A small fleet of ships sits in orbit, their systems offline: even life support has been powered down. Comparing with Diabolus' requisitions, it seems that the remaining fleet is rather smaller than the one he set out with.

The computers report a significant number of life signs from one of the more habitable portions of the planet's surface. 

Well, well. If Diabolus himself has not survived, it seems something of his legacy may have. Time for a closer look at those life signs. How are they organized? Is there any infrastructure? Has her arrival been noticed?

There is a single town-sized outpost, which seems to have been built around a salvaged hypermatter reactor of significant size: however, the rest of the power sources on the planet are quite small. Electricity, yes. Small arms, yes. Heavy artillery? Highly unlikely. 

That said, the buildings are ferrocrete, and laid out in a sensible design that allows easy transport. This doesn't look like a ragtag, haphazard settlement of survivors: someone laid out streets and roads. Someone organized power transmission. Someone tore a hypermatter reactor out of the core of a ship and transported it safely to the planet's surface.

In short, someone is in charge. 

Quite. Occlus will circle the town once, then set down on the edge.

She steps out of the ship to see who comes to greet her.

Sure enough, there is a welcome party. They wear Imperial armor and insignia: though the issue is clearly out-of-date and retrofits have been done, nothing looks ill-maintained or mismatched. 

Their apparent leader wears the same body armor, which bulks her otherwise tall and thin body: she looks twenty, perhaps thirty. She would not have been born when Darth Diabolus set out on his mission. 

Scarlet hair frames her severe face, and she carries both a lightsaber and a blaster. To Occlus' studied senses, she clearly has potential in the Force. Unrefined potential, perhaps - but potential. 

She salutes in Imperial style. 

"Welcome to Upsilon Colony."

Occlus is impassive.

"Where is your master, girl?"

"The Sleepless One will receive you in her personal quarters. I am to escort you. You may bring a small honour-guard if you so desire."

"They will stay with the ship. Lead on."

Their leader's home is a remarkably short walk away - but then, that would make sense. After all, the seat of power here would have been naturally established close to the best landing site for evacuation from the fleet. 

The house itself doesn't look like much - just another ferrocrete building, save perhaps a bit better guarded and reinforced than the rest. Through double doors, up a flight of stairs. Hallway, third door on the right. 

A child waits for her in the room. She might be twelve. Barely.

When Occlus was twelve, she murdered two seventeen-year-olds with a wooden practice saber.

She waits for her host to speak.

"Welcome, Sith Lord. Though there are undoubtably many things I will want to ask you for in future, I should begin with the point. What can I do for you?" 

This child... does not seem to have much strength in the Force.

Yet - her posture. Her unchildlike composure. The lightsaber at her hip.

Something more is going on here, clearly. Occlus is confident that she will be able to handle any surprises.

"I am Darth Occlus, of the Dark Council. I have come to discover the fate of Darth Diabolus, and his expedition."

"Darth Diabolus is seventy-some years dead. I am his successor, Darth Vincoria. His expedition was successful. Briefly."

"I see. Is the machine nearby, then? I would like to examine it."

"I did say 'briefly.' Unfortunately, when Darth Diabolus attempted to use the machine, the ancient device malfunctioned. Both he and the machine were destroyed: only I remain as evidence of its existence."

"That is indeed... unfortunate."

Ominous pause.

Head tilt. "What have you been doing since?"

"Attempting to replicate the device. There are as of yet memories and schematics remaining: the issue is to reproduce the technology and the understanding of the Force that allowed its function. While I may have all the time in the world, my apprentice does not."

"Whatever else one may say about them, the ancient Rakata had a remarkable grasp of the ways in which the Force and technology can work together." Her lips quirk in a small smile. "I doubt you will succeed here before your apprentice dies."

"I have certain advantages others do not, regarding this task. I would not advise you to disregard my efforts so quickly."

"As you wish. If you do succeed, I should be interested to hear about it. I will leave you my holofrequency."

Occlus turns to leave.

There is a sudden pressure against her sternum.

"It would be unwise for you to abandon this colony." 

"Aren't we an interesting little girl? I have not come across this particular application before. What, exactly, is it you want before I go?"

Occlus is remarkably calm for someone with a psychic sword pressed to her chest. This may have something to do with the brief flares of purple energy flickering across her body.

"I would like a ship with a working hyperdrive. After all, I have no desire to be confined to this rock for the rest of my life."

Despite Occlus' obvious stength in the Force, Vincoria has equally little fear in her voice.

"I am not prepared to give up mine. I have room to take you and perhaps your apprentice with me when I leave. We'll have to make another trip if you wish to transplant the rest of the colony."

"This is acceptable. In return, I am willing to demonstrate the effects that the immortality technology has had on me."

"Agreed."

Occlus gestures, and the force pressing into her sternum slams into the wall. She turns to face the child Sith, expectantly.

Vincoria draws her lightsaber.

She places her hand flat on the table.

With a flick of the blade, she severs her hand at the wrist. She does not cry out. 

Over the next minute, her hand regenerates from the cauterized stump. She flexes it, rolling each of her fingers in turn.

"I am eighty-seven standard years old. I do not sleep. I do not eat. I do not drink. I do not breathe. I do not age. The Force sustains me wholly."

"I see." This may have potential, even if the Rakatan machine is unrecoverable. Occlus stretches a hand out to Vincoria and prepares tendrils of Force to examine her. "If I may?"

She offers her new hand. "You may."

Occlus grasps it in hands both physical and mental, turning it over, seeking imperfections. She finds none. It is, in all respects, indistinguishable from the hand Vincoria was born with. Occlus smiles, and releases her grip.

"Make whatever arrangements are necessary for your depature. I will inspect the former site of the machine, and then we will leave."

"I am glad that we could come to a mutually beneficial agreement."

"Quite."

Occlus exits, and heads in the direction of the ruins. Rakatan technology, even damaged, has a distintive signature. She verifies to her satisfaction that the machine is indeed beyond salvaging, and makes note of a few intact and partially damaged glyphs that might have significance. After two hours, she is back at Vincoria's house.

Vincoria has few essential possessions. She is ready to leave by the time Occlus returns. 

(It is dangerous, of course, isolating herself amid another Sith's servants - especially one this strong. Still. Better than spending the rest of eternity on this rock.)

If Vincoria is ready, Occlus wastes no time in going back the ship and getting aboard. It seems that Occlus did not bring any guards other than a two-meter tall Dashade looming by the bulkhead.

