I come bearing gifts (Lady Vader) [continued]

[Lady Vader]

*After leaving the recruitment center (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?threadid=35161), they made their waythrough a seemingly endless maze of twisting hallways and marbled colomns that seemed to whisper and move in the shadows. At last they came upon a double set of ornate doors made of a polished black wood with thin veins of copper. It was a unique contrast to the black marbles laced with green and gold veins.*

*The doors swung open silently, but with a slowness that gave away their weight, letting LV escort Vega into the grand dining room. Inside, there was a long table made of a similar wood to that of the door, with high-backed seats to match. The cushions on the seat and backs were made of a velvet to match the copper in the wood, giving the furniture a warm look while at the same time remaining cold and mysterious in nature.*

*They walked to the end of the table, and seated themselves at the corner. It was here that a servant came up to ask LV what she wished of the cooks. LV looked at Vega and guessed he was fond of meats, so ordered a prime bantha roast along with various other delicacy to compliment the meal.*

*The servant went off to fulfill the order, while another came up with a cart full of crystal bottles with glimmering liquids. LV looked at Vega.*

First question of the day... what drink would you like with your meal?

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Rocking his chair back onto two legs, Vega looked up and down the length of the room before swinging his boots up onto the tabletop. Nupraptor had once called him a country bumpkin for doing just this. He wondered what his new host would say.

“I’m not picky. I have simple tastes, Lady Vader,” he smirked, “I’m not one for the grandiose.”

[Lady Vader]

*LV let her eyes travel from his face to the boots on the table back to his face, remarking to his comment.*

I should have assumed as much.

*She picked up a bottle that had been hidden behind the crystal bottles and waved the servant away. The servant disappeared leaving LV alone once again with Vega, with a dusty bronze bottle in her hand.*

Corellian whiskey. And a good year to boot.

*She poured him a small amount into his glass and also into hers. Setting the bottle down, she picked up the glass and lifted it.*

Careful... it has a kick.

*She put the glass to her lips and snapped her head back, downing the dark amber liquid in one fluid gulp. Even though she had grown accostumed to the strong drink, it still gave her a kick, thunking down into her stomache and threatening to send a shiver up her spine. She loved this feeling. It made her feel alive and very aware of everything around her.*

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Vega gave the whiskey a customary sniff before tilting his head back and downing the entire contents. For a moment he was silent, before he nodded appreciatively. He motioned towards himself, and the bottle drifted into his hand with a clunk. Pouring himself another glassful, he yawned slightly.

“You know, I haven’t been drinking since I stepped out of the spotlight,” he remarked, as he gave the bottle a light push across the table, sending it back into Lady Vader’s waiting hand.

“Just incase someone chanced by while I was drunk and disorderly, and clocked onto the fact that I wasn’t just some gardener Daiquiri had hired.”

[Lady Vader]

*LV had to laugh as she poured herself another glass.*

Or a rubbing post a panther might find, hm?

*As if on cue, Iesis came lazily waltzing through the dining room door. LV looked up.*

Looks like an old freind of yours has arrived to greet you.

*She poured herself another glass, but didn't drink it right away.*

[Iesis]

*Iesis came up to the end of the table and lightly leapt onto it. She made her way down it's length until coming to a comfortable distance from LV and Vega. There she laid herself down, watching them both, her tail swishing from side to side in a casual motion.*

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Vega watched the panther with an air of curiosity for a moment, as a little canine spirit inside of him reared its head. The wolfman and the catwoman sat together in such a civilized manner, he thought, and laughed quietly to himself. He took another sip of his drink and shrugged in defeat.

“What can I say, there’s no fooling a nose.”

[Lady Vader]

*LV reached out and tickled Iesis' nose with a claw, causing the panther to playfully paw at the hand.*

No, I suppose there isn't.

*She looked back at Vega, retracting her hand to rest on the glass.*

Well, before my curiousity kills the cat within me, I need to ask... why the charade?

[Vega Van-Derveld]

He recalled the last fight he had been a part of before his ‘death’. It had been against Anbira Hicchoru, but there had been many others there also, including Lady Vader herself. It was because of an attack that she had instigated that he was now blind in one eye. He had, at first, held this against her. It had factored in his decision to step down, but it was by no means the main reason. There was other things he had to think about, namely his family.

