Altiria Lifestyle

[Kay-Larr]

The Sphaera Tea Shoppe was going to be open soon. In the coming days she planned on purchasing an ad for it and handing out her menu of teas. Of course that menu was small now. But it would surely grow in time.

It was amazing how tragedy can change one's path in life. For Kay it was a loss of many things; her family, her friends, her reputation, her job and her hope. [member="Darth Tacitus"] saw to most of that. The rest were due to a series of unfortunate events and decisions.

Politics had once improved her life, but now it had ruined it altogether. She was but a pawn, a person to be exploited and used for another's gain. But no more. Much like her daughter was a Captain of her own ship, Kay too was going to be her own boss. Politics wouldn't rear it's ugly head on her anymore. Her latest loss of Zakuul made sure of that.

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

The former Empress sorted through her tea stocks, looking for which teas and herbs to display and which to keep hidden. Obviously the most potent would be kept out of reach and out of the view of most patrons. Some teas had great effects, such as reducing fevers, promoting good health and calming nerves. However others weren't so good; their effects including those similar to narcotics, or super-human strength, acting as a truth serum, even so far as numbing one's ability to use the Force.

Some of the teas that Kay was going to sell weren't your average teas at all. Such a concept wasn't one that she had discovered on her own. Lord Mayhem had a hand in that....

{{ Flashback }}

Kay hung limp, shackled to a large wooden pole in the middle of nowhere on Nelvaan. After her trial she was set for execution. However it wasn't a quick death by any means. Instead it was meant to be slow. The elements, isolation, starvation and dehydration were the tools being used. Her body was beaten and broken, her access to the Force and her husband [member="Veiere Arenais"] was blocked due to the voidstone collar around her neck. No one was aware that she was even there, or at the very least none that could offer help to her.

[video]https://youtu.be/cFYlTY-JY-Q[/video]​

It was at the end of the second day that she heard his laughter, one that she hadn't heard in over two decades, yet still recognized easily enough. Lord Mayhem...

The Arkanian scientist once tested Kay's healing abilities in his lab. She was much younger then. Though the experiments took their toll so much that she hardly touched on those abilities again. Her life's focus switched to politics instead.

Mayhem was a genius, yet at times his behaviour was almost childlike. Or maybe that was just how he was when he was around her.

Opening her eyes Kay saw him, moving into her vision and sitting himself upon the ground with his legs crossed. "Hello Kay-Kay. What a predicament you find yourself in today. Care to tell me the story?" His four digit hands steepled together as he rested his elbows on his knees, looking up at her as a young child would await a bedtime story.

Only Mayhem was no child.

Kay tried to speak, yet her throat was raw from all of her screaming during her weeks of torture, her vocal chords dry from lack of water.

Mayhem grinned with amusement at watching her struggle to find her voice before getting to his feet and approaching her. Kay closed her eyes as she felt him touch her hair to move it aside and expose more of the voidstone collar. "Horrid little devices aren't they, Kay-Kay? But you'll get out of this one. With a little help. Just do as I say and your life will be changed for the better. You'll be out of here. Trust me. Have I ever lied to you?"

As far as Kay could recall, he hadn't ever lied to her. Lies didn't serve his purpose. She opened her eyes and looked at him as his fingers lifted her chin. His white eyes were creepy, even to this day. It was a common trait among Arkanians. It almost made them look....unreal.

"Are you going to listen?"

Kay gave her head a little nod, not aware that Mayhem was just a manifestation of her subconscious. He was giving her hope and that was what she desperately needed right now.


{{ Present Day }}


"Mayhem are you sure that we should have this many tables?"

"Yes. It will start as a trickle, but once the floodgates are open Kay-Kay, we'll need them. And extra test subj--I mean employees to help us create the most unique brews that this side of the Galaxy had ever seen."

Kay nodded as she set up more chairs around a table, trying to figure out the most spacious way to place them. Of course she knew that Mayhem had some ulterior motive in all of this. He always did. But he had helped to get her off of Nelvaan. So she owed him.

 

[WolfMortum]

Location: "The Judiciary" Heavy Cruiser.​

Present Company: Senior Officers.​

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Life had been nothing if not dramatic since the years of their leadership and monarchy over Commenor; and the last time that Veiere Arenais had seen his Wife, neither of them had been a great deal better for it. The Order of the Silver Jedi's official stance had been declared, [member="Kay Arenais"] had been given their support to seek to renew her life and step away from the past crimes that had all been associated with the influence of the Sith Lord, Prazutis.

