Placebo: First Sight [open]

[imported_Taja Loraan]

"Tea. Green. Please."

Taja stared fixatedly into the woodwork of the bar counter, as though attempting to decipher some message encrypted within. Finally, having concluded that it was just another mundane article of furniture, she sighed and glanced up at the ceiling. Nothing there, either.

With a slight groan, she gingerly massaged her temples with two fingers. Sleep was impossible, and her restlessness had resulted in the unusual byproduct of giving her a migraine. Not to mention, there wasn't very much else happening to occupy her thoughts.

She had visited this Jedi haven once in the past, though her observations then had not yielded very much. Now, Taja looked on them in a somewhat different light, but at present the continuance of these studies was about the last thing she cared about. No ... she just desperately needed a wake-up call.

Rolling her eyes heavenward, she slammed her head onto the tabletop.

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

Can I join you??

*Natia, a child of 8 asks after she had quietly hobbled up behind the lady with the assistance of her crutches*

You seem kinda lonely and restless.

*Natia, not even waiting for an answer just hobbles to an empty seat and sits down carefully, leaning her crutches against the table*

May I ask what your name is??

[imported_Taja Loraan]

The child's query had the desired effect of jolting Taja back to reality. Offering a small smile as affirmation, she turned to face the young girl.

"Hey you."

As the bartender handed her the tea, she nodded in Natia's direction.

"Go ahead, order whatever. It's on me."

She took a small sip from the cup, her face immediately contorting into a grimace.

"Gah ... too hot. Anyway, the name's Taja, and you would be .. ?"

Without meaning to, Taja's gaze strayed momentarily to the crutches that had been propped up against side of the table.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

A hand tugged onto the free seat beside Taja, pulling it outwards with one quick jerk. Then, without asking for invitation or questionning either of those sitted at the table already, the figure sat down. His eyes slid straight to Taja as one hand cast back the hood of his robes, revealing a broad fang-tinted smile. He said nothing, but instead looked to the young girl - she wreaked off Xazor, he could smell it on her, and this in itself strung the grin on his lips higher. He said nothing, but instead reclined back in his chair, expectantly watching the two.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

Always the little devil, eh Vega?

Her smile widened. The Dark Lord wanted something with the girl, oh yes. For now, though, she was content with just the chance to speak with him. Their side-trip to the Sith Empire had been a short one, and afterward duty prevented them from conversing.

A pleasure to see you, as always.

Taja rapped the table with her knuckles, signalling over the waiter.

"Well, I guess that offer extends to you as well."

Then, as an afterthought, she added, "And get something healthy for once."

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia orders herself some pop, not really caring about how healthy it is*

I'm pleased to meet you Taja. My names Natia.

*Natia glances at her crutches for a moment and when she glances back, she sees that somebody else has taken a seat at the table. She holds her head a little higher as she looks at the newcomer, her ice blue eyes holding a look of hate as she keeps her gaze on him. She then turns her gaze back to Taja, the hate disappearing from her eyes*

So Taja, what brings you here??

*Natia keeps a slight eye on Vega since she has no desire to have him any closer to her. She also keeps one of her hands resting on her crutches*

[Vega Van-Derveld]

One hand rose to run back through his light hair, mussing it then quickly settling it back into place as a broad smile continued to play upon his lips.

"I'll just have a water," he said, enjoying the fact that the young Jedi was squirming under his gaze.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

She shot Vega a look of disapproval.

Come now, she's just a kid. At least TRY to act nice.

Turning to the girl, "No reason, really. Like you said ... bored."

Taja could feel the growing tension between the two, and, clearing her throat somewhat nervously, asked, "Natia, have you met my friend Vega here .. ?"

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia looks back and forth between Vega and Taja for a moment before looking back at Taja. She then returns her gaze to Vega, hate in her eyes again as she just looks him over, studying him. A slight smile then forms on her face as she looks back at Taja*

Nope, I haven't actually met Vega, but I have heard of him and what I've heard isn't nice.

