Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Luth Khalan]

Quiet footfalls barely made a dent in the noise of the hangar as Luth made her way in, keeping an eye out through her helmet. She didn't really need to be silent, but it was a habit she'd grown into in the past years. Missions usually meant not being spotted or heard. Being as exposed as this place was left her a little uncomfortable, especially as she was requested at the ship of this "Shyyyo." Normally she might not have even indulged it - she had plenty to do as it was - but she had a sense about it she'd learned not to ignore.

As she approached, the transport's hatch opened and she walked up into the ship, keeping an eye out around her. Nothing felt off, and that was off in itself.

[Sylvain Torsin]

The hatch closed behind her and the sound of footsteps from around a curved blockage of sight resonated.

A few moments later a familiar face emerged clad in armor and a white cloak, with a mask affixed to his waste.

He smiled, “Good to see you Luth.”

[Luth Khalan]

Her back immediately straightened, only waiting for the door to close before she moved forward, wrapping him in a hug. She showed physical affection to vanishingly few people now, and to someone like her, it was like revealing a grand buffet to a starving person. "Syl!" After a moment, she stepped back, removing her helmet to reveal her freckle, dusted face and red hair wrapped into a braid and pinned. "It's been too long. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain returned the embrace with a welcome squeeze before separating and placing his hands on her shoulders, "Baras sent a request through my office... And I figured I'd see what the old spider was up to."

He smiled and gestured towards the center of the aircraft, "Come in. Come in. I have some tea warming."

[Luth Khalan]

"That's usually a way to find out where the most interesting of interesting times are, anyway. Talked to him yet?" she asked, glancing back toward him as she went deeper into the craft, following the direction provided. Her glance followed the smooth bulkheads. "Looks like you've upgraded since I was last on a transport with you."

[Sylvain Torsin]

He nodded as he found a seat in the main area and poured some tea for the two of them.

“The Minister of War can afford things a bit more than a beggar sucking off Malgus’ withered old teats.” He said with a chuckle.

“Not that this is too much better. Standard military transport… Trying to stay under the radar at the moment.” He finished pouring the drinks.

He leaned back in his chair and took a sip, “But yes… I did go and say hello to the man in charge.”

[Luth Khalan]

"Well, I'll make sure not to say anything if you're trying to lie low for now." She replied, taking a long sip of the tea. "Mm... this is very good, than you."

"We've come a long way since then, haven't we? With the twists and turns along the way."

She shook her head after a moment, breaking free of the distant look she wore a moment before. "How did that go?"

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain let out a long breath through his nostrils, "A long way indeed..."

He took a sip of his tea before addressing the second question, "Troubling... I have had a growing sense of unease as of late.... and dreams that trouble me during the night. It is why when I heard Baras volunteer for this relatively minor excursion it pricked something within my mind."

He spun the cup in his hands slowly, "It appears that the Empress Regent and Baras are concerned about some sort of remnant of the previous Emperor... a growing threat of some kind. Baras states that he is coming simply to destroy pirates... but we both know he cannot be trusted for the things he says."

He eyes moved from the surface of his tea up to Luth, "Danger lies ahead... And not just the pirates or the deathly cold."

[Luth Khalan]

She pressed her lips together, staring into her tea. "That... Yes. I know people have been sensing it. I did, too, at first, but..." She shifted in her seat, posture stiff and agitated. After a moment, she rose, beginning to pace. "You know how strongly the future comes to me. I've seen it, Syl. Something much more devastating than the petty bickering between the Empire and the Republic. Maybe it's the same as your dreams, I don't know. "

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain nodded and extended a hand out, “Hold out your hand.”

When their hands touched Sylvain tried to relay through their minds what he could recall from his dreams…

An image of an old-gnarled man walking through red sands, and into white snows carrying only a cloak and a walking stick of twisted red black wood. Then there is a rain of metal slag and flaming hulks overhead breaking through the whipping winds and snow, it is hard to make out what the flaming hulks could have been… but the man continues undeterred, he looks briefly to see if you are still following before the dream ends… always the same dream.

