Shreave Rhell gently lowered the Twi'lek to the bed the Imperial medic had pointed him to, then glared at Zalia, who'd spent the last five minutes cleaning out her nails.
"We done?" He asked, breathing a little more heavily than he would have liked.
She nodded, smiling slightly at him, before groaning and placing his ancient war blade back in his outstretched hand.
"Fine." She said, before spinning to the medic, demanding, "Let me know when he's awake. I'm going to bed, but here's my comm number."
The medic took the number down, and nodded briefly to her, before the two left the infirmary.
"You have to report to your overseer tomorrow?" Shreave asked, glancing at his chrono.
"Yeah. He hates me, though he seemed to like that Twi'lek fine. Apparently their simple minds and bloodthirsty natures are just similar enough. You?"
He nodded, adding, "Tremel's not bad. A bit formal, but so what? Want some help with your idiot?"
She shrugged, then froze, and looked at him. "You're perfect, you know that?" She asked, smiling excitedly.
Shreave chuckled, spreading his arms, and saying, "That's what I've been trying to tell you, Zal! You just never listen!"
She smacked him hard in the stomach, and he coughed slightly, before rubbing his sore gut.
"Not that, nerf brain, you're a Pureblood! Harkun loves you guys!"
Shreave chuckled, and said, "I doubt he'd appreciate my input."
She shrugged, and said, "As long as I have a Pureblood ally, I'm better than the rest of that rabble."
"Let's go impress Harkun, then." Shreave said, cheerfully smiling, and setting off at a jaunty pace.
"Tomorrow, Shreave." Zalia reminded him, and Shreave sighed.
"I always have to put off my fun." He muttered, but Zalia was gone, vanishing up the stone staircase to the second story.
Shreave woke early, with a message from Tremel demanding his presence as soon as he awoke.
Groaning, he shoved his comm into his pocket, quickly leaving the uncomfortable sleeping quarters to meet Zalia.
The inquisitor was waiting outside, tapping her foot impatiently, and Shreave smirked.
"Ready to impress your Harkun?" He asked with a smirk, and she sighed.
"I've been waiting for hours! You slept in!"
He shrugged. "Us handsome types have to get our beauty sleep."
"Acolyte!" A pair of voices called, and both turned around, just in time to see two overseers heading their way, one a Pureblood woman with a regal bearing, the other a snobby looking human male.
Pointing at Shreave, the Pureblood gestured for him to follow her, as he saw the man doing the same to Zalia.
"I am Assistant Overseer Loun. And I bring a message." She said, raising a hand to stop Shreave once she judged that they were far enough away from the others.
"Overseer Tremel may teach you the Sith way, bur he will be unable to teach you all of the skills. For that, there are specialists within the academy. Tremel wishes you to learn from them, and train with them."
Shreave raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "You look good, for a Sith. Most of you powerful types are all dried out."
Loun shot him a faint glare, smiling slightly at the praise. "Maybe. But no Sith would ever lower herself to an Acolytes level, Sith blood or not."
Shreave smirked, and said "Keep telling yourself that, Loun. I'll see you around!"
He strode off, heading for where Zalia was glaring daggers at the Overseer talking to her.
"I'm fluttering with fear, just fluttering, really." The young man was saying, sarcasm dripping off of each syllable.
"Like a butterfly or your average bird?" Shreave growled at the Sith's ear, and the man jerked around in shock.
"Careful, Overseer. You're looking at a Pureblood with deep connections." Shreave snarled, and the man bowed slightly, before sneering at both of them, and leaving with his nose in the air.
Zalia gave him a look, and he shrugged. "One of my relatives is overseeing the mines on Kessel. He's pretty deep, I guess."
She snorted, and said, "One of these days, someone's going to push the issue, and I won't be there to help you."
"Harkun awaits, Zal. We best not keep him waiting." he said, and she turned, striding away quickly.
Following her, he found himself going through the massive corridors of the academy, until they turned into the small entrance of Harkun's training room.
As Zalia walked into the room, Shreave leaned against the doorway, studying the group of slaves.
"Ah, the last one. Always the latecomer. Now, let's see what the hermit thinks of you all." Harkun snarled, his sharp, mocking tone a serrated knife across the eardrum.
Shreave watched as he shuffled through the tablets, shattering each one after he alone read it.
"Hmph, barely passable, even according to that lunatic. Acolyte Kory, step forwards." His gaze flicked across the acolytes, stopping on a young girl with a vicious scar across the side of her face.
She stepped forwards timidly, looking terrified. "Yes, overseer?"
Harkun almost grinned, a feral look that passed for a moment as he spat, "You are a weak, pathetic worm, and even a useless old fool like Spindrall can see that. And that means…."
He smiled, teeth bared, and threw his hand out, the tendrils of his Force Lightning wrapping around the unfortunate acolyte, and leaving her collapsed dead on the ground.
