Les Miserables (Sasha Kovalev)

[Salemn Lysce]

Two figures could be seen in the streets of Corellia, with a seven foot robot behind them. It was probably an odd sight - but it seemed like nobody paid attention to them. After all, they probably saw stranger things happen being that it was a Sith inhabited planet. One was wearing a white dress with a blue trim, black gloves and blue headband. The other, like always, wore the traditional brown robes of the Jedi with the hood drawn up.

A message had been sent to Sasha Kovalev about a meeting at, "The Crystal Glass." It was a tavern that wasn't frequented by many, so privacy would be granted.

< Remember, Lillian, this is your lesson in overcoming fear. >

The two finally stopped infront of the tavern and, after Lillian told Reason to wait outside, they entered, taking a seat at a table in the back ...

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian stopped outside the door and looked at Reason.

"Please stay here Reason."

The giant droid stood to the side of the door, feet apart, hands clasped at is waist and head down. Stand by mode. Lillian followed Salemn in, heart beating a mile a minute as she sat down with her master at a back table. Suddenly she wished she hadn't left Reason at the door...

[Reason]

Reason stood to the right of the door in stand by position, monitoring the activities within. Even if it was forced to stand at the door, it would not fail in its mission to protect Lillian.

[SashaKovalev]

He rubbed his eyes tiredly. He'd been out late the evening before, having perhaps a bit too much fun, and now he'd received a message requesting his presence at a tavern called the Crystal Glass. He'd heard of it before,and had been meaning to go. Quieter taverns were definitely a place he preferred to overcrowed buildings crammed with as many bodies as fire codes permitted.

He wasnt sure who the message was from. He'd made a half hearted effort to find the answer, but as the tavern was located on a mostly Sith inhabited planet, he wasnt as concerned as he might otherwise have been.

The streets were full of life, as they usually were in this city, and he made his way through them with little recognition. He was dressed to mix in with the crowd, looking more like a regular kid in his late teens than the rather volatile Sith knight he had become.

As he approached the door, he easily recognized the seven foot tall droid he had faced some time ago. An expression of amusement danced momentarily on his features, and briefly he considered what could possibly happen if he chose to go inside.

It wasnt like the jedi to come for revenge, and so he knew there to be relatively little danger unless he started something. Perhaps he was in the mood for this, though more likely not with how tired he was. Nevertheless, his curiousity as peaked, and certainly, this meeting would provide some sort of entertainment.

He gave the droid a semi cocky smirk, then pulled open the massive doors and stepped inside. It took only a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, and then he looked about, searching for the one he knew to be protected by the well armed droid. He could feel her presence there, could feel a bit of fear from her. This made him smile, a broad amused grin. Anyone looking at him would have thought him a carefree teenager.

And then he saw them. At a table in the back. It wasnt just terrified Lillian, but her jedi master as well. His violet eyes looked in their direction, and then, because he knew now it was they who had sent the message, just to be difficult - to make them approach him if it was something they wanted, he stopped at the bar and motioned to the bar keep.

[Salemn Lysce]

Watching out from under her hood, Salemn watched as he entered. He looked like any other carefree teen, with slight bags under his eyes as if he stayed up late the night before having fun like others his age would. If it weren't for his dark aura and the fact that she hadn't been there to see him petrify Lillian, the Jedi Knight would've never suspected him to be a Darksider.

She never took her eyes off of him as he walked in, silently daring his gaze with her own. When he finally looked away and went to the bar, Salemn looked towards Lillian, sensing fear from her Padawan.

< I want you to go up and ask him to have a seat with us. >

If the shadows hadn't concealed her face, the Padawan surely would've seen a grin.

[Lillian Snow]

"M-me?"

Lillian looked pleadingly to her master, but Salemn remained quiet, and Lillian swallowed hard, scooting out of the booth and approaching Sasha.

"E-excuse me..." she said quietly. "Could you please sit with us?"

[SashaKovalev]

He waited until his ale had been served before he even turned to look at Lillian. Hed felt her approach. Could feel her nervousness. He fed off of this. He slid a few credits across the bar, picked up his drink, and took a healthy slug before he answered.

His violet eyes finally looked to her and a sly grin spread across his features.

"Good evening, Lillian."

He sent a glance toward her master, still seated in the back, then looked back to Lillian and took another sip.

"Could I sit with you...?" The way he repeated her inquiry was mocking.

"I could." He replied, and with a slight shrug.