<What is this, my master?> he rumbles. <Have you brought a snack for your starving servant?>

Vincoria observes the Dashade coolly. "I am not for eating."

Vincoria's apprentice comes aboard after her master.

"She is definitely not for eating."

<That is what they all say. My hunger is never sated.> Insofar as it is possible for a Dashade to be mournful, this is a mournful Dashade.

Occlus ignores him, and goes to begin preparations for takeoff.

"If you really insist on eating me, I suppose I have a spare hand lying around that you could snack on."

<Flesh is tasteless. I require essence.>

"...Interesting. I may ask you to bite me later."

Though she says nothing, Vincoria's apprentice gives her a Look.

<You are a small and knotty morsel. I will eat all, or nothing.>

"In that case, you will have nothing."

Vincoria's gaze moves away from the hulking creature, and begins calatoguing the improvements in Imperial technology since her separation from the Empire. 

Things are mostly recognizable. No revolutionary breakthroughs, apparently.

The overall aesthetic has not changed.

That's good. Perhaps her colony is not quite so behind the times after all.

She lapses into silence. 

Hyperdrives are the first priority. So long as she has no ships of her own, she is dependent on the goodwill of others. Without the hyperdrive, her colony is at an extreme logistical disadvantage in any battle. However, hyperdrives are expensive. Diabolus had credit accounts, but she cannot rely on their existence after eight decades. Assume she will need a source of funds. Assassination work would be high-paying, discreet, and suited to her talents - but she has no contacts.

Then again, she is a Sith, and a new player in their politics. It is possible she might extract concessions if she can prove her strength. 

Along those lines... It might be politically expedient to name herself "Apprentice" to this Sith Lord, both to hide her own nature and to gain access to an existing political framework whereby resources might flow to her - but she hesitates to bind herself so.

Occlus emerges, and settles herself in the sitting area.

"I don't believe your apprentice and I have have been properly introduced."

"I'm Soph. And you are...?"

Vincoria returns the look Soph gave her a few minutes ago.

"Darth Occlus. How long have you been a Sith, girl?"

"Perhaps a year?"

"Let me offer you a piece of advice. Show more deference to Sith who are both older and stronger than you."

Force choke.

"You will live longer."

Ten seconds or so later, Occlus lets Soph breathe again.

Vincoria does not interfere. 

Soph seems appropriately chastised, though she's having trouble forming words at the moment.

Occlus smiles pleasantly at her, then turns her attention to Vincoria.

"Tell me more of your efforts to reconstruct the Rakatan machine."

"I began by attempting to understand the results. After all, I have a functioning specimen of the results at hand: I do not have a functioning machine at hand."

(Soph wheezes in the background.)

"What have you determined? The flow of the Force has an interesting pattern of eddies around you."

"It appears that a significant portion of my natural Force potential has been re-routed, away from my concious control. Instead, that power regenerates and sustains my flesh."

"Hmmm." Occlus ponders a moment. "This will not be harmful." She sketches an arcane shape in the air and mutters something in the Sith language. Glowing lines coalesce around Vincoria, and sink into her skin. Occlus pulls out a datapad and makes of a note of their configuration.

"Yes, that does appear to be the case. I would like to see you cut off your hand again."

Sometimes Vincoria feels like she can't go an hour without losing a hand.

Nonetheless, she demonstrates.

Occlus makes the lines appear again, and observes with interest the way they twist around the missing hand, forming an outline that is swallowed by the new growth.

"Fascinating. What sensations do you experience during the regeneration?"

"Pain, of course. But aside from that - there is a definite movement of the Force through me as sensation and life returns." 

"Are you able to direct what remains of your capacity along the same channels during such times?"

"Yes, and doing so allows me to regenerate more quickly."

Occlus smiles.

"What is the worst injury you have sustained?"

"Lightsaber cut to the left side, as far as the spine."

"But not completely severed?"

"I am uncertain. It was not the best of conditions for nuanced observation."

"Promising, either way. This may be a fruitful avenue of investigation. What are your own plans, upon rejoining the Empire?"

"That will depend on what the Empire plans for me." 

"Your colony is too small and too out-of-the-way to be of any interest to the war effort. Aside from your immortality, you are far too weak to be an asset or threat in your own right."

"Then we will need to change that, won't we."

Occlus quirks an eyebrow.

"How do you propose to do that?"

"As of the last census, my colony has a population of close to ten thousand. Of that, perhaps half of them are fit for military service. If rearmed and resupplied by the Empire, I would be able to raise a full brigade of soldiers, all of whom would be personally loyal to me. That is something to begin with."

She shrugs. 

"As for myself... I would note that I am alive, while Darth Diabolus and all his other apprentices are dead. Attribute it to luck if you so desire."

"Luck, or simply being too hard to kill. I expect you will find it difficult to leverage the fact of your survival into weapons and equipment for so many."

"Which is why I have been carefully shepherding the equipment remaining from the fleet. Since there appears to have been a distinct lack of innovation in the last few decades, I expect the body armor and small arms we already possess to be entirely serviceable. The problems will be with heavy arms and more specialist items." 

Occlus smiles.

"Well enough. You still lack hyperdrives."

"It is rather difficult to be a proper Sith without a personal ship, yes."

"It is. This ship was in fact a gift from my first master. I killed her later of course, but it was a thoughtful gesture."

"Such is often the way of things."

"Mmm, in my experience, thoughtful gestures are few and far between."

"I was speaking of having to kill."

"It is the way of the Sith. I count it no great loss."

"I did not know your master, so I will decline to comment on her specifically. But it is difficult to replace a skilled soldier, a strong Sith, a careful mechanic. They require years to be built. In my opinion, killing is like burning furniture for fuel: sometimes necessary, but rarely one's best option."

"Spoken like someone who grew up as the only Sith on the planet. You have lessons yet to learn, it seems to me."

"We will see who will learn. In the meantime, I will need to find a backer amid the Empire."

Yes, definitely some fire to this one. Occlus is tempted to support her, just to see what she will do.

"That is true."

"You would seem an obvious candidate, but forgive me if I do not simply pick the first option that becomes available to me. You may nonetheless make an offer for my consideration, if you so desire." 

"What I have to offer you is your single best chance at replicating the effects of the machine before your apprentice dies of old age. As head of the Pyramid of Ancient Knowledge, I personally control the largest and most comprehensive repository of Force-lore and related subjects in the Empire, and possibly the galaxy. As a member of the Dark Council, I have the authority to requisition whatever materiel I require without question, including munitions and transportation for a brigade of soldiers. I have the political capital, and more importantly, the willingness to spend it, to shield you from attack by those who would rather not have the potential complications you create with your sudden appearance. You would need to approach another Council member to match this, and I promise you that none of them have my sunny disposition."

