Midnight Reading(Open, looking for a Master)

[imported_Baralai Lotus]

Baralai walked the large halls of The Sith Order, scanning its large columns and ornate stones that gave the hall its amazingly powerful feeling. The moon was high this evening, being that it was approaching two in the morning. Baralai didn't sleep much, but he was used to studying.

He was headed for the library and as he was walking he began to feel slightly winded. His chest cramped slightly and coughed hard, coughing up nothing. As he was coughing he pulled another cigarette from his coat and lit it up, taking a deep inhale. His coughing calmed and he continued walking.

He reached the Sith Library and looked at the massive amounts of books that were held within its many shelves. Volumes upon volumes of works. . .surely there was something about Alchemy within one of these books. And, since Baralai had no master, he would read about the Sith ways. There had to be a book that taught one how to use the force, how to do it without the help of anyone. After all, someone had to discover it first. . .

Baralai began to walk the halls of the library and pulled books that he found interesting. He pulled several different titles. From everything to Force Sensitives to Sith History. There were books on everything within these walls, and the knowledge was at his finger tips. The knowledge that was indeed power and would help him acheive the goal he so desired.

After grabbing several different books he went and sat down, pulling the top most book and beginning to read. It was a book on the history of the Sith Wars and it led up to the present. Within an hour, he was halfway through the book, which was in no way small. He still had several titles to read before he woud leave however.

[SashaKovalev]

Sasha had been there for a few hours now. The lingering scent of smoke had carried into the library perhaps about an hour ago or so. Maybe more, maybe less. He had glanced up from his reading for only a brief moment at the entry and then turned back to it. It was interesting to find the notes that had been kept on him while he had been not only a member, but while he had been with the Black Hand and then on Balmorra. The notes were fewer and far between, but they were still there. To some degree it was a bit disconcerting to know that his every move was on file somewhere. In another way it was maybe comforting to know that the place he called home had kept tabs on him in his absence.

It was not surprising to see a new face. He had been absent for a few years and only recently returned. New faces were common these days to Sasha and he did not give them much more than a brief pause to commit them to memory. His first distinct memory of this person in the library with him was the scent of smoke that had carried in. Sometimes a smoker himself it was not an unwelcome scent, but it had been somewhat distracting for a moment or two. It had given him a moment to decide whether to leave the library to smoke or to forego the break for a bit.

He had chosen to remain for a bit to finish reading the notes he had come to find. And having finished that task he was prepared to make his way back to his quarters and crash for the night. In the morning he would go and find Lady Vader, his master. He had a few questions for her about some of the observations that had been placed in those files. But something stopped him as he passed by the member of the order perusing one among a pile of books. It was not anything overly distinct that gave him reason to pause, but there was a feeling of question. The feeling of questions lingering there and not yet answered.

Violet eyes settled upon his brother of the order. Sasha’s face bore a serious sort of expression. It was not unfriendly, but it was not altogether inviting, either. This was perhaps out of habit, for Sith tended to be loners and not the most friendly or trusting of individuals.

“I’m heading out for a smoke if you want to join me.” This was as much of an invitation as anyone would get from him. He had been trained by Lady Vader, had taken some time to explore the other beliefs out there in the galaxy, and finally returned to where his head and the force demanded he be. Back where his anger had the appropriate outlet. He had much to offer, but was not a braggart who would run about spewing forth his knowledge. Rather he was one who chose to lead by actions and examples. Understated, perhaps.

[imported_Baralai Lotus]

Baralai looked up from his books to see the figure before him. He smirked at the newcomer. It was a pleasure to see someone else in the library, someone who smoked was even better.

Baralai bent the corner of the page and closed the book. Pushing back his chair as he stood up, he pulled his cigarette pack out from his coat and started motioning for the door. With a cigarette half-dangling from his mouth, Baralai introduced himself.

"Baralai Lotus, Sith Apprentice, future alchemist. So then, who are you stranger and what are you doing in the library?"

