A Knight's Gifts [Jack]

[Sianna]

Drifting from the dark hallways of the temple, diffused daylight cascaded down to the arena's floor where once had been a beautiful ground for training and now had been laid waste since the Sith took this temple from the Codru'ji. Silver orbs sparkled as the lithe Echani mused on the skills that she had been asked to pass on to the Sith Knight. It hadn't been that long since James had taught them to her and she recalled some of his own words during that session. Several abilities were given to her fellow members at this level, so she knew her research was going to be put off until later that night.

But, that was okay.

Training usually allowed the priestess a new perspective which she knew Raien would appreciate, his own insights to the Force and philosophy sometimes needed meditation or a workout to find that center again. Having embraced most of her cultural nature since she had arrived her so long ago, the Lordess enjoyed being able to read people in a different light now. Purposes behind actions were more visible now that Sianna understood body language and the eyes.

Reaching the center of the grassy yard littered with bits of stone from the fallen columns, the twenty-two year old began soaking in the Force which flowed around her. Closing her eyes, the chalky pale female's skin began to darken as she infused her strong frame with the darkness that lurked within...

[Jack Sheetai]

Jack approached the arena humming a tune as it seemed he was always doing. Not that the clown cared what others thought of him, but, he did it to amuse himself or pass the time. Still, Jack was anxious to learn his Sith Knight abilities, nearly being killed by a bunch of 'rent-a-cop' types with Sky. Although he survived with only broken ribs and a bit of his pride killed in the process, the clown was otherwise alright.

So, taking this time he approached the chalk white frame of the Echani priestess. Known that she was a Lordess trained by Raien Keth, his most hated of the Sith, and the Council member known as Darth Reverence, he then felt her presence in the Dark Side. His own rang forth because he couldn't hide it. Not yet at least.

As he made his way to her the Sith Knight bowed, "I am here early as you wished, my mistress."

[Sianna]

Continuing to exude the darkness that had become a welcome part of her, the priestess' body was soon consumed by a dark, oily cloud which roiled as it emanated outward in all directions. As Jack approached her, only a pair of glowing orbs pierced the gloom as the world around her was ever increasingly consumed in the darkness.

Her voice haunting, the Sith Lordess greeted today's student. "Being an assassin, I'm sure you can appreciate being able to hide in the shadows, or creating your own when the need arises. Most have either run for their lives when they see such a vision as this, or they've died right where they stand. Being able to use the very essence of what lives within us, we can use the Force to create shadows where there may be none." The grey, glowing orbs narrowed. "Show me that you're worth my time and that you're more than the showy makeup."

[Jack Sheetai]

Jack then raised an eyebrow, "Using the Dark Side to create shadows? Seems simple enough. It's intriguing nonetheless."

He then cracked his neck and then limbered himself up a moment. When he was content on that the Sith Knight then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. So, as he did the clown started to let his hatred swirl through his being, channeling the darkness to him. Within a few moments the Sith Knight had the darkness around him, penetrating through his chalk white being and invisioned shadows.

Although he invisioned them, they didn't happen. At least right away. Frustrated with himself he concentrated harder. The clown had a vision in his head of the shadows twirling and dancing around his shape, tendrils of pure darkness surrounding him like there was something else inside him wishing to come out. That was the way he thought of it. As he kept the vision in his head he could feel tendrils of pure shadow seep out from him and all around his arms and his back. Willing them to rise up more they did as he commanded. Surprising since his first try was a fail.

The tendrils stretched further enveloping the Sith Knight and about a few feet from him. Knowing he could push himself he tried to stretch them even more. Keeping his focus they did stretch another foot or so as it nearly enveloped him in their embrace. Once he felt he had it he then let them disappear leaving only the clown and nothing else. With that task complete he then gave Sianna a grin about her comment about his 'showy makeup'.

"You really think this is makeup?" He then took a hand to his face using his index finger running it across his cheek, "It's permanent, I'm afraid."

