A Traitor's Welcome (Open)

[Gianna Suo]

Munto Codru Jungle- Early Morning- Light Rain

"By order of the Tsuni Conglomerate and Queen Shiara, Lady Suo, you are hereby sentenced to exile on Munto Codru. May your days be long and your nights longer. May your hunger grow painful and your thirst go ever unquenched. This planet shall forever be your tomb." The Royal Guardsman closed the scroll and approached the traitor who was held on either side by fellow warriors clad in black armor and red cape. He nodded to the guardsman standing next to the shuttle bay door as a signal to open it.

The shuttle hovered one hundred feet above a rushing river below. Gianna began to make a struggle, fear filling her. "Wait! Wait! You don't have to do this!" The men holding her moved her closer to the open door with her back facing the lush world. "Your lord is a monster and you continue to serve him! He has torn you from your lands and united you under one banner! He is no justful ruler! He is an overlord!" The lead guardsman retrieved a blaster pistol from his holster on his right hip and aimed the pistol at Gianna. "The rebellions you led against Lord Tsuni has cost many lives on your side. Your Queen Shiara knew her place and bowed before our lord, submitting to him before more of your sisters were lost to him. She betrayed you, Lady Suo, and refused to reinforce you out of fear of her own life being taken. Now the women you once called sisters will be our slaves and keep our beds warm when we return from battle. They will serve their duties well." He placed the blaster against her clothed stomach. "You have one final chance to submit to the Tsuni Conglomerate and join us in our rule or I will pull this trigger and you'll go out that door."

Gianna spit a well placed glob right on the bridge of the guardsman's nose. "Bite me. I'd rather die than serve villainous mogul." The guardsman flared his nostrils in anger, but before he could pull the trigger, Gianna pushed all of her weight backwards and wriggled free of the grasp of the guardsmen holding her on either side. The sound of a blaster could be heard as she fell from the open shuttle door and plummeted to the roaring rapids below.

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Four Days Later-Late Night- Heavy Rain

Only living on waters from the mountains and berries, Gianna fell to a crawl near the steps of what seemed to be a large stone-like structure or temple. Her left arm throbbed from the pain. She was shot in the front of her left arm right below her shoulder. A vibro-pike with a broken electro charge on her back was her only weapon of defense against what could be inside the said temple.

She wearily staggered up the stairs on all fours, drained of nearly all energy. The doors on the opposite side of the courtyard where she crept had lit-torches on either side. So someone was living there. She rose and limped across the pooled water on the ground and rapped her right hand on the door. No answer. Again she knocked, this time louder than the first.

[Antony Icarus]

Antony strolled the halls, drinking from his flask. Although it was water he was already half drunk. The teen had been on a partying mode the last week. Now that he was one year away from being a total adult, his mind set was becoming that. But, hearing voices in one's head made you totally crazy! Hearing two however you were labeled 'insane'. So walking through the halls the half drunken Warrior stumbled around taking sips of water.

Not being able to hear the voices in his head, Antony heard a rapping at the door. Raising an eyebrow the teen Warrior then shrugged. Maybe it was an animal wondering why it couldn't get through. Turning around he then started to walk away again mumbling to himself. Not making any sense of what he was saying. Stumbling around, the Sith Warrior started to snicker out loud at a joke he would tell a friend later about his idiot father!

Then that sound came again! This time louder then the first. Spinning around, although nearly falling onto his behind, Antony regained his balance. Giggling to himself at how drunk he was, Antony stumbled to the door. Half missing the handles on the door, he then chuckled.

"Oh my...can't even..." He then hiccuped a few times, "...open a door!"

Finally after a moment the teen finally opened it. Peering out into the dark he then searched through the late night. Seeing nothing in the dark, the teen then summoned what he could of the Dark Side to him. Channeling his hatred of the voices in his head, he searched with his other Senses. Seeing a grayish hue through his eyes he looked down.

"What the..." He then hiccupped again, "...frak?"

Seeing her on the ground barely able to crawl towards it he then offered her his flask. Crouching he then helped her inside then looked out the door a moment. Nobody else appeared to be with her. That was certain. Shrugging he then closed the door, using the Force and concentrated on it.

"Why are you..." Another hiccup, "...crawling on the ground?"

[Gianna Suo]

When the Sith boy held her around her body, Gianna welcomed his aid to get her inside and she pushed away from him to lean against the wall in the hallway. "Keep your hands off of me."

