The Downward Spiral

[Sorsha Kasajian]

ooc notes - The soundtrack to this post is Fraternity Suite by Danny Elfman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSdIB4XkLJg)
(This thread is open to all imperial chars)




CORUSCANT
4:36 A.M. Imperial Standard Time

:: Sorsha ripped herself from sleep with a long, horrible scream. The dreams were becoming more lurid and carnal, plaguing her like a terminal illness. She crawled out of the sweatsoaked sheets of her bed, trembling from the distorted visions that tormented her. Miranda & Gallus locked in intercourse, their flesh melting and merging together as they frelled. The hateful faces of Sanya and Sasseeri leering in triumph.

Adrenalin numbed the ache in her body from Valten's trial by fire as she swept through her room, wreaking havok on everything she touched. Priceless keepsakes collected throughout the galaxy were destroyed in her delirium. None of it meant anything to her now.

Her hands finally fell upon a blade as she spun to face the mirror. Her hair hung over her face in wet strands, and she fell to her knees, weeping as she sawed it off in handfuls with the blade.

Her vision blurred with hot tears as she become more lucid, and she curled into a fetal position, surrounded by the locks of her severed hair.

Another long wail of anguish filled the room, fading into a hard sob as she uttered a name.

"mira..."

Then she was silent, drifting into an exhausted sleep on the floor ::

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Several hours later, the light of day finally pulled Sorsha from her torpor. The warmth of the sun lit her naked skin and she stretched her limbs before rising to her feet. Running fingers through her cropped hair, she stared back into the mirror again. She didn't recognize herself after murdering who she was. Once she dreamed of ruling Black Sun, surpassing the Xizor Dynasty with her own. Of always being in Mira's bed. Not having to endure the arrogance of a pig like Valten.

She wandered through her wreck of a room towards the fresher, and stepped inside to revive herself ::

[Kalail Rotas]

With toothpick rolling back and forth against her lips, Kalail hit the door chime to her Cousin's loft. She stuff her hands in her pocket and waited, trying to be patient. Ever since the wedding, Sorsha was off and seeing as Kalail knew the details of the secret wedding of her Cousin and Miranda on Falleen, she was deeply concerned that Sorsha was going to do something stupid. Her love for Miranda was fanatical.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha was still in the shower, the water on her face drowning out the outside world. In her current state, she didn't hear Kalail outside ::

[Kalail Rotas]

Tired of waiting and worried about her Cousin, she keyed in the sequence to open the door and walked into a mess!

The toothpick fell from her gaping mouth as she stared at the disaster the suite had become. A boot kicked over a priceless porcelain tea pot that her mother had given her. It was hand crafted on Naboo and over a century old. Now it was garbage. She flicked her wrist and a holdout blaster fell into her hand. She wasn't sure what happened here and needed to play it safe. Sorsha had many enemies and someone might have tried to off her.

Scowling, she walked around the chaos to find her Cousin but stopped suddenly. Blonde locks of hair kicked into the air from Kalail's movement. She knelt down and picked up a tuff of it and balled her hand into a fist. Sensitive ears picked up the faint sound of water running.

Tossing the hair aside, Kalail moved through the suite with professional grace and stopped short of the door leading into the refresher. Gun at the ready, she quietly stepped into the open doorway and peered around the corner. Sorsha was in the shower, seemingly safe. No one else was there.

"Heeeeey, Cuz?" she called out, her tone uncertain and full of worry. "You okay?"

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha turned to face Kalail, and it was painfully clear that she wasn't okay. The look of a wounded animal greeted her. Feral and suffering. Not at all the cousin she grew up with. The wedding ceremony had killed a part of her forever ::

[Kalail Rotas]

She holstered her blaster and stepped inside the bathroom, grabbing a towel that had been thrown on the floor along the way. "What the hell happened, Sorsha?"

Kalail was beside herself with worry because she had no idea what was going on. Sorsha was always cool and collected, even when taking out someone's life. Sure she lost it now and then, who didn't? But not like this. Never in all her life had she seen Sorsha looking like some rampaging animal.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"The dreams, Kal ... they're getting worse."

