Devil Inside: Training I - Open to the Darkness

[Maxim Vasilijev]

He ran a hand over a dusty book. He had no use for libraries. Had no use for them at all. The thought of sitting down to read a book was the last thing he’d have wanted to do and would have been an effective method of torture. Not that he was opposed to learning, but he much preferred hands on experience to the dry, less thought provoking tales told in books.

He shoved it back onto the shelf. Not carelessly, though clearly with distaste.

And then he sighed, rolling his eyes and further explored the room while he waited for his master to arrive.

There was no doubt that it was a beautiful room. Warm and to a point, inviting. As inviting as a room full of books could be, he supposed.

What caught his eye was not the books. It was not the maps that lined the walls of the galaxy and the regions beyond. It was not the fireplace with its kindled logs burning down to red hot glowing embers. It was not the comfortable couches that creaked softly when sat upon, smelling of well oiled leather.

No, it was none of these things. It was the sith holocron instead. And though he felt eyes upon him, still, he drew near. He could feel its pulse, beating in time with the impatient young beat of his own heart. Like the rhythm of a drum, a low beating seemed to call to him and his hand outstretched..…

[Lady Vader]

Careful... it might bite.

*LV circled around the meditation couches to stand near the marble pillar holding the holocron up as Maxim reeled his hand in as though it'd been burned. She could tell by the short-lived glare he shot her that he knew she was joking. But the glare melted almost as quickly as it had flared as he saw who has spoken the words.*

The Sith holocron in itself is a book of knowledge, only accesable by a Sith. Mnay other Sith have put their words of wisdom and powers into the tiny pyrimid to aid us in learning more about the Dark side of the Force.

*She gave him a side-long glance.*

Likewise, books and data pads should not be pushed aside so lightly, as you may find something useful hidden within their pages, whether electronic or not.

*She sat herself on one of the meditation couches, crossing her legs beneath her.*

Don't think that just physical training and hand-to-hand combat will give you experience. Knowledge is also experience, and can aid you in avoiding mistakes.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Her words were true enough, but still....

He watched as she took a seat and still he did not sit down. She had not yet invited him to. He had not forgotten the first lesson she had taught him - to mind his manners around her. It was the same reason he had not yet spoken.

He was normally a rather outspoken kid, but he understood from his years of athletics that when a coach had something to say, it was his turn to shut up and listen. And so he did with Lady Vader.

The holocron was in itself far more interesting than books or data pads. Books were...well...you had to bring them to life yourself. And data pads....well,they just reminded him of taking notes for classes.

"Yes m'am." He replied after she had spoken, indicating that he understood what she had told him, and he would keep it in mind. It didnt necessarily mean he would crack open the next book he came across, but it didnt mean that he wouldnt either. He could feel rather easily the power of Lady Vader and knew her a force to be reckoned with. She was in charge of his life now, and he would have to prove to her that he deserved the opportunity - that he deserved her trust.

His gaze turned back to the holocron for a moment. He had a dark gaze as he peered into it. There was something about him that was not entirely dark - not yet. But there was agression and there was a competitive spirit - something that would take him far in his studies to become a Sith. Something that would make it easy to turn him to the ways of the Sith.

"If I may ask...." He began, turning back to his master for a moment, seeking permission to speak freely for the moment, "How does it work?"

[Lady Vader]

It's a simple device consisting of stored data and holographic imaging.

*She stretched her hand out, palm up, and called the holocron to her. It floated from it's pedistal and rested lightly on her hand. Once it touched her palm, a wisened, hooded being appeared in the air, a hologram if you will, and spoke in a gravely tone.*

What is it you wish to learn, follower of the Sith?

*She turned to look at Maxim, ignoring the holocron for a moment.*

You see... the Sith holocron knows if you are a Sith or not. It has several Sith teachers stored within it's memory banks and pulls out the one that it senes is best for the one holding it.

*She looked back at the holocron, studying the Sith who had appeared before her.*

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Maxim listened to her explanation, his dark eyes flickering to the holocron occasionally, but meeting those of his master when necessary.

He did not like that she intimidated him, but this only served to motivate him more. He wanted to prove himself to her and gain her respect – and as she had indicated the day before – her trust.

As her gaze turned back to the holocron, Maxim finally took a seat across from his master, though he did not sink back into the leather and relax. Rather he sat more on the edge, as was reflective of his personality.

He was a brooding, rather moody sort of kid. Intense, certainly. His personality matched his looks – dark and rather glowering.

