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Post by Xathos Banethogen on Mar 28, 2006 13:18:41 GMT -5
~Xath grinned, he found it a rather entertaining choice of punishment for the arrogant male.~ "No...silence we have known our entire life...we would be glad for some conversation outside our own head. Hmm...well we aren't familiar with any rules...other than the basic playing rules of course, so we leave it to you to choose." ~He gave her a soft smile that quickly faded. That was an odd emotion...what is this we feel? Xath shrugged the thought away as much as he could then returned his concentration to the cards.~
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Post by igrayne01 on Mar 28, 2006 13:58:19 GMT -5
"We could, of course, play for credits--if you're up to it," Neelah suggested, as Xath's smile quickly faded and his countenance grew sober once again.
"Only a small wager," Neelah quickly added, "as I don't have much in the way of credits to spare."
She much preferred Xath to any of the cantina's other occupants. He was a good listener, but there was still an air of mystery surrounding him.
All in good time, she thought.
"You deal," she said with a girlish smile. Xath shuffled the deck in his hands.
The word 'Sith' brought with it many unpleasant associations. She didn't want to think of Xath as evil, not when he spoke so freely with her and with such candor...but surely some part of what it was to be a Sith must have been indoctrinated into him from an early age.
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Post by Xathos Banethogen on Mar 28, 2006 18:08:02 GMT -5
~Xath dealt the cards fairly, keeping his manipulation of the Force out of both hands.~ "Perhaps we can play for information...winner gets to ask a question...loser must answer truthfully...deal?" ~Xath thought it a rather entertaining proposal, besides, he had no desire to strip her of any credits.~
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Post by igrayne01 on Mar 28, 2006 18:28:03 GMT -5
"Sounds fair enough to me," Neelah said, enjoying the prospect of this new little game. Xath could certainly be entertaining when he wanted to.
She flipped up her first card--a 4--which beat Xath's 2.
"All right," she said, relaxing back into her seat, "My question. If you are a Sith...who trained you? Why did you decide to become one?"
She realized that this was, in effect, cheating, but hoped that Xath would answer both of her questions anyway.
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Post by Xathos Banethogen on Mar 28, 2006 19:57:07 GMT -5
"Our training began with a master named Garell...but he was assassinated soon after taking us on as an apprentice. We then began training with Lady Lyrica, but the Sith stripped her of her connection with the Force. We now train with Lady Antana, perhaps fate will be more knid to this master." ~Xath frowned for a second as he thought.~ "We chose to be Sith because we chose not to be Jedi." ~It didn't occur to him that the question was vague. With a shrug he flipped his next card, a 7, which easily beat Neelah's 3.~ "Hmm...why are you so unsure of yourself?"
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Post by igrayne01 on Mar 29, 2006 0:03:05 GMT -5
"Unsure of myself?" Neelah asked, laughing nervously. "Well, now I know you really can read my thoughts. There's no need for you to go looking into my mind."
She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, forcing herself to look him in the eyes.
"I don't know. I guess it just comes from being hurt a lot. After a while I stopped trusting people...and after an even longer time I stopped trusting myself. Figured there must be some reason why people kept doing what they did to me."
She rolled her shoulders in a casual shrug.
"That answer your question?"
When the creature was silent, she drew her next card, a 6. There was no contest.
"Well," she began, licking her lips, "What I really want to ask--at the risk of offending you--is...what are you exactly? I've never seen one of your kind before. And what's with the whole aura of mystery? I guess I'm just used to putting myself out there...but you seem very guarded with your thoughts and actions."
She smiled as she said this. She wanted to know why Xath functioned the way he did, what were his motivating factors...but she feared he'd be as cryptic with his answers this time as he was last.
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Post by Xathos Banethogen on Mar 29, 2006 13:58:54 GMT -5
~Xath flipped his two over and shrugged.~ "We are a shadow..." ~Xath shrugged and moved on to the next question.~ "What lives and breathes the shadows cannot bear the intensity of light. Nor the cold void of darkness." ~Not thinking that such an odd answer as it was Xath flipped his next card, a five. He thought at that moment that it was peculiar Neelah did not seem to notice that he had cards in the deck that were not included in the rules, or more accurately, that she did not mention it.~
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Post by igrayne01 on Mar 29, 2006 16:47:40 GMT -5
Neelah continued, trying to be polite.