:: Sorsha stepped out of the fresher and stumbled as a wave of nausea hit her. Dropping to her hands and knees, she retched spasmodically before she could reach the toilet. She looked up at her cousin in humilation and her eyes looked bloodshot ::

"I'm sorry." she whimpered, kneeling before the pool of vomit.

[Kalail Rotas]

Kalail covered the vomit with the towel in her hand and searched the room for something suitable. Spying a black silk robe, she grabbed that to wrap around Sorsha's body. "Alright, come on."

Slipping an arm underneath her Cousin's shoulder, she helped Sorsha to her feet and led her into the kitchen. "Take a seat and I'll get you some water."

She grabbed a glass and as it filled up with water from the faucet, Kalail mind started to race with what nightmares were haunting her Cousin so. Frell dreams! Dreams don't cause you to go on an induced psychopathic rage, destroying your home and cutting your hair off!

With a small clunk, Kalail set the glass before Sorsha and leaned over the table, hands folded in front as she peered at her Cousin with concern. "It's Miranda, isn't it?"

Kalail and Sorsha were practically Sister's and knew each other as if such. This all started after the wedding and had to be source of her unhinged state.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: The mere mention of Miranda's name struck Sorsha hard, and her bottom lip quivered as she fought vainly not to crack. Tears poured from her eyes when she closed them. Gallus had pleasured Mira in ways that violated everything Sorsha held as her right alone. The deepest expression of her love had been stolen, and she did nothing to stop it. Miranda's screams pounded in her head, and her torment nearly shattered Kalail's eardrums as it rushed from her throat and filled the room ::

"EEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeEEEEEE EEEEE!!!!!"

:: Her face contorted in anguish as she rocked insanely in her chair ::

"Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!" :cry:cry:cry

:: She reached out towards Kalail with a trembling hand, as though she falling to her death ::

[Kalail Rotas]

Kalail grabbed Sorsha and pulled her Cousin into a tight embrace, burying her chin into butchered blonde mane. She felt so completely helpless in trying to console Sorsha because there was nothing that she could do to take away the pain of having to watch the love of your life marry another.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha fell into Kalail's arms like a child, and her suffering yielded to physical exhaustion again. She kept her face buried in Kalail's chest, and allowed herself to be soothed ::

[Kalail Rotas]

She kissed the top of her Cousin's head and squeezed her tightly. "You know what you need?"

Kalail pulled away so they could look at one another, she grinning ear to ear. "Food! Real food instead of who knows what the frotz is fermenting in that fridge of yours. You're gonna get dressed and we're heading out to eat."

They were polite orders, but Sorsha knew she wouldn't be able to argue against it. She was quite serious about going out and heard the subtle threat. Kalail had no qualms about pulling the speeder just under the docking platform attached to Sorsha's suite to push her cousin off the ledge if need be!

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha complied, cleaning herself up and getting dressed. She was fussing with the spiky ends of her hair when Kalail walked in to check on her ::

"Well ..." she said hoarsley. "... what do you think?"

[Kalail Rotas]

Lips puckered into a frown as eyes squinted in an attempt to try and find something nice to say.

"It's gonna take some getting used to. I liked your hair long," she admitted and plucked absently at a few tuffs. Sorsha looked like a mangy street cat. "Maybe a few clips here and there will even it out."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha forced a smile at her honesty, and touched her face ::

"Where are we going?"

[Kalail Rotas]

"The Manarai of course," she answered with a 'duh' expression on her face. "Where else are we gonna go to eat good food with some privacy?"

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha winced sheepishly ::

"Right."

:: She looked around at the room in disbelief as they started to leave, as if seeing what she did for the first time ::

"Holy Dren ..." she uttered.

[Kalail Rotas]

"Yeah. Further proof to never piss ya off!" she commented and flipped her comm over to contact a favorite maid. "Yo Jules? Sorsha will need your services a bit earlier then expected."

Kalail looked over the mess, wincing with sad eyes at the destruction. "Bring friends to help clean."

Qua la felan! Another party? Jules exasperated sigh was heard loudly over the small speaker, but she was in good favor with Sorsha and was afforded some leniency with her tongue - which often fell into Eriaduan dialect when flustered.

"Something like that. There'll be a bonus."

How can I resist that. I'll make some calls and be there in an hour.

