"I agree that the healing aspect is useful," Sora acknowledges, "However each time I drain a being, I feel the hunger inside me grow stronger, more intense. In the long term I fear it is destroying us."

"There wouldn't even be a long term by now if we hadn't used it," Zirak points out sourly, "And while the part where it intensifies is admittedly less pleasant, it would be a waste to lose it entirely. Surely you can agree with that."

"But Zirak, in the long term the hunger will always seek to consume us as well as our targets when we use it."

"That is why it is important to feed regularly instead of lashing out blindly like you are so often inclined to do."

Sora frowns, not seeming to follow the logic of this argument.

"I do not think it would be a waste to be rid of this affliction entirely," he says after a moment, "But you are right. I clearly have no control over this hunger. Therefore, would you agree to a pact with me? Firstly, we shall seek to be freed from this hunger. Secondly, I shall intentionally drain villains and enemies who intend harm to us and others, so as to avoid uncontrolled outbursts. Thirdly, we shall stick together until we find how to cure ourselves. Neither of us will sneak off with or without the cube. We are in this together, even if we may sometimes disagree on what course to take."

Zirak sends Sora a deeply skeptical look.

"And you realise you will have to feed tomorrow, don't you?"

"Longer-than-a-standard-day hyperspace journeys are something we shall just have to deal with. But we shall avoid them when possible."

"I don't think you quite understand me, Sora. Who will you eat tomorrow? Because if the answer is 'You, Zirak,' I will not be pleased."

"My answer is that I have no choice but to try to control myself for tomorrow. But in the future I shall attempt to avoid such situations."

"Fine," Zirak sneers, "But I have no intention of doing the same, so a clause will need to be added into our little pact. You will agree to avoid Bane if you have not fed within the past standard day. If I have no other food source, I will feed on Sella. Deal? Unless you would prefer for me to feed on you?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:44, Mon 30 Apr 2018.

"I shall avoid Bane," Sora concedes, "And yes, I would prefer that you attempt to feed on me, not Sella."

Zirak sends him a look that says exactly what he thinks of that decision.

"Fine," he shrugs, "If you insist I shall eat you instead of Sella. Are you happy now?"

"Very well," Sora nods, satisfied.

"And if you acquire a lot of wealth, I get to share it," Zirak adds firmly, "And in return, if you attempt to eat anyone who isn't trying to kill us, I will do my best to help you control your hunger... even... even if it's Sella you are eating," Zirak finishes, sounding as though this last part is a very difficult and self-sacrificing thing to include in this deal.

"Very well," Sora once more nods, "But I don't know if I will have any wealth, and even if I do, I gave my word to repay Utapau for the destruction of Kau'dan City, if I was responsible, and it seems that I was, at least in part, since the facility in which all this mess began belonged to me. Or at least the Crusaders."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:52, Mon 30 Apr 2018.

"I'm sure you weren't responsible for that," Zirak says firmly, "Even if you were conducting illegal rituals, I'm sure that the city would have been destroyed anyway. There is no proof it was you just because you happened to be there."

"Perhaps," Sora allows, "But I wish for you to be prepared, should it be the case."

"Yes, yes. But I do hope you do not intend to be guilt-tripped into paying anyway unless it is proven you are responsible."

"I do not intend to be," Sora assures him.

"Excellent."

"Well," says Sora after a pregnant pause, "In the interests of finding the answers behind this hunger, perhaps we can meditate together to see if we can recall any more of our memories?"

The pair proceed to do so, and after a few minutes of staring at the backs of their eyelids, a scene begins to take place about them. The memory appears to be one of Sora's, and he stands on what appears to be the bridge of a starship. The female togruta from the facility in Kau'dan stands beside him, along with a zabrak neither of them recognise.

"Our scouts have returned," says the female togruta softly, "It was as you suspected, master."

"We must move quickly," says the zabrak, "The Stratocracy close in about us."

"They are fools," snorts the female togruta says disdainfully, "And they are blind."