"How illustrious. I trust you can prove that you are who you say you are? After all, there are many more fools in the galaxy than there are true Dark Councillors."

Occlus goes to the holoterminal and pulls up a series of reports. "The latest Republic SIS dossiers we have on the Dark Council. This is my entry." She sits back down.

The picture certainly matches.

Vincoria examines the produced documents. 

"These certainly look genuine. Of course, I am not an expert in forgery, so that merely means you have put effort into this if it is a deception. Still, it is sufficient evidence for me to believe that you are who you say you are, at least for the moment. Councillor." 

She bows formally. 

"Your offer is indeed generous. However, I naturally wish to know what you would desire in recompense for this significant backing."

"Principally, that you keep your immortality secret, and assist me in unlocking its mysteries."

"This seems a surprisingly low price. Secondarily?"

"That you pledge yourself to my interests, and not knowingly undermine, manipulate, or sabotage me in any way for the duration of our arrangement."

"The latter is common courtesy. The former is more significant. Would you care to elaborate on your meaning?"

"It is an obligation of positive action on your part. More than refraining from causing me harm, if you see an opportunity that will advance me, you act on it."

"Even to the detriment of my own interests? We must be clear on the degree of duty implied, here." 

"Somewhat less than what an apprentice owes their master, but more than if we were allies of equal standing. And I think that at least initially, you will find that what is good for me will also aid you."

"My initial reaction is positive - that's not a yes, merely a 'so far, I have no strong objections.' For what span of time? I take indefinite obligations more seriously than most, considering that my life is much more indefinite than most."

"Let us say, three years to begin with. After that time, I should have a better idea of what the immortality would look like for someone else and you will have a more solid foundation. We can renegotiate at that point."

"A reasonable duration. And if at that time we can come to no agreement?"

"Then we either end the arrangement amicably and go our separate ways, or I find a way to kill or at least permanently disable you. Depending on the circumstances."

"I would prefer to not be killed or permanently disabled. Would you care to elaborate on what circumstances might lead to this becoming necessary in your mind?"

"If you annoy me consistently and to a significant degree over the course of the three years. If you give me definite cause to believe that you are ending the arrangement in order to work directly against me."

"The second is acceptable. The first speaks to the same casual wastefulness I noted earlier. I am uncertain if I wish to serve someone who is willing to kill merely for giving offence."

"Then you will find no suitable masters among the Sith as they stand today. I will not kill while your period of service stands, and I will offer warnings when your actions displease me. It is when knowing offense becomes a habit that I take issue."

"Ah. I may have your meaning: at some point, repeated offenses become insubordination."

"I will accept that wording, yes."

"Insubordination erodes reputation and authority. It is an attack on the resources necessary to wield power. As such, it should be responded to with equal force as to any other act of sabotage. This is understood."

Vincoria's gaze slides over Soph, then levelly meets Occlus' own.

"However. If you expect that I will be your puppet, unquestioning, never engaging my mind - then you are mistaken. Though I understand this would not be an equal partnership, I am not merely a tool to be held in your hand. As such, I have my own conditions to assert.

Firstly, while I will risk my life for you, your backing is useless to me if I am dead. If you send me on a suicide mission, I will consider it a murder attempt.

Secondly, and more broadly, you will not deliberately harm me or mine. If you believe some portion of my interests must be sacrificed for a larger goal, you will have the courtesy to inform me beforehand so that we may discuss alternatives. If you do so without consulting me, you will be expected to provide acceptable recompense.

Thirdly, you will give me all necessary information for the execution of my duties. If you assign me to a dangerous mission, you will provide the most up-to-date intelligence you have available with regards to potential threats. If you send me on clandestine business, you will inform me your dealings to date in that realm. Furthermore, you will inform me of the objectives you aim to achieve through my service, such that I may execute your commands according to their spirit and not their letter. If you do not wish to reveal your secrets to me, do not assign me tasks that will require me to know them.

Fourthly, if you independently discover any new information regarding my brand of immortality, I expect you to share it with me, just as I have shared my own research with you."

Vincoria taps her fingertips together.

"Finally - over a long enough period, it will become exceedingly difficult for me to conceal my immortality. Because my body is that of a child, it is unusually apparent that I do not age. Furthermore, some of my closer subordinates know of my true nature, having spent enough time in my personal service to observe this themselves.

As such, while I will take all available precautions, it should not be considered a breach of our agreement if some third party happens to come to the correct conclusion. Even the smallest clues can add up, and even loyal servants may break under torture."

"All entirely reasonable. I have no objections to these terms."

"Good. Now, given that one of the conditions for the agreement is secrecy, it rather precludes my negotiating other offers if I wish to accept it. If I were a more suspicious person, I might well decline this tempting offer merely because it seems to preclude any contact between myself and your rivals. 

I am not quite that paranoid — but I will ask for some compensation for the loss of flexibility." 

"Will you? What more do you desire?"

"Oh, nothing that you wouldn't end up giving me eventually anyway. If you're serious about this agreement, I believe my own hyperspace-capable ship would quickly become a necessity — that is, unless you expect us to always share a planet?" 

"Done. I like you, little Sith."

Vincoria smiles, apparently genuinely. "I'm always glad to make a good impression. You can give me a written copy of our contract to review and sign anytime in the next week: while I trust your word, I would rather not trust your memory or mine for an agreement whose terms will still apply three years from now. Naturally, I will expect to sign it aboard my new personal craft." 

"Naturally. And this agreement will be binding for your apprentice as well, of course."

Vincoria turns to her apprentice. "Do you object?" 

"No, master." 

"There you have it, then."

"Good. Now as to your cover: you are still remnants of Diabolus's lost expedition, but you met with no success before your hyperdrives were damaged beyond repair. Diabolus himself is long dead of course, you two are the last remaining Sith of the colony. Without knowledge of your immortality, your apprentice appears older than you. I suggest that in public, you switch roles."

"I'm used to acting as Vincoria's public face, but I doubt that lie would work on high-powered Sith. After all, you immediately saw through me when you first set foot planetside."

"I believe my apprentice is correct on this point: her poorly-controlled force presence betrays her as no true Sith Lord. If she is to pass convincingly as my master to others of your standing, she will need immediate and extensive training."

"An alternative is that you both pose as my apprentices. To a cursory inspection you appear weak enough to suit your apparent age, and her lack of training is, as you say, obvious."