The murder of the Elders, the orchestrated escape from Purgatory made by a third party, these were crimes that the Silver Assembly had been willing to over look, given all that it had cost her; the torture, the loss of friends and family in her forced turn to the Dark Side...-and in her years of recovery, the Sith still hunted she and her family, Veiere himself being drawn into combat against the right hand of the Sith Emperor for their ill intent planned against the House Arenais.

While Kay had made it clear that she sought no help from the Order of the Silver Jedi, nor wished to be seen in any way tied to them in allegiance nor political alignment, she and their children still held a firm grip upon Veiere's heart and as Darth Prazutis had once told him, they were his mortal weakness and always would be.

When her regime over Zakuul had been brought to an end, the news hit the media swiftly due to the political instability that once more wrought havoc in the region. Zakuul had been an influential world both to Kay herself, her rival Darth Tacitus as well as the First Order. Veiere had suspected her incarceration, though their connection to the Force had been severed, and her officials "The Scions of Zakuul" had all been executed, beheaded for their loyalty to her Empire. It had been a frightening statement to the Galaxy and had more than set the Jedi Master on edge for the trauma and concern that it brought him. He had gone out in search of answers, yet found nothing...

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, he could feel her presence once more through their Force bond; a connection strengthened in their marriage and relationship with the Force itself, aiding them in the most dire of times and keeping them connected in all others. Somewhere out there, Kay Arenais was alive and Veiere had set off from Kashyyyk in search of her once more.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay loved the tea shoppe. The idea came to her through Lord Mayhem. Fortunately tea was what she knew quite well. It was just what could be done with it was an opportunity that she hadn't tapped into. Teas could be used against her enemies and to help her friends. That is if she had any friends left...

Her thoughts dwelled back to the interrogations that [member="Darth Tacitus"] put her through. She was brought to a warehouse of sorts with vats of molten gold. There she watched in horror as [member="Veiere Arenais"] and both of their children were lowered into the vats, only to come back up as skeletal gold statues. The experience had devastated her. It was the last thing that she had ever expected would happen from her acceptance of the Eternal Throne.

After Mayhem had helped her get out of her chains, he had helped and guided her in removing the voidstone collar. It was then that she felt her connection to her husband restored. But in her mind it was just his Force spirit and she had yet to make any moves to contact him. How could she even begin to apologize for his death? For the death of their children?

A snapping of fingers brought her out of her thoughts. "Kay-Kay, focus. The water pressure isn't that strong in the lab. Let's fix it, shall we?" In the business of tea, water was important. Mayhem was pivotal in helping her create unique blends. So she had to keep him happy.

Right now he was all that she had.

 

[Kay-Larr]

"It's not a lab, Mayhem. It's a kitchen, remember?" Kay moved to the back of the counter, pushed a hidden button on the wall and one of the shelving units moved aside to let her and Mayhem pass through before it slowly closed.

"Aha, but we are experimenting, creating new brews that'll be most influential for your future." The rows of lights turned on automatically as they walked down the short hallway to the kitchen. Shelves, boxes, vials, tea pots, sinks, stoves, countertops and tables filled the room.

Kay walked past all of it to another door and opened it by placing her hand on the palm pad. "I don't know why you don't give yourself access to the boiler room instead of making me do it all the time..." The door opened and she went inside, grabbing one of the wrenches from the toolbox.

"How else are you going to learn, Kay-Kay?"

She sighed and got herself to work. Just how much water pressure Mayhem needed, she wasn't sure. But she made sure to tweek it up a notch in any case.


Later that evening, Kay was sitting just outside of the tea shoppe on the stone steps, a cup of Sapir tea next to her as a datapad lay on her lap. It was opened to one of her message files to [member="Veiere Arenais"] . What would he think of her now? What would he think of her fate? His death still tormented her and haunted her. He was the second husband that she had lost to a Sith Lord, and all because of her defiance and stubborness.

That wasn't going to happen anymore. Now she was safe; out of politics and away from everyone. Although she was sure to get invitations to travel, Kay wasn't so sure that she'd even leave. Why do so only to be ridiculed and torn apart? No. Here it was much safer.

Veiere,

Words cannot even begin to describe how sorry that I am for what happened to you and our children. Like some curse I've been kept alive, perhaps so that I can never live the rest of my days in peace again. Instead I am left with just the memories of your final minutes tormenting me day and night. Maybe that's my punishment...

I'm out of politics now. Got myself a little tea shop on Altiria where Lord Mayhem is helping me to develop different kinds of tea. He says that there's one that can erase memories. I could probably use that one...

