Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Light Shines Brighter in the Dark (Elpsis)

Tygara - Firemane Intelligence Office

Mirien had been in her office sorting through a stack of reports from the latest operation. And she was not pleased in the least. Very little had gone right, and one overzealous, overconfident agent had been the downfall of the whole thing, severely overestimating her capabilities and experience. Which had been a problem before, and one woman Mirien spent extra time on training her hoping she might have learned from past mistakes and new training. It was a second chance for this agent. And Mirien was willing to give her one last chance to show improvement in a minor mission that Mirien could afford to have mistakes happen.

So the dark ice queen had sent for Sevee to chat. 'Chat,' it was going to be more of a dressing down. Going through the last report, Mirien had just set it aside when the woman knocked on her door. "Come in." She called, tenting her hands as the human entered her office.

"Sevee," Mirien said coldly.

"Ma'am."

"I believe you are well aware of what this is about."

"Yes Miss Valdier, the last mission. I know I screwed up, but it's not going to happen, ever again."

"Screwed up, is a vast understatement. I'd go with completely blew the mission, and that is entirely on your shoulders." Mirien sighed, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back in her chair. "And I can promise you; you won't have the chance to repeat those mistakes."

"But It wa-"

"No. No more excuses." The former Grand Inquisitor snapped more than just a bit pissed. "You fethed up. Take it like a woman and accept it. Admitting and accepting your errors is the only way to improve in this field. You have to take responsibility for your actions. Lives were on the line, and thankfully there were only a few injuries when matters could have been far worse." The brunette shook her head, "Now I've spent a lot of time trying to help you improve, and I'm a firm believer in second chances. Well, you've had yours."

The girl was trembling already not sure where this was going to go. At that point, Sevee had figured she was about to be fired, if not worse. Tears were forming in her eyes as she looked to Mirien, fearful of what would happen now. After all rumors through the building were quite clear that the brunette in front of her was more than harsh, and she'd seen a few cases of that herself. There was a reason they called her Lady Vader behind her back.

Mirien turned to look out the window, "Now, Sevee, there are consequences for your actions, your pay will be docked a good deal. You will also take a demotion. This is your final chance, at a lower level with fewer responsibilities and less sensitive missions with far lower stakes. I will not give another. Period. For that severe punishment and a dismissal from my service will follow. Show me my time has not been wasted on a woman that will not go anywhere, and we can revisit your position at a later date. Do not disappoint me." She said with such ice in her tone. Mirien was more than serious about this. She wasn't going to risk much more on a person like this until she could prove herself capable.

"My secretary outside will give you your new group assignment which your duties start today. Now go before I change my mind and choose to outright fire you."

Sevee started to attempt to speak, but Miri was fast to cut her off. "No, Sevee. Nothing more. This is my final judgment, and there will be no deviation, and I will not be talked out of this. Never forget you did this to yourself. Now, you are dismissed." Mirien snapped icily.

Sevee was quick to leave at that point racing from the room and only stopping for a mere minute to pick up her new assignment. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she darted off down the hallway, not wanting to be seen like this.

Now Mirien turned back to her desk and looked at her schedule for the day. Elpsis Elaris was on the list of folks she would be meeting with, but no time was given. So this was to be a drop-in meeting. But that didn't bother her, as much as it bothered her for it being Coryth Elaris' daughter. Who she had apparently injured quite severely in her past, though she didn't remember it exactly. This is going to be so awkward if that comes up. Possibly painful too. As long as my nose doesn't get broken again, I think it will all work out... Maybe.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


The corridors and offices of COAS' HQ were filled with hectic activity. The intelligence service of a galactic megacorporation never slept. Especially not in troubled times like these. The aftermath of Kaeshana had been difficult for Firemane. Following the defection of Firemane personnel to the enemy during the battle, an internal investigation had thoroughly vetted the company's employees.


'Purge' was such a dirty word...but an accurate one. The firing squads had only just fallen silent. And once more the company had been dragged into the never ending, absurd, byzantine game of thrones the Eldorai played.


A young firemane made her way through the corridors of the labyrinthine building, after having shown her credentials to the guards who stood watch outside of the building. Security was unsurprisingly tight, for the climate on Tygara was tempestuous at best. Dressed in a leather jacket, t-shirt, faded trousers and boots, the girl stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the multitude of Firemane employees wearing suits or immaculately pressed uniforms. Her footwear was far from pristine.


Those who took the time to assess her face would realise that the milky-white eyes within it held no life, for she was blind. Still, she seemed to navigate the narrow hallways with unerring precision as she homed in on a certain Mirien Valdier's office. She had a rucksack slung across her shoulder. It contained a very important, very dark item.