"That seems a more easily-swallowed deception. A true Sith examining me closely might still detect something unusual, but that flaw already existed in the previous plan."

"Yes, but that is likely avoidable if you convincingly play the part of a twelve-year-old new apprentice."

"And even if some suspicious sith does decide to examine me closely, it is still possible that I would be able to disguise the unsual nature of my Force presence."

"Yes. How extensive was your training before your master's death, and what have you learned since?"

"My training with my master was... instructive, and covered all the topics that would be expected of an apprentice. However, the vast majority of my skills come from the remaining seventy-five years of my life. Seventy-five years without sleep, in a non-hostile environment I had administrative control over, with my master's rather extensive collection of holocrons. In short: My control is excellent. My force techniques are varied and fluidly integrated. I am not unskilled at logistics or negotiation. However, my direct combat abilities are comparatively poor. The majority of my force potential is dedicated to the immortality technique, and I have not sparred against a skilled non-droid opponent in decades. I would evaluate myself as best suited for covert operations, where direct strength is less important than creativity and cunning."

Occlus nods, and turns to the redhead. "And you?"

"My strength in the Force is greater than hers, but my control is worse. My Master's techniques are generally too complex for me to use well with my current level of control, but a few of them are still useful - especially since my native power is greater. I've been used as her hands, eyes and ears before for important business, so you can expect me to have some sense of the basics of command: however, my lightsaber skills are equally poor. That's why I carry the blaster.

As for where I'm best placed... To be frank, I'm still a warrior at heart. While I might not bet on myself against a strong opposing Force-user, I have more than enough power and tactical skill to break formations of common soldiers."

"She's not a proper Sith, not yet. But she's an efficient, competent platoon leader, who also happens to be able to channel the Force. Given remedial saber lessons, I believe she will be able to surpass the vast majority of force users in a battlefield situation." 

"Your lack of skill with a lightsaber is problematic. It is considered to be the only weapon a true Sith needs, to carry a blaster is a sign of weakness. We will have to address this. In the meantime, keep your blaster concealed."

Soph opens her mouth, then thinks better of it. 

"Did you have something that you wanted to say, apprentice?"

"If other Sith allow potential damage to their reputations to prevent them from using the primary tool of warfare, they... care more about appearances than effectiveness."

Occlus arches a brow.

"That is neither untrue nor especially interesting. And if you were skilled enough with either weapon to kill a Sith, your opinion on their relative merits might almost matter. Until then: lightsaber training."

Soph looks at her master. 

"No, she doesn't count. And even if she did, I would still order you to lean how to use a saber."

"Yes, Lady Vincoria. I wasn't arguing that: not learning the saber would be the same stupidity in the opposite direction."

"Two in so small a population? I am surprised."

"She was my apprentice before Soph. Her potential wasn't extraodinary, but she had fire. Too much fire. She attempted to assassinate me, then fled when she saw her attempt had failed. Soph tracked her to her hiding place and executed her."

"Was this when you sustained the lightsaber injury to the spine?"

"No, that wound was from a duel with one of Diabolus' other apprentices, when I was still barely a Sith. I'm not that sloppy now."

"You have not noted any other potentials among your subjects?"

"Not so far, no. As you said, I've been lucky to even find two."

"More than lucky. Keep careful track of the descendants."

"My previous apprentice will not have any descendants to keep track of. As for Soph's family, they are naturally being carefully well-treated."

"It would make an interesting experiment, I think, to keep your population isolated and see what becomes of them."

"... It may well be possible that the planet itself is unusal in the Force, or that the close proximity of the settlement to the Rakatan ruins is having some effect. The results of my observations are inconclusive so far."

"Something to bear in mind when you are contemplating deployments, at least."

"The security of the ruins themselves is paramount, even if the devices there are irrecoverably damaged. I do not intend to leave them unguarded." 

Occlus smiles. "Good."

"I am glad that we understand each other. I would like for us to understand each other more. What of your own objectives are you willing to reveal to me at this moment?"

"For now, I will likely be devoting most of my attention to your immortality. It is the most promising lead I have come across in some time."

"I see. In that case, the first priority should be to reinforce the colony's defenses. The ruins are currently inexcusably vulnerable due to our lack of orbital superiority."

"The only people with knowledge of their location are currently aboard this ship, and the navicomputer is well-encrypted."

"You found me. If you knew where to look, others will as well. Your rivals will be wondering what Dark Councillor Occlus has been doing in some uncharted part of the galaxy. We cannot reasonably rely on security through obscurity at this point."

"Darth Diabolus did not leave excessively clear records. It was the work of months to piece the clues together, and I did not leave them accessible to others. As to my whereabouts, I was visiting a dig on Xeltin and the workers there will confirm this. I will commission an orbital defense platform, but more than that will invite unwanted curiosity."

"Hm. It's a start, at least."

"I am very good at security through obscurity. It is my hope that by the time your lack of aging is noted, we will have the information we need to enable us to permanently destroy the ruins."

"Ideally that won't become necessary, but it's good to have as a fallback option."

"It is good sense to hide the source of your power. I will maintain a simulacrum in my archive, but there is little point in leaving the physical structure intact once we have what we need."

"I understand what you're saying, but... I'd hate to blow up the secret to immortality twice."

"You needn't be involved, if you'd rather. I am perfectly capable of managing that level of destruction on my own."

"I don't mean that I object to it being destroyed for sentimental reasons. I mean that until we can duplicate what remains in those ruins, it is literally irreplacable. If we should destroy some crucial component, thinking it worthless..." 

"It is not something I would do on a whim. But I have some expertise in archaeological reconstruction, and have had cause to examine Rakatan technology before. I am quite confident in my ability to assess whether the continued physical existance of any component is necessary."

"I'm still not thrilled by the suggestion, but that does allay my concerns significantly."

"Aside from that, I may soon be expected to contribute something to the war effort. What exactly will be required is not yet apparent to me, but it is possible I will request your involvement."

"Fighting on the front lines seems like a good chance to acquire some small amount of prestige... but it also comes with attendant risks. In particular, it could be difficult for me to maintain my cover in a combat situation."

"And for that reason, you will likely not be sent into such a situation. A covert or undercover operation, where the possibilities are more tightly constrained is likelier."

"In that case, I would be happy to oblige."

"Good. There are some hours yet before we arrive." Occlus points at Soph. "I wish to see a demonstration of your level of proficiency with a lightsaber. Come with me to the cargo bay."

