|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:03 pm
"Ah. Vyrtem. Are you well? You look a little pale."
Vytem nodded. "I'm fine. I had some questions."
The old man nodded sagely. "I'm sure you do. Come, let us talk."
Vyrtem followed the librarian to his office; a room decorated with bookshelves, holocrons, and charts and diagrams of all sorts. A large desk sat in the middle of the room, and Darth Armatus took his seat behind it, offering one of the chairs opposite him to Vyrtem.
The boy sat down and took a breath. Where to begin?
"I deceived you." The old man spoke, interrupting Vyrtem's thoughts.
Vyrtem nodded. "You did. Why?"
"I needed to be sure of something."
"What's that?"
"I needed to be sure you had it in you. The drive to better yourself, not simply the lust for power."
Vyrtem frowned. "Aren't Sith supposed to crave power?"
The old man nodded. "Yes. As a Sith, you are meant to want more power. I needed to know that you wanted it for the right reasons. The Dark Side of the Force is powerful, but there are two types of people who use its power: those who control it, and those who let it control them. To the former, power is a means to an end. To the latter, power is the end itself. To correctly use Darth Trax' teachings, to truly master them, one must be in control of himself, and must have a clear destination in mind. A Sith with a clear goal is one of the most unstoppable forces in the galaxy."
Vyrtem let that sink in for a moment. He guessed that that made sense. It certainly seemed in line with what he'd learned from the lessons. "But in the beginning, I didn't have a goal. How did you know that I would be right for Darth Trax' books?"
Darth Armatus smiled. "Because you never would have been able to control yourself long enough to master Tutaminis. You would have found some other, easier way to gain power."
Vyrtem nodded, understanding... "So, how are you still here? Darth Trax' books are ancient."
Armatus laughed. "Well, they were new when I put them together. It's been a while, I can tell you that, but I've learned much, and I have some life in me yet."
Vyrtem smiled before the pain in his chest reminded him why he was here. "Valya."
The old man smiled. "Ah, yes. How is she doing?"
The boy furrowed his brow. "She's fine, but she may not be for long... There are some people who aren't happy with what she did... Today, they... They made it clear that their intentions are to punish her for killing Mina."
The ancient Sith leaned back in his chair. "I thought they might. Did they say what they were going to do? Or when?"
Vyrtem shook his head. "No, but they made it clear that they weren't making idle threats."
The librarian exhaled, thinking. "Well, if we don't know what to prepare for, we'd best prepare for everything. As luck would have it, the next step in my Master's curriculum might be just the thing we need."
Really? "Really? What exactly is that?"
The librarian stood and selected a book from the shelf, leafing through it. "After mastering the concept of Tutaminis --something in which you have far exceeded expectation-- Darth Trax believed that one should begin to open their mind to the ebbs and flows of the energy that they so recently began to understand. The next stage of his training is to learn to use the Force to sense danger and react to it using your instincts. By opening yourself to what is happening around you in the present and in the future, you are prepared and educated to deal with any issue that presents itself."
Vyrtem nodded, thinking about it. "You may be right. If I can sense them coming, I will be able to prepare for them. How do I begin?"
The old man held out the book for Vyrtem to take. "It's all in here. This is my copy. I imagine that you won't have much time to be in the library for a while. So you can take this and bring it back when you think you are ready."
Vyrtem took the book carefully. "How will I know when I'm ready?"
The librarian hands him a deck of cards.
"What's this? Pazaak?" He turns them over. They were just Pazaak cards. "What are these for?"
"You'll be ready when you can look at that deck and know the order of the cards before they fall."
Vyrtem chuckled "It's that easy? I have to use the Force to cheat at cards?"
A small, amused smile. "It seems so."
Vyrtem stood. "Thank you, Darth Armatus. I will do my best."
The old man smiled. "I know you will... You have to protect her, Vyrtem." It was an observation, not an order.