It's silly for me to write this, and even sillier to send it. You're gone, all of you are gone. What answer would there be? But maybe in some small way it'll make me feel a little better.

I'm so sorry Veiere. Truly...

Kay.

She hit the send button before putting the datapad to the other side of her. The tea cup was then picked up and brought up to her lips for a grateful sip. Kay cradled the cup in her hands as she gazed up at the stars.

The tea shoppe grand opening was tomorrow. She expected no fanfare. No celebration. It was all going to be quiet.

 

[WolfMortum]

Location: "The Judiciary" Heavy Cruiser.​

Present Company: Senior Officers.​

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Veiere had moved to his private quarters, sat down at his desk and activated his console terminal to look over the holo-net pondering the possible whereabouts of [member="Kay Arenais"] while also having to contend with the numerous messages that continued to fill his comport inbox from various other Jedi and organizations invested in the Silver Jedi Order.

He'd been scrolling down the list when a new message arrived and reset the bar back to the top of the list, miraculously displaying his wife's name as the sender and leaving Veiere to sit back into his seat, a little shocked at the timing and the fact she'd been able to message him at all.

Reading over the contents of the message didn't help alleviate his surprise and confusion what-so-ever:

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Veiere,

Words cannot even begin to describe how sorry that I am for what happened to you and our children. Like some curse I've been kept alive, perhaps so that I can never live the rest of my days in peace again. Instead I am left with just the memories of your final minutes tormenting me day and night. Maybe that's my punishment...

I'm out of politics now. Got myself a little tea shop on Altiria where Lord Mayhem is helping me to develop different kinds of tea. He says that there's one that can erase memories. I could probably use that one...

It's silly for me to write this, and even sillier to send it. You're gone, all of you are gone. What answer would there be? But maybe in some small way it'll make me feel a little better.

I'm so sorry Veiere. Truly...

Kay.

Veiere's brows furrowed, his head tilting a little in blind confusion, his expression echoing his uncertainty. She was under the impression that he had died somehow...-Him and their Children? How and who could be responsible for such a thing. [member="Darth Tacitus"] had been the one hunting for her after the whole Zakuul debacle, one could only assume that in her captivity the Sith Lord had abused his authority and power over her. The thought caused his fingers to curl and tighten into his palms, the whites of his knuckles showing as memories of [member="Darth Prazutis"] work soon came to mind.

Veiere didn't bother to respond to the message itself, instead he sought to reach out into the veil of the Force searching for his wife's presence. She was somewhere out there in the greater Galaxy, and their Force Bond meant that eventually his words would find her should she be open to hearing him.

'Kay...It's Veiere, where are you?'.

 

[Kay-Larr]

No no no no no....

Kay heard the voice of her late husband [member="Veiere Arenais"] as he reached out to her. More than likely it was due to her letter and opening herself up to his ghost that she had felt ever since Mayhem had helped her to get the collar off. Now it seemed that she had opened herself up to a conversation with him. How long before he'd appear in a shade of blue like a holo?

If he had been able to read her message, then he'd of seen the location written. Maybe if she'd of just written it all in her mind than it would have been better.

Still, she hesitated to respond, only holding her cup of tea while she stared out at the stars up above. If she were to engage than he would surely come, wouldn't he? Kay wasn't so sure that she could handle that. At least not right now. But not responding would still have him poking around in her mind. Even in death he still seemed to worry.

~I'm selling tea on Altiria, Veiere. The shoppe opens in the morning. Can you imagine that?~ She sipped her tea, letting the hot liquid sooth her as always. No, she couldn't engage too much. She needed to be able to sleep and have enough rest before the opening day. No doubt Mayhem would be having her do all the work. He'd probably be busy working on new brews anyways.

The man was a genius. At least this time he seemed intent on helping her.

 

[WolfMortum]

Location: "The Judiciary" Heavy Cruiser.​

Present Company: Senior Officers.​

En-route to Altiria.​

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~ I'm selling tea on Altiria, Veiere. ​

The shoppe opens in the morning. Can you imagine that? ~​

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The response had caused Veiere to frown, the frustration of not knowing where and what had happened to his wife, only to discover she to be selling tea on some unheard of world...-Well, he had to remind himself that it wasn't all simply frustration that he was feeling, given what could have happened to her. Signalling to Vikras, the Judiciary would change course at his request.