"Perhaps you might prefer to know if I would..." He added, giving her a hard time just to be obnoxious. Just to prolong the amount of time she had to be there with him - alone and nervous.

[Lillian Snow]

"P-please, sir...come and sit with us..." she pleaded, bowing slightly as she had been taught to do.

[SashaKovalev]

As she pleaded with him,bowing slightly before him, he sighed.

He was too tired tonight to continue the act. It wasnt his nature normally to be overly obnoxious, and he wasnt in the mood to pretend.

He didnt like the jedi, loathed them, but he was perfectly capable of being civil around them as well. His decision to join the Sith order had not come out of a lust for blood, or an overwhelming urge for chaos, rather it was because he was an angry kid, and with the Sith, anger was not only accepted, but praised.

His hatred of the jedi was caused mostly over his own foolishness in becoming blood siblings with one of them - and action that had caused the loss of his left hand, (since replaced by an artificial one), the hand that had mingled blood with the jedi when he'd returned to his master.

His violet eyes glanced away, and then slowly, he nodded as he looked back to Lillian.

"Fine." He replied, a resigned tone in his voice.

And then he followed her over to the table in the back, his ale in hand.

"You have a convincing padawan..." He stated wryly as he looked to Salemn.

[Salemn Lysce]

Watching as Lillian left her seat and approached the Sith, Salemn leaned back in her chair. The poor girl seemed to be having a heart attack and he was enjoying every second of it. Finally, after a brief exchange of words, he came over to the table with his ale.

Reaching up, she lowered her hood revealing the same face he had seen a couple nights ago - the same blonde hair, brown eyes, and fair skin.

Motioning for him to take a seat, she grinned a bit at his statement. Lillian had taken her seat besides her, still trembling slightly.

< I believe that we haven't had the chance to properly introduce ourselves. My name is Salemn, and you are ..? >

[SashaKovalev]

He watched as she pulled her hood from her features. His eyes flickered away, his thoughts well hidden.

Salemn. So that was her name. He had wondered this since the day they had first encountered one another in the nearly empty nightclub.

As she asked his, he bristled. What [I]was[/I[] his name? He had asked himself this too often lately.

"Sasha." He replied as he finally took a seat at the table. He set his ale down in front of him and tapped his fingers idly on the table, the ring on the pinkie of his right hand glinting in the dim lighting.

"Interesting place for a jedi to visit...." He commented.

[Salemn Lysce]

< It is, isn't it ? >

And that was that. She didn't speak any further on his little musing, and instead mentally repeated his name. Sasha. It was a nice name, the undertone holding youth.

< You must be wondering why I asked for your presence - correct me if I'm mistaken. >

The grin had faded away by now, but there was still a faint trace of it left on her face.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian shifted uncomfortably, eyes watching Sasha, face looking at the tabletop. She listened as her master chatted with him, idly hoping that something would happen so that she could bring Reason in. Lillian looked at Salemn as she mentioned the purpose of the meeting. What was it, besides a test of her own will?

[SashaKovalev]

He stared at Salemn for a moment, his violet eyes finally blinking and looking briefly to his ale before he brought them back to her.

“I’d be lying if I said otherwise.” He responded, and then turned to Lillian. She was not good at hiding her fear. It radiated from her, as his dark aura did from him. Reason…..…..the droid. It wasn’t even that he had to search her thoughts, for in her fear, they hung out there, begging to be heard.

Slowly, his eyes narrowed in amusement. Her fear was the equivalent of a drug – filled with a rush, and highly addictive.

“Perhaps Lillian could tell me….” He suggested, doing this because he knew it wold likely make the padawan squirm a bit more.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian looked to Sasha, heart pounding.

"N-no, I don't know either..."

[SashaKovalev]

Slowly, he shook his head. Poor Lillian's heart was pounding in her chest. He could almost feel it and briefly, he understood why some Sith chose to kill by stopping the beating of a heart. The loudness of hers, in her fear, made him wonder what it would be like to slow hers down, to make it beat a bit softer.

But this, he dismissed as quickly a it had come. There would be no challenge in this, and so it interested him little.

He stared at Lillian for a moment longer.

"Perhaps your master will shed some light on it for us both, then." He replied, finally turning back to look at Salemn.

[Salemn Lysce]

For a moment there came no response from the Knight as she closed her eyes, letting out a sigh. Then, she answered.