"... I know."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:11 pm
1
He didn't have time to read anything from Darth Armatus' book that night, but he tried to listen to the wind for any danger. He met Valya after work and brought her home to change before she came over to his place for the night, trying the whole time not to let on that he was keeping an extra eye out for problems. When she saw the book and the cards in Vyrtem's otherwise bland dorm room, she asked.
"What are those for?"
He waved his hand dismissively. "School stuff."
She picked up the cards. "They're teaching Pazaak on the Sith curriculum now?" She smiled teasingly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:14 pm
2
He chuckled and explained. "The cards are for practice. I'm supposed to learn to know what the card is before I pick it up."
She smiled, pulling a card out and holding it up. "Okay, Mr. Sith. What is it?"
He laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I haven't had time to practice yet."
She frowned playfully. "Awww... Well, is that what the book is for?" She set the cards down and picked up the book, opening it and scanning the pages.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:18 pm
3
He nodded. "Yeah, it's upposed to teach me how to do it."
Her eyes got big. "You need all this just to cheat at cards?"
He laughed out loud. "That's exactly what I said!"
She pouted her lips for a moment, thinking. She held the book out to him. "Read to me."
He smiled, unsure. "It's not really that entertaining."
She pouted. "My dad used to read his service manual to me. I can take it. Read to me. Please?" She put on her best 'please' face, stepping close to him, biting her lip and looking up into his eyes, her fingers delicately playing on his belt buckle. She put her hand to his and placed the book into his palm. "For me?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:24 pm
4
He couldn't say no. How was he supposed to!? O- Okay. Okay. We can read it." His mouth was dry.
Yay!" She went to the couch and sat, waiting for him.
He sighed, playfully resigned. He walked to the couch. "How do you want to do this?"
She grabbed his shoulders and sat him in the corner of the couch, sitting down beside him and leaning back against his chest. When he winced, she looked back at him. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing. I took a hit in training. I'm alright."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:26 pm
5
She searched his eyes to see if he was really okay. "Tell me the truth." She wasn't mad. Concerned.
He sighed. He'd been caught. She could read him too well. "Okay. It wasn't training... I made someone mad, and they punished me for it."
She frowned. "This is about Mina, isn't it?"
He swallowed. "Yeah..."
"It's not over, is it?"
He looked down. "No... But this training is supposed to help."
She nodded, kissing his chest and readjusting herself to sit more comfortably against him. "Okay, then. We're back to square one. Read to me."
He smiled. "Yes, ma'am."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:32 pm
6
He started with the foreword, which gave a brief history of Darth Trax and the first book, which covered Tutaminis as the first level of his training regimen.
"So he's the one you learned your tricks from." She smiled.
"Yeah, he's the one." He chuckled.
"We'll have to thank him someday."
Vyrtem smiled, nuzzling her hair as he kissed the top of her head before he continued reading.
She'd chime in with a question every now and then when a piece of history was brought up, or when she didn't quite understand a comparison Darth Trax made to something Force related.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:35 pm
7
In the margins there were notes written in careful handwriting, relating to visual representations to try or notes on history that pertained to the lesson. They were about two hours in when Vyrtem sensed a subtle change in Valya's breathing pattern. He looked down at her and she was peacefully asleep, not a care in the world.
Vyrtem smiled and carefully lifted her to carry her to the bed. This time, he made sure to lay on the side closest to the door. He watched her sleep for a short while, a smile on his face, before he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his chest, falling asleep soon after.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:40 pm
8
The next morning, Vyrtem awoke and found Valya's big green eyes looking into his own, a soft smile on her face. She stroked his cheek and kissed him slowly, pulling away and opening her eyes. She touched her nose to his and smiled playfully. "G'mornin', sleepyhead."
He stretched, rubbing his face. "G'mornin'... How long have you been awake?"
She watched him with a playful twinkle in her eye. "Not too long. How'd you sleep?"
He thought back over the night. Pretty well, actually. You?"
"Like a baby. So I have to work today..."