With the conflict against the Mandalorians and the emerging Sith War now ensuing between them and the Outer-Rim Coalition, Veiere Arenais had been nothing if not busy. He'd found himself training another student in the absence of Lori, Sylas and Jerek. He'd been involved in his share of the combat since the last time he and Kay had seen one another, and for all his intentions, his service to the Order and to the greater Galaxy had kept his life busied, verging on frantically so.

'I'm aboard the Judiciary, and we're en-route to you now.​

There's a lot that you'll have to fill me in on...'.​

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[member="Kay Arenais"]​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay laughed a little in spite of herself after hearing the response from [member="Veiere Arenais"] . Even in death he haunted his ship. The poor crew must be beside themselves if they saw him

~Yeah...sure...~ Of course there was a lot to fill him in on. However she didn't want to go through with it. If Veiere had somehow forgotten his death after experiencing it, why should she be the one to remind him? It was heartbreaking enough to go through it once. And it made her wonder whatever happened to Caedyn and Lori. Did they become one with the Force? Or were they not yet trained enough to do so?

She got to her feet, taking her cup of tea with her as she went back inside the shop. Mayhem looked to be organizing the shelves. "I'm turning in. We've got a big day ahead of us and I want to be rested."

"I've been doing some research on an ingredient that can remove memories. Short term, mostly. But perhaps we could get it to do more."

"I think that I like that idea. Maybe it can remove pain and heartache as well."

"It might. Though you still have to tell me those stories."

"Not right now, Mayhem. I'm going to bed. Goodnight." Kay opened a door that led to the second floor where her quarters and the guest quarters lay. She hoped to have a restful night's sleep but she wasn't certain that she would. It seemed as though Veiere's spirit might be coming for a visit. That was not going to be a pleasant conversation, she was sure.

 

[WolfMortum]

Location: Orbit of Altiria.​

Starship: "The Judiciary" Heavy Cruiser.​

Present Company: Senior Officers.​

[member="Kay Arenais"]​

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The following day would see the arrival of the Judiciary Heavy Assault Cruiser into Altiria space and soon approaching the world's orbit, there Veiere Arenais would hand over primary command of the star destroyer to Vikras Ansion, his second in command, whilst the Jedi Master would head down to the main hangar where his Upsilon-Class Command Shuttle was being prepared for departure. Only six other personnel would be on board the smaller vessel and they were there purely to operate the upper-class military escort in order to see the Captain of the Judiciary wherever he wished or was required to go.

This time, Veiere chose to contact Kay over her comm's frequency (an old channel that he hoped she still held onto). "Kay, it's Veiere. Relay your coordinates to me. I'm about to depart the Judiciary for Altiria shortly and need to know where I'm going..." he spoke into the comms-unit, a live transmission and nothing requiring reading or easily falsified. Perhaps now she would realize that this wasn't some distant nightmare coming back to haunt her.

"Sir, are you certain you don't wish to have a squad accompany you?" One of the junior security officers asked him out of concern, the details of their visit being entirely off of the books and kept close to Veiere's chest, so to speak.

"That won't be necessary" Veiere waved a hand dismissively, "Besides, I'm entirely capable of looking after myself" he added with a wary smile. Despite Kay's relations with those whom held a grudge with the Order of the Silver Jedi, Veiere wasn't expecting to run into any life threatening complications on this run.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Sleep didn't come easy. Her mind was too busy going over a variety of things. Her tea shoppe was opening and then there was the fact that [member="Veiere Arenais"] ' ghost was reaching out to her. In the end she drank from a special brew of tea that helped put her to sleep.

Morning came and went. Mayhem was nowhere to be found. More than likely he was busy in the warehouse working on more varieties of teas. Some of the ones that he had come up with were genius. Whereas Kay would focus more on flavours, Mayhem focused more on the effects that the tea would have on an individual. Some gave average people Force-like abilities, while another took the Force connection away from people altogether for a time. Some could heal and some could hurt if too much was had. Word had soon gone out about these special teas.

Kay was just closing up the shoppe for the evening as Veiere's voice came over her comm. Did ghosts have that ability? Or maybe it was all inside of her head? More than likely it was the latter. She took a moment as she thought about whether or not to answer. Was it better to give that part of her some peace of mind? Or was she just going to torment herself even further? When would the punishments end? Was it her fate to suffer for all eternity? Or just in life?

She stared at her commlink as she held it in her hand, her thumb caressing the button before pressing it. ~Veiere I'm...I'm at my tea shoppe. I'll be waiting on the steps.~ Kay ended her transmission after sending him the co-ordinates for the shoppe. She rubbed the back of her beck where here prisoner identification number was engraved into her skin as she made her way outside. This had better not be a trick by [member="Darth Tacitus"] to flush her out...