"Alright." 

Soph stands, taking up parade rest as she waits for Occlus to lead on.

Occlus stands, and leads the way to the cargo bay. It is not very far, this is not a big ship. The cargo bay is the largest single room, and at the moment it is clear of clutter. Occlus goes to the center of the room and draws her saber.

"Attack when you are ready."

Soph draws her own crimson saber, and takes up a makashi guard, extending it before her in one hand like a fencer.

Her footwork is good: her posture is textbook. She strikes with technical flawlessness and utter predictability. 

Occlus swats her blade aside easily.

"Again."

She recovers admirably from the swat, but there was an opening there for riposte. Not a large one, but enough for someone like Occlus.

She advances again, more cautiously this time. She makes a probing attack - then strikes for the head. She wastes no movement, spends no unnecessary effort. She would make an ideal model for a student practicing basic forms. 

Occlus ducks her attack and sweeps Soph's feet out from under her in the same motion.

Soph knows how to fall: she rolls and kips up, flicking her saber off so as not to burn herself. When she stands again, she has her blaster drawn in her off-hand. 

As soon as Soph realizes she's holding the gun, she sheepishly puts it back in her shoulder holster. This is not about whether she can shoot through Occlus' guard.

"A good reflex, but yes, that is not the point of this exercise. Again."

Soph returns to her attacks. Despite her strong fundamentals, every strike showcases her lack of flexibility and flow. She could perhaps overwhelm some apprentices with technical strength... but anyone who had seen actual combat would put holes in her quickly.

Occlus begins to follow up her blocks and parries. Most of the time with a strike that would have been lethally or permanently incapacitating had she not stopped short. After each, she steps back and commands another round.

Soph's technical expertise serves her better on the defensive: even off-balance from a parry, she manages to raise her guard in time to stop some of Occlus' counterstrikes. Not all of them, but some. 

Eventually, Occlus does not call another round after she knocks Soph over.

"I have seen enough. Your grasp of theory is acceptable, but you lack practice reacting to an opponent."

She nods. "I've never faced someone with lightsaber combat experience until now."

"You never sparred with your master?"

"I've sparred with Vincoria, yes. But while she was trained by Diabolus and has used her lightsaber against real opponents, she's not 'experienced' at this form of combat."

"Well enough. I have nothing further for you at this time."

Occlus returns to the common area and begins writing something on her datapad.

Vincoria looks up from her own datapad and quirks an eyebrow. "I see your session with Soph went quickly. I suppose it will be my turn soon?"

Soph returns with Occlus, and looks over at her master. 

"You might be better than me, but she's better than you. I don't think you could beat her in a straight duel." 

Occlus doesn't look up.

"You have both more formal training and more experience. I am not so concerned about your skills."

"Still, it has been almost a year since I've had to draw my saber with intent to kill, and decades since my last real engagement. I would rather measure my skill now in a friendly duel, instead of discovering my weaknesses in the middle of combat."

"Very well. After I finish this report."

"Thank you." 

Vincoria returns to her own datapad. 

Seeing that Vincoria does not need her services at the moment, Soph steps back out of the common room.

An hour later, Occlus puts down the datapad and stands up.

"Let us go."

Vincoria stands, packing away her datapad.

"Yes, let's."

To the cargo bay. Occlus stands in the center, lightsaber in hand.

"You may attack when ready."

Vincoria stands still, her saber drawn but unlit. The slight ripples of her weak force presence die away, stilling towards nothingness. She breathes, measuredly, naturally, and listens for Occlus' own. 

There are three times when a fighter cannot move. When they breathe in: when they breathe out: and when they move. 

Occlus is as still as a statue, poised in calm readiness for Vincoria's attack. Her Force senses stretch out to fill the surrounding space, a dense web of tripwires. Her breathing is even and unhurried.

Vincoria adopts a modified Soresu guard, her saber still unlit. She does not look at Occlus: she looks past her, not focussing on any one part of her body, letting her senses take in her opponent as a whole. 

Here are the lines of Occlus' web. Here is the Sith Lord herself. Here is readiness. 

She moves. 

Explode right, low, below the web of her senses. Strike at the wrist of her blade hand with a burst of Force. In, through a strand of the spiderweb: if she avoids them all, that too will make her predictable. Bait the counterstrike. As it passes, light her shoto and strike through the opening behind the blade. If she cannot avoid it, parry. 

Occlus sidesteps too quickly to see, snapping her arm back to absorb the energy of the blow. Their positions wind up reversed and Occlus does not essay an attack.

Even if she hasn't dropped her blade, Occlus' guard has been disrupted by the movement of her saber hand - and Vincoria has closed distance. Light her Shoto, cut upwards across the thigh. End in the Soresu guard, protecting her head and upper body. 

Occlus flips up and over Vincoria's cut, slamming back down with radiating force as Vincoria finishes into her guard.

Vincoria's stance is strong, and her mind is ready - but she cannot stand against that force. Rather than be as stone, and break...

In the instant before the pulse of power hits her, Vincoria leaps, letting the shockwave propel her up, rather than away. With the ship's gravity on her side, most of her speed has been lost when she hits the roof of the cargo bay. 

Occlus straightens back up, and waits for Vincoria to do the same.

Vincoria lands safely with a small pulse of Force, and settles back into her stance, her violet shoto thrumming steadily. 

She smiles slightly.

"I hate fair fights."

Occlus smiles. "They are tiresome, aren't they?"

"They are." 

Vincoria shifts her stance, moving into a more open, aggressive form - then darts inward again.

Despite her direct attack, her footwork and presence weave complexly, suggesting other strikes, other movements. Halfway through her charge, she gestures as if to throw her shoto - but the true attack is a strike to the shoulder, cutting diagonally down across Occlus' body.

Occlus is not deceived. She parries, and uses her superior strength to reverse Vincoria's momentum, forcing the locked blades back towards her.

Vincoria won't win this clash. Switch off, sidestep. If Occlus loses her balance, reignite and strike at her back as she passes. If not, strike at her face with the blade's hilt. 

Occlus halts her efforts as soon as the resistance vanishes, turns to keep Vincoria in front of her, and brings her saber in to a close guard.

Vincoria is already committed to her strike. Recoiling now would only unbalance her and put her into worse trouble. 

Of course, this does put her in the rather unenviable position of punching into a lightsaber. 

Not something Occlus would have done, certainly. But she is not the one with the regenerative immortality. Occlus lets her burn away her knuckles, then shoves Vincoria back with a telekinetic fist.

