A new kind of corruption: Salem Ave

[Razielle Shadana]

One thing Razielle understood well was the need to advance her training. It was conversed, and agreed upon by herself and her fledgling, personal shadow and love, Salem Ave, that they had a great need to further their own knowledge and training. By so doing they could impart these new teachings to the Cabal. Making them as a whole stronger. Woe be to the conquered when such a thing was accomplished. The lawless times where Vampyre's were allowed to disobey the ancient laws of creating progeny were done. The wretches would be eradicated.

During one such discussion, Razielle had proposed the idea for Salem to accompany her to Onderon, to meet with the Circle. She had no doubt that his presence would be a powerful addition to their numbers. She had only to arrange a meeting for him with one of the Master's and he would be more than capable of proving his prowess as a deadly Sith.

Arriving on first class transport this time, Razielle and Salem made the short jaunt to the prison-turned-abode. "I should warn you, my child apprentice lives here. He is nothing short of annoying, but incredibly gifted with illusions. I'll keep him away from you, just don't kill him or anything. Might go bad for me..."

[Salem Ave]

Salem Ave had come to the saddening conclusion, once more, that Corellia was failing in its duty to him. The Sith Order was not prospering and he had little motivation to be a training master for droves of Masterless apprentices. When Razielle had told him of the Circle, his curiosity had been piqued. It seemed fate had a habit of dealing him unfortunate hands when it came to Masters, though he did not for one moment regret his choosing of Jeseth Cloak or Laran Katern as mentors. He wondered if on this planet he would finally be able to find a definite alliance.

Yet amidst this hope there was the irritating possibility that he would have to come into contact with Naj Arilov. The two had not parted on the best of terms, and so when a confrontation did come, it would not be pleasant. “I’ll trrry my be-ssst,” he drawled finally, in a monotone reply to Razielles words. His solid-white eyes scanned the area around him as he walked, trailing almost loping behind his sire, shoulders hunched. “This isn’t as grandiose asss I imagined it would be.”

[Razielle Shadana]

Nodding in agreement, Razielle gestured around the first floor hall. "It's not Elysium. It's not home , but it'll do. I just had the place gutted and you know me, I overdo everything. The rest of the furnishings and such will be arriving within the next week."

Stopping to ponder what else could be done to bring elegance to such squalor, Razielle turned about in a circle. It wasn't so bad, but when one got used to the best, starting from scratch was bothersome. Shrugging she stepped into the lift and mashed the button to the top floor, her domain. Now it was going to be shared with Salem, a fact she wasn't going to lie and say bothered her at all. "Our room is at least finished. "

With a rather annoying hydraulic hiss, the lift doors opened onto the fourth floor. She would have to get that sileneced. Salem couldn't possibly find this shabby, she had spent no small fortune making it completely her own. Flopping on her bed, flat on her back, Razielle let out a dramamtic sigh. "Okay, rest over.. Back to work."

From her pocket she pulled out her comm and contacted the very same person who had brought her to Onderon.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Walking the halls of the palace, De'Ville stopped in a marbled alcove as her comlink chirped. A maid passed her apologetically as the Dark Jedi turned towards the wall for more privacy as she answered. "De'Ville here."

[Razielle Shadana]

Rolling onto her stomach, Razielle kicked her legs slowly back and forth while she told De'Ville of Salem. "Evening, Miss De'Ville. It's Raz. I have brought someone, dear to my little black heart that I think would compliment our little organization. Can we meet somewhere?"

The night was still young, there was plenty of time for dark meetings and bloody pacts to be made. Smiling at Salem, she nodded to the bed beside her. No need for him to feel like he had to stand, this was his place now too.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Sure..." Dear to her little black heart? "I was planning on having a late dinner in about an hour, we can meet then. I had not picked a place yet, so if you have a restaurant you prefer, let me know."

That was funny - since Vampires didn't eat, at least not normal food. De'Ville glared at another passing maid, who went white and ran away in the opposite direction.

[Razielle Shadana]

Having rattled off the name of a restaurant that was accompanied by a rather extensive wine cellar, Razielle concluded her transmission to De'Ville. Rolling off the bed, she rose and stretched. Arms over her head she grinned at Salem. "Guess that means we're going out."

[Salem Ave]

"Joy," Salem hadn't bothered to sit. He hadn't imagined they would be here for long, and it turned out he was right. Frowning slightly, he asked, "Who did you sss-peak to?"

[Razielle Shadana]

Quickly, Razielle made herself presentable from her travel. "That, was De'Villle. " Frowning, she tapped her finger on her chin, in thought. "I don't believe I ever got her first name. I was in proximity to her only once, before she brought me to Onderon. It was in the company of Saurron, on board the Sanguine. It was..interesting." Figuring Salem didn't give a damn how he looked, she assumed they were ready.