She lowered her right hand to her abdomen and her found the blood from the three claw mark reminder of her previous fight for her life. The beast she had killed to keep her life on this wretched planet another day. Realizing her outburst towards him was natural yet immoral, she apologized. "Forgive me. I do not trust men. It isn't in my nature anymore. Too many of your kind have hurt my sisters and my trust towards men has been tarnished."

Gianna leaned her back to the wall and slumped down, her drenched clothing from the heavy rain outside creating a trail downward. Her left arm covered her forehead to give some kind of relief to her pounding headache from being dehydrated. "You don't even know me, yet you bring me into your...home? What is this? Where am I?" In all honesty, she had no idea who he was nor if he even worked with Tsuni and his warriors. Why else would they of brought her to Munto Codru to kill her? If she escaped her execution, perhaps this place would be her tomb.

[Antony Icarus]

Antony then raised an eyebrow and hiccupped again, "I could just...push you back...out the door."

When she lowered her hand to her abdomen the teen figured she was hurt some how. When she apologized he then shrugged. The teen didn't care either way. It didn't hurt his feelings. Although she was cute, and, since he was half drunk he was in a good mood to hit on her. But, when she said men tarnished her people the teen blinked and then hiccupped again. Taking his flask he then drank the water till it was empty. How thirsty he'd become since drinking all day long.

"Ain't my fault some..." Another hiccup, "...bantha fodder...jerk...hurt you and your 'sisters'. I thought since you were crawling on the ground I'd help you. Plus..."

He then stumbled a bit before he then took a step towards a small fountain. Taking his flask he then filled it with water before taking another drink. Not finishing his sentence he then turned back around hearing her say that she didn't know him and brought her into his home. Antony then laughed. It was his 'home' per se, but, there were others here too. Many others.

"...I was thirsty and...here ya go..." He then offered her his flask of water, "Thought you might need a drink of water."

As she asked where she was he then chuckled, "You don't know what the Sith are? Your standing in our fortress. Our home. The home of the Sith Empire."

He was surprised he managed to get that out. Not hiccupping once through that whole sentence. Score one for Antony! Bending down to give it to her he then nearly hiccupped again. Oh great! Here they come again!

"I'm Antony..." A hiccup again, "...Icarus...by the way." He said introducing himself.

[Gianna Suo]

Without question, Gianna took the flask from Antony and raised it to her lips, drinking the entire thing in short, quick gulps. She was thirsty and the taste of refined water from a fountain rather than a spring was something she needed. Wiping her mouth, she stared straight and handed the flask back to him. "Many thanks, Abbil Antony. Qu'essan Gianna Suo of the Taeke Clan from Diado." She turned her head and smiled at him with the slightest tilt. "You don't understand my language, do you? Tis' alright. No one does. It is the language of my people which we use to communicate rather than force ourselves to become one with the ordinary speech of reality." She staggered to stand up, yet still leaned her back against the wall. "Abbil means "friend" or "trusted" and Qu'essan means "Princess". Normally I would not trust your...kind, but your kindness is both accepted and appreciated. A life debt will be paid in full to you."

Gianna looked down the torch lit hall leading further into the Temple. "The Sith Empire you say." An Empire? Surely something with leverage in this galaxy to have such a name. Allies would have to be made with this Empire if she is to storm her city and retake her throne for her people. Perhaps not all of them have deserted her cause. They must be saved before Lord Tsuni punishes them. "I have not heard of such an empire nor have I heard of the Sith. Just who are you?" Gianna eyed Antony from his waist up now. "Your people are warriors?"

[Antony Icarus]

"I hadn't...a..." A hiccup, then another, "...clue what that was."

When Gianna explained it and her name he then nodded. Oh boy! That last drink of his bottle an hour ago really hit him now. At least his headache was gone. Plus, he couldn't hear the voices in his head for the time being. Which was good. That thing was annoying to him. Although his brother, Jaden's voice made him feel at ease sometimes. When she said that normally she wouldn't trust his kind, which was men, but his kindness was appreciated and accepted, he then smiled. Then hiccupped again.

"I will gladly..." He did again, then continued, "...accept your life debt. I guess."

He hiccupped again before he added, seeing her look down the lit hall, "Yep. The Sith. Opposite of the Jedi. Two sides of a coin."