[Sianna]

Allowing the inky black to fade from around her, the priestess watched with impatience as Jack attempted the first ability for today. His focus awry, she sighed and crossed her arms knowing that if this first one wasn't at least achieved partially, then she was going to leave him here to fend for himself. Though as the moments passed, he soon started to grasp the theory behind the ability. Most who had reached this stage in their life as a Sith didn't need much explanation as they should have already gained the knowledge on how the Force worked and how a Sith would manipulate it.

Once he finished, she watched as none of the color on his gaunt face smudged at his touch, she grinned and did the same to her own cheek. "So is this."

Moving to a fallen column the priestess sat down. "Tell me how many other ways that ability can be used." Crossing left knee over right, she laid her hands atop them and listened.

[Jack Sheetai]

He watched as she did the same touching her own hand to her face revealing her skin was pale white as his, "Ah, but yours is of nature. Mine, however, is a mutation. Very different...yet the same."

As the priestess sat down on a fallen column she asked how many other ways the ability could be used. Thinking for a moment the clown pressed his index finger to his cheek pacing back and forth a few moments. There was always inspiring fear of course. That was the obvious one. Then again he could surround himself in the darkness of it thus utilizing it for his title as Sith Assassin. Again, an obvious answer. One he should still speak of anyways considering she was intent on hearing his answer. By the looks of her she was getting irritated and impatient. Jack found that sometimes in life one needed patience. Even as a Sith.

"As a Sith Assassin I could shroud myself in the darkness and shadows thus disguising me from my enemies. That being the obvious answer. But, one needed said no doubt." Jack said then thought, "You could create the shadows and have them inspire fear, and, thus killing two birds with a stone by shrouding the room your standing in in complete darkness. Thus making everyone blind to you who isn't a Force user."

Two obvious answers, but, with Jack he would need to say them anyways. Although his answers were simple they were right in all matters. The Dark Side was a mystery and it had all the answers. Answers he wished to have answered. No need to question. Just a need for knowledge was all Jack was looking for.

[Sianna]

Nodding quietly, she knew that most would see the obvious ways to use the ability and no doubt once he was able to practise it and be faced with other situations then perhaps ingenuity could help in many other facets. Reading his surface thoughts, Sianna prepared for the next ability that she was going to pass on to the assassin and it seemed rather obvious what his greatest fear might be.

"Darkness is our ally, always has been," the priestess' silver orbs darkened once more as she spoke, this time witness to what was going on underneath the physical. "You use it on many occasions to hunt a prey," she continued, her voice growing increasingly more dream-like and distant as Sianna exuded every oppressive thought full of malice to create a Dark Aura. "Some fear it, we've learned to embrace it, love it and use it for everything we can imagine." The air growing heavy, her eyes became pinpricks that pierced his soul, drawing from her own experiences in lost tombs across the galaxy. Death incarnate.

A host of voices followed her gaze, a constant barrage in Jack's mind of all his failures, shortcomings and fears now personified in a constant stream. Captured, unable to move was how she wanted him to feel, unable to escape the mental onslaught that the priestess continued to slam his very being with. Relentless...

Soon, those intrusive feelings evanesced like a snake retreating back into it's hole. "Using the Force to create an aura of darkness can have a host of uses also. Add that to the shadow and you can imagine how much power you can have over a group, if you chose. Now, try it. Delve into your innermost thoughts and fears and make me feel it."

[Jack Sheetai]

Jack could feel her enter his thoughts, and there wasn't much he could do at that moment. Feeling the air around him grow thicker to him at least a shiver went down his spine. All that fear of his own death, it hung in the air as the Lordess spoke. His red eyed gaze never left hers although he probably should have because what came next was a cold fear that surrounded the Sith Knight. The Sith Knight felt like all the voices were shouting at him of all his failures, and, that surrounding his first death. At the hands of a Jedi nonetheless.

A barrage of it was keeping Jack from moving, the everlasting fear of it all. The coldness that surrounded his being, and it was relentless to say the least. All those feelings were making Jack very uneasy and full of fear. His left eye twitched as his unstable mind was almost to the point of wanting to break. Turn fully insane at that moment and slaughter anyone in the path. Although he'd never get close enough to Sianna to do so. But, trying to keep his mentality in check he kept himself immobile.