 

[WolfMortum]

Location: Orbit of Altiria.​

Starship: "The Judiciary" Heavy Cruiser.​

Present Company: Senior Officers.​

[member="Kay Arenais"]​

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Something didn't feel right the entire trip down to the surface of Altiria. Veiere couldn't quite place it but it felt as though Kay had seemed reluctant or even unbelieving of his intent to come to her. When the Upsilon-Class Shuttle landed upon the Starport's landing zone designated for their arrival and Veiere left the ship in search for public transport to her location, his presence there on the world would no doubt have become stronger to her sensory abilities. Their Force Bond making it all that much easier to read one another like a book when their mental guard's weren't raised, Veiere doing nothing to keep her from reaching out to him and taking from his presence what she wished.

He didn't need to explain to her that he was nearby, even when stepping into the air-speeder that would take him to the coordinates she had given him; Kay would feel it the closer her got within reach of her new home there. Truthfully, Veiere didn't know what to expect. Their last meeting had been on Kashyyyk where she had been given the confidence of the Silver Assembly to go and live a life she wished free of any suspicion from the Order of the Silver Jedi. They had given her their blessing to live a good free live anew, and Veiere had known that regardless, she would've sought it all the same, this simply made their relationship all the more easier with the Silver Jedi not needing to concern themselves with her intentions and vice-versa.

Frankly, it was disappointing how far apart their lives were nowadays. Her Empire of Zakuul no longer risked indifference and the compromise of politics, though it also had eclipsed her desired life-style and Veiere had always wished for her to be happy in herself. Altiria was a foreign world to him, though he supposed that if this was to be her new home, then the least he could do was help finance a comfortable life here for her...

When the Air-Taxi arrived at the location she had given him, Veiere stepped out and paid for the lift before seeing the speeder depart. He wanted to ensure that the driver had well left their range of sight before turning to look towards the building that he could only presume was Kay's new business. Reaching out to her in the Force, he made it clear that he'd arrived and was awaiting her outside, not wanting to over-push any boundaries she currently had raised in her given anxiety.

 

[Kay-Larr]

The feeling of [member="Veiere Arenais"] getting closer was almost too much to bear. She just had to shut herself off from it. All that Kay could see was the images of his execution playing out in her mind. It got so bad that she shut her eyes tight in a bid to will it all away.

"Hmm...this should be interesting."

Kay's eyes snapped open only to see Mayhem sitting cross-legged on a nearby boulder and looking up at her like some eager child waiting to hear a story. His painted face made it all the creepier. But she was very used to him. "I want sone time alone. Couldn't you go away, please?"

"Oh no Kay-Kay. You're all so flustered right now and I'm just DYING to find out why."

"But I want to have some privacy."

Mayhem quickly got to his feet and stepped right into her face, his white eyes holding her gaze. "You lost your right to privacy years ago. Especially now that we're a team."

Kay clenched her jaw, giving him the slightest of nods before she broke his gaze. "Fine, but just...keep quiet."

"Splendid! I knew you'd come around." He clapped his hands once and then rubbed them together before stepping aside just as Veiere came into view.

Kay just stared at her husband for a moment. "You're not glowing...." Force ghosts were supposed to glow, weren't they? And be somewhat transparent like a holo? Her knees buckled underneath her, causing her to collapse on the steps, though her upper body remained upright. "You're not glowing...." She stared at Veiere in disbelief. "But I watched you die! I heard your screams! Why aren't you glowing!! You're supposed to GLOW!!"

 

[WolfMortum]

Location: Kay's Tea Shop.​

Present Company: [member="Kay Arenais"]​

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Her response left him rather dumb-founded, his mouth opening to speak though not knowing nor having the words to appropriately respond to the theory of his death and her apparent witnessing of it. Instead, he moved quickly to her front and took a knee, his hands taking hers as his gaze fell level with her own; "Kay, I'm very much alive. You saw me last on Kashyyyk alongside the Assembly; I've been there, watching over and training other Jedi" he informed her gently, his voice quiet and soft that she might not be startled by anything more.

"C'mon, let's get you to your feet" he said, moving to take her by the underarms and picking her back up off of the ground, carrying her weight at first until she might find her strength and sense of awareness of the situation enough to stand of her own volition.