“I felt it was needed. I had some how managed to loose my hold on… everything. It felt like the world was falling down around me – I needed to pause and pick up the pieces.”

[Lady Vader]

*LV nodded solomnly.*

Understandable.

*She looked at him earnestly.*

But by coming here, are you not afraid your cover will be blown? *She raised an eyebrow.* Or is that the idea?

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“That’s the idea. I don’t intend to go marching into the Jedi Temple, proclaiming I have returned, of course. I’ll need help before I have the strength to do that… help which I believe you can give me,” he explained, knowing that Lady Vader had something of an upper-hand over the man he wanted to hurt the most…

[Lady Vader]

*Something twanged in the Force as Vega said his last words. She regarded him.*

I can most certainly help you in that regard. But to want to have strength again, even to the point of having more... you strike me as the type that wouldn't want this on just a whim. There is a reason you want this...

*She fell silent momentarily as the servants brought out the freshly cooked meal. It wasn't that she didn't trust them. They knew all too well that if they disclosed anything from the Order, it would mean death to their families... the WHOLE family.*

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Hicchoru, Lady Vader. Anbira bloody Hicchoru.”

He moved his eyes away from Lady Vaders for a moment, as an eerie sort of smile played on his lips while he tried to restrain himself. Just saying the words made Vega tense. He exhaled sharply and deeply, pushing thoughts of the man out of his mind.

[Lady Vader]

*She took what food she wanted, and before taking a bite, she looked at Vega after his answer.*

Oh. Him.

*She proceeded to put the forkfull of food in her mouth and chew. When she had swallowed, she answered Vega's silent questioning stare.*

I killed him. Or at least nothing of this world could have saved him with what I did to him.

*She proceeded to tell him of the story, of the battle that took place between herself and the infamous Jedi Master. Once she had finished, she looked at the meal on her plate.*

Unfortunately, I never actually saw him die. Until I can have his head on a silver platter and comfortably sit on his tombstone, I won't believe he's outright dead.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

The pigment in Vega’s one good eye seemed to shift ever so slightly, the pupil slimming to little more than a slit.

“Dead? You killed him?”

That fight, it had to be the one where he’d lost the sight in his eye. Not only had she taken that from him, she’d taken away the pleasure of being able to drop Hicchoru. It made the hairs on his body stand on end. Vega wasn’t one for self-control, but he was exerting an amazing amount of it.

“Well,” he laughed a ragged forced laugh, “How marvelous. How marvelous indeed.”

[Lady Vader]

*She looked at him steadily. He may have been showing nothing on the outside, but the amount of forced calm within him gave him away.*

Vega... even though I said I killed him, doesn't mean he's dead. I don't trust Anbira anymore than I could throw him.

*Her face took on a somewhat irritated pouty look.*

He has this uncanny knack of not dieing, even when all odds are against him...

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Half of Vega wished that Anbira was dead, that Vader had finished him off. The other half wished he was alive, if only barely.

“We can only hope,” he replied, with a slight laugh.

“Still, there’s no harm in preparing for the worst, is there?”

[Lady Vader]

*LV lifted her ehad and smiled, raising her glass as well.*

Here's to hoping that slimeball of a Jedi is dead and to preparing for the worst.

*Deep down inside, she couldn't help but feel Anbira was indeed still alive, though fighting for his life. She made a mental note to go visit Coruscant and see what info she could pluck from the underworld there. She was no doubt highly wanted, so concealing her identity would be key.*

*She watched Vega as he raised his own glass. Perhaps she'd ask him to join her... the feline and canine out for a stroll.*

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Vega matched the toast, downing his glass in one. Pausing a moment then, he watched Lady Vader in silence before finally speaking up. “You have something of a history with him, don’t you?” he asked, out right.

[Lady Vader]

*A slow crooked smile slid across her lips.*

You could say that.

*She placed the glass down and looked at Vega.*

Before he joined the Jedi, we were lovers. The son I bore is his son.

*She looked down at the table, her hands balling into fists.*

And I have lost them both to the Jedi. The Jedi have taken my livelyhood and filled me with nothing but lonliness and rage. I will not leave this galaxy until I have wiped the Jedi-scum into exticntion.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“My son Thanatos tried to join the Jedi,” Vega said, “we didn’t leave him there for long. Darius killed him.”

