The tangled webs we weave. . .(open)

[imported_Baralai Lotus]

Baralai roamed the streets of Coruscant on a cold evening. The wind blew harshly and his body shivered slightly. He took another puff off the cigarette and cast it to the side. He smirked and brushed the dark hair from his face. As the hair moved, a deep scar could be seen across his right cheek. Jagged, almost as though it had been ripped from his flesh. This was the memory his. . .close friend, Bandage had left him with.

Baralai looked at the street corners and the people travelling, ignorant to their very existence. Prostitutes, beggars and the worst of them all. . .Jedi. These fools were what made Baralai seek what he did, all knowledge. The sinners were those people who failed to absorb everything, see something from every angle. He hated these people for their narrow minded ways and paths of thought.

There was no good or evil in the world, these were only mere points of view. The only two things that remained constant in this world were power and truth. Baralai could prove these things were constant as well. He had had several debates with different sentient beings of many planets on the subject, even several Jedi.

The Jedi were the most stubborn, which proved his point even more. To prove power and truth were what existed and that good and evil were non-existant, all he had to do was ask this:

"Is it not true that to gain power one must seek it? And also, is it not true that opinions affect right and wrong? What was wrong 200 years ago doesn't matter now, all that matters now is what people think today. Right and wrong are breathing, living things, constant and unchanging are truth and power."

Baralai smirked at his own genius. He had made it his goal to know it all, not just the dark or light, but everything. He would become the most powerful figure in the Universe, even more powerful than the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious. He knew this to be true, and. . .should the sith take him in, he had a name for his new power. A name that would show his power and constant growth.

Baralai walked into the alley where he had killed two others a few nights before and slowly strolled to the back of it. He smirked and layed his back against the wall, looking around at the sky. It was clear, but soon enough, smoke billowed high into the sky until it dissipated into nothing. He smirked as he took another puff from his cigarette.

He rubbed the blade in his coat pocket and put two fingers around its handle. He looked up into the sky, wondering what was out there. There was always more, always more knowledge, always more power. And whether or not the Jedi or the Sith beleived it, they would tremble beneath the power of this newcomer. Baralai swore to himself to show everyone the ignorance of their ways.

Baralai threw the cigarette into the alley and continued to stare up at the sky. "They will all tremble," he said, "when they hear my name." He thought to himself, the name that represented constant tormoil and suffering, but meant growth and power. The truth of the universe. Baralai would become that universe, but no longer was he Baralai, in his mind, he was a new being. A being of power. . .Darth Ouroboros.

[Zharoel Ankhta]

Zharoel should have left Coruscant two days ago, right after he had challenged that Jedi. It wasn’t the best decision he’d admit, especially in the heart of the Republic, but he couldn’t allow the Jedi to harm other two. Zharoel couldn’t allow the Jedi to destroy the brilliance of the dark-haired human. Brilliance that the psion couldn’t comprehend…no, refused to comprehend.

Zharoel’s glowing eye’s brightened in amusement and pity. The Jedi are so sure that their way, their philosophy, embodied liberty. That the light defined what is good and right, that the light would eventually cast out the darkness and bring true peace to the galaxy. The fools tried to take philosophy and apply it to all life. Peace did not exist, it could not, and neither does the light. At the same time anarchy and darkness also didn’t exist. Jedi fight an illusion for an illusion, but believe they are wise.

Yet they couldn’t understand true genius. The dark-haired human has unlocked a great secret, an art lost millennia ago. An art that now lived on only in legend, myth, and a few obscure tomes. He had actually revived the dead, brought inanimate flesh back to the living world. All the psion had seen was abomination. What did it matter if a few died to create the automaton, all truth required experimentation? One, two, a hundred lives wouldn’t be missed; there are trillions of others in existence. Only if xenocide were threatened would Zharoel oppose truth.

Normally, the Umojan would have already left the planet, but something drew him to the human. In the tomes, reanimation was often tied to alchemy, an art perfected by the Sith thousands of years ago. If this human knew alchemy, then perhaps he could lead Zharoel to the Sith.