"How long have you been here on Altiria?" He soon asked, sparing a glance to their surroundings. They were alone, though perhaps not to his wife's state of mind, there was no one truly real nearby. "I went looking for you when I heard about Zakuul but there was no trace of you. The Kids have been beside themselves, none of us have known whether you were alive or had been executed alongside your supporters..." he explained, turning back to look her over as if there might be some sort of fatal wound on her to kill the sense of relief and what felt to be a miracle in actually having found her again.

"You said you were selling tea now...-Why in seven hells would you think I was dead?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay's breath caught in her throat as [member="Veiere Arenais"] touched her hand. She stared at him with tears brimming her eyes while he spoke in that soft voice that she had grown fond of so many years ago. "That was before he--" She cut herself off as he lifted her to her feet, her forearms bracing herself against him while the fingers of her right hand reached up to touch his beard.

As Veiere mentioned Zakuul and the executions, Kay lowered her head and shut her eyes. If most people thought that she was dead, well, that was probably a good thing. But just how many of her supporters died? "How many are dead? He glassed Zakuul...I saw the holonewsfeed. Were there any survivors?" Tacitus had created the fake news while he had her in custody. The fake broadcasts showed images of Zakuul under attack by orbital bombardments of hundreds of Star Destroyers. It was all designed to break her down and shatter her hopes.

None of it was real though. None except for the executions of the Scions. That part was real. Their decapitated bodies remained on Zakuul while their heads were on Tacitus' flagship.

"Kay-Kay..." Mayhem made the 'tsking' sound at her. "And here I thought being the death of both of your husbands was bad enough. Now a planet was glassed because of you? And here you try to say that I'M the villain. You've caused more death and destruction than I ever have."

"I'm not a villain!" Kay opened her eyes, turning her head to look at the Arkanian. "I didn't do any of it, now go back inside. Please!" She turned her attention back to Veiere, ignoring his questions and instead trying to get him to believe her. "I'm not a villain. Don't listen to him. He wasn't there. He was on Nelvaan."

 

[WolfMortum]

"How many are dead? He glassed Zakuul...​

I saw the holonewsfeed. Were there any survivors?".​

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"[member="Darth Tacitus"] wiped out your previous government, but Zakuul wasn't glassed..." Veiere replied, his voice filled with concern and confusion as to what she thought she knew, as well as his own uncertainty around the true details of what had happened, "Your Empire has fallen, but I don't believe the civilian population was affected outside of a new political regime. Only those that served you were executed. I'm sorry" he apologized. Veiere hadn't made any official investigations into the territory, he'd stayed clear of any obvious movements for political reasons and instead reached out to personal contacts he had made over the many years of his service to the Galaxy in order to try to ascertain the results of the skirmish as well as Kay's whereabouts. But like her whereabouts, much of what he got back was unreliable and covered up by a wealth of political and financial investments in order to keep the truth from the Galaxy's eyes and ears.

"I'm not a villain. Don't listen to him. ​

He wasn't there. He was on Nelvaan".​

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[member="Kay Arenais"] outburst caused Veiere to flinch, a grimace in his realization that Kay was responding to something that wasn't actually present. Emotionally or mentally compromised, the damage and guilt that she had worn over the years followed by the belief that he and their children had been executed alongside those whom really were killed for following her, it had cost her more than he had realized. "I know you're not...-You're my Wife" Veiere replied gently, a hand lifting to reach out to her, wishing to reassure and calm her from whatever it was that had triggered her sudden and unexpected outrage.

"Why don't we go inside, it might be more comfortable in there?" He asked suggestively, wanting to minimize any further distractions if at all possible. If was evident now that she was going to need more than just his help to recover from whatever had been done to her, though first Veiere needed more insight as to the state and environment that Kay was living under.

 

[Vex Kezsul]

The Unknown Regions, as far from Dathomir as one could get. Here was the first test, before being brought before the Emperor…
All was as he had foreseen, the Woman Bound By Scalpels, the Disillusioned Scholar, an enclave between two species on one world. The cryptic redes and riddles of his power now made clear, and his faith was shaken.

There was a Jedi. Like a vast and endless horizon of slowly-thudding waves of a deceptively deep ocean, the aura wrought a dagger of fear into the gut of the Zabrak slave.

Triune. Man. Beast. God. Who was what? How quick shall the chains and cycles break? What will they break?

His…”companion” as it were, the humanoid shade of the Force that was his mentor and confidant for as long as he could remember spoke sooth. Some of his words were frustratingly esoteric, speaking of courts and kings and knights and beasts. Yet now he spoke clear, the path open.

He was always terrified of the future. Soothsayer or no, the future always had some way being fulfilled, even if you did everything to prevent it.

