Meditation beats sitting around doing nothing [D5, MM]

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis nodded he wasn't looking for sympathy or compassion. He was never raised to expect such things and wasn't starting now "it is why I never show my face, it is distinctive and with the Emperor hunting me would take little effort if I wandered around with my face on display."

He took a deep breath "now can I know the details of your goals. You said you aimed to kill someone, who is it?"

[Tyllia Demici]

At this point, the risk of telling him the truth of who she was, was probably lower than the risk involved with *not* telling him. Still, it took her a few moments to bring herself to find the words.

"My name isn't Tyllia Mantero," she said, "It's Tyllia Demici."

The name might well be familiar to anyone with even a passing familiarity of galatic politiccs. The Demici family was one the six Great Houses of Serenno; each of which was among the wealthiest and most powerful families in the entire galaxy.

"My father, just as Dooku had been, was a Count of Serenno. To the galaxy at large, he and the other counts stepped back in favor of the heirs after the war, for the sake of a peaceful transfer of power and integration into the empire. In reality, that day your old master came to visit Serenno. I was not supposed to be there for that closed meeting, but of course I hid and found my way there anyway."

She flipped the lightsaber on again, staring into the red glow it produced.

"He told them a price had to be paid. He told the heirs to kill their fathers and take their place. And they complied. My brother included."

Her gaze lingered on the glow for a while longer before she flipped it off again; as if the glow *had* to vanish before she could continue the story.

"Vader sensed my presence, and ordered me brought to him. My brother damn near tore up the whole planet to do so. First the coward killed our father, and then he tried his damndest to have me suffer the same fate. I've been hunted ever since. Both by Demici forces, and by the Inquisitorius. But the only ones who know what happened that day, are Vader, the current counts of Serenno, myself... and now you."

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis nodded carefully "So in the end the Emperor took everything from both of us. Your brother his tool but him as always the hand behind it." Deonis less suffused with the dark than he once was did feel sympathy for her situation and a renewed sense of kindred purpose.

"So I assume you wish revenge on your brother, perhaps the Empire as a whole."

[Tyllia Demici]

"My brother is just a coward. Vader is the one who gave the order. He is the one who must die. Whether my brother dies or lives is of lesser concern. Though... either way... my family has *very* substantial resources available to it. *If* those could be turned to my purpose, that would be a great boon."

[Deonis Harik]

Again the man nodded "Well I would be happy to help you kill him. Along with any inquisitors that are left. They used me, took everything from me, turned me into a weapon, I hope to make them regret how well they did."

He felt his anger rising but let it dissipate rather than clamp down on it or revel in it letting it rise and then fall on its own. He extended a hand to her "it is nice to meet you Tyllia Demici, I am Anasish Harik." He said revealing his true name to her as well and giving her a smile that revealed white pointed teeth.

[Tyllia Demici]

She looked down at the hand, brief confusion on her face as if she didn't know what to do with it, then slowly shook it.

"Deonis just a name, or does it mean anything special?"

[Deonis Harik]

He gave her hand a firm shake "just a name, Harik means something but mostly personal wouldn't make any sense to you. Feel free to keep calling me Deonis though I'm more used to hearing it."

[Tyllia Demici]

"Fine," she said, "I'll keep calling you Deonis. It suits you."

Upon retracting her hand again, she cast another look to the hilt in her other hand, then back to the small pool.

"It was bound here. Or perhaps to this weapon itself. Infecting the swamp around it. I wonder what will happen to the place now."

[Deonis Harik]

"There is still a manifestation of the dark side here. I do not believe the thing in the pool is the same as the large beast that stalks us. purer dark side energy maybe, not so tainted by the spirit bound here. Hard to say for sure. Time will tell."

[Tyllia Demici]

"I think it rather more likely to be the opposite. The beasts here having been corrupted by the presence of this dark blade having been here for millenia. But perhaps there is more to it, and its wielder came here investigating just as we did, only to meet their end. I shall have to see about communing with the spirit in the days ahead, to ask it this and other questions."

[Deonis Harik]

"The beast that stalks the Swamp is different than the normal animals affected by the blade. The Grotto, a place suffused with the light, has a similar creature small white fox. They seem more manifestations of the force."

[Tyllia Demici]

"A place of the light?" She considered that for a moment.

"There are others here," she continued, "Though not those attuned to the Dark Side like us. Jedi perhaps. Or something akin to it. One who had taken the hilt of an inquisitor, but it lacks a crystal. The other... familiar with the way of the Hawk Bat. Ataru. And I met an adherent of the Cosmic Balance, too."

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis nodded "yes. A grotto in this same swamp. Drains motivation, calls for peace through inaction. might be worse for you especially now." he said thinking of the energy inhabiting her.

shifting to the force sensitives she brought up "There are many here strong in the force. The galaxy brings people together when things of importance happen. The one of balance could be an ally, though not sure how useful. The other two aren't known to me, but if trained by jedi, could disagree with our methods.

[Tyllia Demici]

"The Jedi are not what they were. They could be brought over to a different way of thinking, so that they will not repeat the mistakes of their old order should the Empire be defeated and they are given the chance to rebuild."

[Deonis Harik]

"Perhaps. Some will hold to the old teachings though and I doubt many will like our use of the Dark Side. Just still likely smart to be careful with them. Reactions may vary."

he rolled his shoulders and stood taking off a bit more armor revealing just a black sleeveless undershirt stretching a bit he clearly worked out often with a broad well muscled chest and thick arms "much better out here without all the armor on. very humid" he commented calling back to her statements a few weeks ago.

when he settled he a more peaceful look on his face, while draining he did feel lighter after his encounter with the wraith "I think its time I go get my lightsaber." he stated plainly with a bit of contemplation on his voice.

[Tyllia Demici]

Without that strange connection between them, she was not quite so confusingly drawn to him as she had been before. Which didn't mean she didn't *look*, though. But then he dropped that bombshell.

"So, that is why you said you didn't think it was an issue," she said, "us competing for resources."

[Deonis Harik]

Even without a supernatural connection Deonis still felt drawn to something about Tyllia maybe her clarity of purpose or drive. Hard to say. Maybe just the fact they had shared a deep connection for a few weeks had a lingering effect. He grinned a little at her when he say her looking but said nothing.

His bright yellow eyes regarded her for a moment "yes. I have it hidden on the planet someplace safe. A lot of........emotional significance. But I think I'm ready to deal with it now."

[Tyllia Demici]

"Did you craft it yourself?" She looked down at her new blade again for a moment. "I've actually started crafting my own hilt. I was hoping for a crystal, I was not expecting... this."

[Deonis Harik]

Deonis nodded "Yes. Took a long time. Not good with mechanics." He said with a chuckle "But eventually I got it."

He looked tonher new Saber and nodded "Im willing to bet that was the entity's lightsaber when they were alive."

[Tyllia Demici]

"Of course," she said, it was an obvious conclusion to draw. "And yours? What's it like?"