*Natia shakes her head slightly, trying to shake the feeling that her past is catching up to her. That her legal guardian still intends to finish what he started. She turns her gaze back to Vega again, a dark shadow crosses her ice blue eyes as she says in a quiet, but determined voice*

Vega, just keep your distance and you won't have any problems.

*Natia then blinks her eyes and the shadow which had crossed them disappears as she turns back to Taja and says in a curious voice*

Taja, perhaps you can help me out a bit. I'm trying to learn about different places in the galaxy, but I'm wanting ppls points of views on them so could you please tell me a bit about your home.

*Natia then quickly adds*

But if you don't want to, you don't have to.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

"Who, him??"

Taja's lips cracked into a slow grin and she looked over to the one in question from the corner of her eyes.

"If that's how you really feel, Natia, I don't know what's stopping you from hating me too," she mused, then added with a wink, "Vega's just a cute little puppy. All bark and no bite."

With a barely perceptible frown, Taja again inquired the Dark Jedi: Why so quiet, m'Lord?

"My home, huh?" Turning back to the young girl, she gave an exaggerated sigh and leaned back on her chair, crossing one leg over the other. "Well ... truth be told, I've been around so much that I'm not quite sure where that is anymore."

She chewed on her bottom lip for a second before continuing. "But if you mean where I lived most of my life ... then I'd have to say Tvangeste." The girl looked at her blankly, and she responded with an understanding smile.

"I doubt you'll have heard of it. Small place, and so far away it's not even worth mentioning."

She tilted her head to the side. "Or by home, do you mean where I live now?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

His lips pursed then parted to show the Lupine fangs he took such pride in. He listened in silence as Taja explained her home, his eyes rolling between both Taja and Natia slowly.

It seems I need not even say anything to get the girl riled up, why bother?

As he spoke into his fellow Dark Jedi's mind, he laughed quietly to himself.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

Point taken.

She gazed idly at Natia. The girl was young, innocent ... and from her reaction to Vega, still bound by the conformist preconceptions held by many of her kind. Taja smiled faintly as she conversed with her comrade.

How have you been?

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia glances between Taja and Vega as she silently studies them in her own way*

Taja, I judge all females by the way they treat me and it doesn't matter what side there on. But for males....

*Natia smiles slightly, leaving her sentence unfinished*

If you knew of my past, then you would understand my hate for Vega and it has nothing to do with what I have heard about him. Even cute little puppies have a nasty bite which can scar a person for ever.

*Natia is speaking as if she were an adult and knows more about the ways of life then a lot of ppl*

I have no problem with you Taja. As it looks right now, your a nice person, even if you hang out with scum like Vega.

By home, I mean both. Where you live now, and where you spent most of your life.

*Natia mumbles under her breath "Unfortunately, my home now is with a bunch of ppl who won't do what they need to do to keep the galaxy safe"*

And also Taja, home is where your heart is. That is the main one.

*Natia glances at Vega again and again, the dark shadow crosses her eyes as she thinks to herself it would probably feel just as good to kill him as it did her real Father*

Taja, just be forewarned, I am not like other Jedi here. I judge most ppl when I meet them by how they are. Not what they are with the exception of males because all adult males are scum.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

"Men, huh? Well Natia, that's a realization every woman must come to at some point in her life. It would seem you came to yours ahead of time."

With a slight chuckle, she continued, "I'm impressed. And not just by your words."

Taja's voice took on a more somber tone. "True, you are quite unlike the others claiming to serve the Light. Perhaps then you will allow me to know more of your past sometime. And where it is you call home ..."

For I can see your heart isn't here. These last words echoed in only the young girl's mind as Taja stared pacifically into her glaring blue eyes.

"So tell me. Are you currently being mentored in the Jedi Arts?" she asked casually, sipping at her drink.

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

I will not say that I am happy or unhappy by what I believe about men, but it is what I believe and you would believe it to if you lived the way I did before I,.......I......

*Natia's voice trails off but in her own mind she finishes her sentence "Before I killed my real Father*

Who could I child like me, impress somebody like you. I'm just a kid who's doing what she has to do since I can't do anythings really.