And here he was again, the same alley that Zharoel had seen him the first time, with Zharoel hanging perched upon a ferrocrete outcropping maybe five meters up. A pair of yellow orbs regarded the human, hearing preceptors trained on the figure.

Perhaps it was time to reveal himself again. Zharoel crouch-stepped off the edge and dropped, cool air rushing past. Long, double-jointed legs easily absorbed the shock of impact.

The Umojan focused on the human and projected his telepathic ‘language’ of images and feelings.

“Isn’t that a bit pretentious? Very few of you short-lifes become worthy of recognition.”

[imported_Baralai Lotus]

Baralai heard a familiar voice as the shadow dropped from above and landed, unscathed. He smiled and stood up off the wall. "Well," he said as he took a puff from his cigarette, "few lives are as amazing as mine. I will revive something the world has never seen. . .and if my work proves succesful, I will lead the galaxy to times of truth."

He smirked and looked at the creature, "Isn't it a bit pretentious for you to beleive that all humans are not worth recognition?" Baralai thought the statement over for a moment, "On second thought, you're right. But I will change all of that." He began to circle the being, pulling out his knife and twirling it by the loop on the end of the handle.

"So if I may ask, what is your name and what are you doing here?" Baralai stopped and continued to twirl his knife, giving the creature a better look than before. "And better yet, why is it I have seen you twice in two evenings?"

[Zharoel Ankhta]

If Zharoel were physically capable of laughing, he would have; instead, waves of amusement emanated from his mind. The Umojan’s eye’s strobed brighter as he circled the opposite way the human traveled, fore-knees nearly touching the ground.

“I did not say all, nor did I specify humans. Most races in the galaxy are unfortunate enough to be restricted to a single century of life, far too short to prove their worth.”

Zharoel shifted his gaze to the twirling knife, if push came to shove, he would be ready for the strike. He spread his arms wide, flexing clawed, four-fingered hands and keeping his stance low.

“My name is none of your concern at the moment, as your’s isn’t my concern.” Zharoel stopped and pulled the hood of his robes back. The face revealed had relatively few features. He had no mouth, nor any nose, only a raised strip pebbly, purple-gray skin that resembled a cobblestone path. Deeply sunken cheeks gave Zharoel’s face a sharp, almost axe-like look. A bony ridge across his brow ran over angular eyes that had no pupils, just a solid yellow. The forehead arced up into a short crest that connected to the eyebrow ridge.

“You interest me, human. You are one of the very few truly enlightened beings I’ve met. Not bound by any hindering conceptions of good and evil, right and wrong. What truly piques my curiosity is your companion, or rather, what your companion insinuates. Seeing dead flesh existing with a mental consciousness, albeit a limited one, is shocking.”

Zharoel paused, folding his hands in front of his chest.

“I believe we can assist each other….You see, reanimation is closely linked to an ancient art known as alchemy, an art perfect by the Sith thousands of years ago. If you truly are an alchemist, then you know of the Sith, and I have been searching for them for a very long time.

Zharoel reached both hands into the folds of his robes. With his left, he withdrew the same weapon he carried the night before, a long, narrow handle with a trigger loop at one end the branched out into three prongs that cradled an elongated bowl-shaped device, and tossed it away from him. In the right hand, Zharoel held a datapad.

“I have no intention of fighting you. Here is a sample of what I can offer you.” Zharoel tossed the datapad to the human. In broad, stylized writing stood the title Aenigma Philosophicum an old text that he had found in a hidden library on an outer-rim world. The opening lines were written in basic, but soon shifted into a mess of ancient glyphs. The words in basic read:

“There is no light, but what lives in the Sunne;
There is no Sunne, but which is twice begott;
Nature and Arte the Parents first begonne:
By Nature ‘twas, but Nature perfects not.
Arte then what Nature left in hand doth take,
And out of One a Twofold worke doth make.

A Twofold worke doth make, but such a worke
As doth admitt Division none at all
(See here wherein the Secret most doth lurke)
Unlesse it be a Mathematicall.
It must be Two, yet make it One and One,
And you do take the way to make it None.

