Khallesh
Huntress
“And why, pray tell, do you think that I would want to take part in this exercise?” Khallesh asked incredulously. She was sat in the Grashal where Master Shaper Jun Phaath worked.
“Because the Supreme Commander has decreed it, of course!” Jun Phaath replied. She smiled and spoke sweetly in her sing song voice, which Khallesh found made it remarkably difficult to find offence. She should have done. That had sounded remarkably line an order from a member of not just a different domain, but a different caste. Still, Khallesh had come to know that if she was delicate about being offended by the progressive shaper, they would never last a conversation.
Khallesh still grumbled some rather unsavoury words under her breath.
“Come Khallesh Val! There are Jeedai who have embraced our ways. Would you have ever imagined such a thing? Surely, even if the recipient is a trainee, imparting your knowledge to a Jeedai would bring great respect?” Jun replied. One of her junior shapers entered the room, bringing a tray of snacks and two worms containing fluids.
“Why thank you Raani,” Jun purred, as the younger shaper left the food and drink, before turning on his heel and leaving. “He’s an excellent student,” she said to Khallesh. “Wonderful hands,” she added, her expression leaving the implication clear.
Khallesh shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh. The shaper was an eccentric at best, and infidel at worst. At the same time, she appeared to be at the heart of a network of powerful Yuuzhan Vong who conspired to manipulate events and advance the Yuuzhan Vong cause in a new manner. They had been instrumental in placing Khallesh as Commander of Domain Val’s forces, replacing a distinctly traditional warrior. Were these accolades worth feeling a pawn to a power she couldn’t even see?
“Who is being trained?” Khallesh asked with a sigh, taking a handful of snacks from the table. She grasped a worm with one hand, and casually squeezed some fluids down her throat.
“We don’t even know yet. The word has been spread, but you’ll be taking a contingent of warriors to discuss the matter with some interested parties,” Jun replied. Unlike the warrior, she took her time savouring some small items of food. Khallesh recognised them as native to the Galaxy. The Shaper had previously admitted to altering her own sense to taste, to try and appreciate food like one of the galaxy’s native inhabitants. Khallesh tried not to think of Willard Jamaane, and his charming way with words over dinner.
“Fine,” Khallesh replied curtly. “I will go tomorrow.”
“Because the Supreme Commander has decreed it, of course!” Jun Phaath replied. She smiled and spoke sweetly in her sing song voice, which Khallesh found made it remarkably difficult to find offence. She should have done. That had sounded remarkably line an order from a member of not just a different domain, but a different caste. Still, Khallesh had come to know that if she was delicate about being offended by the progressive shaper, they would never last a conversation.
Khallesh still grumbled some rather unsavoury words under her breath.
“Come Khallesh Val! There are Jeedai who have embraced our ways. Would you have ever imagined such a thing? Surely, even if the recipient is a trainee, imparting your knowledge to a Jeedai would bring great respect?” Jun replied. One of her junior shapers entered the room, bringing a tray of snacks and two worms containing fluids.
“Why thank you Raani,” Jun purred, as the younger shaper left the food and drink, before turning on his heel and leaving. “He’s an excellent student,” she said to Khallesh. “Wonderful hands,” she added, her expression leaving the implication clear.
Khallesh shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh. The shaper was an eccentric at best, and infidel at worst. At the same time, she appeared to be at the heart of a network of powerful Yuuzhan Vong who conspired to manipulate events and advance the Yuuzhan Vong cause in a new manner. They had been instrumental in placing Khallesh as Commander of Domain Val’s forces, replacing a distinctly traditional warrior. Were these accolades worth feeling a pawn to a power she couldn’t even see?
“Who is being trained?” Khallesh asked with a sigh, taking a handful of snacks from the table. She grasped a worm with one hand, and casually squeezed some fluids down her throat.
“We don’t even know yet. The word has been spread, but you’ll be taking a contingent of warriors to discuss the matter with some interested parties,” Jun replied. Unlike the warrior, she took her time savouring some small items of food. Khallesh recognised them as native to the Galaxy. The Shaper had previously admitted to altering her own sense to taste, to try and appreciate food like one of the galaxy’s native inhabitants. Khallesh tried not to think of Willard Jamaane, and his charming way with words over dinner.
“Fine,” Khallesh replied curtly. “I will go tomorrow.”