Vincoria doesn't have the concentration to repel Occlus' force strike. She's thrown across the room, rolling to an awkward halt up against a support column. She cradles her mangled hand close to her body, and curses under her breath. 

Ow ow ow ow. 

Pain is a distraction. Ignore it.

Vincoria reaches out with her remaining hand, and lights her lost saber where it lies on the ground behind Occlus. With a tug of force energy, it leaps towards her, incidentally striking at Occlus' ankles. 

Occlus contests Vincoria's attempt to retrieve her saber, causing it to veer off course into a corner, out of reach.

"You dropped your saber and I have destroyed it. At this point, you would be dead."

Vincoria clutches her ruined hand close to her chest, pressing it in beneath her robe. 

"I'm, nnn, not dead yet. When you have a saber to my neck, then I'll agree." 

She charges again. She's slower. With a burst of Force from her offhand, she tries to rip Occlus' saber from her grasp - but her control is weak, sloppy. 

Occlus's will is durasteel. Her saber does not waver. She closes with Vincoria and quick as thought, her saber darts out four times.

As the attack falls, Vincoria suddenly matches Occlus' speed. Darting aside from the first two strikes, she parries the third and fourth with the newly-lit blood-red shoto in her regenerated right hand. 

The fifth attack is hers- a plunging strike aimed for Occlus' heart. 

Occlus steps back as she bats it aside.

Vincoria advances, using her free hand to direct a Force push at Occlus' non-dominant leg while she strikes again with the saber. 

Occlus absorbs the push without visible effect, and parries in place. Her riposte leads into another blindingly fast series of strikes.

Vincoria keeps up, but the rapid strikes force her onto the defensive. 

Occlus maintains her assault, and steps up the tempo until she forces an opening.

Vincoria gives ground, but not an opening. Soph must have have learned her defensive style from her master. 

When this becomes apparent, Occlus makes one final feint then takes two quick steps backward.

Vincoria holds her guard, and smiles at Occlus. 

"I can't strike at you effectively. Your reactions are too fast: all my best attack techniques are dirty tricks, and you've fallen for none of them so far. One of them cost me a saber and a hand, and I was lucky to not lose more. 

However, I'm fast enough that I can defend against you effectively - and I don't get tired. If you strike at me too aggressively, I can probably wear you down and exhaust you... But of course, you're too smart for that." 

Shutting off her saber, Vincoria bows. "I think I've seen enough to know you deserve my service. In a real duel, I expect you'd win at least three out of four." 

"I thank you for the compliment." Occlus pulls the discarded saber out from the corner and hands it back to Vincoria.

Vincoria nods, and stows her sabers back in their usual places: one on her belt, one inside her robe. 

"I'd be glad to spar with you again at some point, but I agree that Soph's training should take priority."

"Her grasp of theory is adequate. What she requires is practice responding to an intelligent opponent."

"I've been focussing on fundamentals so far, but I'll make an effort to do more live sparring with her."

"Beyond a certain point, adaptability is more valuable than specific technique."

Occlus returns to the common area and takes up her datapad again. Discreetly, she checks on Soph's location.

It appears that Soph has taken her loss as a sign that she needs to do more saber drills. 

An acceptable response, if perhaps not exactly a helpful one. Occlus will let it be, and returns to her plan of attack on the Rakatan glyphs.

Vincoria leaves to spar with her apprentice. Might as well strike while the iron is hot.

There are still some six hours to go before they arrive. Rakatan glyphs are intricate and subtle, Occlus spends most of the time doing preliminary analysis.

Vincoria and her apprentice spend most of the time training. Between sparring matches, they discuss strategies for hiding Vincoria's immortality.

Eventually, the realspace reversion chime will interrupt their activities. Occlus goes to the helm to manage the landing.

Vincoria and Soph finish up their sparring and prepare for a potential debarkation. 

When the ship is on the ground, Occlus meets them by the airlock.

"This is a private bay, and I have a speeder waiting just outside. It is unlikely we will come across anyone, but if we do, do not speak unless asked a direct question."

"And if asked a direct question, evade?"

"Preferably."

Occlus opens the door. The bay is empty, and she sets out across it.

Vincoria follows at Occlus' right hand, keeping the distance she's accustomed to having Soph keep from her. 

Soph follows at Occlus' left, her gaze flicking back and forth across the bay, cataloging threats, geography, tactical positions.

When they get outside, it is raining. Thunder booms in the distance as distant lightning flashes illuminate the horizon at regular intervals. Occlus pops open the doors of the speeder and gets in the driver side.

Soph performs a cursory bomb check, more out of habit than anything else.

Vincoria smiles at Soph's cautious attitude, and gets in the speeder with Occlus. There is a time to be cautious, and there is a time to be politic.

The speeder is, of course, unrigged. Occlus takes them up and out smoothly, navigating the the traffic lanes and the downpour with practiced ease.

The architecture of Kaas City is sharp and utilitarian, with plenty of overhangs to provide cover from the ceaseless storm. Massive lightning rods ring the perimeter, and smaller ones stud every building. Occlus heads to the center of the city, the dark and imposing Citadel.

Nice weather we're having. 

Vincoria carefully maps the route out in her head, in case it becomes necessary to retrace it quickly.

Soph sits with an attitude of calm discipline, but her Force presence betrays unease. 

Occlus lands on a covered pad near the base of the Citadel.

"This is reserved for my sole use," she explains to the two as they exit the speeder. "Posing as my apprentices, you will have access to it as well."

Vincoria nods.

Occlus leads them inside.

"Our first task is to get your credentials confirmed. A simple biometric scan will suffice, it will not take long."

Vincoria nods again.

Inside, down the lift, new hallway, into an apparently anonymous room with a terminal set into the wall. Occlus goes to it and activates it.

"First you, then your apprentice. Stand in that circle on the floor there."

Vincoria steps into the circle. 

Occlus inputs a command, and a red light plays over Vincoria's body.

"Hold your hands up, palms out."

Vincoria follows instructions. 

Scanning scanning.

"Done. Now you." She points at Soph.

Soph goes through the process without complaint.

After that is finished, Occlus shuts down the terminal.

"Done. You both are now registered in Imperial systems as Sith. You have general access to all levels of my portion of the Citadel, with restricted access to the Archives and the labs. Your quarters are two floors down, the gymnasium is a level below that, My offices are on this floor."

Vincoira smiles and nods. 

"Be aware that while you are flagged as Sith, that is only at the apprentice level. Refrain from using your title if you venture out."

