Private In-vase-ive Procedures (Darth Ophidia)

[Darth Quercus]

The instrument had been a Sith once, a marauder of some renown. Now it simply typed and read text as eyeless Quercus required.

Leaves rustled. A mechno-chair rasped and clicked on the floor. Indigo flowers peeked over the instrument's shoulder.


To the estimable Darth Ophidia , greetings.

I'm given to understand that you're in possession of the shards of a certain vase associated with a Darth Cistes. I would like to acquire the shards, in whole or in part. Would you be amenable to purchase or trade?

Darth Quercus
Felucia

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Among the many things nestled in Darth Ophidia's vaults, The Fair Widow's Vase was one she had thought very little about. It had been a ploy in her mind once that she would plant it in a house where she needed a person dead, and watch the havoc spread.

However, it had never come to fruition, and like many other pet projects, it had remained in storage.

A message reminded her.

To the bountiful Darth Quercus, greetings.

I am indeed in the posession of Darth Cistes' vase and would be amenable trade.

The vase is currently in a repaired state, sitting in a secure location.

What can you offer in trade?

Darth Ophidia
Bastion

 

[Darth Quercus]

Quercus rustled with anticipation as the instrument read the return message from Darth Ophidia . The instrument began to type.

Lady Ophidia-

Thank you for your prompt and favourable response. The repaired Fair Widow's Vase is of great interest.

If either one of the following strikes you as a desirable trade, please let me know.

The Knife of Kalara, forged by Velok the Elder. The knife conceals one's Force presence and allows them to pass as mundane.

A sample of the never-deployed Queller Plague, designed to cut populations off from the Force.

Best wishes,
Darth Quercus
Felucia

 

[Darth Ophidia]

She considered for some time. The Knife of Kalara was quite up her ally in terms of utility, but also something she knew she could make herself. Though a weapon forged by Velok the Elder would do nicely in her collection. However, the Queller Plague was a frightening prospect, and one she would rather wield than see wielded. At least, she would have liked to research a sample.

Her mind went back and forth on the matter, not coming to a result until she sat down to write her reply to Darth Quercus

Lord Quercus,

Both of the presented options are of great interest, and choosing one is a difficult choice.

Yet, a choice is made.

Bring the sample of the Queller Plague to Krayiss Two. I shall meet you there with the Fair Widow's Vase to make the exchange.

Until we meet,
Darth Ophidia
Bastion

 

[Darth Quercus]

KRAYISS TWO
SITH EMPIRE

Unique tests and trials ensured that only a true Sith could gain access to the library-temple of Krayiss Two. There had, admittedly, been some confusion.

The blank-eyed Sith who served as Darth Quercus' instrument had sufficed to speak the incantation and offer his blood to the Sentinel. The Guardian Court, however, had identified Quercus as the actual Sith Lord, and that had been...a complex conversation.

In the end, though, Quercus and their instrument were permitted entrance. Quercus' mechno-chair took them and their instrument to the skull attributed to the traitor Darth Kentarch. Quercus observed through their instrument's eyes, but also through the Dark Side of the Force. Leaves rustled pensively.

Darth Ophidia

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Quercus

Library temple of Krayiss Two:
The Gallery.

Admittedly, it had been a little bit of a test.

The Guardian Court were thorough in their examination. Whether or not Darth Quercus would pass, and the manner of his potential pass, was of great interest to her. It was reassuring for her to see that it had passed through in the truest of fashions: They had accepted Quercus and acknowledged his prowess as worthy of access to the library.

Darth Ophidia had waited in the gallery, perusing a newer addition to the exhibition when she heard the clickety clack of the mechno-chair. She glided to meet it, her footfalls softer than a cat's paw.

"-Nameless, here I lie.
He who betrays,
disgraced shall die. "

She recited the end of the poem as she approached the installation of the Zatitsis from behind. Her fingers near brushed the skull, but remained just shy.

"Darth Quercus, I presume"

 

[Darth Quercus]

<Correct, Darth Ophidia .>

The blank-eyed instrument stared at a wall and kept staring. A bit of drool percolated from the corner of his mouth.

Quercus' mechno-chair rustled around the instrument to face (so to speak) the Sith assassin. Brilliant indigo flowers tilted in examination. What the flower arrangement saw, if 'saw' was even the appropriate word, was anyone's guess.

<As requested, a sample of the Queller Plague.> A tiny hatch slid open in the rim of the mechno-chair's platform, and a vial levitated free. It hovered in the air between the two Sith.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Quercus

She looked into the indigo flowers, enjoying the vibrant hues and subtle transition of its petals. Ophidia had seen and met several plant-beings in her time, but Quercus was the most plantlike of them all.

"The vase, as agreed"

Her other hand came out from behind her back, holding the blue and gold vase.

It levitated out of her hand, next to the sample of the Queller Plague. Her focus then shifted to the sample, tugging on it gently through her own telekinetic grasp to complete the trade.

She would not resist him if Quercus drew the vase to themself.

"If I may? Your assistant is drooling."

With a twist of her left hand, Ophidia produced a small cloth and gestured to the slack-jawed instrument.

 

[Darth Quercus]

The instrument's mouth snapped shut, but its eyes stayed blank. A drip of saliva fell to the floor. The bulk of Quercus' attention, however, remained on the Fair Widow's Vase. The beautiful artifact levitated onto the top of the mechno-chair as Quercus and their pot slid away. Quercus emerged from the pot telekinetically as a flower arrangement protruding from a knot of roots and carefully held soil. Quercus slid into the vase. The instrument took the pot and clutched it against his stomach. It would suffice to catch further drool.

<My thanks, Darth Ophidia . Ahhh. The vase is exactly as I had hoped. I appreciate the subtle Force drain effect on the flowers it holds. As the oldest texts note, it's impossible to really learn Force drain until one has experienced it, and now I have.>

Leaves rustled as the dart flower/Murakami orchid hybrid wiggled farther into the vase, getting their roots nice and comfy.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Quercus

Admittedly, she had not expected the flower to re-pot itself right then and there.

It garnered some looks from a group of acolytes on a school trip before their overseer covered their eyes with his long, robed arms and pulled them along, deeper into the gallery.

"Yes, though I am curious how that drain may affect one such as yourself over time."

"Oh you are just going to-" She looked around, not so much abashed as uncomfortable with the sudden amount of attention "Very well."

She looked the other way until the hybrid flower was well nestled into the vase, and waited for the attention to fade. When the murmurs subsided, she looked it over and cocked her head to the side when considering the colour combination of petals, ceramic, and metallic glue.

"The gold is complimentary to your petals, Darth Quercus." She made a gesture toward the remainder of the "Now, please, allow me to show you some of the library's collection."

 

[Darth Quercus]

Darth Ophidia

The instrument turned away from perusing the wall, the better to use its eyes on Quercus' behalf.

<I would appreciate that,> said Quercus, as if they hadn't just exposed their roots through a barely-there lace of potting soil. The mechno-chair clicked its way deeper into the library. Blossoms and leaves swayed elegantly with every step.

<I do not know how this marvelous vase will affect me over time. My ambition is to drain more than enough life from my surroundings to compensate for the vase's needs. I may go through instruments rapidly."

Already the instrument wasn't looking so well.