The Tea Shop was open, and the contradiction was made clear. Execution of a man who lived and breathed. Being bathed in the Nether, at the foot of the Warlock Gate, the Conflux of the Spirits, he knew very well what was alive, what wasn’t, and what was yet to be.

Jedi Master Veiere Arenais; Age: fifty-nine, current status, alive.

Her Grace, Lady Kay Arenais nee Larr(?); age forty six current status, alive.

Lord Mayhem, Age: Unavailable, Status, Untrue. Contradiction. Scar. No spirit living or dead or yet born shall bear the name save in her own mind.

Perhaps I may be yet rid of you...the Zabrak thought with the slightest bit of hope...hope that was easily dashed when he realized he arrived too early. The fell magicks of Dathomir wrapped him like a pungent incense, though his presence in the Force laughably miniscule. His shadowy companion that seemed to lurk and loom behind him judged the two with unfeeling and invisible eyes. Yet...the Zabrak seemed to be trembling. Fear had gripped the very core, to dare intercede in a matter not his own, that he could never fully know in spite of his sight.

“U-um...excuse me…” the Zabrak would gulp, then clear his throat. “I-I w-was wondering if th-the shop…?” he gestured to the open door. Or what would be an open door if the husband and wife did not block it with their presence. Trying desperately not to arise the anger or full power of such Force-sensitive individuals, his legs locked and backpedaled. “I-If...I...uh…” if it was possible to see a blush on the red-tattooed individual, seemed to fumble, falter, and utterly collapse all semblance of understanding of how to properly insert himself into a delicately social scenario.

[member="Kay Arenais"] | [member="Veiere Arenais"]​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay knew what she saw and heard. She KNEW it. And yet.... Her brows furrowed in thought as she went through the memories of her latest imprisonment, trying to sort through what was real and what was not. [member="Veiere Arenais"] wouldn't lie to her...

Ever since her escape, she couldn't bear to do her own research as the pain was just too much. Besides the fact that she wasn't meant to survive the crucifiction at all. It was what kept her here on Altiria; a virtually disregarded planet to those that posed a threat to her. No one knew here here. Politics shouldn't find her either. And with Lord Mayhem's help she had been able to earn herself a decent living.

"I will...send credits to the families of those executed." But in secret. The guilt was enough already. She didn't want those families to know that she was alive.

"Bribing them into silence. Boy are you a shrewd one."

Kay narrowed her eyes at Mayhem. He was right of course, but she didn't dare admit it.

She returned her attention to Veiere as he called her his wife. Kay slowly shook her head. "I don't deserve to be your wife. I sour your reputation, just as you feared doing so to mine after Deneba. I'm sure that your peers and allies consider our marriage to be a black mark on you..." She saw it enough at the meeting with the Silver Assembly. She had heard as much during her inprisonment. How could a Jedi Master in good standing be married to her? Their paths had grown a Galaxy apart, and so did they.

At the suggestion of going inside, Kay nodded in agreement. "I could use some tea."

It was then that the shaken voice of [member="Vex Kezsul"] broke the emotional cloud that hung over them. Kay's eyebrows lifted as she straightened herself. He was obviously a customer, however it was unusual it was for her to come across a Zabrak here. "We're open. Yes--sorry. I didn't mean to block the door. Come on in." The transformation from weeping former ruler of worlds to tea shoppe owner took but a second to achieve as she stepped aside. "Shall I get you two a menu?"

 

[WolfMortum]

"I don't deserve to be your wife. I sour your reputation, just as you feared doing so to mine after Deneba. ​

I'm sure that your peers and allies consider our marriage to be a black mark on you...".​

​

Veiere had to frown to his wife as she seemed to have clearly learned little about the manner of the Jedi, in which they usually regarded others without judgement where best possible. The Silver Assembly had to remain aware of [member="Kay Arenais"] for her position in politics and previous controversies, yet it had always been Veiere himself stepping forward to inform them of the situation as it unfolded, never himself being scrutinized for whom he kept closest to his heart. Having the eyes of the Galaxy on you, as was usually the case in politics, Veiere wasn't the sort to let the opinions of others govern whom he considered to be friends and family; Kay herself was an example of this truth in whom he cared for well beyond the suspected judgements of others, especially those fictions she seemed to dream up in her stressed and ill state of mind. Before he could interject however, there came an almost quiet and anxious voice from behind them.

