Private High Risk, High Reward

[Lyssara Thrynn]

Somewhere amidst the desolate wastes of Tatooine, I have sought sanctuary or perhaps, merely a place to disappear. I am accompanied only by Nyva Shei, my subordinate and confidante. Now that I am truly left to my own devices, I find myself haunted by the specter of the future. What will I make of my remaining years? Shall I devote myself to new creations, or must I continue to stain my hands with the grime of conflict? I have heard whispers that the Jedi are predisposed to mercy, yet I know better than to mistake kindness for naivety. Forgiveness is not a universal right, and I am under no illusions; they are just as likely to strike me down should they sense even a flicker of hostility. And frankly, who could blame them? I let out a heavy sigh, my boots crunching rhythmically against the scorching sands.

I weave through the bustling, grit-choked streets of Mos Espa. To blend in, I've donned local desert garb, a nondescript cloak that masks my silhouette and conceals my identity from prying eyes. My comms-link crackles incessantly with Nyva's voice; she is a fountain of nervous energy, peppering me with a thousand questions until I am forced to mute the channel. I've already assured her a thousand times: yes, I am certain of this move.

Exhaustion finally takes its toll. I need a moment of stillness. With a sharp, decisive stride, I head toward a local cantina. Here, at the edge of the galaxy, the currency in my pockets be it Galactic Credits or Cartel scrip is more than enough to buy silence and space. I arrived planetside aboard the Solar Spectrum, my personal courier ship. It's a vessel built for speed and discretion, far more suited for this delicate diplomatic gamble than the hulking Ragnarok, though I suppose Nyva's Trident would have sufficed in a pinch.

After ordering a chilled local brew, I retreat into the shadows of a private alcove. I pay the bartender enough to ensure the entire booth remains mine and that his curiosity remains elsewhere.

Settling into the dim light, I pull out my datapad and compose a message:

"Greetings. My name is Lyssara Thrynn. I wish to request a private audience to discuss matters of extreme sensitivity. Could you meet me at the following coordinates in Mos Espa, Tatooine? The location is attached."

The message is encrypted and sent directly to Lily Decoria .

Task complete, I sink back into the worn upholstery, my datapad resting on the table before me. Now, I simply wait surrounded by the muffled roar of the cantina and the oppressive, shimmering heat of the twin suns.

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Tatooine
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Lyssara Thrynn

Lily glanced at the message that had been sent to her, a meeting with someone whose name she did not recognise. Lily wasn't sure if that was because the person was using a pseudonym or because it simply was someone she did not know till now. It did not matter really either way since Lily grabbed her equipment and sent notice that she was going to Tatooine for a meeting. Just in case this ended up being some form of a trap or set up for an attack, while there was nothing that signalled that in the message, one could never be too careful. Especially since Lily was a member of the Jedi Council, a public figure that others might wish to strike down to claim some glory.

She arrived on Tatooine in her ship, landing in one of the docks, Lily instantly felt the twin suns burning onto her skin. Luckily she had strong sun protection on since there was doubt that her pale skin would stand much chance again the harsh suns of the desert world. Lily checked the coordinates once again and the name of the cantina that she was meant to be approaching. Her eyes scanning around, Lily was not really familiar with Tatooine and the way that the world operated, she was not a fan of overly hot locations and the dry heat was uncomfortable for her in comparison to the comforts of a colder world like Eshan.

Finding the cantina, she entered into the place. Hearing the music playing and seeing the locals enjoying their beverages and discussing amongst themselves local gossip or friendly conversations. Lily shook her head at the offer for a drink, while she had no idea how long she would be attending the meeting here for, Lily was not seeking to addle her mind with alcohol and currently not thirsty enough to desire a soft drink. Spotting the exact spot that had been given to her, Lily approached the booth and slid into the seat opposite the woman who had contacted her.

Lily did not recognise the face, she did not know who this was or why they were in need of her presence but Lily was here and she was willing to listen and help in any way that she could.

"Hello. I am Lily Decoria, sure you are aware of that. You mentioned wishing to discuss something urgently?"

 

[Lyssara Thrynn]

Savoring my drink in peace while waiting for her to arrive, I feel a presence approaching through the Force the aura of someone worthy of a Jedi Knight. It's easy to spot, like a beacon in the night. I smile as I see her enter and scan the room to find where I'm sitting. I'll finally be able to speak with her face-to-face. I pay for her drink; after all, I'm the one who made her come all this way, so it's only logical that I cover it, or so I assume.

The funny thing is, we're both wary. I have Nyva Shei covering my back, but in this galaxy, you can never be too careful. I'm ready to flee myself if things ever turn sour. If she scans me through the Force, she should feel a crushing aura of the Dark Side, and yet... I'm actually rather Gray. Abeloth and I aren't that different, with the sole distinction that I managed to adapt to it, whereas she didn't.

"First of all, thank you for making the trip, Lily. I won't beat around the bush. My name is Lyssara Thrynn, former Head of R&D for the Diarchy. And yes, I am a Sith my aura betrays me anyway."

Now that the introductions are out of the way if I had wanted to attack her, I would have done it the moment she stepped through the door. I run a hand over my face, exhausted by all of this, and place my lightsaber on the table. Yes, I have one too. This gesture shows that I harbor no hostility toward her. Then, I pick up my drink to savor it quietly.

