The finest wine, 'classic' book.. (open)

[Lucianus Adair]

This is what he did to unwind.

Toting a bottle of Lucianus Lucifer Bane's finest wine made from the grapes of the Shade Estate vineyard, and the glasses presented to him( a gift on his thirteenth year, from his upbringer and guardian, Lucianus himself), and his latest selection from the library of the TSO.

Phoenix Mars Whyte, an unusually tall young man of fifteen, found himself in front of a fireplace, sipping a glass or two of said wine, and having his handsome and pointed nose in the book. This day he had trained hard, what felt like harder than usual, and it was said he trained harder than most already.

Even what he was reading now had something to do with training. It was either dedication, or a serious lack of anything better to do. Of course, Mars viewed those who always did things because they had 'nothing better to do' as a waste of life resources.

Resources, he would say, that could be put to better use.

Holding the book in one hand, seated in an empty common room, he lifted a full wineglass with his other hand, and brought it to his mouth, taking a quiet sip, reading all the while.

[Southstar]

"Reading something interesting?" Southstar said as he brought his stroll through the common room to a halt. Phoenix Whyte was not someone he was terribly familer with, but there was always space to meet new people, especially someone who seemed as dedicated to their training as this one.

"May I sit?" It wasn't a question. Southstar sat in the adjacent seat and gently took the wine bottle glancing over the label.

[Lucianus Adair]

"You may pour yourself a glass if you wish." He said, gesturing to the other wineglass, the empty one. "I assure you it is quite delicious." In fact, Mars lifted the full glass and took a sip, then placed it back on the table.

In saying this, Phoenix did not raise his eyes. He lifted the book, and it showed that the cover was blank. The insides, the guts, however, were not. "Interesting depends on ones interests, does it not? It is interesting for myself, because it interests me to gain knowledge to further my studies."

He turned the page, and was a quarter of the way through the book. Then he marked it, closed it, and placed it on the table, taking up once again the wineglass, and looking straight at Southstar. "What interests you?"

[Southstar]

Southstar poured himself and tasted a little of the rich wine. Mars was right, it was quite delicious. He swirled it while looking at the red liquid as Mars talked, he glanced up to view the blank cover.

"What interests you?" He asked.

"Many things." He replied. "Mostly people, though. Fromt he ways individuals act to large groups and their behavior. It's not just as simple as something like, people enjoy pleasure, but what really intrigues me is how to give it, take it or make it seem like its there. Equal to my interest in people would be the manipulation of them." He paused for a second. "What interests you?"

[Lucianus Adair]

"As always, my interests develop and broaden. As most would observe from my daily actions, I have deep interest in the furthering of my training in all directions."

Mars took a slow sip of the wine. "It interests me to see what makes people tick, how they work and think. It is an important part of the hunt, to know one's quarry. It would surprise anyone to hear this, but I like to seek the...ah.. pleasures of life. Like this wine, pleasure makes life rich. But I am sure to keep it from becoming a detriment to my training. I have only been alive for around fifteen years, despite the age my face gives off. I have much to experience yet."

[Southstar]

Southstar listened to Mars speak about his training while he remineced about his own sporatic training; he was never trained in the formal master/apprentice style, he was the product of the short lived training missions. "Who's you master?" He asked and took another sip of the wine.

[Lucianus Adair]

Phoenix looked right at Southstar, and replied plainly.

"Je'gan Olra'en...Why do you ask?"

[Southstar]

"Just curious." Southstar replied and returned the look. Je'gan was my apprentice at one time..." Southstar thought about the past times for a second. "How is he working out for you?"

[Lucianus Adair]

"He is..working well for me. Or with me. Whichever way it works. I grew up with much, much harsher training. That was mostly combat, however. Here now... The focus seems to be more with aspects that are purely the use of the Force."

Phoenix sipped quietly. "He does his job well, as far as I am concerned. "

[Southstar]

"I'm glad to hear that." Southstar responded. He was curious to learn more of Mars' past training in combat. "So you past training was tougher? How so?"

[Lucianus Adair]

Phoenix settled back into the chair which he occupied, taking the wineglass with him, cradling it in the curve of his right hand.

"My upbringer was ruthless, unforgiving...only in the training. But it was my life...That of myself and my elder brother...The training, I mean."

He took a slow sip, then continued. "Most persons would liken it to a horrendous beating. He taught us, endlessly, until we grasped the concepts. Hardened us...Hardened me, only, it seems. My elder sibling, unfortunate for him, chose betrayal. Sought to become a Jedi. Unforgivable."

[Southstar]

"Most definitely." He replied gravely. The Jedi were like gazelle to the preying cat that was the Sith Order. "I'm sure his betrayal will not go unpunished." He said and left the issue of Mars' brother.

"But pain, such as that found in your training, is what defines life. The Jedi seek to remove pain, they want an ideal world of happiness... It is foolish, don't you think?"

[Lucianus Adair]

"Indeed. But is it not true that the Jedi code states there is no emotion? How then can they want happiness? It is confusing sometimes. "

He took a sip again, then returned to speaking.

"Emotion is a driving power. Those who seek to remove it are weakened."

[Southstar]

"Well they can not possibly be seeking a galaxy of madness, can they?" He said. "But you're right about emotion. It could possibly be the strongest force int he galaxy, besides the Force..."

He took a sip of the wine again and leaned back in his chair glancing at the decorated ceiling. "And Jedi might be the most confusing thing in the galaxy."

[Lucianus Adair]

A small chuckle moved from Mars.

"Indeed they are. Makes the study of one's prey before the kill all the more intriguing."

[Southstar]

"True." He said and paused a moment to let his thoughts wander. "Besides your brother, have you met an actual Jedi before?"

[Jame Kaman Dar]

((Errr... Please ignore this >_< ))

[Lucianus Adair]

"Once."

Phoenix was staring into his wineglass, only to notice that it was empty. He looked up at Southstar, a half-smile appearing on his face. "Ah, could you pass the wine?"

[Southstar]

Returning the smile, he was eager to hear a decent story from the man, he passed the bottle. Glancing at his own glass, he had a little to go before his was like Mars'.

"Fight? Or did you drink tea and discuss the weather?"

[Lucianus Adair]

Mars filled his glass, and set the bottle back on the short, rectangular table.

"A little bit of both, in a manner of speaking. She was the woman who seemed to have a two-handed grasp on Grypphin's heart. I only discovered this after speaking to her many times. She was the instrument in his betrayal."

[Southstar]

A curious look appeared on his face. "Grypphin?" He said slowly, he didn't think Mars had mentioned who that was. Could be his master, maybe his brother.

[Selinica Miriya]

((Ack. Someone forbid me from posting when i'm only half awake... Ignore this PLEASE))

[Lucianus Adair]

Mars glanced up from the glass, to see the curious look on Southstar's face.

"My brother."

[Southstar]

"Grypphin, Phoenix... Makes sense." He said quietly. "The heart makes the individual vulnerable. Yet there isn't much we can do to contain it." He mused out loud. "Ever had a woman in your life Mars?"

[Lucianus Adair]

Mars just stared at Southstar a second, and cupped his glass in both hands, resting his elbows on his knees, then lifting the wine to his lips, taking a sip and reclining in the chair again.

"No.

[Southstar]

He wasn't too surprised. "Ehh, I suppose your situation can be both good and bad. More good I suppose, women can be very frustrating."

[Lucianus Adair]

Mars partially ignored the comment about women being frustrating....He'd only had one woman to ever get frustrated about, and she had more or less disappeared after Grypphin's death.

"Indeed. "