"I see."
She drew a six.
"Okay, my question is why are you cheating on pazaak?" she asked, referencing the curious cards that had somehow entered into the staple deck that the cantina patrons provided for use at each table. She didn't want to offend Xath with too many questions or tire him out with having to supply her with answers. And, as it was, his answers told her as little about him as she had hoped to learn...she guessed he would still remain a mystery...
"Not that I mind," Neelah added, "In fact, you might have to give me a few pointers for when I next take on Atton. Assuming that day ever comes. I'd rather hang around with you than the kind of people that come into here. I'm sure you've seen enough of this place to know what I'm talking about."
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Post by Xathos Banethogen on Mar 29, 2006 17:47:43 GMT -5
~Xath nodded slowly at her last words then shrugged.~ "It is nothing we do purposely. Chaos has followed us our entire life, making small alterations in the reality around us. When we are near a Pazaak deck impossible cards begin to appear. In factories machines begin to perform completely different functions. In battle impossible luck comes our way. We do not claim to fully understand, but it is quite entertaining." ~Xath flipped over a six and leaned back a bit.~ "Why do you not act and speak as your mind works? You seem to be holding back, altering your words and actions to fit some code we cannot comprehend."
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Post by igrayne01 on Mar 29, 2006 17:50:24 GMT -5
Neelah blushed. It seemed there was nothing she could hide from Xath.
"I guess I just want to say the right things...and act in a proper way. I don't want people...or you...to think any less of me. Altering my behavior is what I do best. I can be whatever I want to be when I choose. That way nobody knows the real me. It makes it easier to throw off people sometimes." She shrugged. "And then, other times, people complain that I'm too confusing and difficult to read. Which one is it?"
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Post by Xathos Banethogen on Mar 29, 2006 22:35:09 GMT -5
"Do not make the inquiry to us, we find you no more difficult to read than anyone else. Perhaps you fail to realise that people are more likely to think less of you when you are playing a role, good one though it may be, rather than being yourself, however good or bad that is." ~Xath shrugged and flipped over a 1.~ "Hmm...seems it will be your turn next."
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Post by igrayne01 on Mar 30, 2006 0:05:11 GMT -5
Neelah paused a moment, mulling over Xath's thoughts before continuing. He certainly had a point.
"I guess I don't like who I am...who I really am...enough to show it to everyone. There's a side of me only few have ever seen...a very dark side that, if unleashed, could be devastating. That should answer your question."
She pulled up a 3 next, which, predictably, beat Xath's 1. She searched her brain hard for something she wanted to know about the Sith; now was the best time to ask, while she had his full and complete attention.
"Why do you travel alone...do you not like the company of others?" Neelah asked, flipping her hair over one shoulder. "I understand the isolation you feel, but surely there must have been someone--at one time--who traveled with you."
She knew this was true for her at least, and she assumed the same could have been said for Xath.
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Post by Xathos Banethogen on Mar 30, 2006 21:17:59 GMT -5
~Xath shook his head.~ "No, we have always been alone. Our only companions have been our droids, who lack personality software. There are few people an escaped slave can trust to travel with." ~Xath didn't realise what he'd just revealed, it had simply slipped out with the rest of the sentence.~
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Post by igrayne01 on Mar 30, 2006 23:42:16 GMT -5
"Escaped slave?" she balked, slack-jawed.
"Ahhh, but you must save your question for the next round, Lady Neelah," Xathos said, even though he didn't savor the possibility of having to explain that little piece of information in full detail.
"Fine," she said, drawing another card that was less than Xath's. "Your turn. And then mine. You've got me curious now."
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Post by Xathos Banethogen on Mar 31, 2006 12:31:08 GMT -5
~Xathos had been quite unusually focused throughout the game, managing to stay on serious questions of related topic, but being sanity impaired and a creature of chaos, that was bound to end.~ "What is your favorite color, Lady Neelah?"
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