as essential as the state of my weapons. And I have never let a blade go to rust and disrepair."

It would be rather questionable as to why he had suffered none from the inquisitions. That he kept to himself, simply for the matter that no one worth telling had asked.

"Why might you ask?"

[Zereth Lancer]

Because you want to knock him on his can for beating you last time... A cool whispered in Zereth's head.

He lowered the datapad and slipped in into a pocket. "Oh, I was just thinking that, perhaps, a little friendly competition would do use good. Say a spar or some other exercise." He pulled reached out and pulled out another book on sith history and placed it under his arm. "Would you be up to that? It would give us a chance to see how far we've come, or fallen, since we last engaged in such an event."

[Lucianus Adair]

A half grin came to Mars' face. Quite a rare occurance.

"I would agree to that. It certainly has been some time. "

Thinking about it, Whyte realized that his peer had probably suffered some under the inquisition.

I am one of the few who did not. He thought to himself. It was simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

"It is definetly something I have been needing. Decent competition with someone who can actually put up a fight. It has been far too long since I have had something that lasted longer than mere minutes of toying and bloodletting."

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth beamed inside. At last he would have the competition he deserved. Victory or defeat didn't matter. It was the speed, blood, and battle that really made it worthwhile. He could think of nothing he enjoyed more.

"Well, when will you be available?" He asked as he went through his mental calendar, "I'm game whenever you are."

[Lucianus Adair]

Mars was available pretty well anytime, seeing as he didn't have any acolytes under his 'wing' at the moment.

"I am....game...whenever you are. My availability is limitless at the moment."

[Zereth Lancer]

"Very well, then. Then I shall see you at dawn tomorrow in the training vault. Now, if you'll excuse me. I really have some reading I must be getting to." Zereth said before bowing shortly and walked away.