Breakfast gloop [D0 - Shifting Wound]

[Layne Hoshin]

"Riiiight, I could've let you take a transport, you know."

She then actually turned her eyes toward him.

"So. This thing with your sister isn't going to be a problem, is it? I genuinely don't want to have to deal with the shitstorm that'll follow if Baras gets me involved with that."

[Sylvain Torsin]

"Afraid are we?" He smiled.

"You needn't shake in your boots unnecessarily Layney. I'll handle any fecal precipitation that arises."

[Dapper Dog]

"I should return to my duties, my lord," she gives a respectful nod to Layne and then exits.

[Layne Hoshin]

"You're into some weird shit."

She shrugged.

"Besides, rather than handle it, I could only see you making it worse. All those attachments and all. It'd make things complicated. I don't like complicated. I'm going to have enough nonsense to deal with on Nar Shaddaa as it is. Especially now that Baras is gonna show up in person. The fuck is that about?"

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain tilted his head, "He's got a number of things in the works. But this seems like one he is keeping close to the chest."

[Layne Hoshin]

"So, he's not even letting wonderboy in on it huh."

Maybe it's magpie...

Layne leaned back in her chair and put her hands behind her back, and a foot on the table.

"At least I get the satisfaction of seeing you as clueless as I am."

[Sylvain Torsin]

He chuckled, "I admire you. I wish I could be so easily entertained. I guess that's what makes you such a good tool... His 'sword' was it? That's some thinly veiled innuendo if I've ever heard it."

[Layne Hoshin]

"Do you spend a lot of time thinking about that subject? I mean, you surprised me when you brought two unexpected female guests along..."

She looked briefly in their direction.

"...but I haven't heard any rythmic noises at night apart from the engine. So maybe you've had a breakthrough on the path of personal discovery? I could set something up for you on Nar Shaddaa if you want. I know a guy."

[Sylvain Torsin]

He chuckled, "And it looks like we can homophobia to the list of your fears. Truly impressive Layne."

He splayed his fingers and waved his hand in a circle in Layne's direction, "Is there ever a time where you turn all of this off? This whole... ignorant and needlessly unpleasant facade."

[Layne Hoshin]

"Maybe," she picked up another protein bar. "When I'm alone and don't have to worry about other Sith probing for weaknesses."

[Sylvain Torsin]

"I wonder what that looks like." Sylvain said with a chuckle. "Knowing what you think of me, I'm fairly confident that'll be something I miss out on seeing in this life... but it is an intriguing concept nonetheless."

[Layne Hoshin]

"You really don't know what I think of you, Torsin."

[Sylvain Torsin]

He chuckled, "Care to enlighten me?"

[Layne Hoshin]

She sighed.

"Well, you're annoyingly smug, for one. And that trait makes it very dangerous to share any positive impressions of you that I might have beside that, because you would never shut up about it."

[Sylvain Torsin]

"I personally think you'd be surprised if you backed off a step or two... I'm not as smug as I seem. From the beginning I have only ever tried to be considerate; and you have responded by being either closed off, aggressive, or out-right violent."

He tilted his head, "I still think you misunderstand me, whatever your conception of me may be. Not all Imperial nobles are self-absorbed, smug, feckless narcissists. Some of us genuinely dislike pointless bickering and infighting and prioritize ourselves and our own aggrandizement less than others. But if you prefer to keep whatever mistaken conception you hold of me, and continue to exchange petty barbs endlessly, I suppose I can tag along in that endeavor when it isn't too tiresome."

[Layne Hoshin]

She frowned.

"And I thought you liked the barbs."

And sighed.

"Look, you more than most know what Sith are like. You know how dangerous it can be to drop your guard."

[Sylvain Torsin]

He nodded, "It's not an on and off switch though dear Layne. There are varying degrees of defense. I understand to some degree where you came from, and understand the use of your methods. You are an individual, and it gives you strength and determination to prove others wrong. You are a rock, and a rock feels no pain. You don't open up and no one opens up to you, that is how you live."

He shifted his head slightly, "But it also makes you weak in other circumstances. An individual, no matter how strong can be defeated by a well-coordinated group. Strength is never universal, it is entirely situational. Allowing others to work with you, and utilizing their skills is just as imperative as a Sith as it was in whatever life you lived before."

[Layne Hoshin]

"All these months and you haven't checked my background once? Surely there's a nice big file full of psych-evals about why I am the way I am. Should've mentioned a thing or two about my past experience with groups too."

Of course, in reality, the records; if Sylvain even had access to any; were probably spotty at best... Blah blah unknown origins blah blah unknown early life blah blah sold to spice mines blah blah killed sith master blah blah korriban.

[Sylvain Torsin]

"Beyond basic info on the transactions surrounding you as a slave and your... interactions with your last owner... most of your record is blank. If there was anything before that, Baras must have seen to it that information on his new apprentice disappeared."

[Layne Hoshin]

She dismissively pushed out some air through her teeth.

"Growing up a pet for a violent and deranged slaver gang has a way of letting you see group dynamics from a different perspective."

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain nodded understandingly, "I'm sure it would. We are all a product of the world that surrounds us. We feed into it and it feeds into us."

[Layne Hoshin]

"Sounds like something a Jedi would say."

[Sylvain Torsin]

He chuckled, "The force works similarly whether light or dark in some ways. It's the way you access it that provides different results."

[Layne Hoshin]

"There's things one side can accomplish that the other can not."

[Luth Khalan]

"We could restrain you to the bed," Casna suggested, half-joking, and without any flirting connotation. She then shook her head and munched more on her food. "I still don't understand why you are having these nightmares. I never had any when I was your age."

"Genetics? Quirk?" She mused with a shrug. "Doesn't really matter why in the end. I'll handle it. Get medicine if need be." In the mean time, she just listens to the rest of the conversation around her. It was a little hard to avoid doing, but she kept her eyes toward her food or her spotter and didn't stare at least.