exsiliumlogs | (no subject)

Date & Time: December 1st, afternoon
Location: Simulation room
Characters: Darth Maul and Lily
Summary: Maul and Lily have more common ground than anyone would have suspected
Warnings: PG-13 for violence against simulated enemies

Lily had tried to live a peaceful life, to just be a normal kid as she’d been encouraged to be. Perhaps one day, it would be possible. One day, it might be more than just a pleasant idea. Today was not that day. That day was probably further off than Lily cared to contemplate. For all that Lily wanted to have that kind of peaceful life, she couldn’t settle into it. Years being trained as a living weapon had left their mark. It meant that she couldn’t sit back when so many of the enemy were still alive. It felt wrong on a fundamental level to relax and have fun for more than a few hours. Neglecting her training left her feeling more anxious and distressed than her most brutal training ever had.

This inner turmoil made her immensely grateful for the simulation room. Here, she could unleash every violent urge without fear that she might hurt someone. The targets were all artificial, although they felt real enough during the training scenarios. The part of her that Lily took such care to hide from everyone could come out. That vicious, brutal killer could lash out to her heart’s content and feel like she was fulfilling her purpose, and no one would be hurt.

As she began programming in her scenario of choice, Lily heard footsteps entering the room. She turned and caught sight of Maul. As a rule, Lily preferred to not have company when she went in these training scenarios. She was willing to accompany other people as backup for theirs, but restrained herself. There were very few people she’d ever let see her fighting to her heart’s content. Two of the people in question had already seen her in action against the zombies, so there was little point in hiding it. The third, Lily had bonded with over having similar tendencies.

“Oh hi Maul,” she greeted. “You can use the simulation room first if you want.”

She thought for a moment. Maul had been one of the extreme few who’d shown no signs of being the least bit shocked when she mentioned spending her life training for combat. Nor had he shown disapproval of her intent to fight. On the contrary. He’d approved.

“Or you could train with me. I’ve already programmed something in.”

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Lily was far from the only one who felt this way. The difference was that Maul longed to be something more, whatever more was. He grew up under torturous tutelage to be, much like her, a weapon, a tool, and with the promise of purpose. Sidious knew full well that bringing an outer-rim child in to the political strife of the core to mid-rim would require a certain kind of manipulation and with the exquisite manipulation Lord Sidious had imposed upon a young mind that was easy to influence, Maul believes himself extraordinary. He believes that he has a great purpose and maybe some part of him really aches to think that this Empire will be... just, and fair, and rightful.

He would say that every sacrifice he has gone through, and all the grief, the pain, and the fear was a necessary experience to unlock his utmost potential. He would say the same for anyone else; for who else fights the hardest to live when they are faced with death? Fear was a great motivator. Fear was only something the ignorant chose to dismiss and the stupid admitted to not feeling.

Anger had settled over him as he came to this place. At first the woman in charge who explained the details of this situation intrigued him. She was to the point and regardless as to whether or not he agreed with their methods, the point remained that this Initiative took steps toward changing things even if drastic. Maul could always respect a person or people who were willing to do what was necessary. Yet as he watched and listens to the people here he notices a great lack of organization and control.

He felt restless. This political strife that was rising with those who took to their own hands in an attempt at overthrowing the Initiative left on this vessel amused him somewhat, and he was familiar with political warfare. He'd been following the stories and linking the people and names to tuck it all away until it became useful. To be quite honest, Maul would sooner sign up for their side of things than not. However he was not yet sure whether he had the desire to be a player in this game, so to speak.

This was the point where he came to realize that he... he somewhat.. struggled, a little, without command. Without orders. Without... being subordinate. Fear. Again, his old friend fear.

So to put this mind at rest he decided to test this simulation room out, Maul had passed it once or twice as he'd mapped out the base. Although he feels someone near by as feet step closer and, while no smile shows, it's emotion certainly bloom in his chest. At, tis the will of the Force he thinks. There is no such thing as coincidence.

He pushes the large draping cloak down and looks at her. So young and small - but that meant nothing- a mere observation. When she offers to train with him he cannot help but think the same as before. Instead of fear, Maul, think opportunity.

"I should hope you chose a challenging scenario." It sounds a little arrogant but there's a light humor to it and an underlying acceptance of her offer.

"I did," Lily confirmed with a nod. "Nobody gets better by keeping training easy."