When asked what the Sith were and if they were warriors he then laughed, "Something like that."

Another hiccup before taking a swig of his water in his flask. How he wished they would stop. All this hiccupping was starting to get on his last nerve. Now thinking about it he held his breath. A ten second pause then he breathed out and sighed. Hoping that would cure them. So, when he finally got a nerve to speak he hoped that the hiccups would be over finally. For the most part it seemed they had.

Swaying left and right he then spoke, "We are Force users. I'm one of them, a Sith Warrior."

His speech a bit slurred he then continued, "All of us harness...the...darkness. The Dark Side. Passion, hate, rage! All of the above we use to fuel our dark powers. There is something within you. Or else there would be no reason you were here. The Force at work perhaps."

[Gianna Suo]

Gianna leaned off of the wall and faced him. Her hands raised and slammed down on his shoulders. Massaging them slowly in a circular motion, Gianna released his shoulders and tapped him twice on either side of his chest where his lungs would be and then once lightly in his stomach. "Taeke treatment for hiccups without the use of modern medicine." She stroked the right side of his face with the knuckles of her left hand. "Alcohol. I can feel it emanating from your pores." Lord Tsuni brought the vile drinks to Gianna's kingdom and used its foulness and new flavor to corrupt the minds of her pure sisters and lower their guards while they slept from passing out. It was yet another reason why she hated men and vowed that if she ever drank the said substance known as alcohol, she would take it lightly.

She turned her back to him, showing the large gaping scratches and scrapes on the exposed part of her upper back. Gianna held herself. "The darkness." She lowered her head and played with a stone on the ground with her foot. "I was cast out of my clan because of this darkness. My mother witnessed my practices and had me locked away when Lord Tsuni arrived. I hated her and I hated those men for invading our lands ,so in solitude, I harnessed the ability to move objects without even touching them. This new ability helped me secure my escape and exact revenge on the man who invaded my city."

She spun back around to look at Antony in the face. "Abbil, I didn't choose this darkness. The darkness chose me. Untrained with its magics, I failed in numerous attempts to retake my city at the cost of those who stood with me. Being punished for my failures, Tsuni gave me a choice of planet where I would spend the rest of my days and should I return, he would behead my mother, the Queen, and feed her corpse to his pets. I'm not sure how this planet came to mind, but I swear it that I heard a voice whisper its name to me. I was supposed to die in these jungles but I feel that this same darkness is keeping me alive for some reason to show me something."

Gianna took a step closer to Antony. "Perhaps it is you."

[Antony Icarus]

When she massaged his shoulders the teen Warrior then closed his eyes. He liked it, maybe a bit too much. Then again he was drunk so, he was going to be a bit flirty. Plus, he liked her. She seemed a bit edgy and had a hint of spice in her. Which he was becoming fond of. It was then she tapped him on his chest and then the stomach. Tilting his head he then felt the hiccups go away finally. Yes! He was free!

"Thank you." He said and when she helped him the drunkeness seemed to fade a bit.

It was then Gianna stroked the right side of his face. His hazel eyes opened before then but when she did it they closed again. He was aroused. But, his drunkeness was fading more with that moment and he knew in time the voices in his head would come back. Sooner or later. So she knew he was drunk. Oh great! Then mentioning that she could feel it emanating from his pores he then opened his eyes again and blinked.

"You know? That's some talent." Antony said with a smirk, then his face became serious before she turned her back, "If you knew what was inside my head you would drink too, Gianna."

Showing her the large gaping scratches he then walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. Seeing her play with the stone, the teen then tilted his head. Hearing her speak of the clan she belonged to, the darkness being the reason. It was sad to say the least, but, he knew that being here was the work of the Dark Side. Otherwise she would be dead already. The ability to move objects sounded like Force levitation to him. More or less it did. Sometimes one manifested them when they were at their most vulnerable or else when they were full of adrenaline without proper training.

As she spun around to face him he took his hand off her shoulder and nodded, "We choose it and sometimes it chooses us. Me? I was born into darkness. My father...the ingrate that he is...is on the Council here. I'm named after him. Take his name and reverse it and you have mine. So, in turn, my darkness was there. After being here I refined it. Turned my dark desires and weaknesses into my strength. The passion for power...the hatred of the Jedi. The rage deep inside. You may have failed now. But, I see your potential. All I would ask is that you know that if you step into this journey you cannot turn back. My father, and others have hunted those down who have. Killed them too."