*Natia looks down at the table for a moment before looking back up at Taja after she speaks to her in her mind*

You are right about that Taja. My heart isn't here at the GJO. My best friend at the time, her family decided to send me here since I couldn't keep up with any of them on there world because of the injuries I received when I was 4.

*Natia blinks her ice blue eyes again as she looks around the room for a moment before she looks back at Taja*

Yes, I am being taught the Jedi ways. I was being taught by Sia, but she turned to the Darkside so now my adopted Mother Xazor is training me, though she is a bit on the busy side to completely train me right now since she has numerous other padawans to train and other duties as well.

*Natia shakes her head slightly*

If I tell you my past, then you will just see me as a tormented person since my past is not all that nice. Though I do hope that I can learn enough here, that I can help free the ppl in my hometown. I just hope that they aren't all dead by the time it takes me to learn enough. But I have to be able to hold my own against my legal guardian who is Sith.

*Natia then mumbles under her breath "And at this rate, I will be old and uncapable of doing anything before I have the skill to deal with him. I don't care how it is that I deal with him. I just want him dead"*

So, why are you curious on whether or not I'm being trained in the Jedi ways?? But if you don't want to tell me, you don't have to.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

"How a child like you can impress me?"

Propping up one elbow on the table, Taja rest her chin on the palm of her hand.

"I don't know, Natia. That depends on how you see me ... as an evil, nasty Dark Side Force user bent on universal destruction ...”

She smiled nonchalantly at the thought, and then leaned forward to speak in a hushed voice.

“... or possibly a friend?"

Taja reclined in her chair.

"I asked, because I too was a Jedi, once upon a time. Drove me mad, it did … literally. Doesn't seem to be doing you many favors, either."

The grin evaporated.

"We are all tormented. Why else do you think I do what I do? Our pasts have shown us nothing but injustice and hypocrisy. These scars that you speak of ... they serve only to remind us that life isn't all sunshine and lollipops. Some people won't change, no matter how much you preach to them about goodness. Sometimes, you have to make the first move ... meaning you can't always play by the rules."

She again glanced at the girl's crutches, brows furrowed in thought.

"Natia ... physical dexterity isn't the only kind of strength one possesses. Nobody has to do anything. Life is all about choices ... Just make sure yours are your own."

Pausing to allow the child time to absorb her words, Taja refilled her cup with hot water and slowly stirred the pale liquid.

"Do what you want to do," she finally whispered.

And in Natia's mind, there followed another message: What do you want?

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia smiles slightly*

You haven't shown to me that your an evil Darkside Force user bent on universal destruction. So I see you more as a friend.

*Natia takes a look around the B&G where she's spent many hours trying to figure things out*

I'm having what I believe is more then my fair share of difficulties here. You do what you do because it is your choice and that choice was influeniced by events which happened in your past. I need no reminders about how sucky life is. That it's not all sunshine and lollipops though I wish it were but since it's not, I'm going to deal with life any way I can.

*Natia smiles chuckles slightly*

Though I'm not doing all that good of a job at it though.

*Natia looks at the door the B&G for a moment and then back to Taja*

I know one thing for sure will happen in my life. I will kill my legal guardian and if I don't, I will die trying.

*Natia blinks slightly as Taja speaks in her mind since it's not something that she is use to*

What I want is to kill my legal guardian. I don't care how I kill. I want him to suffer more then he has made me suffer.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

"And how will studying the Jedi Arts help you achieve that? The friendly folk here are strongly against the whole idea of vengeance, as I'm sure you know."

The girl's attitude suggested a potential rebel ... a clever one, too. She had a strong resolve. Taja liked that.

"Pain is an art. It requires not only understanding, but practice."

She laughed.

"Will your Master allow you to test this theory?"

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

Studying the Jedi ways won't help me do this. I already know that, but what else can I do?? But as it stands right now, I don't care if they like the fact or not. I am going to get some revenge against my legal guardain and I don't care how long I have to wait to get it. The longer I wait, the longer it will be that he suffers because I suffer each day he is alive and not paying for what he had done to me.