After arriving at the agreed upon location, they sat at a round booth in the back of the restaurant to await the Dark Jedi Master who would be joining them. For appearance sake, Razielle ordered a bottle of wine and two glasses, but knowing Salem's previous distaste for the stuff, she didn't pour him any. The waiter returned and looked distressed over the empty glass and verbally tried to make ammends with his rather, unique looking patron. "Something else for you, sir..?"

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She left a message for Xilarian on the dresser in their room, and walked barefoot out to the waiting speeder. The restaurant she'd been referred to by Razielle wasn't well known to her, and she knew better than to trust anyone fully...but she was willing to take her chances.

Lilaena was curious as to who the Dark one had been referring to, and where they had come from. Time enough for questions when all parties had arrived, however. Within a few minutes she was deposited on the sidewalk, and the slinky black speeder was safely tucked around a corner, waiting for her.

De'Ville felt the cold duracrete under her feet, and wrinkled her toes against it, admiring the roughness. She had taken to traveling without shoes as a way of keeping herself in touch with her surroundings on a more basic level.

[Salem Ave]

Little more than the vampire narrowed his burning white eyes was needed to scare the waiter away. He wasn't hear to eat, to drink or to exchange pleasantries with the staff. He was here to meet this De'Ville, who would hopefully arrive sooner rather than later. He detested this social setting. It made his skin crawl. The fact that he could feel eyes on him didn't help one bit. Shifting awkwardly, his shoulders hunched, Salem looked longingly at the wine for a moment and wished it was something else, before turning his gaze up to the doorway, to watch for De'Ville's entrance...

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Upon entering, the king's advisor was quickly directed towards the back of the restaurant where her companions were waiting for her. Recognizing Razielle, she nodded in greeting, and waited for introductions.

[Razielle Shadana]

Razielle dropped her gaze to hide the laughter at the waiter as he bolted for his life. At that speed he was going to slam into someone for sure. He best hope it was not De'Ville.

Taking pity on Salem, Razielle slid his empty glass over to her and poured just a tad of the wine into it. Then she slid a flask out from inner coat pocket and filled the glass to its rim with the contents. The color would almost indicate a dark red wine, but the scent clearly stated otherwise. Sliding it back to him, she didn't say anything.

Looking back up Razielle spotted De'Ville just before she came in the door. Locking her eye's on her, she waited until they were seen then smiled. As the Dark Jedi / Royal Advisor arrived at the table, Razielle slid around to make more room. "Thank you for coming, De'Ville. This is Salem Ave.. But I shall let him tell you anymore.."

[Salem Ave]

If the Force had been a light, De'Ville would have been blinding to look at. Salem could not help feeling slightly awed as he bowed his head, both in greeting and reverence. He was unsure how to address her in public, and so simply said,"Grrr-eetings." He motioned a clawed hand towards the empty seat at the table and Lilaena sat. "I hope it wasss not too difficult forrr you to arrange this meeting, between whatever otherrr commitment-sss you have," he said, in an unusual display for the feelings and concerns of others, "Rrr-azielle told me about... what you have herrre. I'm interesssted in becoming a part of it." His rasping voice then quietened some, "I'm sssure you already know the futility of sss-taying on Corellia."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Corellia?" She laughed, "I do indeed." As she sat, the waiter hurried up with another glass for wine, and she allowed him to pour it for her, although she didn't touch it. Salem's wine looked suspiciously thick, but she said nothing about it. "It sounds as though you may have heard about me already, although I must admit, your reputation has not preceeded you, Ave.

"It is refreshing to meet another individual who had the sense to get off that sinking ship." Lilaena smiled, almost warmly.

[Salem Ave]

"I've been moving frrrom sss-inking ship to sinking ssship for some time now. It's gotten beyond tirrresome," Salem lifted his glass, cradling it in his claws as he spoke. "I have hearrrd of you before, De'Ville. From Lady Vaderrrr. I am not sssuprised you have not heard of me. I've neverrr been able to sss-tay in one place for very long, unfortunately... although I have managed to train enough to rrreceive the rank of the Sith Knight, from Jesss-eth Cloak."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

A wry smile passed her lips at the mention of Cloak. "He had the potential to be a great one among us. But he disappeared shortly after removing himself from the Order for the second time..." She'd always had her suspicions about that. The first time Jeseth Cloak had left the Sith Order, he'd formed the Black Hand with some compatriots. And then he'd gone away, and rejoined the Order, only to disappear again, and sources said he'd taken several apprentices with him.

He'd no doubt formed another group, a parasitic kind of action, or perhaps viral... Cloak attatched himself to the Order, and then split off with some of its members to form a group of his own to rival Vader's. And then, when he saw no future in his group, he went back to the Order, where they greeted him with open arms (Vader's weakness had always been her trusting nature). That thought made Lilaena smile, because Vader didn't trust her even a tiny bit.