When she spoke of a voice whispering to her, he then raised an eyebrow. It confused him and his drunkeness was fading away a bit at a time. So, now he was thinking more clearly. His slur had gone as well. That was good. He kinda hated that part about being drunk. But it was the only way he could quell the voices in his head. As Gianna stepped closer he then smiled. Maybe she was that feisty type with a conscience. He was still human himself and Jaden's voice in his head kept him that way for the most part. Otherwise the 'Dark Passenger' would already be possessing him.

"To be a Sith you must learn to take the power you wish...you crave...from others. Learn...and then when the time comes...take it!" Antony said as he kept his hazel eyed gaze on Gianna, "It may be showing you what I am. Give you a vision or a push into the direction of me...and...the Sith. I cannot accept you here. I'm not a Sith Knight yet. In due time I am. I'm sure someone will be here."

He put his hands on her shoulders, "The Dark Side will show you the way. Can you swear loyalty to the Empire? To the Sith?"

[Gianna Suo]

Gianna felt his hands on her shoulders and placed a her own hand over his left. She liked Antony a lot even after just meeting him. She was nineteen years of age herself and this one either seemed to be the same age or very close to her own. A soft smile thinned her lips. "The ways of the Sith and its teachings sound as something I could live by."

Her cheeks flushed crimson with a bright blush and she quickly turned her face from him. What was going on? Her life was to her sisters she swore to protect. To love a man was to give in to lust and that was something Gianna swore never to do. A man's embrace was taught to be deceptive rather than comforting. The only reason a man wanted to befriend a woman was to get something out of it, whether physical, mental, or both. She couldn't fall for Antony's deception. "I swear myself to your Empire and to the Sith. Family and allies is something I have no longer. My life is in ruin and I have no home to go back to for now. If the Sith can teach me the ways of your "dark side", I will give my all and more to learn more from you."

The word "Jedi" came to mind now. "You mentioned this Jedi sect again as if they are your enemies. What makes them different? Do they not trust the Darkness as your brethren do?"

[Antony Icarus]

Antony then smiled as she spoke of the darkness as something that she could live by. The teen then saw her place her hand on his then blush and turn away from him which he understood why. Her culture men were nothing but deceptive and only wished to treat women badly. Antony understood that her distrust for him initially. But the teen would reassure her that nothing like that would happen. The teen may be a Sith but didn't mean he wasn't human. Whoever did this to her people he wanted her to embrace the Dark Side. Learn and when the opportunity arose, take the power she craved and use it to either help her people or not. It was her choice and hers alone.

He blushed as she did saying, "Glad to hear that. But what iI ask is what skills you bring to us?What makes you unique and what else you offer in our goals. To control the galaxy."

Then hearing her speak of the Jedi he then frowned and nodded about them not using the Dark Side. It was true that they didn't use it like the Sith did. They believed in the Light Side of the Force. But the Jedi thought that the darkness corrupted those who used it's power which it did. The price to pay.

"They do not like the Sith. All of them are afraid of it's power. They are self righteous and think they're above everyone else. That is why we hate them, Gianna. Jedi and Sith are two sides of the same coin. In the Force anyways. One delves into the Light Side...while the other into the Dark Side."

[Gianna Suo]

Gianna turned back around, regaining herself from showing her emotions and glared at Antony. "Controlling the galaxy?" She looked around and then back at Antony. "The Sith has a goal of controlling the galaxy? By who's means? You all cannot be that big if not even my people have heard of you. To control the galaxy and to even put that claim out there is no simple feat. There will always....always be people out there who will try and stop you. Why is the galaxy so important to you? Isn't just living in solitude enough without the risk of others attacking you? My kingdom was always fine with keeping our own to ourselves."

Just the thought of that sounded hypocritical. Her so called "peace" in her lands ended up finding trouble even though she had never sought it out.

The stinging pain in her abdomen bothered her again with its relentless pain. Gianna winced every so often. "You're right. The galaxy should be the goal. My people need a new kind of leader. Someone who could be trained by your kind and in turn, a powerful leader to assure the safety of those who stand with me. Those who turn against me should be punished and no amount of diplomacy will teach a lesson. I will give myself to you to crush the Jedi as long as you are there to fight alongside me in the war to come, Abbil."

