Return... (open, i guess)

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake, shrouded in his long, dark cloak, stepped into the Sith Palace. He would need a place to sleep...even though he hardly slept at all. A place of seclusion where he could shut himself away from others, an activity in which he actively participated. Drake didn't care to make friends and he doubted very much if anyone would want to be his friend anyway. No...he would put up with them in order to achieve his own ends, but they would never be his friends.

As Drake stood motionless in the entrance hall of the Sith Palace with his hood pulled low over his face he looked almost calm. He smiled cynically at the thought. Appearances, however, could be terribly misleading. On the inside, Drake was nothing more then a maelstorm of emotions. The strongest of which was hatred for nearly every living thing.

Drake remained motionless in the entrance hall and waited for someone that could help him find a room.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Welcome to the Palace, Shadowstalker."

A figure in a dark green cloak approached, the attire taking on colour as he moved out of the shadows. One might have thought his eyes would do the same, until one realized that they were actually black. It was a rather disconcerting gaze that Je'gan now cast on the Sith Apprentice.

"It's been a while, from what I hear. You were before my time, and the Sith Palace has been my abode for almost a year now."

The young man cocked his head.

"What kept you, might I ask?"

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake gazed at the man from the depths of his hood. Slowly he reached up and pulled his hood down revealing a badly scarred and somewhat mutilated face. The mans eyes found his own and Drake was unable to gauge a reaction. Drake found sort of a sadistic pleasure upon seeing other sentinents' uncomfortableness about his appearance. This individual seemed to be made of tougher stuff.

"I became somewhat preoccupied with my own ambitions..."

Drake did not feel the need to go into any detail regarding his absence. After all, was it really his businees anyway? Drake didn't think so. He had needed time to regain control over himself, and his goal was accomplished. Now he was back to begin what he didn't finish.

"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Ambitions that superseded your loyalty to the Order?" He steepled his hands. "I see..."

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake felt his anger flare up at the man that stood before him. As much as he hated to, he would be required to divulge some information to put the man at ease.

"It was not something that I could help... My past haunted me to the brink of insanity and I had to take my leave in order to regain control. I was unable to completly cure myself but I will no longer have harsh mood swings."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

To all appearances, he accepted Drake's explanation. "I see. In that case..."

He paused, half-turned, and spoke without looking back at the Apprentice. "You do know where the quarters are, correct? The training grounds, the library, the mess?"

[Drake Shadowstalker]

"Yes, I remember all that. Do you know if Malice is still here? He is the Sith that trained me when I joined the ranks of the Sith Order."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Ah..."

Je'gan sighed deeply, glancing across his shoulder at Drake.

"Malice Draclau...no, I'm afraid I haven't seen him for eight, nine months, maybe more. We've still got some good instructors here, though; the Elders sometimes, and Sith Knights like Neosis, Rivin, Southstar - my own Master, very fond of tough training missions - and I. Olra'en, at your service." He bowed slightly, twisting at the hip and across the spine, before seeming to return to speculation upon a diorama that covered the wall before him. "And also some new arrivals...Vega Van Derveld and one or two others."

He spun suddenly on his leather-booted heel, the motion causing the green fabric of the cape to flare out.

"If you're capable, you're more than likely to be picked up."

A moment's pause.

"I could do so, if you wouldn't take amiss to being Apprentice to the Order's most junior Knight, and a dedicated mentalist and warrior at that."

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake absorbed all of Olra'en's words and mulled them over in his head. The offer that the man had made to Apprentice him was most peculiar. He hardly knew a thing about Drake yet he was willing to teach him. After studying Olra'en for a few moments he nodded.

"Very well, I shall be your...Apprentice."

Drake gave a small bow to Olra'en.

"My name is Drake Shadowstalker."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"I know."

Je'gan nodded in return to the bow. Teaching this one promised to be unexceptional from his experiences with his other apprentices, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps with time he might achieve a certain special competance with initiates who possessed self-control problems.

"What did Lord Malice teach you, Drake?"

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake wondered briefly how Olra'en knew his name and decided he didn't care.

"He taught me how to destroy objects using my mind. I was unable to destroy certain parts, but the whole object was easy. Malice also taught me the basics of moving objects with my mind."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Destroying things telekinetically... I have some skill in that area as well."

His eyes narrowed.

"What do you know of mental techniques? Ever heard of the Jedi Mind Trick? Teras Kasi? Form II?" It was a long shot, but maybe there were a few more similarities between them, things that would help their relationship.

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake was familiar with the Mind Trick but had never done it beforre. The other two abilities were completly new to him.

"Teras Kasi and Form II are foreign to me but I do know something of the Mind Trick, however I have never performed it."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Mind powers are something of my specialty. As for Teras Kasi and Form Two, they are, respectively, a martial art and a style of lightsaber combat.

"Do you have any skill with a blade?"

[Drake Shadowstalker]

"I possess little to no skill in any form of armed or unarmed combat..."

Drake felt an almost overwhelming surge of emotions rise up in himself. The effects of this self spoken sentence were tremendous. Bits and pieces of past events flashed before his eyes and he repressed a yell.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"And...your feelings on gaining that skill?"

[Drake Shadowstalker]

"Certaintly a high priority for me..."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Any particular weapon? Solid blades, lightsabers and variants, guns? All of the above?"

[Drake Shadowstalker]

"All of them. I wish to possess a wide variety of weapon skills if that is suitable to you."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"As long as it's balanced with studies of the mind, I have no problems with that.

"How's tomorrow morning for your first training session?"

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake nodded and said that was fine. Always careful not to reveal any emotions, Drake locked away the small strand of anticipation that he felt. Now he could finally conclude his training that he had barely started before insanity almost overwhelmed him.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"I'll see you then in the Training Grounds, Drake."

Je'gan nodded good-bye, turned, and disappeared around a corner. He had things to do, skills to practice, apprentices to train...and while this had been diverting, now he was back to his labours.

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake reached behind his hood and pulled his hood up so that it covered his face in shadows. He turned abruptly on his heel and strode out of the Palace.