OOM: From Acolyte to Apprentice

[last_kallig]

(OOC: Some lines taken from canon.)

Ibani cleans up quickly, not deeming it wise to keep her new Master waiting. She climbs the stairs to the Academy's upper levels, Khem at her side. The emotions she feels and the snatches of gossip she hears tell her that rumors of what happened in Harkun's office have already begun to spread.

The door to Zash's office is open and there is no secretary or other person there to corral visitors, so Ibani enters Lord Zash's office with barely a pause in stride.

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[infinitest]

Zash can be found in the inner chamber, sitting behind a large desk; she smiles benevolently to Ibani, and even nods to Khem Val. "Ah, my magnificent new apprentice; congratulations are in order, I believe." Her tone is kind, maybe a bit humored.

Lord Zash is joking to her...

[last_kallig]

Zash's tone and behavior make it very hard for Ibani not to like her, but it's also...unsettling.

Ibani is accustomed to indifference, even sadism, from other Sith; Kindness and humor are not what she's used to handling. Which, she realizes, may be the point of Zash's behavior. If SHE'S put off balance by her Master's demeanor, what must it be like for older, more experienced Sith?

"So it seems, Lord Zash," Ibani replies, matching her Master's tone. "Three impossible tasks is the standard in tales, is it not?" she quips, testing the water.

[infinitest]

"Quite. But you are surely aware that success builds expectations." Zash gets up, moving around the desk closer to Ibani. "You showed not only skill and determination, but also potential for even more."

[last_kallig]

"Thank you, Lord Zash," Ibani replies, pleased. "Might I inquire what you mean about a potential for more?" Something tells her that Zash has a specific idea of what 'more' will involve.

[infinitest]

"You can, indeed, but not here." Zash looks around pointedly, before turning back to Ibani. "There are certain formalities you need to attend to, and certain details I need to arrange, but once those are handled, I want you to meet me at Kaas City."

"But first..." she offers Ibani a curious object.

Well, curious for the uninitiated, at least. "This was my lightsaber when I was an apprentice; now, I want it to be yours."

[last_kallig]

Ibani is surprised when her Master offers her a blade of such personal importance. It is rare indeed for a non-blood relative to inherit a lightsaber in this way. "Thank you, Lord Zash," Ibani replies, "I will use it well."

When she first touches the hilt she feels a brief tingle of power and possibility. A ripple in the Force, or merely a side effect of her own excitement? No matter. This is THE sign that she is no longer an acolyte, as no one less than an apprentice may carry a lightsaber on penalty of death.

"As an apprentice, I presume I won't need to steal a shuttle to leave Korriban?" she asks with a grin.

[infinitest]

Zash smiles, actually, and shakes head. "No, I will secure travel passes for you; you'll have them in your hands in a day or two."

"I'll also make sure that fool Harkon stays away from you." And she starts towards the door.

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Ibani nods her gratitude and understanding as she fastens the lightsaber to her belt. She moves to follow her master, as it would be rude to remain in Zash's office when the Sith is no longer present.

There are forms to be filed, an apprentice's robes to be received, and finally the task of moving her few material possessions out of the Acolytes' barracks and into the small suite near her Master's that is now hers.

[infinitest]

As an extra gift, Lord Zash also arranges for Khem Val to be armed with a proper sith-style vibrosword, cortosis-weave with an extra power cell for energy discharges; it will not short lightsabers, but will allow full-on parries without receiving damage.

Two days later, the travel passes have finally arrived, and it is time to bid Korriban farewell for the first time in seven years. But as Ibani strides down the hall from her quarters, the hair on the back of her neck stands on end; something's not right.

Next moment, two acolytes step out of the shadows, blades drawn, and one addresses Zash's apprentice. "Stop right there, slave; Darth Skotia has a message for you."

"The message is this" the other acolyte smiles viciously. "You will not go to Dromund Kass. He knows what your master is up to, and he is displeased to say the least."

"So you see, you have to die."

[last_kallig]

Ibani raises an eyebrow. "I'm insulted that you think the two of you are going to be sufficient to do the job," she replies with a sneer. "What about you, Khem?"

[infinitest]

The Dashade snorts derisively at the two would-be assassins. "You stay back, Little Sith; I can't have their flesh, but I'll still show them why a real killer acts, instead of just talking." The towering Shadow Killer is already readying his vibroblade while moving to engage the threat.

The would-be killers actually take a half-step back; Khem Val is scary.

[last_kallig]

They step back, but they don't run. Whether that's bravery or stupidity is up for debate. Ibani stys back to observe Khem's fighting style, to learn it for battles to come. She can always step in to help if he happens to need it.

He doesn't. Khem's vibroblade cuts them to pieces and in return they fail to leave even a scratch on him.

As Khem sheathes his blade, the tableau is interrupted by another acolyte coming upon the scene. Seeing Khem and the bodies, he blanches and turns desperately to Ibani.

"I...I didn't see anything!" he begins, clearly terrified. "I...I have a gift for you, from Lord Spindrall," he adds, proffering a small, pyramidal holocron.

Ibani raises a brow at that. Why would Spindrall be giving HER anything? "And...and I have a message," the acolyte continues. "This is his 'final gift for the one who will shape fates both future and ancient'." The acolyte swallows. "Those were his words, his exact words. I had to be exact."

Ibani takes the holocron, a bit lost in thought. She can still feel the acolyte's fear, sour on her tongue, as he stands there. "Very well. You have delivered both gift and message. You may go."

The acolyte nearly RUNS through the doorway in his haste to leave. Ibani shakes her head and goes through the door herself, but it isn't the shuttle port waiting on the other side....