Private A Growing Ambition

[Athassehl Sylaar]

Location: Theed University, Naboo

Theed University was located in the near the Royal Library in Theed. The Sun was shining upon the school with students walking on the courtyard conversing with one another and heading to their classes. In the auditorium, a large number of students and Professors gathered together listening to the man on the podium. Professor Athassehl Sylaar was leaned against the glass podium shifting his weight. He was a well-respected Professor at around 57 years old specializing in Quantum Electrodynamics. Athassehl was one of the early pioneers in faster than light travel creating a translight engine which enables a ship to go from end to the Galaxy to the other in a half of a second. His grey beard glistened against the sunlight shining through the painted glass windows above.

"As you may have heard," Athassehl spoke to the crowd adjusting his microphone. "There were rumors that I was killed in a boating accidental while I was on vacation. But I hate to disappoint the Physics department celebrating my demise that I was only slightly dead." A low chuckle by the crowd rumbled in the room while the Professor smirked and got his papers ready for the lecture.

In reality, Althassehl was in the Zakuul System assisting the First Order in neutralizing the Zakuulan Resistance. As a disillusioned Sith Lord known as Darth Imperious, Athassehl was drawn to the First Order's strong sense of justice. It suited him quite well compared to chaotic nature of the Sith. For years, Athlassehl played the role of a beloved Professor and a brilliant physicist and businessman. He was the epitome of what a Core World man should be: Classy, intelligent, sophisticated. No one knew that Athassehl served more darker ambitions. Soon the High Republic will be bought to heel, but for now, Athasshel will play the Professor.

Myra

 

[Myra]

Myra sat in the corner of the auditorium, three men in suits sitting in a semi circle around her in not-so-subtle show of force as her security guards. While they watched the room, Myra watched Althassehl. She was a nobody in the High Republic, a noble from a world literally on the other side of the galaxy and she needed allies. Her spies and informants had prepared reports on important figures within the Republic she should introduce herself to. Fishing for introductions was done with a net, not a spear, catch as many as possible and commit to the diamonds in the rough while letting the others slip back into obscurity.

It was just this mentality that had caused Myra to attend this lecture, to asses the man before her and see if any of the reports were true. Certainly he was no nobleman or government official, but he was respected and with respect came social capital. Starting so near the bottom of local politics, one took what they could get. Especially when the reports had such interesting gaps on who and what Althassehl was exactly. Myra's nature made her innately curious, especially when she saw the same enforcement of privacy she often employed. Perhaps it was nothing, a man who wanted his private life to remain out of the public eye. But that was to be seen.

And so, Myra sat. Her lip twitching slightly into a smile in a trained response to the crowd's chuckle before returning her to stoic demenour. Her eyes tracked him, occasionally darting to see what he was looking at before returning to listen intently. She was not trying to be subtle. Certainly she could have left the guards behind, but she came to send a message. The guards, her dress, her stare all communicating why she was here. Not for a lesson, but for him.

She practiced patience however, letting the lecture go on and not interrupting.

Athassehl Sylaar