Delay of Game [Day 6, Early Morning, Vindicator]

[Dapper Dog]

Her mother frowns and says grimly, "The Sith Empire is beyond saving, it is corrupt and I want nothing to do with it. There is no justice to be had. The Sith don't care about righting wrongs. They only care about their precious power and being stronger than their peers. A man like Baras knows that world, he knows how to pull the strings to stay one step ahead of your so-called justice."

"Marr might back you, but that won't be enough."

[Kristal Serasai]

"Even if it isn't, we need to try," she said, looking to her mother. Almost seeking validation that this all wasn't for nothing. "I am not ready to give up on the Empire that you, Father, and I have fought so hard for already. Been ready to give our lives to see it succeed. We might not change it tomorrow, or even a hundred years from now, but we could start. We could make a dent in the corruption that continues to attempt to swallow our Empire whole. Correct it's course to something that works, something that could finally bring the dream of the Empire to reality."

[Dapper Dog]

"You really believe that, don't you, Kris?" she says.

[Kristal Serasai]

"I have to," she says, freely revealing to her mother what she would see in her daughter anyway. Kristal was pragmatic enough to know it would be hard, maybe even impossible but she had the hope in there a hope she held onto because if she couldn't do something to save the Empire from itself... what was the point of any of it?

[Dapper Dog]

Her mother scoffs, "I know better than to try to change your mind."

"You really believe in this cause, don't you?"

[Kristal Serasai]

Kristal thought for a quick moment, squared her shoulders and looked to her mother confidently.

"I do," she said, unwavering.

[Dapper Dog]

"You have an unshakable faith, luv. I am not sure I have that anymore after everything that has happened. I just... can't," she says with exasperation.

[Kristal Serasai]

"One day, I will change the world enough that you can see it as well, again," she said, looking to her mother with an intense drive of purpose. "I won't let my life pass by without changing anything. I cannot allow that. Someday, I hope to make it so that you can see it as well, Mother."

[Dapper Dog]

"I believe you, if only that I know you will try and give everything to see that happen. I just hope it does not cost you... everything," she says standing and looking at her daughter.

"We have already lost everything but each other."

[Kristal Serasai]

"I do not want to lose you as well," she said, pausing for a moment and then continuing, "If I can clear our Family's name I can stop us from being forced apart, or worse.."

[Dapper Dog]

"Do it for you , luv," she says honestly. "I am not going back to that life and pretending that is where I belong. I will never fit in there... not after all of this."

[Kristal Serasai]

"It would be nice to have the ability to meet with my mother again without having to pretend I am in one of those spy movies," she said with an honest sense of humor.

[Dapper Dog]

"Blame the Sith," she says honestly and bitterly.

[Kristal Serasai]

"I do," she said frankly.

"More importantly," she said, pushing herself toward something that could be done, " where do we go from here mother? What is your next step?"

[Dapper Dog]

"I guess it depends on what you want Kris, what are your plans moving forward not the big stuff but your life. What are you going to do?" she offers.

[Kristal Serasai]

"Beyond everything we have spoken of?" she said, confirming it before she thought on it for a moment. "Serve until I get into a position to truly change things in the Empire..."

Kristal let her words drift, figuring that wasn't exactly what her mother wanted as an answer, but then the true answer she sought came out, "Beyond that mother, I do not know. One day I will have a child, a family. However that is far removed from the woman I am today. I am certain someday it will be of a desire to give the world I have changed to someone of my own, but I have not considered it in more depth beyond that.."

Gauging her mother, Kristal sought if that was the answer she had wanted.. or at least if she answered the proper question.

[Dapper Dog]

"Children change everything, it will be a new life for you. I am not sure how the Sith raise their children but I know I tried my best, not sure if that was good enough or not honestly. I could never have prepared you for everything you have suffered or endured," she says grimly.

"But I am proud of the person you are, I don't think I could feel otherwise. From your first steps till the day you rise to the Dark Council, I will always be proud."

[Kristal Serasai]

Kristal smiled at the last, reserved as most of her emotions often were but it was clearly present on her expression.

"For what it is worth I think you did a fine job, I could not have asked for a better mother. I do not know how I will do it in the future but I am sure I will find some inspiration from you when I get to that point in my life. Hard lessons and the easy ones."

There was a brief pause and she added, "Thank you, Mother."

[Dapper Dog]

“I am not sure I can say I did a good job, but I tried my best. I just did my best no to screw you up,” she says with a dry if amused tone.

“I won’t always agree with your decisions but you have done better than I could have hoped.”

[Kristal Serasai]

"I would like to believe it is possible for me to know what will happen next, but I do not. Knowing this.. thank you, Mother, for the clarity of thought you have given me. I do not know yet what will have to be done, but on the other side of this coming conflict I hope I will have managed something that you may still be proud of."

[Dapper Dog]

“I am always proud of you stupid child,” she says with concern. “Just try not to lose any more limbs.”

[Kristal Serasai]

"Of that Mother, I have no intention," she said with a half muted smile.

"I have been getting better, honing my senses so that no one may catch me off guard like that again."

[Dapper Dog]

She stops herself from saying anything and just says, “I know you will do all you can.”

“I know this may be silly but I brought one of your holo-vids your favorite when you were young… it is one of the few things I was able to salvage before I destroyed our home. Want to watch?”

[Kristal Serasai]

"I-" she started to speak but immediately stopped herself. With everything going on it was silly. Probably even childish for her to sit her watching old Holo-vids with her mother while the fate of the Empire, maybe even the galaxy was at stake. While people she knew fought, lived, and nearly died around her.

Yet...

"Yes, Mother. I would like that," she said with a light smile that slipped past her usual defenses. "I would like that a lot."

[Dapper Dog]

The two watch something completely silly and enjoy some good old fashioned family time...

/scene