Lo here the Primar Secret of this Arte,
Contemne it not but understand it right,
Who faileth to attaine this formost part,
Shall never know Artes force nor Natures might.
Nor yet have power of One and One so mixt,
To make by One fixt, One unfixid fixt.”

“I’ve have translated the main document and archived aboard my ship and I have several other texts that have been partially translated.”




OOC note: This is actual alchemical verse written by W. Bedman.

[imported_Mei-Li Yeh]

Her ears had been properly trained, the world so full of ignorance and stupidity that the simple teachings had allowed her to somehow empathize with those who were not so enlightened. Mei-Li was one of those who sought after knowledge and sought after those like her, those who believed in the ancient art of science and theory, something that had lost its luster some time ago in the busy cities and vast galaxy.

A night like this caused her mind to travel and her body to wander, a cold night that somehow opened her mind and filled her deeply. But aside from looking at those who passed by her with sad eyes, the voice of something unfamiliar took a hold of her especially when the text sent a shiver of surprise down her spine.

Alchemy... she whispered gently as she stopped walking amongst the crwod to turn her head and allow her eyes to grow dark. Such a thing being spoken in an alley piqued her interest, especially when one found alchemists of good nature hard to find. She slowly found her way down the dark and damp alley where she continued to listen to the text, somehow not recognizing it. She knew that this was a meeting of chance due to the person's request about more documents. Her hert began to race and suddenly she knew she wasn't in good company. Her fingers touched the handle of her dagger, continuing to hide in the shadows, eavesdropping.

Alchemical texts, after all, weren't topic of any normal conversation, especially in a dark alley and alchemy wasn't used very often for anything good, not anymore. If only she weren't so passionate about knowledge and the boundries between good and evil.

[imported_Baralai Lotus]

Baralai read the text over, having read parts of it before. So, another creature that sought to know the inner workings of life. . .of alchemical science.

"So you know of the great power of alchemy. The power of those who invaded God's territory." He smirked and pushed his knife back into his coat. "As for the Sith, I do know of them. Being one myself." He said as he chuckled slightly.

Baralai walked up to the creature and looked up and down a few more times, taking in the full view of his form. "I am suprised to see one such as yourself here. It is rather, exciting you could say. It is rare I see a being such as yourself." Baralai looked the creature up once more, "Baralai Lotus, alchemist and Sith Apprentice."

Baralai stepped back and lit up another cigarette, taking a small puff and blowing the smoke high into the sky. "So then, you say you have more texts inside your ship? Is it possible that I may see these?" Baralai turned his head, his long hair blocking his face, only showing the scar on his right cheek.

[Zharoel Ankhta]

Zharoel’s eyes returned the smile by brightening slightly. Admiration, exultation, and triumph roiled uncontrolled from his mind, a great change in the usually mental control the Umojan usually exhibited. Nearly a century of searching had paid off, and on Coruscant of all places.

“Zharoel Ankhta of the Khali tribe, exile of the Templar.” Zharoel nodded his head in approval. “It is a risk for a Sith to wander Coruscant in these years. I admire your open defiance of the Jedi in their own safe haven. It is good to see those that defy their narrow-minded philosophy and arrogance.”

Zharoel stepped around Baralai and walked towards the far wall, eyes flickering towards the mouth of the alley. He turned as he neared the sonic blaster he had discarded earlier.

“I would be willing to give you full access to my ship’s records in return for your assistance…..but for now I think we must cut this conversation short.” Zharoel quickly whirled about, robes whipping around his from the movement. Using the tip of his foot he kicked the gun up to his hands and aimed the weapon down the alley. “I believe we have an unwelcome visitor.”

[imported_Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-Li stopped moving, her breast and stomach pushed against the cold brick wall, as if she were a spider slowly creeping up on its prey. The cold blast of wind pushed her long black hair forward, falling over her shoulder and into her eyes, the surprise of being caught off guard unsettling to her.

The man's gun was pointed right at her, his quick movement surprising her and causing her heart to nearly stop. She had usually been praised for her silence but this time she was finally proved wrong. She grabbed her dagger and pulled it out of its hard black sheath and held it up, walking out of the darkness.

