A Cordial Lesson

[Taeli Raaf]

Coruscant, the Works, Order of Shadows Operations Center
Two Days before Fleet Day and Endgame

Only two days until her masterpiece began, two days until all of her work over the past ten years came to fruition. Having recently arrived from Genesia herself, she was overseeing final preparations from her agents. The operations center for Order of Shadows that had established in the Works, created in the initial days after the Alliance's liberation of the world, was ostensibly a Directorate-affiliated operation to oversee security for Coruscant's water and power infrastructure. The truth was far different. It was a training ground for her Adepts, one of a cluster of nerve centers in her network, but the closest to the Jedi Temple and Alliance High Command.

It was the location where she and [member="Ara Zambrano"] would have their first meeting since Lorrd.

She was curious what the young woman had been up to in the meantime, and whether she had been considering the request to meet for some time. Taeli had been more than happy to arrange for the young Zambrano an easy access to the planet. An Order of Shadows operative in Alliance Control had arranged for a false flight plan to be filed for the girl's ship, placing its port of origin and trajectory from Denon in CSA space rather than Panatha from the First Order. Once she was clear to land, she would be directed, again by one of her agents, to land at a hidden landing field in the Works that connected to the operations center through an underground tunnel.

Taeli was curious what the girl might want to learn first, and how this meeting would go.

 

[Ara Zambrano]

Coruscant
Three Days before the events of Endgame
Financial District



”Account name and access code.”

”Lightmist. Authorization code VBD879E1.”

The short, clipped response held little emotion, the man opposite the shrouded figure taking the cool voice in stride, his expression one of detached neutrality and professional courtesy. The sharp tug of a glove revealed a smooth, softly pale palm offered up without preamble, coming to rest on the proffered datapad with the same efficiency the bank representative exhibited. The tell-tale beeps and clicks of the bio-scan filled the small antichamber, the only noise save that of their combined breathing, business taking precedence over social necessities.

A whirling chirp and flash of blue heralded the quiet hiss of the vault doors sliding open, a small yet posh salon revealed beyond. In silence, the pair moved into the private meeting room, lights flickering to life as they passed with a quick efficiency. The well-polished gleam of the silver desk shone under the harsh illumination, it’s smooth surface broken up only by the small creature nestled upon it, the only splash of color in the utilitarian scheme.

A light brush of a finger played across the lizard-like creature’s spine as the middle-aged man settled into the chair opposite their entry, the blast-proof doors sliding shut behind. A rapid flick of black tongue tasted the air around the ysalmir, onyx orbs settling upon the woman as she moved further into the room, her stride bringing her closer to the sphere of the creature's influence, an icy-numbness settling across her person in an uncomfortable wave. The light blue tinge of her skin melted away, amber eyes bleeding to a dark crimson as she settled into her own winged chair without awaiting invitation, silver braids falling into chestnut curls as the illusion cast but the now dormant amulet nestled between her breasts faded into nothingness.

”To what to I owe the pleasure, Ms. Zambrano?”

”I would like to discuss the allocation of collected funds- and to arrange a personal deposit.”

Two Days before the events of Endgame
Landing Field, The Works/Order of Shadows Operations Center


The shuttle came to rest not far from the Works, the hidden landing field not terribly ostentatious yet suitable for a clandestine meeting between two women who, to the public eye at least, were sworn enemies. The easy smile, nearly a smirk, that often graced the face of the young Arch-Queen of Panatha was present as she descended from the craft with little fanfare, the pair of guards she had chosen to accompany her swiftly moving about the ship to ensure it would be prepared for departure when Ara deemed fit. The ship itself offered no markings of affiliation to the Zambranos, the First Order, or even Panatha itself, the Master instead having chosen to utilize a private ship few even knew existed, much less could tie back to the half-Hapan.

A small bow was offered to the escort she followed deep into the bowels of an underground tunnel system beneath the well disguised operations center. If the girl was surprised by the location [member="Taeli Raaf"] had chosen for their first meeting since Lorrd, it failed to show in either her facial expression or body language, only an air of calm confidence radiating from the Zambrano. Intelligent eyes took in every minute detail of the facility as they progressed, memorizing the path they travelled, as well as the general layout of the operations center, a long-learned habit. Amusement danced in the depths of her irises as she considered the collective apoplectic fit the upper echelon of the Galactic Alliance would have had they become aware of the Master of Ren within their midst, much less the fact that she had been invited by one of their own.

The familiar force signature of Jedi Grand Marshall grew stronger as they approached, Taeli’s guest ushered forward with a brief, yet unneeded, introduction. Ara had little doubt that the Sith had tracked her arrival as easily as Ara had tracked her own progress, the Lady of Shadow nothing if not thorough in her machinations.

”Master Raaf, how pleasant it is to see you well.”

A soft laugh and true smile of amusement offered in greeting to the older woman as the Ren bowed slightly from the waist in respect.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

She was reviewing information on her datapad when the escort arrived with [member="Ara Zambrano"]. She had sensed the girl's approach, and upon her respectful bow, Taeli gave one in return. With a gesture of her hand, her Adepts and operatives moved out of the room to give them privacy.

"And a pleasure it is to see you again, my dear. But please, no need for Master Raaf here, Ara," she replied. "Taeli or Arcanix will do."

Ah it always felt good to use her Sith name out loud and within two days... well, she would be able to actually use it openly again.

"My apologies that our current meeting space is not as well catered or relaxed as the library on Lorrd," she continued. "We're two days away from a major operation, my masterpiece if you will, and my organization is getting all the final pieces ready."

Smuggling in Sith-Imperial soldiers to crew the underground Ferratas, making sure all her agents and operatives were on rotation when the time came, identifying and tagging the routes and positions of key figures that would need to disappear. On and on it went, the last few details to move into place and the Alliance would fall on the day they expected to reveal a new ascendancy.

"But I hope your trip to Coruscant was not an inconvenience, I made sure everything was well paved for your arrival. There should be no proper log of your ship, either arrival or departure when the time comes."