Crait's Terrain

Crystal:

The woman stood frozen during Strife's impassioned speech to Adonias. He was planning on training Adonias? And what about her? She wasn't quite sure what to do, though in the back of her mind, she remembered the whispers of the woman calling to her last night. Snapping out of her trance, she tried to compose herself. "He is your father. It's only right you are both together. And who better to learn from than him? He really is a good teacher, despite everything I may have said." Crystal took a deep breath and forcibly relaxed her shoulders, trying to inject positivity into her words. "You should stay with him. I haven't even seen him in years and all we have done is fight since we reunited. Our time is obviously past."

Darth Strife:

He raised a hand, stopping Crystal before she could continue. "Hold on. If I can finish?" He waited for her to stop her nervous rambling. "I was going to add, if my son would accept my offer to train him I would ask you, Crystal, to join our team. It is true that I believe in the rule of two. One master, one apprentice. That is how it has been done and should be done. But Crystal is no longer an apprentice. Nor is she the master. She has not bested me in combat nor does she want to at this time?" He turned questioning eyes her way. "Instead, she will be my acolyte. She will aid in your training, Adonias. And she will be free to pursue matters more dear to her heart." He offered her a wan smile, knowing she had always planned to avenge her family.

Crystal:

This day had certainly had it's share of surprises. She didn't think she had the ability to be shocked again but when Strife informed them both that she was no longer considered an apprentice she didn't know how to react. She didn't even know where she had been the last few years or if she had trained. To hear him judge her skills worthy now almost caused her to break down from the emotion of it all. She held herself together barely but her response came out almost whispered. "I would be honored to be an acolyte. There are many things I need to take care of, but the I am grateful to still be a part of this team." She smiled at Adonias, happier than she cared to admit that they would still maintain a connection.

Darth Strife:

He folded his hands together and bowed slightly to both of his charges. "It is settled. Adonias, let us go back to the ship and get you settled with proper gear. Is there anyone you need to notify, so they do not worry about your safety?" He was startled to realize he wasn't sure if his son had family besides himself, perhaps friends that cared as well? He felt frustration well up inside of himself. He had missed so much. Well, no more. He started walking back to the ship, stepping into the salty marsh and slowly wading towards the hull of the 'Shade' in the distance.

Crystal:

A soft chuckle escaped her at Adonias' words. "Yeah, there is more freedom and more trust involved and I sure could use both of those." She sobered as he finished his vow. "I appreciate that. I really do. I have never been able to figure out who killed them or where they came from. But then, I have never really had very much time to hunt them down. This will allow me to do so and honestly, I can't wait." She gazed earnestly into Adonias' eyes as she continued. "I just want you to know that I am here for you too. Obviously I am here to help with training but also, if you need anything, anything at all. Just let me know." She nodded at Strife's back as he sloshed through the marsh in front of them. "He can have his moments and certainly has demons. There were times I shouldn't have been alone with him but I was. I don't want you to be put in that position." She stumbled over the rest of her words. "So if you need me, for anything. Just say the word." Falling silent, she continued through the marsh with him at her side.

Darth Strife:

His mind filled with plans as he walked towards the ship. He had more in store for those two than they knew. He smiled to himself, let them think of him as nothing more than a doting father and proud master for now. He quickened his pace. Perhaps he would have time for tea before meditating. He wanted to show Adonias a few things first but he should have enough left in him to brew a proper cup of tea before he succumbed to his exhaustion.

Crystal:

She stopped when Adonias grabbed her arm. Meeting his gaze she sighed softly, trying not to speak too loudly. "Look, you saw what he was like when we reunited. He takes things personally. Very personally." She swallowed hard. "There were a few times when he came close to killing me." She rushed to finish, worried that Adonias would get the wrong impression. "I don't think he meant to, he was just really messed up too at the time and I was loud and annoying and we clashed. He got better as I got older though we had a bad fight a few weeks before my memories stop and I must have disappeared." She shrugged, trying to play off how scared she had been in the moment. "I grew, got stronger, and yeah... But still. Just watch out, okay?"

Crystal:

She hesitated for a moment, brain working furiously. "I don't know. I was never like a daughter to him. I was an apprentice. You are his son. I have a hard time believing he'd ever truly hurt you." She interrupted any protest he may have been about to come up with by putting her hands firmly but gently on his shoulders. "He loves you. He may be messed up but he loves you. He doesn't love me. I share a bond with him, met out by pain and mutual torment but love was never a destination we arrived at." Dropping her hands, she sighed quietly. "I will hunt down those responsible, but that doesn't mean I can't care about you too." Turning, she began walking again, feeling unsettled inside and hoping she was right about Strife in this instance.

Darth Strife:

He arrived at the ship before the pair of young ones had made it even halfway across the salt marshes. He shook his head in amusement, and they had called him old. He wasn't the slow one in the group apparently. Placing a palm on the hatch activation system, he stepped up the ramp as it fully extended and the bay doors opened. Time for tea. He busied himself gathering ingredients and heating a kettle of water in the kitchen area, ignoring the squelching of his wet boots on the smooth durasteel flooring. His eyelids grew heavy but he fought sleep, waiting for his son and Crystal to arrive.