The other slaves actually took a few steps back, though Zalia was unmoving, eyes locked with Harkun, and a sneer on her lips.
A large man, almost shaking with fear stammered, "You-you k-killed her!"
Harkun seemed to feed off their fear, his look of joy growing. "And let it be a lesson to the rest of you filth. Anyone have any objections?"
His gaze flicked to each in turn, death crackling behind his eyes. One by one, the Acolytes shook their heads in denial, until he reached the Sith Pureblood at the back of the group.
His eyes widened slightly, before flicking to Zalia, daring her to question him.
"If you're so insecure that you need to kill acolytes to feel tough, Harkun, then you need to get out of the academy once in a while." She sneered.
Harkun began to raise a hand, only to see the Pureblood step forwards menacingly, and lowered his hand.
"Watch yourself, slave, or you'll be next." Harkun snarled, but then turned, looking at someone behind Shreave.
He felt himself pushed aside as another Pureblood stalked past, graceful and catlike, though taut as a bowstring.
"Meet Ffon Althe. This is real Sith strength, and he will tear you apart and crush your bones, slaves. He will be Lord Zash's new apprentice, not useless refuse like you lot."
Zalia looked the Sith over, and shrugged faintly. "Let's see how tough his is alone, out in the tombs, with just me and my blade for company."
Ffon curled a lip, growling slightly, with his hand going for his weapon. "Let's go, slave!"
Harkun grabbed his favorite's arm, hissing, "She's not worth it, Ffon. Slave, get over here, I must talk to you. The rest of you, get out! You know your trials. Ffon, Spindrall awaits."
The rest of the acolytes fled as quickly as possible, though Ffon left slowly, watching Zalia with a taunting look in his eye.
Shreave remained, moving to stand a Zalia's shoulder, one pointed brow raised challengingly.
"Get out, Acolyte. Your toy will be out soon." Harkun said, glaring at Shreave, but with a faint look of nervousness.
"Unharmed." Shreave said, his voice dead, and Harkun nodded.
Zalia glared at him angrily, but he shook his head slightly. Don't question it, please. He mentally begged her, and to his relief, she didn't say anything.
"Meet me in the training room once you're done, Zal." He said imperiously, and Harkun nodded approvingly.
Sighing irritably, Zalia turned back to Harkun, and Shreave walked out, without glancing back, though he heard Harkun start to snarl angrily at her response to a question he missed.
He chuckled, before heading to his own meeting with Overseer Tremel. Hopefully his Master wasn't too angry over the wait.
Turning the corner, he saw two men blocking the corridor, one a big, dumb looking brute, the other a lean, muscular young man.
The smaller one looked up as he walked by, and pulled him back.
"Here we go, Dolgis. Looks like we've found Tremel's secret weapon. Impressive, I'll admit, but you're too late."
Shreave rolled his eyes at the man's words, saying, "I suppose that makes you Vermin."
"Vemrin!" He snarled, his eyes burning with hate, and Shreave shrugged.
"Whatever. Now, get out of my face." Pushing past Vemrin, he found himself slammed into the wall by the brute, who snapped, "You'll show respect, boy. He'll be Lord Vemrin soon, so get use to it!"
"Easy, Dolgis. Our new friend just got off the shuttle, he's exhausted. Let him get his bearings."
Vemrin smiled, looking a bit like a shark. "Unlike you, I fought for everything I have, and you will show me respect."
Shreave shrugged, and said, "Just get out of my face, both of you. Back off!" He shoved them both back.
Vemrin glared at him, saying, "Believe it or not, I'm trying to save your life! If you had gotten here a year ago, you might have had a chance. As it is, you're too little too late."
Shreave laughed, saying, "Scared, Vemrin? If you're really that far ahead, then you'd be guaranteed the position, and you wouldn't even worry about me. You just marked me as your equal, Vem, so watch out."
Vemrin's fists clenched tightly, and he said in clipped tones, "Believe me, if it were allowed, you'd already be dead, Shreave."
Dolgis growled, a deep low sound, and he said, "Come on Vemrin, let's jus' kill 'em."
Vemrin sighed, saying, "We're not on Balmorra anymore, Dolgis, there are rules here. We'll leave the cheating and shortcuts to Tremel and his pathetic last hope here."
Shreave smirked, and said, "You're not very good with people, are you?"
"You're not funny, just pathetic." Vemrin said, glaring daggers at Shreave, who looked completely relaxed.
"Uh huh. That's cool." Shreave said, studying his nails. "Hmm…. Should probably take care of this..."
He bit at the hangnail, and Vemrin let out a frustrated snort. "Come on, Dolgis. Leave the idiot. He'll die soon enough."
With a last glower at Shreave, Dolgis followed, with one final thing to say.
"Remember, it isn't murder without witnesses, Shreave."
Shreave chuckled faintly, and continued towards Tremel's chambers.
