Strange attraction

[Salem Ave]

Of all of the places in the great nucleus in the Empire, Rama's Corner was most like - to Salem - a Siren. It's atmosphere was one that held you. A sense of curiousity as to what each of the patrons was doing here and what their occupation was crossed you as soon as your foot passed the threshold. Salem was no different, and he found each tormented visage and placid mask just as luring as the previous.

"A drink, sir?"

Sir - that wasn't something he'd ever been called before. It was mostly just 'Master', as in Master Ave; a simple terminology used by the house masters at his school.

"No."

Bluntness was of no worry to the young Sith, afterall the tenders here would have fielded worse from the scum of the galaxies many a time. However a little politeness never went amiss.

"... thank you."

The boy sat himself down at one table far from the bar quickly and placed the book that he carried down on the tabletop. The volume sent a squall of dust into the air, and Salem sneezed loudly as the particles tingled at his senses; much to the amusement of the others in the bar.

[Lana Westbrooke]

Amid the amusement was a soft and silent laughter of her own. Lana glanced over at the man from her own table and smirked.
"Poor guy....."
She stood up and walked over to his table. Lana stood for a moment upon reaching his table, then bowed slightly as though in greeting.
"Hello. Mind if I join you?"

[Salem Ave]

The book was quickly hidden from view, slipped into the oversized pockets in his trousers. With a slight cough he sat up and stared, eyes solid black, at the woman.

"Ah- Go ahead."

Salem shifted his seat to the side with a loud screech as the metal bases of the legs ground against the floor.

[Lana Westbrooke]

"Thank you...."
She pulled out her own seat using the Force. It made no sound as opposed to the man's chair; This was something Lana had practiced in the past.
She sat down silently, pushing her chair in the same manner as previously, and extended her hand to the man.
"My name is Lana Westbrooke."

[Salem Ave]

He shook her hand shakily at first, then more firmly before retreating his palm to rest on his knee; just like the other.

"Salem. Salem Ave. Pleased to meet you, Miss Westbrooke."

Salem sat slightly hunched as he looked at the girl, a matt of black hair curtaining his face in thick quills.

"You are an Apprentice here."

He had sensed that much through his own Force perception.

"I hope to be soon ... "

[Lana Westbrooke]

"Likewise."
Her smile had long faded as she looked at Salem. She felt something in this boy... The Force?
"I don't doubt your chances of getting in TSE. So long as you have a common purpose as the rest of us.... You shouldn't doubt your chances either."
Lana crossed her right leg over the other, resting her hands politely on the top of her lap. She eyed the darkness behind Salem, looking curiously into it.
The darkness had always brought wonder to Lana.
"How are you on terms of appetite? Hungry at all?"

[Salem Ave]

"I do not doubt that I will be accepted - I only question how far my body will allow me to be pushed."

The things he had seen during his training had made his stomach churn, and left his apetite somewhat diminished - though still, it would be rude to decline if Miss Westbrooke were to offer him anything.

"I am a little hungry, yes."

[Lana Westbrooke]

She sensed his uneasiness. Nevertheless, she ignored it.
"What do you feel like eating? I, myself, am not that hungry.... So I'm not that great for ideas."

[Salem Ave]

A choice of food? That was something he was unaccomsted to. The academy had provided food, and the students would eat it whether they liked it or not; and most often their opinion was or the later persuasion.

"Rice,"

That was all he'd really ever eaten. How could he suggest anything else?

[Lana Westbrooke]

Her eyes narrowed in thought. Lana wondered if Rama's even had rice. Afterall, she had never eaten here yet herself.
"Alright. I can't make any promises that they'll have it, though."
She turned around and eyed a droid, who immediately came as though she had beckoned it to. The droid stood there and awaited her request.
"Mister Ave here will have some rice, if you have it."
A few bleeps and clicks, as though it was processing the order, and the droid whisked away.
Hey, so they do have rice at Rama's, Lana thought to herself with a shrug as she turned back to face Salem.

[Salem Ave]

Salem watched the small mechanoid retreat behind the bar into the kitchen to retrieve his order. He chewed the inside of his cheek thoughtfully as his eyes trailed back to the Sith appprentice with whom he sat. The full black iris of his eyes roamed across the plains of her face, taking in her features fully, burning them to memory. As he stared, he lapsed into a lethargic state, and became so relaxed that he murmured his thoughts aloud.

"Why do you kill?"

[Lana Westbrooke]

Lana's heart jumped at the question. She simply looked on at him, watching his studious expression as he watched her. Why did she kill? Until now, she never asked herself that question.
Still, she wasted no time in answering him.
"Revenge. For my father and the other pieces of a past life that made me whole. Jedi's stole my world as well as what made me who I was..... And for that, I've grown a very strong hatred against them."
Her voice was addressed in a monotonous manner, and her eyes carried the same lack of expression as her voice did. Lana's gaze drifted into another world as she thought back on the events that made her who she was today. To this, she wondered if she would have been a better person if none of them happened.
But she quickly came to the conclusion that wouldn't be so. Finally, she looked back to Salem.
"Why do you ask?"

[Salem Ave]

"It just interests me to hear why the other Sith place themselves into the hands of the darkside, that's all."

Salem's voice trailed as he spoke, eyes staring just off center from Lana's eyes. His expression was almost eerie, as was much his persona in such meditative moods.

There was a bleep, and Ave snapped out of his trance looking down at the service droid with his food. He quickly snatched up the bowl of rice and shooed the mech away, eyes flickering back up to his aqquaintances - it was as if his taking his gaze away from hers would allow her to escape from him.

"I do it for fun."

[Lana Westbrooke]

Lana smiled a bit, watching him eat.
"For fun? Well, at least you have a purpose.... People I've seen come here, and they really don't know why they're here. Perhaps the Light didn't shine on them the right way or something...."
Her eyes stayed fixed on Salem as her smile faded again. The mere mention of Jedi's made her fume with anger.
So she mindlessly tapped her fingertips on her knees and thought no more of them.
"Is the rice here any good?"

[Salem Ave]

Furiously shoveling the grains of rice into his mouth, Salem blinked and stopped, the latest shoveled of food half in-half out of his mouth.

"Oh, er, yes it's very nice."

A pang of guilt struck his mind, and he instinctively held out the bowl, offering some rice to Lana.

"Want a taste?"