When Sianna spoke of delving into his own inner thoughts and fears to make her feel them, he nodded nervously. So, Jack thought of the thing that he feared most. Death itself. His thoughts of death, and the fear of that said death were ringing towards her mind. The pain of having his head sliced off as he remembered it very well. Who couldn't? It was the most terrible thing he'd ever gone through in his time. As Jack let those thoughts of that cold and terror of death watching his life slip away he made those thoughts seep towards the priestess.

[Sianna]

Several long moments passed as she waited, feeling the welling of dark power emanating from today's student and it didn't take long for her to notice that he grasped the ability to impress it upon her, though her own willpower was stronger. It was a suitable first attempt, she mused and nodded.

"Faint, but I could feel it. Practise all these and perfect them," she demanded. Moving on to the next one, she once again concentrated the Force into her being and prepared. "The next is one that could save your life should the need arise and no doubt being an assassin, one that you'll treasure. Using the same concept to push outward with your hatred, this next one allows us to disappear in the Force." Force Masking wasn't one that she used often, but it was nice to have if and when she did.

Closing her eyes, the priestess withdrew her spirit and dragged all the power that she had gathered since joining the Sith. To an outside observer, the brilliant dark light that was once there for everyone to see appeared like a large dark cloud that was sucked into another dimension and vanished.

"Try it."

[Jack Sheetai]

Jack heard her explain it and the clown knew what it was initally. Force Masking by the sound of it. So, he then nodded accordingly before he then concentrated. The chaos within the clown was fuel enough to channel the power of the Dark Side. As he concentrated on masking his presence he imagined his aura like a big cloud being swept into a vaccuum thus cutting off his presence in the Force. Taking his aura he then pulled it into himself.

Now noting to himself that he should work on his skills that he's learned thus far, once their session was over he'd stay behind. Work on what he learned and further himself in it. That, and practicing his saber skills. Hopefully he'd find a combat droid somewhere. Or else build one from scratch. That could be possible. Thinking about it now he kept his focus on keeping his presence masked.

"How's that?" He asked out loud.

[Sianna]

"One of the dangers of that ability is if you're not careful, you can be lost in that void forever, so keep that in mind. Your essence still had a faint aura, but if you keep an anchor to this plane then you won't have to worry completely and be able to fully immerse yourself in that void." Fear from the last ability still had a faint hold on the assassin and though he wouldn't admit it, she could feel it.

The next that came to mind wasn't one that she wanted practiced on herself, so tapped her com link and waited. "Another ability that we train at this level is choking the life out of someone without touching them," she began. "Using the Force to close their windpipe and squeeze until they die." Moments later, one of the temple guards escorted one of the mercenaries that had been captured some time back by Jack and another Sith, his disheveled look and squinting eyes revealing how long he had been kept in the detention area.

"And here's your test dummy," she stated as the guard backed away, rifle couched in his right arm as he kept an eye on the prisoner.

[Jack Sheetai]

"I'll have to remember that for future reference." Jack said with a nod, "But, I'll keep practicing that one."

He would indeed. All that Sianna had taught him so far he'd keep practicing it. So when the Lordess explained another ability one that he knew from Zeta using on him more then once. Force Choke. It was a marvelous one at that and Jack would know a few applications on using this one. Then again he could choke the life outta someone just by using his hands. But, this one would do nicely.

"Seems like a simple concept." Jack said with a grin, "This outta be fun."

When the temple guard came with one of the mercenaries he then grinned wider his teeth gleaming with excitement. The mercenary looked at Jack and his eyes went wide knowing he was captured by him and Tess. Well, he shouldn't have let himself be captured then! Idiot! Now that there was a test dummy he then lowered his gaze to the guy.

"Now you'll die that death you should have. With honor. Well, as much honor as a prisoner will get anyways!" Jack said red eyes glaring at him.

Concentrating he then outstretched his hand towards him. Holding his fingers like he was going to choke him with his own hand. Then the clown imagined an invisible one holding the man by his throat summoning the chaos that was the Dark Side to him. It took a moment before he heard the man choking having his supply of air cut off completely. So, Jack squeezed his fingers tighter making them cut off supply faster. Hearing the choking sound of the man's life being taken moment by moment gave him a rush! A rush that he felt when he was with Sky. Ah, it was marvelous to say the least.