< It is just a meeting, perhaps something more, but nonetheless, an arranged gathering at a tavern. >

Then, she opened her eyes.

< I thought it would do Lillian good. >

Of course, her Padawan probably couldn't see it, but so far Sasha seemed to be the "source of all fear" for her. She would overcome it, and possibly get rid of that annoying robot of hers in the process.

[SashaKovalev]

He scoffed at this notion. The notion that this might do Lillian some good.

“I didn’t know the jedi were into terrifying their padawans.” He retorted, finally reaching for his ale and taking a slow drink of it before setting it back on the table. His eyes cast a glance at Lillian, staring at her as if he could see through her.

“Tell me Lillian, is this a pleasant experience for you?” He asked. As he asked, he sent memories of their last encounter in her direction, reminding her of the terror he had brought upon her.

[Lillian Snow]

The way he spat her name every time he said it showed his disrespect, his comtempt for her. Every time, she expected him to try and kill her.

"N-no, but it is necessary..."

[Salemn Lysce]

< A Jedi must learn to overcome fear. >

~You're playing your "role" quite well.~ This time the voice in his head was different, like the whisper of a doubting mind. Was it the Jedi directing her telepathic messages different, or could it just be Sasha himself ? Questions, questions.

But if it was Salemn, perhaps there was a hidden meaning in this - such as that he was nothing more than a mere tool being played by a Jedi Knight. Or, it could mean that Salemn was being sincere that she believed this to be the best for Lillian.

She let these doubts - and possibly other thoughts - swarm in Sasha's head as another grin fell upon her lips.

[SashaKovalev]

He heard the whisper, and knew it to be the jedi causing it. It was not her voice, but there was no other here who would be the cause of this.

He redirected his gaze to her, watching as a grin spread across her lips.

Nice try... was the message that he sent to her.

He was, perhaps, playing his role perfectly. Perhaps this was what the jedi wanted. And this was fine with him. Let Lillian think there was nothing to fear about him. Let her think that, and she would be painfully mistaken when next she saw him.

He set his elbows on the table, leaning forward a bit and pushing his drink aside. His hands came to rest only inches from each other, and his violet eyes turned back to Lillian.

"Ahhh.....little Lillian...." He stated, small sparks slowly beginning to conduct between the tips of his fingers. This was something he had learned from his master, something he took great pride in. This dark gift of force lighting. He was not an expert at it yet, could conduct it within his hands, and direct it, though not as far, or for as long as he would like. One day, he would perfect this skill.

"What else is necessary before you learn that you're a fool to believe in the jedi?" He taunted.

[Lillian Snow]

She shrank back from the Force lightning and the malice in his voice.

"You...you..."

Lillian was interrupted by a violent fit of coughing. She covered her face with a handkerchief, stopping the blood from spattering the table.

[SashaKovalev]

His expression changed from amusement to almost satisifaction.

"I what Lillian?" He taunted, sending a light spark or two in her direction.

"I scare you??" He sneered as he leaned forwar a bit more, his broad shoulders squared to the jedi girl who was coughing up blood in her frightened conditon.

[Lillian Snow]

"Y-yes..." she admitted. "You do. I know what you are capable of...what you could do to me. Especially with my illness..."

Lillian cast a glance to the door, where Reason stood drawing a crowd, and at Salemn, who sat silently. They weren't making a move. Would they if he attacked her? If he threatened her more than he already had?

[SashaKovalev]

Y-yes...You do. I know what you are capable of...what you could do to me. Especially with my illness...

As Lillian cast a glance to the door, where Reason stood drawing a crowd, and then at Salemn, who sat silently, Sasha reached out to probe her thoughts. It was easy to do with one like Lillian, who was too terrified at the moment to concentrate on protecting herself.

“Would you like to know, Lillian what they would do if I chose to attack?” He asked.

“Do you truly want to know what they would do?” His voice taunting, by now he had stopped with the sparks, and instead had chosen a new method for frightening the girl.

“How would you like me to attack you? Would you prefer that I worked through the dark side of the force to slowly crush the veins that allow your weak, pathetic blood to flow through them? Or would you prefer the more standard, but always dramatic version, where I draw my saber and attempt to sever your pretty little head from your shoulders?” He asked, his voice almost a low growl.

[Lillian Snow]

"No, please don't!"

The crowd outside let out a gasp. No doubt Reason had bristled, made a display of arms. Lillian looked to the table, tried to summon some courage. If Reason even stepped in the door, the "lesson" would be for naught.She tried to think, tried to come up with something to lessen the fear she felt.