"Bon pardient, Jules."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

THE MANARAI

:: Sorsha entered with Kalail, trying to ignore the shock factor her radical appearance created. The Maitre D' seemed to pop out of thin air to greet them ::

"Miss Kasajian!!!" :crack "Miss Rotas!!! :crack "Your table is ready!!!" :D

:: With a sweep of his hand, he led the way to the uppermost room in the back of the Manarai. The one kept only for her personal use ::

[Kalail Rotas]

Kalail crouched down with a hand on either side of the table, inspecting the surface for even a spec of dust to find none. "Well, frell me!"

She rose to her full height and flicked the tablecloth up playfully, "He really does polish the frell outta this thing, don't he?"

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha smiled involuntarily at her Cousin's profanity as refreshments were hurried to the table ::

"He thinks I'll have him killed if he doesn't."

:: She looked genuinley innocent, and her sadness showed through as she reached for her water ::

"I feel like I've been murdered, Kal."

[Kalail Rotas]

She frown sympathetically down at Sorsha before sitting down. Kalail admired the loved that her Cousin and Miranda shared. A one in a lifetime kind of love that she didn't think she'd find herself. Honestly, there was no way for her to even imagine what it felt like to be in Sorsha's shoes.

"You know they love each other only as siblings. Miranda is only with him to secure the throne." She broke some bread and offered a piece to Sorsha. "It's physical, nothing more."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"I've tried to take comfort in that."

:: Sorsha took the offered bread and nibbled on it ::

"I watched them make love. The things he did to her ... the way he made her scream ... had it been any other man, I wouldn't have been able to control myself."

:: She trembled as she tore a bite out of the bread and swallowed ::

[Kalail Rotas]

"Oh for frell's sake! Sorsha!" Kalail's forehead caused a loud slap as it came crashing into the palm of her hand. "No wonder you're acting like this!"

Sighing, she looked up at her Cousin with great disappointment. "That was really stupid of you to do that."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha winced at the scolding and scowled at the tabletop instead of Kalail ::

"Why Is This Happening To Me?" she hissed through clenched teeth, her hostility level rising as she spoke. Her head snapped up to gaze at a server, who hurried over to the table to see what she wanted.

"Bring me some warm sake. Please."

[Kalail Rotas]

Kalail leaned back in her chair and threw down the half eaten piece of bread and glowered, "Why is this happening to you? Have you asked why this has to be? Miranda is doing what she must for the good of an Empire that won't allow her ..."

Her eyes blinked towards the server to make sure he left the room. They were alone now. "Allow her to have a union with you. She has sacrificed much for the Empire she loves."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: All the anger bled out of Sorsha as she bowed her head. Her cousin was right ::

"When Xizor recruited me into Black Sun, do you know what he made me do?"

:: Sorsha raised her head to look her cousin in the eye ::

"He made me drink his piss."

:: Sorsha was one of the few women able to resist the charms of the Dark Prince. She clung madly to her love for Miranda, and Xizor was impressed by her resolve. He offered Sorsha a compromise, one she was forced to take inorder to gain admittance into Black Sun.

Shame washed over her face with her confession. ::

[Kalail Rotas]

Kalail found the confession shocking and failed to hide that from her face, but she also realized that Sorsha wouldn't have done that if there were no other options.

"Well," she pop an ice chip into her mouth and make a purposefully loud crunch with it before speaking again, "Look at it this way. At least it wasn't Sanya!"

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha shook her head at Kal, and continued ::

"I swore after Xizor died, that I'd never let another man dominate me again in any way."

:: She looked vulnerable, and reached out to touch her ::

"I've wanted to tell Mira, but I'm afraid. You're the only one I've ever told."

[Kalail Rotas]

Kalail smirked and patted her Cousin's hand. "Considering all the dren you two are going through, put it off. Seriously! Last thing you need is more strife."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: The rest of their food arrived, and Sorsha waited til the servers departed again ::

"I envy you, cousin. Your life is so free."

[Kalail Rotas]

She snorted at the irony. "Funny, I envied you. Not easy finding love in this drenhole of a galaxy Regardless of the crap you two are going through, you both still have something special."

Kalail spiked a piece of tender meat and pointed at her Cousin with a wink. "Can't loose sight of that."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"thank you." she replied softly.