"Nobody casually speaks alchemical texts in dark alleyways and expect nobody to find it a bit...odd. Might I be so obliged to know why you are speaking of such dead teachings?" She had a curiosity that people became annoyed with and no doubt the tall creature in front of her, and the man behind him, were finding her sudden eavesdropping infuriating.

"Being an alchemist myself I am always curious to know of others." She knew that these two weren't using it for the good of mankind, unlike those she aquainted herself with but they didn't need to know that at this moment in time.

[imported_Baralai Lotus]

Baralai looked the girl up and down, taking in every bit of her form. To say the least, she was beautiful. Tall, dark and looks that could kill any man. But, Baralai had no interest in the woman, or what she offered.

"It is no concern of yours what we are doing here." He smiled and pulled his own dagger from it's sheath. Flashing the blade at her and twirling it around his fingers he smiled. "Now then child, but your little toy away, or else I can get out something much larger." He motioned for the hilt of his whip, with the chain rattling as he did so.

He looked over at Zharoel, "You know my friend, it is so sad that one, un-experienced alchemist would threaten us." He laughed slightly and walked closer to the girl, "So if you want to know of more alchemists, then why did you draw a weapon? Coming nicely would've been appreciated, not acting as though you were going to attack us." He looked her up and down, staring at her eyes. . .

"I don't trust her." He said as he began to walk back toward Zharoel.

[imported_Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-Li's mouth curled at the edges, sure she looked young and fresh and possibly a virgin to alchemy but that was what fooled everyone, her talent went far beyond mere visual expectations.

The man was turning and heading back to his "friend" and it gave her a slight glint of satisfaction that he would be so bold as to accuse her of not being trustworthy. She raised her left eyebrow and threw out her right hand, her dagger flying quickly in the air. The soft hiss of the sharp blade echoed in the wind and whipped by the man's shoulder, taking a piece of clothing as it passed, she knew he felt it and she wanted him to. The sharp dagger quickly jammed into the brick wall a few feet away from him, the mans shirt dangling in the breeze.

"Had your friend not been so alarmed, perhaps I would have been able to say hello in a slightly more gratuitous manner." Mei-Li allowed her arm to fall to her side, she smiled and bowed her head momentarily.

"Ni hoa," She said in her native tongue as she walked by them and grabbed her dagger, the sleeve piece falling to the ground. "I am Yeh Mei-Li, but you may call me Mei-Li, and in-experienced I am not." She continued to grin as she rolled the dagger's handle on her fingers till she could grab the edge normally and stick it into her sheath. The man had done it moments before and she felt it was best to let him see, he was not alone in his finger rolling techniques.

[Zharoel Ankhta]

Zharoel watched the women twirl the knife through her fingers the same way that Baralai had done before. He saw the way the male human had looked her over, perhaps she was beautiful by human standards, perhaps not, Zharoel had seen many different cultures with many definitions of beauty; and it seemed that the Sith had no interest in her at all.

Zharoel took several steps towards Mei-li, slowly straightening up to his full three meter height, towering over both humans “Alarmed? No. But paranoid perhaps. I have had armed assailants try to sneak up on me before.” The Umojan leaned over, his featureless face and glowing eyes hovering centimeters away. He brought up a single clawed finger beneath her chin and spoke mentally so only hear. “And they have always bitten off more that they can chew.”

He changed telepathy so that both could hear. “And now I have the pleasure of meeting two people that know of alchemy in one night. The Sith is understandable, but you, my dear, are an enigma.”

[imported_Baralai Lotus]

Baralai watched as the knife wizzed by his shoulder and ripped his coat. He turned to her as she walked by and grabbed her knife from the wall, spinning it just as he had done before.

"You're good little girl," he said smirking. "But tell me, how is that you know of the alchemical arts? I agree with my friend here, you are quite the enigma." He looked her up and down once more, such beautiful form. She was. . .to say the least. . .a perfect specimen. Beautiful by all human comparisons, but with a few adjustments to her frame, shape and mind. . .she could be even better.