*Natia smiles slightly at the mention that pain is an art*

True, pain is an art and I have a good understanding on how effective pain can be as well as how to use pain to your advantage.

*Natia smiles and laughs slightly*

Xazor, either as my Mother or my Master would not let me do anything along the lines of pain. She does her best to shelter me from it because I suffered from pain when I was younger, before I even came to the Jedi Academy and truthfully, it wasn't even my idea to come here in the first place. Though since coming here, I have made a couple of friends which I otherwise would not have. Unfortunatly, they don't understand me or my past.

*Natia sighs for a moment*

I just wish that there was somebody somewhere who would be able to understand me or at least understand my past.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

"Maybe there is."

She drummed her fingers on the tabletop and chewed her bottom lip in thought.

"And maybe there's something you can do about your situation. Shelter is good and all, I suppose, but more often than not you have to use elements from your past to overcome it. You've already been through too much to just turn your back and deny it all."

Taja was conscious of having made a decision, but chose to postpone it until she knew further.

"These friends that you've made ... would you be willing to turn against them in order to pursue your own beliefs?"

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia gets a questioning look on her face*

You mean there is something that I can do?? What is it??

*Natia laughs lightly*

Everybody from the Academy is telling me to forget my past because it holds no relevance to me today but I keep telling that it is kinda hard to forget your past when you have a constant reminder like I do. Each night I have dreams of my early childhood where my real Father tortured me if I spilled anything. I also dream of the day I killed him.......I mean, the day he was killed.

*Natia looks down at the table for a moment thinking before looking back up at Taja*

If I have to turn against my own friends to pursure my own beliefs I will. As it stands now, you are the first to know that I wish to kill my legal guardian and I don't care what I have to do to accomplish this goal I have set myself. I will strike at my friends if they try to stop me in this.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

“Good answer.”

Taja smirked at the curious expression on the girl’s face. Pushing back on her chair, she raised her legs to rest on the countertop.

“What can you do? Receive training in the Dart Arts, of course. Death, pain, suffering, vengeance … it’s all part of the same equation.”

She cocked her head sideways to better assess Natia’s reaction after her blunt declaration. After all, it wasn’t every day you were directly given the choice between following the path of so-called ‘justice’ and that of retribution.

Her tone softened, and she whispered, “I can help you, if you like.”

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia gets a shocked look on her face at being told that she could receive training in the Dark Arts. For a couple of moments she sits there in silence thinking this over. When she starts speaking again, her voice is soft and quiet*

I turned from the Darkside once before when I was younger. Nobody here really knows this and the person who I told directly, well she turned to the Darkside.

*Natia's voice raises in volume so she is speaking at a normal speaking volume again*

Nothing seems to be happening for me here. Except for Mother. She's been taking care of me even though I don't need anyone taking care of me cause I can do that myself.

*Natia's normally soft ice blue eyes darken slightly as she looks down at her hands and then back up at Taja. When she looks back up, her eyes are back to normal again*

I have nothing to lose in learning the Dark Arts now except my Mother. But it would not be the first time I lost that.

*Natia nods her head slightly and with a determined look on her face, she says*

I want to get revenge against my legal guardian for what he did to me. I've gotten my revenge against my real Father since he's dead by my hands.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

Her initial response was an empathetic smile. Kicking back against the counter, Taja rose to her feet, motioning with a curt nod for Natia to do the same. She handed the barkeep the appropriate sum of credits and glanced at Vega, who had been silent during the near entirety of the conversation.

We’ll catch up on things later. I have some matters to attend to first.

She knew the Dark Lord would understand full well what her statement implied. Taja placed a hand reassuringly on the child’s shoulder before lacing her way through the occupied tables toward the exit, turning occasionally to determine if Natia was following.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Taja spoke again to the girl as they approached the doorway.

“Before anything else, there’s someone I’d like you to meet (http://www.meras.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4469). Come with me.”

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia stands up when motioned to, she grabs her crutches to help her out. After a moment, she follows Taja towards the exit of the B&G, occasionally looking around at who all was in there. She just nods when she's told that there's someone Taja would like her to meet*