Vyrtem frowned. "Oh, yeah... We should probably get you ready, huh?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:45 pm
9
She frowned slyly. "We probably should... But, you see, the thing is... I have this awful stomachache, and I just can't make it in today..." She pouted.
"Oh, is that so?" He smiled conspiratorially.
"Well, that's what I said when I called work, anyway. So what are we gonna do today?"
Vyrtem laughed and squeezed her softly. "Well, let's see..." he thought about things that couples might do together. He remembered when he was little and he'd gone to the fields with his family. "How about a picnic?"
Her eyes lit up. "That sounds perfect! In the gardens!?"
He nodded. "Sure. It'll be nice to get out of the desert for a while." He pulled her close for a moment before summoning the incredible willpower that it would take to get up. Vyrtem sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:26 pm
10
Valya play-tackled him from behind and kissed his cheek. "So what do we need?"
Vyrtem chuckled, stroking her hand with his thumb. "Well, we're gonna need food, so I guess we'll need to go to the market."
She smiled. "Okay, but I'm buying."
Vyrtem couldn't exactly argue with her. He didn't have much money, and, beyond that, he figured it wasn't exactly good for his health to upset her. "Okay. But I get to pay next time. Deal?"
She pouted playfully. "If you have to."
He chuckled. "It's a guy thing."
She narrowed her eyes. "Well, I wouldn't want to impugn my big, strong man's masculinity."
"Oh really now?" He playfully tackled her and rained kisses down on her cheeks and nose. "Well good."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:29 pm
11
She giggled and squealed, kicking and pretending to fight him before giving in with a wild, satisfied smile. "So a picnic at sunset, then?"
Vyrtem looked down into her bright eyes "What better time?" and kissed her slowly.
They were up and dressed in short order (Valya had packed a change of clothes) and they went through the Academy to the shuttles.
To get to the gardens, they'd need to head one direction, but to get to the market, they needed to head another, and so they used Vyrtem's ID to get free boarding passes, and went to the market on the Academy's dime.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:34 pm
12
The market existed in a small town that resided some distance from the Academy, and served as an easy source of supplies that the Academy did not have to directly supervise. The Academy got their goods and the town received protection and policing. It was an agreeable arrangement. Plus, taxes helped pay for the maintenance of the Academy, which was always a good thing.
They spent some time just roaming the streets and looking around. They found a few kiosks offering different curios and exotic merchandise. One store in particular caught Vyrtem's eye, and they went inside to check it out.
It was a workshop that marketed armor and weaponry, and Vyrtem was curious. They waited for the engineer to get to a stopping point in his work before he came and greeted them. When asked what had brought them to his shop, Vyrtem offered him a look at the bracer Vyrtem wore. "What can you do about this?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:42 pm
13
"Well, now, this has seen better days, hasn't it? What are you looking for, exactly?"
Vyrtem explained "I'd like to see about getting it repaired."
"Repaired? It would be cheaper to replace it."
"Well, it's rather important to me. Could it be repaired?"
The man turned it over in his hands, examining it carefully before nodding, satisfied. "I could do it. But it's not going to be cheap. This was a custom build, parts are going to be tough to find. All of the circuitry is going to have to be replaced. But yes, I can do it."
"Excellent. How much?" The figure the man threw out was a little more than Vyrtem had been expecting, but not wholly unreasonable, he guessed. Three thousand credits. His heart didn't sink. He hadn't expected to be able to afford it, but at least he had something to work toward now. He thanked the man and they left the shop, assuring him that he'd come back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:59 pm
14
14
Vyrtem and Valya left to look around some more, and picked up various supplies as they went.
And then she saw it. A beautiful pendant with a large green crystal inset into silver. Her eyes got big and she stopped dead in her tracks. It was incredible, and she bit her lip as she looked at the price tag. Everything was perfect except for that price. She walked away with a smile, though. She could appreciate it even if it wasn't hers.
Vyrtem made a note of its location and filed it away for later, making a promise to himself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