[SashaKovalev]

No, please dont!

He laughed at this, for her fear had not only been evident in her voice, but he had felt it easily. Her illness....his eyes narrowed slightly, for it was on her mind, and bits and pieces of it he had picked up on.

"Dont what, Lillian?" He asked as his drink slid across the table into his hand. He lifted the glass and drained it of the ale it held and then with the force, crushed it within his bare hand.

It caused a cut on his hand, and the blood he let drip onto the table before them.

"Dont....shed any blood...? Dont frighten you?"

"But what would be the fun of this visit?" He asked, and with his own blood, smeared it across the table in front of him to begin to write Lillian's name with it.

"You're pathetic. And so are the rest of the jedi that you wish so badly to be like. So weak. So stupid to think it isnt worth using the dark side of the force to achieve what it is you desire."

He stopped drawing with the blood and rested his elbow on the table enough that his hand was above his heart and the bleeding would slow.

"What is it you desire, Lillian?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Wh..what I...?"

His question was entirely unexpected.

"I...I want..."

[SashaKovalev]

He stared at her expectantly, his violet eyes never leaving her.

"Arent you capable of thinking for yourself, Lillian?"

He shook his head in disgust and then reached out to cup her chin in his hand. He knew this would terrify her.

"Such a pretty face. Its too bad thats all that you are." Violet eyes stared at hers, at eyes that had widened in fright.

[Lillian Snow]

She cringed involuntarily as he took her by the face. His words hurt her. Too many times she'd been told that. A pretty face, nothing more. Too weak hardly to do anything for herself.

"I'm not stupid..." she said quietly. "I can think for myself..."

[SashaKovalev]

He released her and snorted in amusement. He felt her hurt at his words, and knew he had hit a tender spot.

"You're a great actress, then, because you hide that ability quite well." His tone made it more than clear that he was not complimenting her, but putting her down.

"Why do you bring your master and your overarmed conglomeration of bolts and metal scraps with you everywhere you go, if your so capable of being anything less than a weak, pathetic blood coughing excuse for a jedi?" He taunted.

[Lillian Snow]

"I...I..."

She looked ashamedly to the table, tears flowing freely down her face.

"I am too physically weak to defend myself...that is why Reason is here. I am here with my master because she wanted me to come..."

[SashaKovalev]

He felt nothing at seeing her tears. Occasionally, he could find some pity, depending upon his mood. But tonight, he could not. Not when it was a jedi who had dragged him here, hoping he could provide a lesson for her pathetic padawan.

“Your lack of faith in yourself is your weakness, not this condition of yours.”

He leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Its really too bad you don’t believe in the power of the darkside. There, there is no weakness. Physical or otherwise” He stated.

“You underestimate the power of the dark side in listening to the foolish teachings of your master.” He added.

“With the darkside, you’d need neither her..” He nodded towards Salemn, his contempt obvious, “Or your metal friend. You would, perhaps, learn to be that which you’ve always desired to be…”

[Salemn Lysce]

She watched as Sasha continued to batter poor Lillian with his words, her brown eyes glittering occasionally. She had gotten so worked up that she began to cough blood into her handkerchief some more which encouraged the Sith to continue his verbal assault, driving the Padawan further and further away into a 'shell'.

< I do believe that's enough. Sasha, if the Darkside is so wonderful, then why does it consume both your flesh and soul ? In the end, it will destroy you and you will become nothing ! >

She had hoped for this to be a civilized discussion, but it seemed that her hopes were going adrift. Sasha was enjoying petrifying Lillian, and the girl wasn't quite learning her lesson the way it was drawn out. This was beginning to irk the Knight - who always expected her plans to be followed out through without any mishaps.

< Your little tricks don't impress me, Sith. >

[SashaKovalev]

I do believe that's enough. Sasha, if the Darkside is so wonderful, then why does it consume both your flesh and soul ? In the end, it will destroy you and you will become nothing !

With this, he turned to look at Salemn. After a moment, he chuckled.

“You propose to tell me when enough is enough?” He asked, amusement mixed with anger in his voice.

He didn’t bother to answer he question on why it consumed his soul. It did because he let it. And he had no qualms about this. If he was to be destroyed, so be it. According to the Sith code there was no death, only immortality. And these were the words he had chosen to live his life by.

Your little tricks don't impress me, Sith.