“That this particular Sith teacher has appeared for you…..” He began, “Does this mean something in particular about you?”

His eyes met hers, questioning, yet not over eager. Though she was capable of destroying his confidence momentarily with only a few words, he was secure enough in himself to take her chastising words and turn them into a way to improve himself.

[Lady Vader]

Not neccessarily.

*She took her eyes from the image and looked at her new Apprentice.*

When a Sith touches the holocron, it is because they wish to learn something, thus they receive the teacher that best knew thr subject the Sith wishes to learn.

In my case, I merely wanted to show you how the holocron worked, so the holocron brought up the Sith it saw within my mind: the image of Palpatine.

*She released the holocron, and the image faded. She then floated it back to it's resting place using the Force.*

Whnever you have questions about the Sith or if there is something in particular you wish to learn, the holocron is one of the best ways, as it brings a Sith teacher out that has had experience in the particular field you wish to learn.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

He nodded in understanding. Perhaps the library wasn’t so boring afterall. He supposed he could maybe learn something from the holocron sometime if he had to, though it was likely it would be a last resort sort of thing.

He was the type of kid who struggled with his grades at school not because he wasn’t intelligent enough to understand the materials, but because he couldn’t sit still long enough to read about it in a book. And sometimes, just didn’t drag himself out of bed to sit through classes – one boring lecture after another. But he would never have missed a practice for sports. It was the physical, hands on aspect that he loved. It was the outright challenge and test of skill that he preferred.

And it was this inability to sit still that had him on his feet again, unable to remain seated the whole time. Without much thought, he paced slightly, his energy and determination evidenced in the way he seemed to be about to erupt at any moment, a loaded gun ready to fire. The one night that had passed between this moment and his arrival at the palace had been long enough – he wanted to begin his training.

But not at the cost of Lady Vader thinking him impudent or disrespectful. He understood that she was the master and he the apprentice and he was still a bit tentative about speaking without first being spoken to. His gaze flickered to the room that surrounded them, and then back to her. He wondered about her in the silence between them. Wondered whether she was truly as cold as she seemed. Wondered what she expected from him. Wondered what she would ask of him. So many questions wandered through his mind, yet he did not ask.

[Lady Vader]

*LV let the young man pace a bit. It wasn't difficult to sense the abundant energy he held inside him, not to mention the bundle of questions within his mind.*

*He struck her as the impatient type, much like Sasha had been. She looked back at the holocron, thinking of her previous Apprentice, now a Knight and wondering the vast galaxy. She knew where his path would lead him, even if he didn't, and it hurt to have let him go. He was the closest thing to a son she had had since having to let her own son go.*

*Frowning and scolding herself silently for indulging in such thoughts, she looked back to Maxim and the task at hand. Standing she gestured for him to follow her.*

Come. Perhaps it is time for you to experience some hand to hand training.

*She gave him a side-long glance, a tiny smile evident.*

After all, we have to do something with all that pent up energy.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

His expression seemed to light up a bit at the suggestion of hand to hand training, the questions in his mind temporarily on hold. He would ask them of her at some point, perhaps. If the right moment happened upon him.

He caught her small sidelong smile as she made a comment about his pent up energy and a grin finally escaped. He had been rather solemn around her until this point.

Without a word, he fell into footstep behind her.

"I dont have any weapons..." He commented soon after as it dawned on him that the only weapons he had ever carried, a knife and a blaster had been taken from him when he'd encountered the police.

It had not yet occurred to him that beyond the basics of the fact that his body was its own weapon, his mind and the force could combine for an even more deadly weapon.

This was something, that when discovered, when taught to him, would put him beyond recovery. His family, his friends, even his twin brother would never be able to convince him otherwise. He would succumb easily to the darkness and never question the path he had taken.

Within him lay a darkness that had only to be released. Lady Vader had only to show him the power of the darkside and she would have the apprentice that Sasha never could have been. Before her was a kid with a heart of darkness and the ambition to use it for all that the Sith Order could ever desire.

[Lady Vader]

*LV's smile broadened at his comment of not having weapons.*

In the beginning, you will not need physical weapons. Those wil come in time.

*She rounded a corner, heading towards a large glass doorway that lead into the vast training grounds, pointing to her head, continuing in what she was saying earlier.*

We will first concentrate on the greatest weapon you have... your mind.

*As she stepped through the door onto the groomed grass, she finally lead Maxim into the training grounds. (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27596)*