[Luth Khalan]

She closed her eyes as she saw his vision, hand tightening on his gently. Her eyes opened and she nodded. "Not yet same vision, but similar subject matter. I wonder if the debris is from the same war I've seen? It leaves capital worlds devastated." Her hand didn't move just yet.

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain nods slowly, “If it is true that some vestige of Vitiate remains… there is no safe place in the galaxy.”

A noise in from behind a wall leading to a different part of the ship can be heard. Sylvain removes his hand as he turns toward the sound. He lowers his head for a second and shakes it in consternation.

“That is why the fool that I am has brought his daughter with him on this excursion…”

[Luth Khalan]

She looked toward the noise with a small smile. "Perhaps you are or perhaps not. I wonder if I made the right decision at times, leaving the boys somewhere safe instead of taking them with me." She sat down next to him. "If Vitiate is still active, there's more than just him in play. I saw an intense darkness, but also a great light, and another that changed color rapidly. It reminded me of some of what we saw back then."

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain nodded, “You know my approach to the Force… its true power is not only in one or the other. A threat that uses both Dark and Light is beyond anything we have yet faced.”

He brought his gaze up towards her from the floor, “And it is why I must pursue these visions… Perhaps me more than others.”

[Luth Khalan]

"Assuming we're not simply going to be caught in the crossfire between multiple greater forces," she sighed, leaning back. After a moment, she turned in her seat toward him, gaze serious. "You're not alone in this, you know."

[Sylvain Torsin]

He let out a long breath and leaned back in his chair.

“You are right… I bear too much of this on myself… I need help.”

He sat forward in his chair again and extended an hand out to lay on her shoulder, “I am glad you are here…”

[Luth Khalan]

She put a hand over his and nodded. "I have been since Nar Shaddaa. A lot of things have changed, but not that."

[Sylvain Torsin]

He smiled softly and reached his thumb up around hers, “I welcome the consistency.”

He gestured back towards where the sound had come from before, “You’ll keep an eye on her for me when I can’t?”

[Luth Khalan]

She brushed hers over his in return. Looking toward the direction of the wall, she nodded. "Of course. If anything happens to me, will you make sure Van and Aral are safe?"

[Sylvain Torsin]

“Of course. You needn’t even ask.” He replied with a smile.

He patted her hand and withdrew his hand back to his arm rest.

“Perhaps it is better to dwell on the pleasant things in life. Tell me about the boys… How are they?”

[Luth Khalan]

She sat back, taking a sip of tea. "They're doing well. Both of them are taking well to their studies, and have good heads on their shoulders. Van's developing a stubborn streak, and Aral's probably a little more easy-going than everyone might think is a good idea." He'd know what she meant, though she was always vague to cover her ass. "It won't be more than a few years before they and your girls are heading to Korriban, will it? How are yours?"

[Sylvain Torsin]

He smiled and listened carefully as she spoke of her children. When she asked about his his smile changed ever so slightly.

“They are good. Arymis has considerable promise… she’s a product of her environment and the special times in which we exist… Very focused on her studies and sharp as a space-tack. Will soon be headed for Korriban.”

He took a sip of his tea before continuing, “Addison is very much her mother’s daughter… She lacks a connection to the Force, but possesses a strong will which more than makes up for it… She has recently departed from home. Somewhere safe… Safe as can be managed.”

[Luth Khalan]

She nodded. "Sounds like you've done well with them. You must be very proud of them."

"As for the force..." She looked a little distant, expression a little ambivalent as it always was when talking about the subject. She had never become quite comfortable with her own connection to it. "Van and Aral both have one, though its characteristics differ. Aral has my vision. I sometimes wonder if that was part of my father's aim with his experiments."

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain simply tipped an eyebrow which suggested he was listening for further elaboration.

[Luth Khalan]

She leaned back in the seat and sighed with a shrug. "Darth Acklys. He was into eugenics and a bunch of other stuff. Sith, so he was paranoid. Between the Force hitting me with visions like a mugger in a Nar Shaddaa back alley and aral getting the same thing already... I don't know. It makes you wonder, you know?"