"I'll be direct: I wish to surrender. I'm tired of running with criminals; I've destroyed enough lives as it is. I have information I'm prepared to exchange with the Jedi Council. As a scientist, my research might interest you."

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Tatooine
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Lyssara Thrynn

Lily listened, only desiring a drink of water. Anything else would be a distraction in this meeting. While she was sure this was going to be on good terms, the Jedi Knight was never one to drink while she was working. And this meeting was work for her, she was representing her Order and Lily wished to ensure that she did not make a poor representation of herself. Hearing that Lyssara call herself a Sith had Lily sigh internally, nothing expressed with her gaze or body language which remained composed and respectable. However, it was strange that this woman was desiring to change her paths now. It was also strange that she approached Lily to do this, the Jedi Knight hoped it was more to do with her status as a Jedi Council member and less on her ties with others.

"I heard the diarchy had fallen. I had not gotten the chance to interact with any of the members, but I am sorry for the loss there. I heard there were attempts to live peaceful lives," Lily commented, there was a genuine sadness in her voice. Even though the Diarchy were not allies of the High Republic and Lily did not think the Jedi would get along with them, they also did not seem to be a dark conquering faction akin to the Sith. "This will not be a quick or easy process to go through." Lily warned, remembering how things had gone before when a Sith desired to change their ways.

There was something a little unsettling about the fact that Lyssara was a Sith scientist, something that Lily feared was a woman willing to experiment and torture humanoids in hopes of making big, new discoveries. She had heard plenty of other Sith scientists doing the same and going beyond what should be considered legal and ethical. "There will likely be a desire to learn of everything you did, good, bad or ugly. The Jedi council will want to see that you are sorrowful in your past Sith actions and hold a desire to change, to be either willing to drop the Dark Side or desire to embrace the Light Side completely." Lily mentioned, she wanted to inform Lyssara of what could be desired from her before the scientist committed to this path.

"You can also appeal to the Senate and ask the High Republic to take you in for reform and pursue a scientific career through them. While the Republic and the Jedi work together, we do hold differing standards in how one must reform and the steps needed to redeem their past actions. I am sure they would be keen to hear of your work either way." Lily mentioned, it was best to present all the options to Lyssara and Lily did not wish to prevent the woman from finding the right place for herself.

 

[Lyssara Thrynn]

She's asking for a glass of water? When she could be drinking local beer, relaxing a bit? We're not really in a formal setting here, in fact, if I chose a local cantina, it was precisely to enjoy a laid-back atmosphere the vibe, the flavors, the heat of the sun here, far away from the diarchy and Bastion Street. It's true, the faction fell, but it evolved, and it's that evolution that makes me want to jump ship today. After all, the former leader gave me his permission to do so. I'm not leaving as a renegade. Everyone is free to follow their own path, and I respect them for that.

I signal the waiter with a nod and ask him for a glass of water for the young lady; he returns quickly with it, not wanting to get on the bad side of a customer like me. I must be intimidating for him to get to work so fast, especially in this kind of place. Once she has her glass of water, I listen to her talk; she tells me that I should probably reveal all the horrors I've committed the war crimes, the experiments, and so on. In fact, it doesn't bother me. That's also why I had her come here. When I told her I wanted to share sensitive information, that was part of it, given that it was my team that designed a good portion of the diarchy's weapons.

Her speech about the dark side is quite relevant; I simply nod while savoring my drink, and I set it back down on the table. Since she isn't doing anything with my saber, I take it back and clip it to my belt.

"Oh, the dark side, I know it well. The problem with the dark side is that you always need more, more, more, without ever stopping. Until the mind and the body break."

That's my current view of things. I've fully understood the limits of the dark side, and it's to catch my breath before it's too late that I wish to go before the Jedi Council. I know that cycle well. On the other hand, what touches me is that she seems sincerely sad about the home we built; she would probably be less so if she knew our true former objectives.

"Sad... uh, how should I put it, it's going to be complicated. I wouldn't go as far as to say that I regret every one of my past actions. That would be lying to myself. Within the diarchy, I was the lab maniac; I played with anti-matter. My greatest invention is a bomb capable of leveling an entire city; I think I could double its destructive power today, after all the research I've done with it. I also play with viruses, vaccines, monstrosities that spit elements... My master's mount was fascinating."

I talk about it with a certain passion; for me, the lab is my whole life. I started in a small laboratory before having my own playground.

"I even have a stone that turns impure metals into gold and grants immortal life to whoever drinks its contents. Oh, of course, one can still die from wounds, but eternal life isn't that the dream of every person on the Sith side? I would drive them mad with rage knowing that I hold that in the palm of my hand."

I'm almost nostalgic for that stone I created by accident in my laboratory, but at least I have no credit problems. That's why I can easily buy her a drink or two; it doesn't really bother me. In fact, with my current firepower, the Jedi Council would be wrong to deprive themselves of my services. The others want war, and they won't hesitate to strike hard. My passion is broken the physicals laws everyday and turning this in a game, or ridiculous utility.

"Anyway, all I desire deep down is a safe place in this galaxy where I feel at home, for myself and Nyva shei, my assistant. That is what we want today."

Lily Decoria