At this he actually smiled, briefly looking as he had when he’d first waked in. Like a teenaged kid with nothing but a good time on his mind.

“They werent done with the hopes of impressing you in mind.” He retorted

“Now what is it that you want?” He asked, the tone of his voice bordering on cold.

[Salemn Lysce]

< If that's the case, then you're not impressing Lillian, either. >

She crossed her arms, biting the inside of her cheek while listening to his question. His voice had taken on a deadly edge which showed he meant business, and that it wasn't time to play anymore games. Finally, things were getting back on track.

< I came here to let my Padawan see a Sith when they weren't in a hostile manner, but it seems that this won't happen. When I was a Padawan, the Sith Empire was still up and the Sith there were quite courteous to me. I was hoping for the same for Lillian, but it seems that you're not the gentleman type. >

[SashaKovalev]

He cared little if his tricks had impressed Lillian. The jedi's words mattered not at all, for he had felt Lillian's fear. Impressed, perhaps not - scared out of her wits, yes. And that had been his goal.

He stared at Salemn as she spoke in his mind, and considered her words.

"I am not a part of the Sith Empire. I am a member of the Sith Order." He stated for clarification.

"And I believe in using the power of the dark side to achieve the things I desire to achieve. As a jedi, you all too often stand in the way of these things. Which makes you my enemy."

"So you see, I care very little that the members of the Sith Empire were courteous to you."

He leaned forward again, resting his elbows on the table. His vioelt eyes flickered to the wound from the glass that had since crusted over with blood, then back to her.

"Im perfectly capable of being a gentleman, Salemn. But not when you come to me with the intentions of being a jedi, and carrying out some form of training for your padawan. Im not here to help train my enemies."

"This, I would think, even your padawan could understand."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian shifted, feeling uncomfortable. She didn't want a fight.

[SashaKovalev]

Though he did not look at her, he could feel Lillian shifting uncomfortably. Part of him wanted to turn to her and shout 'boo' for he knew it would nearly make her jump out of her shoes.

When Salemn paused in her answer, he finally turned to Lillian.

"Your master seeks to show you that which does not occur naturally in this galaxy. If there is a Sith being civil to you when you call yourself a jedi, there is a reason behind it, and you would be wise to keep this in mind."

He stole a glance back at Salemn.

"Or perhaps find a master who is willng to tell you the truth about things..." He added with a bit of a provocation in his tone.

[Lillian Snow]

"I don't..." Lillian coughed, this time without blood, and swallowed hard. "I don't expect you to be kind to me. After all...I am the embodiment of all that Sith find hateful..."

[SashaKovalev]

At this, he finally, actually laughed.

"So you do have a brain in there, Lillian..." He commented.

"Why dont you use it to realize that training with the jedi is a waste of time?" He asked.

[Lillian Snow]

"Because...the Jedi will accept me, even if I am weak..."

He had stopped taunting her, stopped humiliating her. She was finding it easier to talk, also, her fear was diminishing slightly.

"The Sith would never do that."

[SashaKovalev]

He made a sort of snort of contempt.

"How kind of the jedi to take in the weak. Tell me Lillian, is there a sign on the door of the recruitment center that welcomes the pathetic?"

His tone returning to its earlier, more agressive tone. He had noticed that she had become a bit more at ease, and this was where he would teach her the one lesson he would teach her - that she was a fool to let down her guard, if even by a fraction.

While it was easy to frighten her, it was still mildly amusing, and if he certainly hadnt trekked all the way here to be bored.

"Are the jedi so desperate for numbers that they'd accept anyone?" He added.

"What kind of jedi do you think you'll make, Lillian?" He asked, his voice clearly toying with her.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian was taken aback by his sudden attack on her. She was determined not to cry, not be weak. He was expecting her to break down, she must not do that...she must not...

[SashaKovalev]

So…..she did have a bit of a spine to her. He could feel her trying to keep her composure. Could feel her determination not to cry.

You wait, Lillian.. He sent to her, speaking only to her through the use of the force.

You wait until I catch you alone. His violet eyes narrowed slightly at this, and a slight cunning smile crossed his features.

You’ll wish you’d never set a foot through the jedi recruitment center…

He spoke in her mind, only hoping to add a bit to her uneasy feeling by intruding upon her mind in this way. When he had been an apprentice, this was something that had bothered him. Being unable to protect his thoughts and feelings from others to sense.