In a matter of moments the man collapsed his lifeless body falling to the ground. Jack released his grip on him with the Force and then looked up at Sianna with a smirk. The whole time he was grinning like a lunatic. He'd definitely have fun with this ability!

"Ah, that was exciting!" Jack said breathing in the darkness that he willed to himself, "I'll have to keep up practice on that too. Use one of the other prisoners."

[Sianna]

The prisoner being a means to and end, Sianna didn't blink as the life was taken from the mercenary who's only purpose in life for the past few months was to wait for this moment. To further the power and knowledge of one more important in the universe than he was, the lifeless body now on the ground was unceremoniously dragged out of the arena and silver orbs then turned to the student for today.

"So," she straightened a bit, noting the assassin's joy at taking a life. "The last one is more time intensive and mentally taxing. You're going to need an electronic device of some sort." She waited for him to produce something from one of his pockets for her own wasn't going to be his test bed. "The Force allows us to mentally speak to the processor of that device in your hand. Intruding on the programming, you're going to use the Force to translate the language of the command module within that and make it do something specific. This can be done with anything that has electronics in it or uses an electronic brain, such as droids, computers, com links, etcetera." She motioned to the item, "Focus the Force into that and delve into it's circuitry and find the brain of it, then first try and use your ability to understand the program language first, then override it and program it to do something."

She knew this one was going to take a while, so produced her data pad and continued reading a book gained from the archives.

[Jack Sheetai]

OOC: I think you've forgotten Force Enhancement lol

Jack then listened intently as Sianna spoke of the ability being more taxing then the others. Nodding he then heard her say for him to get an electronic device. Holding up his index finger he then spun around going for his pack. It was small but, Jack didn't carry that much today. Then again he usually kept everything he needed on him. Most of the time anyways. Taking his datapad out the Sith Knight walked back over.

When he stood there in front of her she began the explanation. So one could use the Force to speak to electronic devices? It was a concept he didn't know existed. Most of the time droids were near sentient because they could think sometimes freely without having a programming in them. Then again, they also didn't have flesh or bone. Having this ability could be useful but he wouldn't use it that much he figured.

"Alright." Jack said simply.

Concentrating he then let the darkness flow through him using the passion he felt for the darkness and his passion for Sky. Knowing that it was a good conduit he fueled his passion with chaos and began reaching into the confines of the datapad. Storming through the unnecessary programs and past the initial firewall that was put into it. Running his mind through all of it was giving him a headache. But, he'd work through that.

As he made his way to it's 'brain' he found it. Then concentrating the Sith Knight worked his way into it manipulating the device's circuits. Manipulating them till he made it do what he wanted he then willed the device to make a smilie face with it's tongue sticking out on Sianna's.

[Sianna]

OOC: Wasn't doing them in any particular order.

IC:

She watched and waited and then noticed the emote on the data pad's screen, then silver eyes rose to the Knight. "Really?" A wry grin arced upon her pale features and she shook her head.

Clearing her throat, Sianna then mused on the last ability that he would learn today and pondered the best method to introduce it. Focusing on the Force, she soaked in all that the universe would offer and then her gaze leveled on the clown. "Force Enhancement is one ability that allows you to pour everything you have into an action and perform it beyond what you've either been taught or faster than normal." Silver orbs darkened as the priestess then poured all her malice and adrenaline into the atmosphere. The light wind accelerated to the point where all the small stones and rocks on the ground within sight began being carried, some gliding across the ground as the Echani's snow white tresses whipped around her in the torrent. Being the center of this maelstrom, the Sith Lordess became obscured by the debris that was caught up in the hurricane force winds. An action that Jack would have to fend for himself in...

Soon, Sianna relented and sighed, allowing the chaos to ebb, the dust settle and the detritus of years of training and combat in this arena to settle wherever it may.

"Your turn. This ability, like I mentioned, allows you to take one ability beyond where you've been trained or empower you past what you've physically attained at your level."