:: Sorsha looked as though she wanted to cry, but sniffed and sipped her sake to shake it off. She cleared her throat and looked at Kalail sweetly ::

"I have a present for you."

[Kalail Rotas]

"Ah frell, Sorsha. I don't need dren from you," she explained, her left cheek bulging out from the food stuff there. Manners returning, she finished chewing and washed it down with some wine before continuing. "Seriously. I've got everything I need ..."

Then she winked. "For the most part."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"The Xiombarg." she said, referring to her ship. I want you to take her. Please."

[Kalail Rotas]

The fork fell from her hand as she choked on her food. "WHAT?!"

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"I want you to have her, Kalail."

:: She closed her eyes, to catch a tear and keep it from from falling ::

[Kalail Rotas]

One of the waiters poked his head inside due to Kalail's outburst. "Is there something amiss, Ladies?"

Kalail shooed him away without even looking at him. Shrugging, he departed and left the two of them alone. "I ain't accepting."

She shook her head sternly, crossing her arms. "You worked too hard to get that ship."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha sighed, and looked at Kal wistfully as she took her hand. She knew her cousin well ::

"Then take care of her for me, do that at least."

[Kalail Rotas]

Still she sat stiffly, waiting for Sorsha to think up a clever retort. Her cousin usually liked to try one last attempt in getting her own way, but the days have been rough on Sorsha and so she had given up.

Kalail slowly relaxed as her had was taken by Sorsha and eventually a tiny smile of compliance peek through. "That ... I can do."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha smiled softly, but her weariness bled through again despite her effort to keep it hidden ::

[Kalail Rotas]

Clicking her tongue in thought, Kalail suddenly rose to her feet and tossed the napkin over her unfinished meal.

"Let's get the hell outta here." She also knew her Cousin too well. This place was eating at Sorsha, allowing her to brood too easily. That would not do.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"Where are we going?" she murmured.

[Kalail Rotas]

She snorted playfully, "Like I'd tell you."

Grabbing Sorsha's arm, Kalail hoisted her cousin from her seat and out of the Manarai. Once they hit daylight, she snapped her fingers to hail one of the Valets to retrieve her vehicle.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha offered no resistance, allowing her cousin to lead her like a child ::

[Kalail Rotas]

Sensing that Sorsha's mind was wandering, Kalail elbowed her Cousin playfully in the ribs (though it was still enough to cause a bit of pain), before hopping over the side of her custom Silver line airspeeder.

"Come on!" she called out over the revving engine.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"owf ..." she grumpled, and hopped into the passenger seat.

[Kalail Rotas]

She slipped the mirrorshades over the bridge of her nose and sighed heavily. Really heavy on purpose.

"You need to either enjoy yourself or I'mma gonna shoot you." Before Sorsha could retort, the speeder was thrown into full throttle before her Cousin could strap in, forcing the sudden shift in speed to jostle Sorsha enough to get the message.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"KAL!!!!"

:: Sorsha went pale as she clung frantically to the speeder for dear life, eyes stricken with fright ::

[Kalail Rotas]

Kalail was completely relaxed. Wind blowing through her hair, left arm outstretched across the door, she didn't have a care in the world ... even if her Cousin was about to be blown out of the vehicle.

Throwing the speeder down a few notches, it eventually evened out and merged with traffic that was stopped at a red light.

"Better get that belt on," Kalail said, her grin matching the mischievousness her behavior had just been. "Who knows what I might do next..."

But then she broke out into laughter. The look on Sorsha's face, the utter terror, was priceless.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha buckled in, shooting Kal a look that suggested 'I'm going to kill you!' ::

[Kalail Rotas]

Kalail stuck out her tongue before her attention, reluctantly, returned to driving. "Sooooooooooo ...," she drawled out teasingly, "... Opera or Rock."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"Both." she replied. It was difficult to stay grim in Kalail's company for very long.

[Kalail Rotas]

Lower lip puckered out to ponder where to go for that request and then her eyes lit up for the ideal place. "Gotcha."

As she cut off a speeder to get into the lane over, Kalail smirked with eyes still on traffic, "'bout time you got some more life inta that voice of yours without me having ta scare ya half ta death."