[Lillian Snow]

She drew back from the voice in her mind, from the threat. She wouldn't cry, wouldn't be scared...but even as she thought this, another thought came up from the depths of her fear to help Sasha's cause.

If he can so easily place his own thoughts in your mind, Lillian, who's to stop him from controlling it?

"Stop...stop it!"

[SashaKovalev]

He raised an innocent eyebrow.

"Stop what, Lillian?" He asked, the tone of his voice making it clear that he knew exactly what she wanted him to stop doing.

He probed a bit, reaching out to sense her fears, and perhaps making it well known to her with a bit of a painful sensation in her mind that he was there.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian gritted her teeth against the pain.

"St...stop..." Her voice was quiet, and strained the pain she suffered.

[Reason]

Reason bristled further. Something was wrong with Lillian. It set its sensors on the bar. When it found the cause, it would eliminate the creator of her suffering...

[SashaKovalev]

His expression did not change a great bit, though faintly, he might have made amock expression of concern.

You're a fool to believe in the jedi. He added, speaking still in her mind.

[/I] Can you continue to believe in a master that would purposely bring you here for me to play with/[/I] He asked, purposefully attempting to put doubts in her mind.

With the darkside, Lillian He began, finally speaking her name without malice, but with an almost come hither sort of feeling to it, With the darkside there is no weakness, there is no pain....

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian shook her head again, trying to clear it.

"Stop it..." she whispered, too low almost to hear. "Stop..."

[SashaKovalev]

He ignored her pleas.

Come to the darkside Lillian. Let me teach you to put your weakness aside. With this he probed a bit deeper, causing more pain to make his point, to try to lure her....

Let me teach you how to use the power of the darkside to be strong...to be...

He smiled slightly.

What you've always wished you could be....

[Lillian Snow]

She gritted her teeth, eyes shining with tears supressed.

"Stop it...I won't...turn..." It was hard to resist, the pain, the lure of a normal life...a life without her illness...without the necessity for Reason... "I won't...." Her vision blurred, her mind grew clouded. She would pass out if she kept on...

[Salemn Lysce]

< You, of all people, should know that lessons and training are two different things. >

It was now that her face took on a hardened look, and from then on she remained silent. It was almost as if the Knight had become a frozen shell when Sasha began to taunt Lillian, trying to draw her away from the Jedi. Being so intune with the Force, the emotions that were flowing from her Padawan were beginning to overtake her, seizing her and pinning her down. Mentally she struggled for control, trying to block out Lillian's nauseating fear and pain.

< STOP IT !!! >

Finally, she had some control, and briefly wondered how long it would be until she was sucked back into "Lillian's World". Reaching up, she drew in a trembling breath while holding her head, trying to block everything out.

< Both of you, just .. stop it. I thought you wouldn't be so naive, Sasha, obviously I'm wrong. I .. I think we'll leave, now. >

Grimacing as she stood, Salemn reached out with a hand and placed it on the wall for support as she got out of the seat.

[SashaKovalev]

You, of all people, should know that lessons and training are two different things.

Her scolding made him feel some hint of shame, perhaps, but nothing that he would have admitted. Not to a jedi. Not to anyone.

As she stood, her hand going to the wall for support, he realized that perhaps he had had more of an effect than he had intended. This was interesting to him.

He stood up as she did, his violet eyes staring at her for a moment.

"Why did you think I would be different?" He asked. There was no challenge in his voice, only curiousity. It seemed that Salemn had thought he would be different from the others, and he wanted to know why.

[Salemn Lysce]

Looking over at him, she saw that he stood also, watching her almost curiously. Immediately she withdrew her hand from the wall and straightened up. She would not show any weakness infront of him, no matter how nice he acted towards her. You could say that her worst trait was pride.

< Because you didn't attempt to slay Lillian when you had the chance. >

[SashaKovalev]

Because you didn't attempt to slay Lillian when you had the chance

At this, he looked away for a moment. For the most part, he did not kill without reason. Occasionally, yes occasionally, he did. But it was a rare occurrence.

He wasn’t a Sith because he loved killing. He was a Sith because he believed in the philosophy of transforming anger into something useful – using it to harness the power of the dark side of the force and making it bend to his will to achieve the things he wished to achieve. He had also, a great desire for power. And this, the dark side could provide.

I rarely kill without reason. He replied, and then his violet eyes came back to her.