The pain intensified once more and forced her to one knee. The wound had to be infected by now and the infection was eating away at her. Closing her eyes, Gianna focused her dark energy on herself. The sound of the room deafened and only her heartbeat could be heard. She could feel the pain subsiding and the sound in her ears made a sucking noise until nearly all pain was gone.

[Antony Icarus]

Antony stared at her with a raised eyebrow, "We want to control it because we feel as if we can do more then what any Jedi, Republic or anyone else can muster. Oh, the Sith are ancient, Gianna. You may not have heard of them but the Sith have been around since before either of us were born."

The teen then saw her wince and go down to one knee. Taking something out of his pocket it was an elixir he had made. It was enough to help her for now. Get rid of the pain and take some of the infection away. He then handed it to her. Knowing she sounded hypocritical he dismissed the statement. Then she explained that her people could use a leader trained in the ways of the Sith. Her statement made him grin wide. If she could learn from them they might be able to help her people for the cost of influencing them and bringing them to the Sith.

"We could help your people. And you of course. Train you in our ways but what price are you willing to pay for the power?" Antony said putting his hands on her shoulders, helping her up, "The Sith are at war...we need all we can gather. A force to be reckoned with. I want you to take charge of your life. Seek the power you want and bring it to your people. What will you do once you have it?"

[Gianna Suo]

Gianna smiled at him as he helped her to her feet. To carry around such an elixir with medicinal properties was smart. She was starting to like him more and more and he would prove resourceful if he really meant what he said about helping her people.

"I would go to the ends of this galaxy to help my people from their overlord. He sits on my mother's throne and his female advisor, one of my trusted sisters sits in my chair as his....wife. We will not be objects in their eyes. Abbil Antony, I will give my all and more to see the Sith have control over the galaxy."

Gianna unsheathed her pike from her back and planted it upright beside her. "My blade for you and yours for me, I will obey your secret order and pledge my life to it. Why stop after securing my peoples' fate? This galaxy could use order...not healing. Through order, the healing will follow and those who stand with the Sith should be rewarded."

[Antony Icarus]

Antony smiled as she explained she'd go to the ends of the galaxy and back. Hearing her explain that one of her sisters had become the overlord's wife while her mother was vacated of the throne. He thought that maybe one day when Gianna was able to and wanting it...she'd take the throne from her own mother and the overlord. Would make sense. She'd have the power she wished and would take it however possible.

"Glad to hear that, Gianna." Antony said with a smile, "But, we are not nice about what we do here. You will go through trials...struggle with what you have. But, through those struggles and trials you will have power beyond your imagination. It will be brutal. I would know. I went through it myself."

Seeing her take out the pike behind her setting it upright he then tilted his head. Knowing that she couldn't hurt him with it since he could dodge her attacks with the Force. But, he knew already she wouldn't because he let her know ahead of time what he was about and who he was. The speech about her blade for him and vice versa, the Sith Warrior nodded accordingly. She'd have much to learn, but, much to gain also. Hearing her pledge her life to it though he then knew she would take the steps on the right path to the power she so craved.

"There is a difference between order...and chaos. Though the Sith wish to control the galaxy we do so because we want to be the alpha...and the omega. If you know what I'm saying." Antony said tilting his head back to normal.

[Gianna Suo]

(OOC: Forgive her innocence but I wanted to make Gianna an innocent character who could be turned to the dark side. Rather than be a bloodthirsty, reckless person, I decided to go for the corruptible mind. Probably a Sith Masters' dream.)

"This Sith order seems very mysterious. I take it these Jedi are a real thorn in your side since your allies have not taken the galaxy already...though you've been around for many years as you've mentioned." Gianna sheathed her weapon on her back once more. "I am willing to undergo your trials to test my limits and I will succeed in each of them."

She took a step closer to Antony and glared at him in the eye. "But know this. I will help your Order achieve what they desire but I cannot condone chaos and unnecessary suffering. Battles are fought with combat but wars are won with words. You seem someone who has experienced much loss in your life and perhaps that is what drew you here. I can feel the anguish and despair of this temple just standing where I am now. The place has seen much pain but it doesn't have to be that way. Is there no way we can just speak with the Jedi and together we come to a resolution? Even you must know that even with the amount of people residing here, taking the galaxy is near impossible without more allies."