Behind the Veil

[Kuzo]

The Veil​

Outskirts of the Denon System​

[member="Adron Malvern"]​

A midway point between Confederacy space and Coruscant, along the Corellian Run. Easy, accessible.... the possibility of reaching it simple and the capacity to leave in a hurry if need be. Not that any of that was deliberately discussed, but it was easy to see on both sides. Of course the question only was if the other had the same thoughts. Difficult to say.

The pair meeting both wore masks, keeping secrets. Neither was aware of the full depth of that. The question was only if they ever would.

Dr. Calais, after all, was just that. Born and raised on Coruscant, according to the files inserted into the local systems anyway, she had schooled and trained there, now operating a small, low cost clinic in the lower levels, as well as consulting out of several of Coruscant's larger hospitals on a rotating basis. She had recently drawn back from those, citing a need to focus on other projects.

That, at least, was truth.

But the reputation remained. A specialist in the most difficult of cases. Usually these days, she turned down consultation requests. But this one had been very interesting. Not the request itself, but where it came from.

Someone with a history that piqued her interest. Too much of it unavailable, but just enough. Enough to make her wonder if he could be a potential ally. That of course, remained to be seen. Irajah was careful. So few people knew the extent of her plans and she intended to keep that circle as small as possible.

For now, she was here as Calais and that was enough. The small ship docked with The Veil, and a few minutes later, the diminutive dark haired woman stepped out, hazel eyes sharp and taking everything in.

 

[Adron Malvern]

​

Location: The Veil | Time: Early Morning | Tag: [member="Irajah Ven"] | Wearing: Black silk suit


The Veil was a magnificent vessel. With it's shiny exterior that seemed to glow even in the dark reaches of space it was one of a kind. A stealth vessel with few equals it had been Adron's unseen flagship since he joined The Confederacy. Capable of generating a stealth field that can fully envelop the ship it was the perfect warship to be used in his own private affairs. From the command deck the young Sith Lord watched as a single shuttle drifted into the massive ship's main hangar bay. Crystal blue eyes fell over each of the droids that worked on the command deck. Each one was specially programmed to follow his own instruction, pulling them from the main Confederate mainframe. As much as he hated droids even he could not deny their advantages.

"Lord Malvern, the shuttle has been received and we are prepared to activate our Stealth field." A metallic voice sang in Adron's direction, causing the man to arch a brow towards the automaton. A tactical droid that was tasked with the upkeep of The Veil, he worked closely as Adron's second in command. With a silent nod Adron turned from the droid, gesturing to the empty skies of the Denon system. "Make us disappear, droid."

"Of course, my lord." The Droid returned before the loud clanking steps of his iron feet could be heard echoing through the command deck. The droid technicians in charge of the Stealth systems had already been running through their routine to get the stealth field up. Not caring to see what he had seen hundreds of times Adron turned down the main spine of the Dreadnaught, a slight smile coming over his face. He held a single datapad in his hands and wore a rather lavish silk suit that hugged his body closely without appearing overly tight. It was a completely different world from the ebony and crimson armor he adorned in the fields of battle and when taken by his Sith persona.

Even the taint of the Dark Side was nowhere to be sensed on the man. He was shrouding himself in The Force so he would appear no more extraordinary than the average man or woman. His mind was firmly shielded against the wills of other Force Users. There was little he knew about the woman he was set to meet and he had not lived this long by being foolish. The main hall of The Veil was split into a rather expansive cavern of winding halls and corridors that one could easily find themselves lost in. In only a few minutes Adron would arrive at the main hangar. A small detail of BX-Commando droids had been assembled to receive the woman. A simple security detail, nothing more was necessary, it was more of a formality than an actual precaution.

One of the droids had been explaining that Adron was on his way, yet the Exarch cleared his throat while waving a hand at the metallic soldier. "Step aside." He ordered, immediately silencing the droid. In his left hand was a walking cane, an ornament of his station that he had once held on Serenno. Tapping the cane on the surface below him Adron would offer a refined bow, bending slightly at the waist. "Doctor. I am Exarch Malvern, thank you for agreeing to meet me. I hope it was not too much trouble to meet here." Both hands were clasped over his cane as he eyed the woman closely, his blue orbs taking in her presence as he offered a welcoming smile. "Can I offer you anything?" He asked, before gesturing towards the main hangar door. Two of the Commando droids led the way down the hall as another two would follow loosely behind the two.

"We have a kitchen that could prepare you a meal or perhaps something lively to drink? My stores are yours, of course." He regarded as they made their way down the halls.

 

[Kuzo]

She had been conversing amicably with the droid that had arrived to greet her when her host arrived.

At first glance, 'Doctor Calais' seemed not merely unassuming, but indeed entirely nonthreatening. She had an easy smile on her face, a pleasant expression over all. Not merely small but petite in every way, she moved with a brisk efficiency born in the ER that had never been fully shucked by her other pursuits since that time. Dressed comfortably, she clearly valued function over form, with sensible shoes and a high necked sweater that would be quiet comfortable in the chill of space. Long dark hair was braided neatly and out of the way. Her own force presence masked and pushed down tightly, the two were greeted by the personas they reflected.