Vincoria rubs the bridge of her nose, but nods. 

"Do you have any questions for me now?"

"Who should I listen to, aside from you? Who among your rivals is the most informed and dangerous?"

"Droids and people wearing uniforms with this sigil," she displays an image on a datapad, "Belong to me. If they convey instructions to you from me, obey them. All the Sith remaining in my command structure are directly loyal. Of my fellow Council members, Marr is unquestionably the most dangerous, but he and I are on good terms. Darth Rictus of the Sphere of Mysteries is likeliest to have the capacity to divine your true nature most quickly."

"I expect that you will provide clothing for Soph and myself with the same insignia?"

"It will be in your quarters."

"Excellent. Now, who among your loyal servants is the most perceptive? I assume my immortality is to be kept on a strict need-to-know basis."

"I have no use for those of slow wit or loose tongue. Any under my command who are around long enough to notice will not be a problem. Concern yourself primarily with outsiders."

"I do intend to." 

"Good. Now, I must attend to matters related to my absence. You may acquaint yourselves with my domain."

"Very well then."

Vincoria bows.

Occlus nods in acknowledgement, then goes to her office and shuts the door behind her.

Well then. Time to explore the premises. 

Premises: consist mostly of grey corridor.

Where to first?

Their quarters, naturally. Vincoria would like to look like she belongs here.

To the lift, then, and down two floors. There are doors on both sides of the hall, each with a palm scanner next to it.

Does her hand serve as a key?

Not to the first door she tries, nor the second, but the third opens when she places her hand on the scanner.

Let's see what her new accommodations look like.

Slightly smaller than the room where Occlus met her. It is very bare, with only a bed and a desk and chair. The bed is neatly made with white sheets, and there is a datapad and a holocomm on the desk. In one wall there is a small closet, filled with black robes in Vincoria's size that have Occlus's insignia on one sleeve.

This is Occlus' stronghold. She's not going to be so crass as to check for bugs. Of course the room is bugged. Of course the clothes are bugged. And besides, scanning technology works wonders for personal security. 

Instead, she's going to change clothes. 

She doesn't spring any obvious traps by doing so.

Occlus has had a tremendous amount of time with Vincoria wholly in her power. If Occlus wanted her dead, she would be dead. 

Now that we're properly dressed, time to go have a look at the gymnasium. 

Meanwhile, Soph is still checking her own room for bugs.

Soph will find a small lens in one corner of the ceiling. It is quite resistant to tampering.

The gym has two sections, one with regular equipment and one with a padded floor, presumably for sparring. There is a computer terminal and a rack of practice sabers on the wall of the padded area.

Soph waves, and gets dressed out of the camera's eye if at all possible. 

Interesting. She was under the impression that there would be more people present, from Occlus' earlier description.

What does the computer terminal have to offer?

It's hard to tell, but the camera probably has a good view of the whole room, from where it is.

It is the middle of the night, local time. There is a single line of text blinking on the terminal screen.
{ACTIVATE TRAINING DROID? Y/N}

Interesting. Let's go with 'yes.' She'd like to test the facilities before Soph has a chance to injure herself on them. 

Well then, she'll just have to change while being watched. It's not as if the fact that she has skin is a secret.

A hidden panel in the wall slides open, and a droid with a training saber emerges. It scans the room. When it notices Vincoria, it speaks.

"Target Identified. Training Program: Engage. Begin Calibration." It takes a guard stance.

Soph is undisturbed while she is changing.

Let's not damage our host's droids. 

Are there training sabers available in the shorter length she prefers?

Soph decides to go do a brief perimeter sweep. It would be nice to know the general layout if this is going to be her new home for the foreseeable future. 

There are two shoto blades on the end of the rack.

The general layout seems to be: hallways. Many, many hallways, doors. Windows seem to be nonexistent.

Hmm. Let's start with an off-style: she can practice her Niman forms later. 

She picks up a single full-length training saber, and lights it. 

The droid is waiting for her.

She composes herself, adjusting for the added length of the blade: then she strikes. She's rusty in this form, but it's important that she be able to use sabers recovered in the field.  

The droid parries her ably, then resets its position.

Vincoria does a basic set of strikes, refamiliarizing herself with the longer saber. Cut the head. Stab the throat. Cut the wrist. Cut the body. 

Parry. Block. Parry. Parry. Riposte!

Oh no it doesn't. Shift the blade aside and strike the head.

The droid is hit. It steps back and resets its guard stance.

Soph looks critically at the featureless, windowless hallways. Denying landmarks - good defensive design. 

She tries doors systematically, methodically working anticlockwise around each level. 

Meanwhile, Vincoria continues to spar with the training droid.

Almost all of the doors Soph tries refuse to open for her. The ones that do contain things along the lines of a kitchen or common relaxation area.

The training droids continues in calibration mode for a while, but eventually deems data collection complete, and begins to fight in earnest. It is just precisely good enough to match the level of skill Vincoria displayed during calibration, and will attempt to use some of the moves she demonstrated against her.

Oh, this is going to be fun.

Soph continues on her perimeter sweep, learning the layout as she goes. Any other entrances or exits?

The droid does not get tired, and now that training mode has begun, it will not allow any significant pause in combat.

There's the speeder pad, which she knows about. There's a turbolift at the other end of some of the halls, but it doesn't work for her. There are air vents periodically, but these are too small for a normally-sized person to fit into and the grates blocking them are very resistant to removal.

Fortunately, Vincoria does not get tired either. 

Soph is not interested in shimmying into an air duct. This is a familiarization and mapping sweep, not a serious attempt to find vulnerabilities. 

Is she out of doors to try yet?

The droid continues to engage Vincoria. Its programming is better than average, but it still uses similar patterns consistently enough that Vincoria might be able to exploit them.

Soph does seem to attempted all the doors she can find.

The droid settled in at a level that was challenging for her. She has no reason to believe this is the limits of its programming, and she hardly expects Occlus to spare on expense for the training of her trusted subordinates. For all she knows, this may be her personal training droid. 

Still. Even knowing this may be a trap, it's worth trying for the opening. How else is she to learn? 

Break from the pattern here, strike at the hand while guarding her upper body - 

Well then. She will go report to her master, assuming nothing else interrupts her. 

Sparks fizz from the droid's damaged hand, it shifts to a one-handed grip and slashes low.

Nothing prevents Soph from navigating the hallways.

She has more than enough time while the droid shifts its grip to parry the one-handed slash. (A slash. Tsk.)