But back to the Order Jeseth went, and then he did the same thing again, leaving with some of it's members, never to be heard from again. But...perhaps Salem knew what had become of him, and the apprentices it was rumored he'd stolen from Corellia. It was worth looking into, but for now she'd leave it alone.

"I imagine that the Lady Shadana has filled you in on what we are doing here, on Onderon?" De'Ville watched him carefully, sensing his emotions, and trying to correlate them to his body language.

[Salem Ave]

“In brrroad terms, ye-sss,” he replied, with a slight inclination of his head, a nod, “but I think… perrrrhaps I should hear it from you also, sss-o that am I entirrrely clear on the matte-rrr.”

[Razielle Shadana]

Things were progressing much as Razielle had expected they would. Toying with the stem of her glass, she listened to the conversation. It was not for her to interject anything at this point. In fact her work was done, she had brought him here. Somehow she didn't think De'Ville would go into many specifics in the middle of the restaurant, but Razielle was damned curious to see how she would respond to Salem's inquiry.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Razielle looked at her, and De'Ville could sense a sharp spike of interest from the pale woman. "In layman's terms, Ave, what we have here is a nest. Onderon is secluded, practically off the galactic and political map, and small enough to be controlled easily. Within Iziz City I and my associates are growing a force that will soon be able to bring the galaxy to a reckoning."

Lilaena used the Force to dissipate the sound waves before they left the table, concentrating a bit to make her words for their ears only. "Dark siders, such as myself, have come here for many different reasons. We are training young ones in our ways, training them carefully and not willy-nilly as others have been prone to do. I do not want a next generation of unstable maniacs, but calm, collected, and true Dark Siders.

"You have come here interested in becoming a part of this. What do you offer us, Ave?"

[Salem Ave]

“Knowledge and experrrience,” he replied, evenly. “Years worth of trrraining from Masssters of the Darkside… and of courssse, loyalty to the cause,” Salem added, one corner of his mouth turning up in a vague smirk.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "Loyalty to yourself, you mean. And you will be best served by working alongside us, I promise you."

[Salem Ave]

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think that was the case,” Salem took a moment to think, taking a sip from his glass, “Asss long you uphold everrrything which you have told me about, in practice, I see no reason why my loyalty shouldn’t be to you and your cause.”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Oh, do not worry about that, what I have told you is very true and will be upheld." She looked at the two at the table with her, and added, "I am guessing that you already have a place to stay while you are here?"

[Razielle Shadana]

Titling her head back, Razielle sipped the remainder of her wine, then set the empty glass down with a clink. "Yes, I purchased the abandoned prison. It has been renovated. Myself, Salem and Han shall reside there." The place was easily excessible to the palace, very convinient.. It also was spacious, now that a few dozens walls had been knocked down. The perfect haven for both Dark Apprentice and Vampyre alike..

Razielle was clearly pleased that things has gone so well. Having Salem around would prove both interesting and very convinient, from her stand point at least. The only loose end she had to tie up now was to begin her own training with whichever of the Master's would like to commence.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Ah, and before I forget to mention it, Gav Mortis and I have spoken about you, Razielle. He is interested in providing you with more training. I imagine he will contact you about it soon." She sipped her wine, and flipped open a menu.

[Salem Ave]

Learning forward, his elbows against the table, Salem asked, "And what about my trrraining? When can I expect to be able to continue?"

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Fairly soon." De'Ville looked back up at him as the waiter came nervously back to their table. She pointed at an entree without looking at her menu or at him, and the waiter scurried away again.

She flipped the menu closed again. "I need to know what you would need to study, and then we can discuss a suitable master for you."

[Salem Ave]

Making a vague sort of gesture with one clawed hand, Salem replied, “Deception… illusss-ions. I’ve little to no skill in eitherrr… rather disappointing.” He brought both hands together once again, “But whoeverrr is available will be satisfactory. I have no real preference to what I ssstudy. It is all relevant and useful.”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Very well." She sipped her wine, and set the glass down again. "I will personally look into finding someone appropriate. And now... would either of you care to join me for dinner? No?" Her eyes hinted at humor.

[Razielle Shadana]

"You go ahead. We'll stop for a ..bite.. on the way home, I am sure." Razielle offered the Dark Jedi a wink and sipped her wine. Razielle was tickled down to her vampyric toes with De'Ville's acceptance of Salem. With her love so close at hand, Razielle would be able to put forth her complete energies into the Circle, without her thoughts wandering to what he was doing on Kirrek.

[Salem Ave]

“Yesss, thank you forrr your time, but we will have to decline.” Salem looked to Razielle, wondering whether or not this signified the end of their ‘social outing’ with the Dark Jedi Master, or whether there was more to be discussed before they retired.