In Irajah's case, it was as much truth as the Sith Lord beneath it was. None of her demeanor was affected, the ease and amicability truth.

That did not mean of course that it was all that she was.

Those who had assumed otherwise frequently ended up with a rude awakening before their experiences had run their course.

'Calais' returned the bow- clearly not a member of the nobility but suitable nonetheless (ah there had been a time, short and strange, but that had led to fire and death and it was best left behind).

"It is my pleasure to come speak with you, Exarch," she replied with a smile. "I so rarely lift my head from my work these days, sometimes a bit of a trip is exactly what the doctor ordered yes?"

Honestly, it was pleasant to go about without a mask with an enormous beak jutting out of the front of it. How Vain had gotten used to that Irajah would never understand.

Her smile deepened slightly, and there was a note of genuine hope and appreciation in her voice. "A cup of caf would be lovely if that is possible."

She fell in to step beside him, making no attempt to hide that she was absorbing the sights around them. "Your ship is very impressive, Exarch. I don't know much about ships, I will admit, but even I can see and appreciate one like this."

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

​

The woman before Adron had, in some ways, interested the man with her spirit and sweet persona. It was a welcomed change from the battalions of droids and Viceroyalty officials who were less human than their automaton armies. When the woman mentioned her work it caused Adron to crack a rather approving smile that reflected over his form. "Yes Doctor, I certainly agree." He concurred, having always been a powerful workaholic himself he understood the reprieve that came from exiting that grueling monotony, for a time at least. When the Doctor requested a cup of café the Exarch nodded in approval. "Of course."

When the topic of conversation came to the Dreadnaught that they stood in Adron glanced around as well, keeping his eyes almost in sync with the woman. "The Veil. Thank you, I've always found it acceptable." A rare thing when stacked up with the strict expectations the Sith Lord maintained.

The waves of The Force flowed around the woman as it would any other average being and that allowed the man some reprieve. He was wary of assassins and envoys from the various factions he had....angered, and wondered if this woman could be an agent of their own regime. Although she was far from escaping his suspicion he certainly came to find no fault in her signature through The Force.

The two turned down a hall which led to a conference room of sorts. Upon entry they would take notice of a large round table that had only two seats prepared. The moment they entered a Confederate protocol droid stepped out from the corner of the room, it's Navy metals almost allowing it to blend into the darker décor of the conference room. "Good evening my lady, is there any-"

"A fresh pot of café, droid." Adron interjected, waving a hand at the droid in a commanding dismissal. His harsh tone seemed purely directed towards the metallic beings which he could not shake his agitation of, a crude thing when he led millions of them.

"Please have a seat, Doctor." He offered, holding a hand out to the seat adjacent to his own. Once she had taken her seat the man would take his own, which had a series of folders and a single datapad placed before it. "Now, to business." He said, his tone abandoning that of the host and forming more with the persona of the businessman. "You are highly regarded in your field, Doctor. In fact many would call you an expert." He commented, speaking the words as fact as opposed to a mere compliment.

"I am putting together a small team of medical specialists to aid me in a project of sorts. For obvious reasons I cannot release the full details of the project as it is considered classified by the department of The Vicelord. As my office discussed with you when they reached out, this entire meeting is considered a state classification of Top Secret and cannot be divulged under any circumstance. I'm sure you understand." The Exarch would lean his walking cane against the edge of the table before clearing his throat.

"This project is....a very peculiar one that requires a certain vision in the medical field. A vision that not all would share, you see. Actually to be quite honest I am not much more than a Manager in these regards. However, most of your communication with The Confederate government will be through me. All other matters will be able to be handled internally if you decide to proceed."

"The project includes bio-advancement, genetic cloning, and viral immunization. While this is subject to minor change these are some of the bases that will be touched on. In short, Doctor, we are making a specialized soldier that will be able to complete very specific military tasks with minimum manpower." He continued. There was a brief pause as the protocol droid returned into the room. This time it knew better than to speak while in the presence of the Exarch, instead it merely brought the pot of caf before the Doctor and began to pour her a cup. As the steam flew off the cup Adron waited until the droid had completed.

"We'd like to have you as a leading consultant and Specialist. We believe your medical expertise could be a valuable asset during some of the more tricky stages. The pay is rather extensive even for the extreme conditions that this will demand. We are also willing to fund your own private research if this bears fruit. However that is something to be debated at a later date. Though I warn you Doctor, this is not a project for a light conscience. It requires a significant amount of trial and error which could end in fatalities." Adron spoke of fatalities as if they were no more than numbers on a board. In his mind they were no different and that was not likely to change. "Well Doctor. Does this sound like something that would interest you?"

[member="Irajah Ven"]

 

[Kuzo]

Taking the offered seat, the dark haired woman focused her attention entirely on the man in front of her. Head canted slightly to the side, there was only one moment where her eyes skipped away as he explained why he had invited her here.

"Thank you," Irajah offered the droid when the caf was delivered. She addressed it no differently than any other sentient, and even a short time with the woman would show that clearly- especially when placed in such contrast to the Exarch's tone and habit.

