The Hand and the Eye (Sorsha)

[Karl Valten]

Valten stepped through a stone archway with Sorsha in tow leading into a much smaller chamber than the Hall of Artifacts. Compared to the dark, cold stone and meager lighting from before, this maintained a much more polished allure. Though the space remained devoid of furnishings.

"There is one very important key about the Hand that Empress Tarkin did not know about….or perhaps she does? It doesn’t really matter.”

The instant the Grand Inquisitor stepped into the center of the chambers, a rumbling, ratcheting tremor shook the room as a heavy stone door slid shut behind the pair.

“Emperor Palpatine hand-picked all of his agents, and all of them were force-sensitive.”

Sorsha became aware of another occupant in the room.

“So your first test is to find out if you are an adept. Unlikely, but it is something we absolutely must know.”

[Lykaios]

As the door slid shut behind the two, the room temperature dropped drastically, thanks in part to a light wind that surfed through the room.

Perhaps such ordinary event shouldn't be considered extraordinary, save for the fact that there was nowhere for a draft to enter the room, which had been sealed shut for one purpose and one purpose alone.

The room was perfectly lit but somehow it had seemed to grow darker in the mere second that had passed since the Grand Inquisitor's last statement.

"Is this the Bantha tick?"

The deep-bass-toned voice seemed to come from every where and nowhere at the same time, it appeared to come from the deepest pit the netherworld, yet its source had appeared seemingly out of nowhere and was now next to the Grand Inquisitor.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha closed her eyes, ignoring the feeble insult about her homeworld. She was at the top of her form. Both an assassin and a champion duelist with a blade. She possessed a surgeon's knowledge of human anatomy, and was versed in several forms of martial arts as well as firearms, stealth, and poisons. Such was her zeal to become perfect in her chosen profession. She was ready now, to tap into something much deeper, and she would prove them both wrong to underestimate her ::

[Lykaios]

A brief pause followed The Immortal's inquiry. She wanted to say something, but she was holding back, perhaps she was of the idea that she would let her accomplishments do the talking, that her actions would speak louder than her words.

Oh, how wrong she was. All she knew meant absolutely nothing and by the looks of it, she would find about it the hard way.

"At least you know your place little bug and you do not speak unless spoken too. You will do well in keeping that up." Lykaios said, the words drenched in sarcasm.

"You do not have what it takes to be the Hand of the Empress." It wasn't a question but a statement, a rather clear one at that. "But you make take solace in the fact that your failure will not be completely uselss for it might at least help me sharpen some of my skills."

Another pause as he started to approach her, much in the way a predator readies himself to pounce on its sounded prey.

"Lets imagine if just for a fraction of a second that I were to ive you the chance, what makes you think you're worthy?"

And so the test had begun.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

A dangerous smile spread across Sorsha's face as her hatred of this man reached a boiling point. She could hear her heartbeat, and his. Both seperate and distinct.

He was trying to bait her into unfocused rage, to commit an error that would allow him an advantage over her. He wanted her to fail, to humiliate her. She'd dealt with men like this before. Little tin gods like Xizor. No matter what their delusions were, they could bleed, and they could die. All it took was one mistake.

Her eyes snapped open.

"Enough talk." she hissed. "Come and break me, if you can."

[Lykaios]

"My, my...temper...temper." Lykaios scoffed at her invite for a confrontation, did she really think she could take him on? She would have to think again.

"You make my point, the Hand requires patience, skill, wit, not just brute force and the nerve to throw a challenge to a complete and utter stranger."

He could see her concentrating, focusing on him, planning her moves and his, sizing her opponent.

"I need not move to crush you like the insect you are." Most Force-users would channel and direct an attack with a movement of their body, a wave of a hand, the raise of an arm; but Lykaios was very much unlike most Force-users.

The only perceptible movement in his being was his eyebrow raising slightly, as he summoned the Force to his side and in less than a split second, unleashed a violent Force push in the woman's direction.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha was flung back, tumbling head over heels before hitting the ground hard. Her mind recalled Darth Lucid, the things he said to her in her dreams. Lifting her head, she uttered a deep hiss at Lykaios, and threw him back with a force push of her own. It was stronger than either of the Inquisatoriate pigs anticipated. She wanted to kill them both, and used that mental image as a focus. Sorsha rose to her feet, and spat in defiance at Lykaios. She would suffer their abuse for Miranda until she was killed or dismissed. She didn't care anymore. ::

"TRAIN ME OR KILL ME!!! I'M WEARY OF YOU!!!"

[Lykaios]

This time around Lykaios did use a wave of his hand to summon the Force and create an unseen wall for her attack to collide, rather than his body. It seemed as if The Wolf had underestimated her a bit, if she would’ve been a split second quicker it would’ve been him flying in mid-air now.

Lykaios allowed himself to smile inwardly, so she was Force sensitive after all, perhaps this would not be a complete waste.
<o></o>
“Tempting,” Said Lykaios as he sent a Force choke in her direction. His cool and composed demeanor was quite the contrast to her enraged self. “But I’m afraid, your fate has already been decided. A more apt question is: Are you ready to fulfill it?”

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha was unable to speak due to the force choke, but she was ready to rip him apart the instant he released it. She was ready to die with the taste of blood in her mouth, and she sent the thought to him with intense clarity ::

[Lykaios]

If looks could kill, Lykaios would've dropped dead in a hearbeat. Her razor sharp eyes could've pierced through his armor, like a knife through butter. She wanted to cut him into little pieces and toss them out the window.

The Wolf smiled visibly as he released her from his grip. This had been enough.

"From this moment forth, you must realize that every time you look at yourself in the mirror, there is reflection in it only because I have allowed it."

It would've been very easy for him to squeeze the life out of her, but it would've been a waste and nothing would've been gained from her demise.

"Raise," Said he in an emotionless and solemn tone. "Also from this moment forth, you are under my tutelage so that you never have to thank anybody else for sparing your life."

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha pitched forward onto her hands as she gasped for air. The effort to resist Lykaios exhausted her, and she rubbed her throat as she looked up at him.

She was on her knees before him, and the humiliation of it stung her to the core. It was like Xizor all over again, forcing his dominance over her and trying to make her feel grateful. She felt cursed at having to endure the ego of yet another Man to gain admitance into Miranda's circle.

She reminded herself that she was suffering all of this for Mira as she touched her forehead to the floor in submission. Not out of gratitude to Lykaios, or fear. He held her at a disadvantage, but it would not last forever.

With a sigh, she rose to her feet, and looked at him wearily.

"Thank you ......... Master."