Baralai laughed to himself, always improving God's work. It was always possible to make perfect better. Baralai looked at Zharoel and kept his hand on his whip in his coat. "Although I don't fully trust the girl, she has skill. Baralai Lotus, Sith Alchemist. Tell us how you know of this ancient art Mei-Li." He smirked and lit up another cigarette, having discarded the first into a puddle.

[imported_Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-Li grinned and looked away from the tall specimen touching her chin, she turned and looked at the man who was kind enough to introduce himself, and quickly ask questions. She didn't need for them to know of her true ways just yet, after all she was always on the lookout for those who used alchemy for selfish needs rather than the ways she was taught.

"Hmm..." She said lowly as she moved her dark eyes from his attractive face all the way down to his shoes. "Baralai." She repeated to herself taking a mental picture. She breathed in and turned, walking around the two as if she were summing them up.

"I was taught by a philosopher of alchemy, my father. Although it was Chinese alchemy and rather a tradition in my household I became more interested and soon began practicing as a profession. Now may I ask you a question..." Mei-Li stopped walking and looked into Baralai's eyes, continuing to make a mental picture of everything she had seen.

"Why would a Sith Alchemist be doing in the middle of a dark alley way?"

[imported_Baralai Lotus]

Baralai watched as the girl looked him up and down, how silly. He heard what she had to say and he kept his hand tight around the handle of his whip, preparing himself for any move she may make.

"I am here speaking with a friend on the subject as you can see. Simply learning more than I already know. But, now that you've come into the picture, I may be able to learn more." He smirked at the woman.

"Chinese Alchemy you say, of this I know very little." He began to circle her slowly, keeping an eye on her. "What do you know of this art? So then, are you skilled in the art, or do you only know mere parlor tricks?"

[Zharoel Ankhta]

Zharoel kept his eyes on the Mei-Li the entire time she circled them, searching for anything amiss in her posture, her eye contact, and to the best of his limited ability, her mind.

Chinese? Zharoel tried to remember what he could of that culture; the only time he had visited a Chinese settlement was forty-three years ago. He had not had enough time to properly document what he observed, the Galactic Empire had still been a power at the time, and for whatever reason, completely razed the world. It greatly disturbed Zharoel that he couldn’t draw any information from his documents and compare it to her.

Knowledge would be useful, but Zharoel doubted he’d get what he wanted. And besides, Zharoel focused on Mei-Li’s eyes, he couldn’t trust her; he couldn’t trust Baralai completely, but there was no way he’d risk poor relations with the Sith. The woman was a hunter, it was in her eyes, the way she focused on Baralai, they way she took in every detail, and the way she avoid giving away any information that would let Zharoel form any conclusions; the exact same mannerisms that Zharoel himself used when he wanted to obtain information.

And Zharoel was already anxious to retreat from this world, besides, he knew the basics of alchemy, but never practiced it himself, his interests rested elsewhere.

Zharoel let one of his opposable digits drift over the charge trigger on the sonic blaster. He focused his mind on Baralai alone.

“She is too dangerous. She can identify who we are and what we are, and where our allegiances lie. Knowledge is always important, but patience is the key. We cannot reveal anymore”

[imported_Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-Li glanced away from Baralai and tilted her head slightly as she sensed the creature, who had a talent of telepathy, ready to charge his blaster and attack at any given moment. "Your friend is very paranoid." She slowly glanced over her shoulder and found the massive creature and turned around.

"You must relax, if only a little, and you..." Mei-Li turned and looked back at Baralai "I don't like it rough, but if you prefer to keep a death grip on your whip, so be it." She didn't appreciate them both glaring at her in such a way that made her wonder if she had just murdered their best friend, their distrust and discomfort easily sensed.

She was trying to feel them out and undertand exactly what they intended to do with their knowledge of alchem

"Chinese alchemical sources is found in the Daozang, the largest collection of Taoist texts. One fifth of its about 1,500 texts are closely related to the various alchemical traditions that developed until the fifteenth century. For a Sith Alchemist I'd figure you'd know almost every form of alchemy possible, perhaps I misjudged you."