Private A Celebratory Luncheon

[Taeli Raaf]

Coruscant

The message would seem inoculous enough, if odd as it would come out of nowhere. An invitation for Quinn Varanin from the Senator of Arkania to join her at a private lunch at the prestigious and expensive Indigo Tower in the Senate District. It possibly could be construed as a move by the Senator to curry favor with the Royal Family on Eshan, especially in this time before the war with the Mandalorians began.

The truth would be something else entirely.

When she arrived, she would be guided by the wait staff to the exclusive sky Vista lounge where a spread had been prepared and the Senator herself was sitting in a chair facing away from the door. A cup of tea would be sitting on a hover tray next to an odd glass mask.

But the voice that would welcome Quinn would be all too familiar.

"It's been a long time, Quinn."

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Taeli Raaf //:​

A small chime echoed in the apartment and a black cat jumped from the ivory sofa. It stared concerned at the small device making the high pitch noise. The cat meowed, trying to drown out the chirping device. "Maul stop that," a girl whined at the end of the hallway. Quinn quickly dried her hair with the towel and tossed it aside. The cat ignored its master's plea and continued to meow until she ran over to him.

"Okay, what's got you all--" Quinn grabbed the device as she petted the black cat as it purred under her hand. "Interesting, guess my sister ignored them so they think they can reach out to me," Smiling she booped the cat's nose and went to get ready. "Either way it's a free lunch."

Quinn arrived on time, dressed in a simple fitted dress. The sound of her heels tapping as she made her way towards the desk. She took note of the things on the desk and raised an eyebrow. It was a curious meeting, but she was interested. She handed the jacket and her purse to the man who led her in and took a seat. Before Quinn could grab the cup of tea, the voice welcomed her, making her pause.

Taeli Raaf.

Leaning back into the chair, Quinn folded her hands into her lap and chuckled softly. "Master Raaf, it has been some time." She remembered meeting Raaf along with Alina. It was an instant jealousy that grew inside the young Sith at the time. Taeli knew what she was doing, Alina was there to push Quinn and vice versa. Maybe Quinn should be thanking Taeli, but the Princess would never stoop to that level.

"Senator hmm? Guess you haven't lost your touch since your great reveal in the first Galactic Alliance." Her sharp tone was evident, since Quinn and Alina had fought that one time, there was a hint of resentment for the Sith Lord.

"How have you been my dear Master?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"In my off days, yes, and one must practice to keep their touch," she laughed, the seat turning so she could face the young woman who had, temporarily, been an apprentice under her. The Echani scion had gone off on her not long after, but even then Taeli had still and continued to see her as a student, much as she did with Alina.

"The years have been kind and fruitful, so I thank you for the courtesy," she continued, smiling despite the sharp tone from the younger woman. A Sith Lady should expect some underlying resentment towards them, whether it be born from envy or anger. It was just merely part of the role one had to play. "So many experiments and projects to oversee, so much to still discover. Never enough time."

Her smile widened as she asked, "And how have you been, my dear student? I've gathered in recent days you've been quite... vigorous in your endeavors and congratulations are in order."

Quinn Varanin

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Taeli Raaf //:​

Quinn looked over Taeli, looking for any sort of mischief the woman could be up to. She knew better, though; Taeli was a master of lies, and trying to read them would only be reading what the woman allowed her to glean. Shoulders relaxed slightly, Quinn letting herself settle into the lunch meeting the best she could. "I am doing much better than before, kept myself busy." Quinn's tone sweetened as she reached for the cup of tea.

Her sharpness stemmed from the Master's teachings. Quinn's memory was still fresh, remembering how Alina and she were supposed to be rivals. They were meant to fight each other potentially for their Master's attention. In truth, the pair did fight. Alina proved to be superior, which had bothered Quinn to her core. When the woman was just an acolyte, the importance of her connections had become the staple of her worth.

All of that was shattered the day she met Taeli Raaf. Quinn distinctly remembered her lesson and the accusation of her riding her parents' coattails. After that day, the young Varanin vowed to never be seen for anything other than herself.

"Congratulations? What for?" Quinn brought the tea to her lips, letting the steam linger momentarily as she let her senses search for anything foul. "I've been pretty quiet for the past handful of years, quietly reading and learning," She sipped the tea slowly, then set it carefully back on the desk. "Something I learned from my dear Master." With a little smirk, she continued, "My curiosity is getting better, but why have you kept up with my endeavors, Master Raaf?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

She would have to say, as a Sith, she would be mightily disappointed if Quinn had not shown caution in both reading the Lady of Secrets and before partaking of the tea and lunch prepared for them. In this day and age of ambition and deceit, one could never be too careful, but one also had to think of what reasons one would have to injure or kill them? Taeli had neither for the Varanin daughter.

She took of her sip of her own tea, enjoying the richness of the black tea imported from Bastion.

"My dear, if I have interest in someone, I never lose track of them or their exploits," she said, her smile widening. "I'll give them as much space as they desire, but I always keep tabs, for what use is having such a widespread network as mine. Keeping a low profile and learning on your own, I completely understand that desire."

She had never activated all of her assets embedded in the first Alliance, and while many of them were getting along in years, their children had continued the loyalty to the Lady of Secrets of their parents. As for learning on her own, her own master had been... an oddity, and so she had sought out training and knowledge from many other sources other than Praelior. It was a trait she continued to this day, always driven by endless curiosity.

"But the evidence of your most recent exploit, brash though it was, walked through my door not several days ago," she continued. "Alina said we have you to thank for her return to the world of the living, although she was... light on the details of how you managed to accomplish such a feat. So, as I said, congratulations are in order."

In the past, when both younger women had been new acolytes, she had laid it out for them plainly. She was perfectly comfortable with them being rivals or allies as apprentices under her, the only thing such a scenario would affect would be their training and their relationship between them. She wanted both of them to prove themselves, to show they were not just the names they had attached to them at birth. Now, she could say both had successfully done that.

And together... she couldn't be happier for them.

"I'm glad to see you're starting to emerge from seclusion."

Quinn Varanin