... And now that her opponent has only one functioning hand, the strength advantage has shifted in her favour. She presses the attack. 

Soph enters the room as her master advances on the training droid, and settles in at parade rest. She takes the opportunity to watch her master's form. 

The droid's defense is able, and the new grip prompts some tactics it had not previously employed. The fight is not entirely over yet.

Excellent! Occlus does not skimp on her droids.

Nonetheless, her apprentice is waiting. Best not waste time. 

Soph waits and watches, and takes a moment to check for a practice saber similar to her own. 

There are weakness to exploit, such as the one where it's a hair slower to reposition after a double feint left and then an attack high.

There are several types of saber, Soph is likely to find a suitable match.

Then by all means, it's time to exploit them. 

Soph notes the sabers closest to what she would prefer, and then waits patiently for Vincoria to finish. 

She will not yawn. It would be unprofessional. 

Once Vincoria scores what would be a killing blow on a live opponent, the droid deactivates.

Vincoria looks at her apprentice. "Go. Get some rest. I have no further need of you at the moment: if you continue you will merely exhaust yourself to no great benefit."

Soph nods stiffly. When no further orders follow, she leaves her master's presence and returns to her room.

The screen that Vincoria used to activate the droid flashes to get her attention.

Hmm. What does it have to say? 

{VICTORY DETECTED. RETURN ALL PARTS OF DROID TO STORAGE UNIT.}

A reasonable request, somewhat complicated by the now-lifeless bulk of the droid. She supplements her natural strength a bit with the Force, and with a bit of heaving and shoving manages to get it back into storage.

The wall panel closes back up seamlessly.

Well. Again with her primary style? 

... No. She would rather like to see if these droids can keep up with her, but she should get in the habit of appearing to need sleep. Back to her own room for the rest of the night, then: she can do her control meditations. 

In the morning Vincoria and Soph both have messages waiting on their datapads informing them that they requested to join Occlus in her office at their earliest convenience.

Vincoria's earliest convenience is, of course, 'immediately upon message receipt.' 

She goes at that speed. 

A recently-awakened Soph joins her. 

Occlus is waiting in her office, seated behind a large desk,

"Good morning. I trust you find the accommodations to your satisfaction?"

"They are indeed satisfactory."

Soph nods. She seems to have managed to go from 'asleep' to 'alert' on her way to Occlus' office. 

"Excellent. Now, we have already established your capabilities in direct combat. I wish to ascertain the extent to which you understand the more metaphysical aspects of being a Sith."

Vincoria recites from memory:

"There is no peace, there is only passion. 

Through passion, I gain strength. 

Through strength, I gain power.

Through power, I gain victory. 

Through victory, my chains are broken. 

The Force shall free me." 

She smiles slightly. "The question is..."

"Free you from what?"

"And the answer?"

"Anything."

"Very good. To be Sith is to be free, by our own strength and power. This insight is the pivot upon which our true power turns."

"That is the power, and also its price. To be a Sith is to work without the common safety nets of ordinary people, to set aside what is reasonable and ask what is desired. The force will indeed free you from your chains. All your chains. Even and especially those that are there for good reasons."

"What reason might there be for self-limitation?"

"Some barriers are set up to prevent people from falling off cliffs. Before ignoring them, one should at least ensure that they have proper training and climbing gear."

"Just so. There are certain meditative exercises which are designed to expand your awareness and strengthen control, I presume you are aware of these?"

"I am tempted to say 'Yes, of course', but it would be foolish of me to assume that I had knowledge equal to that of a Dark Councillor on such matters. I know of and have extensively practiced some such rituals, but as I am working from the personal library of a single Sith, significant techniques may well be absent from my knowledge." 

"Then we can go over each in turn."

Occlus proceeds to explain the meditations. They should be familiar to Vincoria.

They are in fact all familiar. Vincoria was not expecting to be surprised - but then again, that's why one checks. 

"Good. These next are along the same lines, but more advanced."

These Vincoria probably does not know.

She recognizes one. A second looks quite a bit like one of her own meditations, developed through trial and error. The others are unfamiliar. 

"Well. On one hand, I've been going about this poorly for decades. On the other hand, now I can stop going about this poorly."

"Indeed. What other techniques do you have experience with?"

"Those that would be expected of any apprentice, along with a half-dozen more advanced techniques that my Master happened to have on holocron, and a few more I invented or refined myself." She briefly lists the techniques that she gained from Diabolus. "As for those I invented myself, the most prominent is the telekinetic technique which I briefly used against you earlier: however, I do not believe you currently have a good understanding of its capabilities and intended use. Would you wish a demonstration?" 

"Please."

"This would be best done with a target for me to demonstrate on. Do you have any convenient scrap pieces of durasteel?"

"Not in the room."

Occlus presses a hidden button on her desk. "Commander Rankin? Bring the corner table from Room Zeta-3 to my office."

Soph suppresses a smile. 

Vincoria nods. "That should do nicely."

And presently a man in an Imperial uniform appears in the door with a table.

"My lord?"

"Thank you, Commander. Just set it there."

"Yes, my lord."

And with a bow, he departs.

Vincoria wastes no time in beginning her explanation.

"The basis for this technique is the 'force push', which some texts refer to as the most basic Alter technique. I'm sure you are familiar with it: I have never encountered a force-user without this basic capability." 

She gestures with a hand, and the table falls over. 

"However. In Diabolus' texts, there is a second technique he describes and names 'Force Rend', which consists of both pulling and pushing on the same object, such that it tears apart. I attempted this technique for some time, but I proved too weak in the force to tear anything much stronger than paper." 

She looks at the table again. "However. Even with my basic level of power, I am more than capable of flinging heavy objects with a force push - practically any half-trained apprentice can claim the same. So... If I can choose to pull and push a thing at the same time, why could I not concentrate the force of a push in a smaller area?" 

She gestures again, and the table's durasteel surface goes 'pang'. It wobbles. 

"Gradually, I refined my control." 

Pang.

A palm-sized, perfectly circular imprint has appeared in the top-right corner of the table, as if someone had put it in an industrial press. 

"And eventually, I began to see results."

Pang.

The dent this time is the size of a fingertip, and much deeper into the metal. Shock-lines radiate outwards from the centre. 

"This is the technique that I pressed against your sternum when I needed to threaten you. I can now sustain this level of force almost indefinitely." 

The dent screeches into a line. 

"However, this is not the intended purpose of the technique. It was created as an efficient means of destroying vital components of targets at long range. It is, in short, an assassination and sabotage technique." 

She points at the table. 

PANG.