Indeed, it would be challenging. It was reminiscent of her training from home, minus all of her other fellow Kerberos to fight in tandem with her. The simulated targets would come at them with killer intent, unwilling to show them any quarter. Not even injuries would stop them. Their deaths would be the only way to 'win' this scenario. Brutality had to be met with brutality. It was entirely possible that this training scenario could severely injure both participants if they weren't careful, and that was very much the point. Lily didn't feel right without that adrenaline coursing through her, forcing her to fight for her survival. With enemies like the United Earth, she couldn't afford to forget that feeling. She intended to throw herself right into the thick of it.

Of course, that wasn't to say that Lily didn't see the value in more peaceful efforts. She wanted to speak to the cloned children the United Earth was using as weapons, and encourage them to join the Initiative. She understood them more than most would, being genetically engineered herself. She wanted them to be free, but if the programming went too deep and that wasn't possible, she'd free them through death. As much as she'd prefer to do things the peaceful way, Lily's training instilled a sense of what needed to be done. Some people's morals didn't allow them to kill. Lily's only meant that she'd explore other options first.

"The enemies are strong, fast, and there's lots of them."

He watches her with continued interest. She feels- no he feels, he is being reaffirmed that there is something similar here; something similar in her. With a nod, he shrugs out of his cloak. Maul has been brought up in very warm and hostile environments for most of his life. Space is cold and he's always in layers but if there will be multiple enemies then the drape of his cloak will be a hindrance.

"Teräs käsi?" He looks to her and sees that she has no weapon but he quickly realizes that it is unlikely she knows what he had said. Steel hands, it means. Although he tried to think of a term in Basic that would translate it even further. Instead, he makes comment.

"You have no weapon, I mean. You use your hands?"

Lily had opted for the simple short-sleeved bodysuit she always trained in. She'd been fortunate enough to get the blood washed out not long after she'd arrived, and made an effort to wash the outfit after each and every training session. When not in her training gear, she opted for dresses and she'd taken to wearing the scarf Kate had given her to hide the metal collar around her neck. At the moment, though, it was in plain view.

She looked confused at the first question, not understanding what Maul had just asked of her. She could pick up on the tone, at least, so she knew it was a question. It was only when he clarified that she was able to answer his inquiry.

"Sometimes I use a gun, or I can improvise, but I only use hand to hand combat in here."

When she gave in to her instincts, the most natural thing in the world was to fight with hand to hand combat. Generally, it was more than enough. Her strength was well above what normal humans could do. She'd even been strong by the standards of the other Kerberos. Even on that first day of training. Lily couldn't remember it, but others told her what she'd done. One of the genetically engineered creatures sent to attack them had its neck muscles savagely torn out by the tiny girl with no more effort than it would have taken to tear the wrapping paper off of a present.

He knew that many slaves had chips implanted into them and it would designate the moment they disobeyed or tried to run away. Getting free from a slave family took craft and the luck of not being one of the chipped ones or an ability to deactivate it. Seeing her collar, he cannot help but think it is similar. Maul is still not entirely convinced that she was not some sort of slave from her own world.

There's a small smile that tugs at his lips. Maul had also been heavily trained in hand to hand non-force combat and, as one now very dead Mandalorian can attest to, when he is angered well beyond the point of control he also reverts to such a thing. Which, surprisingly, is difficult. Nevertheless, it happens. He's done it out of fun, too. Like hunting the Rancor.

"Then shall we?" He is ready when she is and he is very interested to see what her limit might be and what she could do.

"Let's start," said Lily with a nod.

With one final press of a button, the training simulation came to life. The two combatants were surrounded by hulking eight foot tall creatures. Their faces looked almost canine in shape, with apparatuses reminiscent of gas masks covering the lower half of the face. They were numerous, and startlingly fast for such large creatures. There was little time to react before they were closing in, intent upon the destruction of the two targets in the room.

As they moved in, the look in Lily's eyes changed. It was as if a switch in her mind had been flicked on and all that pent up violent energy in her was released. She shoved her hand right through the abdomen of one of the simulated creatures in a swift, reflexive motion, tearing out its simulated innards. No further thought was spared for the target before she moved on to the next, dodging its massive fist coming at her face. With a quick leap, she was up on the creature's back and her tiny little hands tore into its neck muscles.