Reiis Invadator
Legendary Member
The Final Trial of Apprentice Kielor under General Reiis Invadator
IC: Reiis Invadator and Kielor
Thyrsus
IC: Reiis Invadator and Kielor
Thyrsus
In the largest atrium of House Cruor, with the sun beating down and burning with blinding intensity through the vast windows that made the ceiling, a figure stood among the many consoles scattered in some unidentified order throughout the room. No chair. The usual occupant cared little for sitting outside of a cockpit. Said occupant stood, in this particular moment, in front of an enlarged notifications console, the wear upon its smooth metal surface designating it as the most versatile and well-used of the collection. Its display shone bright, even against the sun, with a seemingly random array of messages, notifications, and updates sprawled across its length.
They were all important messages, at least peripherally important, but General Reiis Invadator’s thoughts were elsewhere: specifically, on her Apprentice, Kielor. He was nearing graduation, an event that was cause for celebration, but also privately cause for some measure of bittersweet gloom from the Death Lord. These were not feelings she expressed readily -- she didn’t express very much at all, for that matter -- but perhaps they were sensed, in some part, by those who knew her best. But beyond this fact, she had sensed a growing restlessness in her apprentice that was coming to a head more and more each passing day. She wondered, now, if today was the day he would actually say something.
~~~~~~
He’d joined the Empire just over half an orbital cycle ago; leaving behind the life that he knew, the life he’d made, the friends and the companions. Aside from his training, he hadn’t really thought of his past life too much in that time. Not up until Lady Invadator had claimed him as her Apprentice, and he’d suffered a vision which brought him great distress. Unsure whether the vision had been a past event, something that was taking place in the present or a premonition of the future, he was quite sure that he needed to investigate. He needed to know. Needed closure.
The vision had depicted a horde of Trandoshans surrounding Salad Company, the mercenary unit with which Kielor had spent the previous twenty years working alongside. They appeared to have been taken prisoner, and were being interrogated. The crew, now minus Kielor, comprised 3 commandos of varied background, although all very effective and well experienced, and a single force user, Trus Saldaa, who had helped Kielor focus his force power and better use it to his combat advantage. Blasters, vibroblades and bowcasters were trained on the squad; the only one who didn’t appear to be in immediate danger was Lima, who Kielor had been closest to toward the end of his tenure with the company. Abruptly a Trandoshan whirled his bowcaster to Lima and dispatched the man with brutal efficiency. The vision had stopped there, although it replayed over and over again; blended in with a number of other scenarios; that of this father’s death, which he had witnessed as a child, as well as another scene which he couldn’t place as being past present or future; depicting the mother figure from his adolescence, an Echani commando who had trained him in various forms of combat.
Kielor had attempted to make contact with the members of the company soon after the vision, however the transmissions repeatedly failed. The vision could have just been the power of the Sith Lord, latching on to those he had cared for and creating a figment in his imagination, but it had seemed so real, and the distress had not faded even after many weeks.
Determined to confirm their fate, Kielor would request his Master allow him the time to travel to Trandosha, to undertake investigations. Salad Company had often undertaken work for parties on Trandosha, and there were many strands of thread which he could investigate to begin his search.
~~~~~~
His black robes swished about his legs as he strode with purpose toward the Atrium. His lightsabers clasped to his waist; their familiar weight comforting as they bump in rhythm with his stride. The Apprentice could feel the immense force presence of his Master; like a far off star to whom his own presence was anchored, she shone. Finding her at one of the many consoles in the well lit room; clearly a favourite, based on the extensive wear, he kneels, bowing his head deeply. “My Master, may I request a moment of your time?”
The General had sensed his approach of course, but waited for him to ask his question before she looked up. "Go ahead," she said. Her voice was calm and level, her hand sweeping up in a gesture for him to rise. "What is on your mind, my Apprentice."
——///——
Raising his head to meet her gaze, the Apprentice maintains his kneeled position, confirming his reverence and subservience to his Master.
“Master, when you claimed me..” he trails off momentarily, his gaze falling back to the floor. “You assaulted my mind and brought about visions. There were memories of past trauma, but also visions which seemed real, however they weren’t memories. Not my own, at least.”
The flood of emotions rushes back to him. The feeling of helplessness as he watches his old companions at the mercy of the Trandoshans. The feeling of outright soul crushing helplessness, as Lima is killed. Was it a vision of events already past? Events destined to occur? Merely a mental manifestation of his fears? He didn’t know, but he wanted to at least attempt to find out.
“I believe that the visions of Salad Company, the mercenary squad which I’ve left behind, may have been a force vision.” He raises his head again to address his Master, still kneeling but more upright now. “I need to know. If they were killed, that is fine, but they were important to my past, and I would seek to take vengeance upon the filth who took them.” His gaze shifts toward one of the windows, looking out onto the Thyrsus landscape. “If the events have not yet come to pass then I would hope to eliminate the threat. Salad Company will take work from all factions, and I don’t know who the Trandoshans worked for, but I will find out.”
The Apprentice straightens his posture and with confidence says to his Master. “I would travel to Trandosha. I haven’t been able to make contact with Salad Company but I know people there, we took work from several clans, and someone is likely to know something.”
——////——
The General listened to her apprentice, still kneeling before her, as he spoke about his visions and his desire to find the truth.
It wasn’t something Invadator should have technically condoned, considering this Salad Company he had told her about were psychological attachments for him. Baggage, essentially, even for the Sith. Liabilities, they were, with the potential to distract him. For a moment, she was torn between what -- as a Sith and his Master -- she should tell him, and what -- as a human -- she felt she should say. She remained silent for a moment after he finished his request.
Instead, she asked a question.
“And what should you do if you find one or more of them still alive? Certainly, they are likely to encounter danger multiple times in the duration of their lifespan. I can sympathize with the need to find out what happened, my apprentice….” She paused, gesturing for him to rise again. “But I would be remiss to not warn you that attachments...even among the Sith...are weaknesses.” *Perhaps in that sense, we’re not terribly different from Jedi,* she thought, but it went unspoken. “You are aware that the more people know about your connection to Salad Company, the more they may be tempted to meddle in their affairs to affect you… Is that something you are willing to risk?”
She pauses now, to listen. She had neither agreed to or denied his request, and she wanted to hear what he had to say before she made a decision either way.
TAGs: @Kielor