[SashaKovalev]

"Baralai Lotus, Sith Apprentice, future alchemist. So then, who are you stranger and what are you doing in the library?"

Though only a few words had been spoken, much information had passed between them. Sasha was introspective and did not immediately react to respond to the statements or questions. Rather, when he spoke, it would be a deliberate response. Some time ago he might have been more rash. Had, in fact, been that way. But life’s lessons had taught him the power of patience – the hard way, mostly. From making a mistake that cost him his own hand to destroying a relationship with a mentor with a few angry, drunken words. He had learned. And he would not make those mistakes a second time.

So, apprentice. He could easily recall the feeling of being an apprentice. Of having so many questions unanswered, of wanting to know the secrets to harnessing the power of the dark side, of desiring an outlet for anger, and being impatient to gain power. Even now, though a knight, he had those feelings, for there was always more to learn. Always there was a desire to know more of power, to know more of the secrets of the force. Never would this cease. But it was tempered. It was trained, this desire. Trained to obey his command.

Future Alchemist. Sasha had allowed the faintest of smiles at this. He was by no means an alchemist himself, but he had certainly studied the different philosophies related to the dark side. Alchemy he knew as a form of spiritual and or physical transformation. Of the physical he was less inclined or interested. But in the spiritual he was a bit more informed. Basic studies of it brought to mind the idea of self transformation of the soul, of bringing it to its purest form akin to gold. A first thought regarding purity had almost made him dismiss the idea of alchemy as a credible course of study. But further readings had introduced the idea of the ‘shadow of the sun’, an alchemic reaction, and this had interested him.

The idea that the dark side represented all that one refused to acknowledge about themselves, and that if one encountered this shadow, this dark side and those primal, built in needs were then imprisoned by societal standards, an alchemic reaction would take place. That in some, a self transformation might occur. And then the interpretation of purity came into place.

Some would consider a pure soul to be one without sins upon it. Sasha had translated the idea of purity of soul to mean truth to oneself, acceptance of what one truly was. If indeed his soul had those urges, had those dark desires that most would not acknowledge, if he could acknowledge these things, could accept them, could let them lead him and not imprison them with societal expectations, he would become one with the dark side. His soul would be pure, then, akin to the most treasured of precious metals. And with purity would come power.

He did not limit himself to such a philosophy, but he was open to it as a means of attaining the power that he desired.

As they left the library, he too, had reached for a smoke.

And that was when he chose to address the questions asked of him. His true name was Alexander Millard. It had been the name given to him at birth and modified when his mother had fled with him to be free of the Templis Cult, a group that his father had once joined and died in while attempting to defect. He had been known by the name of Sasha Kovalev for so long now, and by those at the Sith Order, that it was the name he would likely die by. Though his uncle called him by his birth name.

“I am called Sasha.” He had responded, giving no more information than necessary. Not because he felt it proprietary information, but because he had his own conflicts about what he truly preferred to be called. He was angry with his uncle at the moment, yet still could not refuse to acknowledge that he was in fact, a Millard.

“I am a knight of the order and apprentice to Lady Vader.” Though he had been knighted it did not mean that he did not still call lady Vader his master. It was she who had taught him and she who would continue to mentor him long after he had advanced in the ranks. The title of knight did not speak for all of his experiences, for he had left the Sith Order for some time to join a band of Dark Jedi called the Black Hand, and then moved on to spend some time on Balmorra learning from a Dark Jedi Master named Wargrave. In due time he would be given the rank reflective of his accomplishments. He was in no hurry, for he was confident in his skills and now that he had returned would in time prove to his master that he was deserving.

“What generated your interest in Alchemy?” He asked, for it was not a subject that he often heard mentioned. He did not mean to avoid answering the question of what he had been doing in the library, but he considered it no ones business of his own, given the nature of what he had been reading. And rather than be rude to a brother of the order, he chose to move on.