All of this was said without any trace of emotion, until he had taken a sip of his drink, at which point he smiled.

“Do you plan on killing your own son, Lady Vader? I always thought maternal instinct would prevent such a thing,” he added, thinking back to Daiquiri’s own inability to shown direct cruelty to children, even those that weren’t her own.

[Lady Vader]

*LV looked at Vega.*

Why do you think I have not done so yet? I partially blame myself for his going to the Jedi... I gave him the chance to choose.

*She looked away.*

I regret that decisio and will probably do so for the rest of my life.

*She looked back at him.*

But just because I don't do away with him, doesn't mean that something couldn't happen to him through some other means.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“By some other means?” A playful, yet decidedly dark, smile danced on Vega’s lips. “Say… natural causes? Or if someone were to accidentally run him through, if he accidentally fell onto their saber?” he asked, removing Seraphim from his belt as he spoke, using the Force to levitate it just a little above his palm.

[Lady Vader]

*LV smirked.*

Well, this isn't a perfect world, so accidents DO happen...

*She took a few more bites of her food, before continuing the conversation.*

So now that I know you wich to make yourself known once again to the galaxy, and you want Anbira dead, how is it that I can help you? Is it training that you require? Just a brush up on the basics?

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Well, anything you can offer, really,” Vega replied, flippant.

“I’m not picky. Whatever your generosity permits. I don’t want to detain you from your other duties and more deserving students.”

[Lady Vader]

Come now Vega... you are probably more deserving that the others. Your reputation has seen to that.

*She looked back at her plate.*

But first, we shall finish our meal, and then perhaps take a walk to the library. There is a device there I think you may want to see.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Vega looked down into his plate – he’d hardly touched it. Casually plucking a morsel of meat from the plate, the Lupine chewed thoughtfully upon it. “Device?” he asked, quirking a brow.

[Lady Vader]

Well...

*She quickly chewed a piece of food.*

Not so much a device as much as a learning tool.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

His curiosity was officially piqued. Vega wolfed down another morsel of food. He washed it down and nodded slightly at the thought of this … device, whatever it was. “Well then, I look forward to… learning from it.”

[Lady Vader]

*LV only smiled and finished her meal. Vega did likewise, and as soon as both were done, she led him to the library.*

*The library itself was just as impressive as the rest of the palace, adorned with black marbles laced with green and bronze veins, pillars that reached for the heavens, and data cases upon data cases that boasted one of the largest information gathering libraries in the galaxy. It stood almost on par, if not equal, to that of the Jedi Archives.*

*She led him to the center of the library where atop a slick marble base hovered a sparkling pyrimad that could be easily held in the palm. Surrounding the short pillar were plush cushions where one could sit and meditate.*

*She looked at Vega.*

It is possible you have seen one before, but most if not all have been lost.

*She looked back at the slowly turning pyramid encased in a security sheild that hummed softly, it's redish black surface glinting in the single lighted window from above.*

This is the Order's Sith Holocron.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“A Holocron?” Vega regarded the object with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. He had heard the name before, but only in passing conversation- that a Jedi Holocron should be stolen or some such, during his time with the Sith Empire.

“What does it do, exactly?” he asked.

[Lady Vader]

*She reached over, removing one of the gloves from her hand, and placed the bare palm against a concealed security identity reader. It hummed softly, before giving off a quick beep. She retracted her hand at the same time the security shield came down.*

*Still with her bare hand, she reached in and plucked the floating pyramid from it's resting place. she took vega's hand with her free hand and turned it over so that his palm was facing upwards. It was there she set the holocron down.*

*When the smooth surface of the pyramid touched down, it shimmered brightly until a holographic image of a cloaked and hooded Sith floated above them. The being was ancient, but the small beedy eyes beneath the hood showed many years of wisdom.*

I am Dark Master Exar Kun. What is it you wish to know?

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Kun…” Vega was awed. He looked at the projection, perplexed, with narrowed eyes. His mind was blank of questions, then- or perhaps it was so full of them that he could not pluck even one from the plethora.

“Surely with access to this,” he began, still looking at the apparition, “You would know all of the secrets to ensuring the downfall of the Jedi.”