Slowly, he was coming into his own as a Sith. His master, Lady Vader, had great influence over him and he took her advice to heart, but he was beginning to form his own opinions, and some of them differed from the typical practices of the Sith.

He sighed softly.

“Why don’t you sit down….” He suggested.

[Salemn Lysce]

I rarely kill without reason, he said, and then asked for her to sit back down. At this she hesitated, casting a glance at Lillian before looking back at Sasha. Finally she obliged and returned to her seat, grimacing as another wave of fear from Lillian hit her.

Fixing her brown eyes on the young Sith infront of her, she reached up and ran her fingers through her hair before clasping her hands together in her lap.

< Are you going to continue to try and frighten Lillian out of her wits ? >

Perhaps there was a hint of humour in her voice, almost daring him to continue.

[Lillian Snow]

"Master, no!"

Lillian trembled.

"Mr. Sasha has done enough of that..."

[SashaKovalev]

She hesitated, and casting a glance at Lillian, but then took a seat again.

Are you going to continue to try and frighten Lillian out of her wits ?

He didn’t have a chance to answer this before Lillian’s terrified response came.

Master, no! Mr. Sasha has done enough of that... He could hear the tremble in her voice. Could feel her fear. It was tempting. So tempting.

But instead he sighed softly and took a seat again.

“No, I’m through with that.” He replied, signaling to the waitress for service. As she approached their table, she clacked her gum between her teeth, and placed a hand on her hip.

“Yeah, what can I getcha?” She asked in a rather bored tone.

Sasha ordered another ale, then turned to Lillian and Salemn.

“And whatever they’re having…” He added. His eyes flickered to Salemn, as if to say, ‘see, I can be a gentleman’, and then they settled on Lillian.

“What will you have, Lillian?” He asked, no taunting in his voice this time.

[Lillian Snow]

"What..."

Lillian was more suprised by this than anything he had done so far.

"N-nothing, thanks..."

[SashaKovalev]

His eyes gazed at Lillian for a moment, and then he turned to the waitress.

"Maybe a water or soda or something for her." He suggested, and then he turned back to Salemn, his gaze expectant as he waited for her to place her order.

[Salemn Lysce]

He had said that he wouldn't try and scare Lillian anymore for perverse pleasure, and now waved over a waitress to take an order. He set his eyes on her with a look that clearly stated he could be a gentleman, than asked what they would like to order.

Even though Lillian had declined his offer, he told the waitress to get her something and then turned his gaze expectantly towards her.

< A Bantha Blaster will do. >

The waitress, slightly startled at hearing the voice in her head, turned and left their table to get the drinks. Sasha's sudden change of mood was somewhat surprising, but rather pleasant.

< So, tell us, Sasha - >

Here, she removed a hand from her lap and waved towards both her and Lillian.

< - How is Corellia doing ? I must admit that I don't come here very often. >

[SashaKovalev]

So, tell us, Sasha…How is Corellia doing ? I must admit that I don't come here very often.

As she asked how Corellia was going, a slight expression of sadness flickered over his features, and then was gone. Corellia was…well, on the whole it was fine. It was the castle on Corellia where he lived that had a new, empty feeling to it. Just knowing that someday soon Feliciana and some of the others would be leaving…he shoved these thoughts from his mind, though a faint aura of sadness might have lingered.

“Corellia is fine.” He answered.

“Coronet,” He began, referring to the oceanside capital city, “Is never lacking in business, particularly with the ocean and the beaches.”

“If you’re staying the night here you should walk them in the early morning. The tide will be out tomorrow and you can walk out to a small island just off the coast. Theres a lot of wildlife there and the sunrise is more beautiful from the top of the rocks there than Ive seen it anywhere else…” He added. This was a side of him that few people saw.

He was always up in the early mornings. Ironically, for one who lived by a code that refused peace, he loved the quiet stillness of the mornings, and came often to the beach from the castle to be alone.

[Lillian Snow]

This was a sharp contrast to his previous behavior. To tell the truth, it was catching Lillian off guard, though she was relieved that he wasn't giving her any more trouble. Still, she stayed silent, not speaking for fear that he would begin once more with his insults and taunting.

[SashaKovalev]

It was good that she was wary. While he was on relatively good behavior now, there was no predicting what circumstances the future would bring. He was not without a heart, and most times, a conscience, but anger and the influence of the dark side would take its toll on him. And the young man that sat there with them now, would not be the same man they would necessarily find when it came to battle.