​

“U-um...excuse me…”​

“I-I w-was wondering if th-the shop…?” ​

“I-If...I...uh…”​

​

Kay quickly apologized as it seemed he and his Wife had been left standing in the doorway, whilst Vex Kezsul wished to peruse the contents of the shop within. Lowering his head in a slightly apologetic bow, Veiere stepped aside and sought to make himself somewhat scarce while his Wife tended to her new customer. The moment giving Veiere the opportunity to look around the place and see how well Kay had done for herself. The Sphaera Tea Shoppe was quite the interesting place, far from what Veiere would have guessed Kay to be these days, though perhaps that was also the point. Truth be told, it was quite impressive that she had managed all of this, considering the obvious impairments she was suffering. Sparing a glance back towards his Wife and her customer, Veiere couldn't help but grimace at the reality of their situation and how far things had fallen since the days of Commenor. The fact was that he had too much on his mind now to consider the presence of the Zabrak, knowing nothing about the other male aside from the awkward entrance Vex had come in with. Veiere's mind was instead questioning how best to offer his wife the help she might need, and whether or not she'd even want it.

She almost seemed to be...-Free, in her fractured euphoria for life anew.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay kept her pleasant smile on [member="Vex Kezsul"] as he walked into the shop, though her mind was fully on [member="Veiere Arenais"] and how it came to be that he was not only here, but ALIVE. And as he spoke of their children being worried for her...how many more lies was she made to believe during her imprisonment? How much of her lost hope had a chance of being restored?

But no. She couldn't ever get into politics again. She couldn't ever put herself out there in the public. Wars, chaos, battles over far off worlds; Kay had to run from all of that. There was no other way. Not when she had believed that everything that she had cared for were dead. Even her niece and nephew had suffered in the hands of pretenders, [member="Darth Carnifex"] and [member="Darth Prazutis"] .

Altiria was a special place, however. It was isolated in the far north where others aim for both eachother and the Core. The only battles that Altiria took part in were against the second continent of which the planet shares a name with; Anarris. At times the civil war over sovereignty and naming rights to the entire planet had nearly destroyed them both. Yet it was still a self sustaining world with plenty of resources to keep it prospering among itself. And this time Kay didn't try to interfere. Instead she just lived on her own and sold her tea.

Her thoughts drifted to connect with Veiere's mind: ~I will be with you soon. Then we could talk. But don't think that you'll be able to convince me to go back to Kashyyyk with you. I want to stay here where politics can't reach me. I want to stay here where no one knows me. I'm tired of dying....I'm just....tired...~ Emotionally, physically and spiritually. Kay was strained well past the breaking point and this was the best way that she knew how to proceed.

 

[WolfMortum]

Back during the growing hostilities between the Order of the Silver Jedi and the United Clans of Mandalore, Veiere had questioned his wife's mental state with all her perceived illusions of justice and moral actions; The Woman that Veiere had married had been swallowed up by the tragedies and aggression of the Galaxy, her personality seemingly chewed up and spit out to produce a shadow of her former self. Back then, she had convinced him enough to reconsider whether there was a growing sickness within her or not, yet now it seemed beyond any doubt that her mind had become fractured through repeated trauma and guilt that she placed on herself.

The Jedi Order had been Veiere's path, but never one that [member="Kay Arenais"] had chosen nor wished to walk down. Taking her to Kashyyyk wasn't a solution for her better health, it would potentially trigger feelings of resentment and separation from the life they used to share. Unlike their lives on Commenor, neither of them regularly stood on the same world anymore, let alone representing the ideal marriage or image of a loving family. Veiere's sense of duty had been renewed through the Silver Jedi and the Jedi Coalition started by [member="Coren Starchaser"], whilst Kay's place in politics had led her to a much darker period of her life.

Truthfully, it was hard to be sure whether or not Veiere knew how to help Kay at all, these days. She seemed to wish for isolation, something much akin to the days of Veiere's own self-exile. Back then, it had felt like the right thing for him to do, long before they had met. It had given him time and room to breath, and eventually opened him up to meeting [member="Théodred Heavenshield"] and in the same week, running into Kay herself in the Capital of Alzoc Three.

Looking across the store to that of his Wife, Veiere simply nodded and would await their chance to continue their discussion. Though in truth, the question that seemed to be plaguing the edge of his mind with doubt was the notion of letting her go, and whether it would be for her best or not. Their marriage seemed to be in a bad state, but Veiere being who he was, would continue to live in ignorance and hold onto what little he had for as long as he could get away with; Yet when it came to the expense of his wife and someone whom he truly loved, ignorance could be a dangerous thing.