Slender hands wrapped around the warm mug, the scent comfortable and she let out a small, contented sigh. For the moment, too hot to drink, she let it stay there, cupped in both hands as she returned her attention fully to her host.

In truth, Irajah wasn't here for the money. Oh, she certainly expected to be compensated, but there was no need for her own self. Mostly it was amusing to her, to accept payment for interesting jobs that she might have considered doing simply because they interested her. It gave her data. It didn't matter how worthwhile a project was to her after all in these cases.

But how much it was worth to them.

And this one piqued her interest more than enough on its own. Highly classified work in the Confederacy, just enough on that alone to make knowing what was happening worth it. She never knew when something discovered would be useful in her own goals, even if indirectly.

Despite the warm and friendly demeanor, she hadn't flinched when he had mentioned fatalities, merely nodded thoughtfully.

"Research is always fraught with costs," she finally said as he wrapped up his sales pitch. It was, without a doubt that. But also a warning about what they expected. Fair, as far as she was concerned. She would rather someone be honest about things of this nature than to pretend.

Taking a sip from the caf after blowing on it for a moment, she smiled with genuine pleasure. It was excellent caf.

"How often would the work require my presence on site? I can of course devote time in person to this if this all proves satisfactory for both parties. I do, however, have other projects that I cannot walk away from at this time, so I would need to make certain I am not letting down other obligations."

The complete and utter destruction of the Sith Empire, after all, wouldn't happen by itself. Could this be used in some way to aid in that? Possibly. Or perhaps it would just be enough to forge this new connection. The Force had been muddy, rather than clear, when she had viewed it with Shatterpoint for this junction. No clear way forward. Potential here yes, but not a crystalline path.

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

The Doctor’s questions were to be expected. Most individuals of her profession often had multiple projects to occupy their time. While it was not unheard of Adron knew this work would require a decent amount of direct attention. He took a moment to consider before clearing this throat. “The beginning stages will mainly be about organizing and compiling data. I do not believe your presence will even be needed until we move into more physical trials. When that happens I assure you we will be mindful of your other obligations.” He said all he could. In all honesty he was unsure of how long this would all take or even if it would work at all. However they would adapt as they needed to.

Leaning back into his seat Adron coughed before taking one of the folders from the desk. “You're familiar with the Rakghoul plague, of course?” He asked, holding the folder up so the woman would know of it's contents.

“The more familiar you are with it by the start of the trials. The less we should need your physical presence. Though I have a feeling you will wish to be in attendance.” He explained, before setting the folder back on the table.

“Well Doctor? I assume you have more questions. Of course there will be some I cannot answer until I am sure you are committed.”
[member="Irajah Ven"]

 

[Kuzo]

No false promises. No evasions. She appreciated that. If he had given specific times and timeline she would have thought him either a liar telling her what she wanted to hear, or hopelessly naive about just how unpredictable projects like this could be. Either of those would have led to her declining the invitation.

"I believe all of this can be arranged, yes. You have both my interest and my participation then," she said, inclining her head slightly. "If there are any conflicts of schedule, I will be up front with you as they occur."

She gestured toward the folder then, only leaning forward once it was clear that her agreement equaled access. She was in now. The question was only where it would lead.

"I am familiar, yes," she murmured.

A hand reached out, sliding the folder toward her before setting the caf down in favor of it. She flicked it open, carefully turning through each sheet of flimsy. Interesting choice, hard copy. Was the data not committed to digital- there was safety as well as different risks in keeping information like this off of datapads. Hazel eyes scanned quickly, absorbing the hard data almost as quickly as reading the abstracts of each stage.

"It was, interestingly enough, a subject of particular interest to my father."

Casual and easy, but her attention was clearly focused on what was in front of her. It had been one of the early stages of his research- ultimately rejected as a base for the Gideon Virus he had created, but she had learned quite a bit going over his research while she had been trying to find a cure for Gideon in herself before....

Well.

No matter now. In truth that failure had been the beginning of so much greater success. That failure had opened a door she never would have considered without it.

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

The data that was presented to the Doctor was nothing more than the basic materials to be researched as well as scattered information about rather risky medical procedures. In essence it was obvious that the Rakghoul virus was intended to be weaponized into a type of super soldier augmentation. Though most of the information was either blacked out or entirely missing it would be enough for the Doctor to have a shallow idea of what it was Adron was intending to create. It did not, however, hide the mortality rate of the procedures and augmentations. While the woman read over the file Adron placed a hand on his walking cane, eyeing it closely as he spoke once again.

"It is an aged virus but an effective one." He remarked, offering a tight lipped smile before clearing his throat and inclining to the document. "The beings we hope to create will be....brilliant. Works of scientific art. However there are many things that must occur for this to succeed. Prime among them being the near total control of the Rakghoul virus." His hand rose from his cane, clasping over his other as he set them on the cool table.

"We have already procured the facilities, teams, and test subjects. We will immediately begin in human testing trials, waiving animal trials to save time. We have over one hundred volunteers and they have also been prepped for the procedures they will endure."

Adron pressed a hand to his chin, stroking it softly before his crystal blue eyes peered at the woman. "Now, what is your answer Doctor?"

[member="Irajah Ven"]