Penance Chapter - 2

Chapter 2 - Bast

         Though she cannot see her reflection, Penance knows that she looks like hell.  As she steps from the fresher and dries off she notices how pale her skin is.  Gone is the golden skin that she had when she and her husband had lived on Alderaan.  She quickly pushes thoughts of him from her mind.  It is a useless thought.  There are no mirrors here in Castle Bast, Vader forbade them.  Also, reflective surfaces are kept to a minimum.  Things here are either brushed, blasted or naturally matte finished.  Even the droids that answer to her every need are powder coated.  Absently she thumbs the scar that runs from the top of the right side of her pubic patch and ends just under the left side of her rib cage.  She looks down at it a moment, but realizes that it isn’t the same as seeing it in a mirror.  She wonders if she would recognize her reflection if she saw it.  It occurs to her that maybe that’s how Vader is able to keep some semblance of his sanity; he never has to look himself in the eye.

         Leaving the fresher she enters the bed chamber naked.  The air is cold on her flesh and her feet gently pad across the floor to her chamber.  Once dressed, she heads over to the meditation area.  Kneeling she focuses all of her anger and hatred and turns it inward.  Over and over again she sees the images of those that took her husband and unborn child from her.  The seething hatred brings a cold sweat from her even in the frigid room.  She uses the anger and feels it feeding her power.  She becomes one with the dark side of the force and its cold hand tempers her anger.  Her hatred burning, but her body under control, she opens her minds eye to the forms of the light saber. Over and over again she repeats each form to make sure that it is perfect and flawless.  Once she is satisfied that her forms are perfect she will go to the training chamber and battle the droids.  She knows better than to enter that chamber physically and mentally unprepared.  Two months ago she slipped up and a battle droids saber grazed her chest just below her collar bone.  Had she not used the force to jump back she would have been cut a lot worse than she was.  Even so, it still took several Bacta treatments before the wound was healed. 

         She moved through the training session easily enough, perhaps she would change the settings tomorrow or maybe add another droid.  She pondered this as she ate her lunch which consisted of god knows what.  She didn’t really bother to look at the food that was offered.  She no longer took pleasure in the foods she ate.  She made her choices on what would benefit her body best.  After eating there was more meditating and then off to check the transmission room to see if Vader had left any further instructions for her.  It had been weeks since Vader had last contacted her.  His message was short and to the point.