The ancient tablet was surrounded by nullification resin, which dampened the malevolent aura surrounding it, though that did little to reduce the unease she felt. Auntie Sio had been very specific about giving the item to Mirien - and Mirien alone.


She reached the office just after an agent practically ran out of the director's office, tears rolling down her cheeks. Shame and anger rolled from the demoted agent in waves. Elpsis stopped in her tracks to look upon the minion as she ran off. She knitted her brow together, then took a breath and moved to the office. She steeled herself against the strong sensation of darkness that resided in the room. Auntie Sio had told her that Mirien was a good woman. She did not serve the Black Wolf. Ergo she could be evil.


Normal Firemane grunts only spoke of the woman in hushed whispers, usually with no small amount of fear. The redhead brushed a few specs of dust off her jacket and looked down on her boots, feeling self-conscious.


She composed herself, then knocked on the door. "Uh, Ms. Valdier," she began, uncertain how to address her. Would she take offence if she called her Auntie? "It's Elpsis. Auntie Sio sent me. I...got stuff for you."
 
Mirien looked up from her desk frowning at the knock on the door. Having just dealt with Sevee she was a bit moody and was hoping for a brief moment alone to clear her thoughts. But alas that wasn't going to happen.

She lifted a brow and shook her head. With a sigh, she glanced at the door, "Come in, Elpsis. Let's see what you've got." There was a touch of nervousness in the dark queen, for the little redheaded Jedi, Coryth, was someone that she actually was afraid of should the fiery woman get angry. Much like what happened when she got her nose broken by that tiny lady. A repeat of that event she in no way wanted.

With the girl, there was a certain light sided aura that Miss Valdier could easily detect. And there was something else, signs and feelings of a seriously dark item. "So what is it that Siobhan has sent to me?" She asked genuinely curious at that point, allowing herself to relax just a hair.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


These days Elpsis' aura was broadly light sided. It was ironic that this was because she'd become enamoured with a tribe of isolationist amazons and adopted their faith. In other words, she was similar to an Allayan witch - and as anti-Jedi as ever. Light Side did not mean pure as white snow or friend to every man. After all, the Witches enslaved men and the Jedi served as a corrupt Senate's enforcers, but this writer digresses.


Regardless, she swallowed her nerves, opened the door and stepped into the room. The girl frowned when she got a whiff of Mirien's nervousness. It actually felt as if the ice queen was feeling nervous. About meeting her? This made no sense to the firemane. So she gave the older woman her most winning smile. When Elpsis locked eyes with Mirien, she sadly did not see her face. Force Sight was aura reading, so sadly she could not really discern what she looked like. The older woman's aura was dark, very much so. Certainly more than Auntie Siobhan's, but it did not seem evil to her. Besides, so was Laina's and Elpsis adored her.


"Uh, it's a tablet from Atrisia. She said it was found in the Inquisition's archives. Restricted section. Firemane recovered all that's left down there," Elpsis explained. She unslung her rucksack and opened it, taking out the nullification Resin covered item. After removing the coating, she placed the artefact on the dark woman's desk. "Auntie said you'd recognise it and that it was important to you," she added.
 
Mirien raised an eyebrow as Elpsis explained what she had. Frowning a bit, she waited patiently as the redhead pulled the tablet from her bag and removed the coating. Items from where she had spent so many years without knowing her history, her past had been difficult, to say the least as she began to learn tidbits of the things she'd done, people she'd worked for and the like. None of it had been pleasant, and now another item had shown up on her desk from the Citadel.

With a sigh she reached over and picked the tablet up, giving it a cursorary inspection. The script was ancient Sith, in the stylings of Exar Kuun's. For a brief moment, she pursed her lips together looking to connect it with what she knew as she took a little more time scanning over the written words. "It belonged to an ancient sith lord by the name of Exar Kuun." She shook her head a little, "He was someone I was following when I came to Atrisia. Well, following a trail of bread crumbs for his supposed secret base of power with all sorts of his prized possessions, though this appears to be some recipe page for something... Nerf stew, I think.."

A roll of her eyes said it all, "Should have expected that. He seemed to love sending people on wild goose chases. Though it seems a line on the bottom might be a tiny clue of the next location. Ah, how he torments well beyond the grave. Bastard." She said with a heavy sigh as she got up and crossed the room to a bookcase where she slid a few books around and revealed a small keypad where Mirien entered a long password and with a hiss a door opened to another room filled with all sorts of dark objects of every variety. It seemed that Mirien was a bit of a hoarder in that regard.

A part of her almost wanted to laugh as she came out of the room and sealed it behind her. "My memories or lack thereof seem that they will always haunt me. Though I seem to be gaining a few more over time, and the rest I'm finding pieces and keys to it all across the galaxy. It seems I was a busy Sith before my memories were destoryed. Though, in some ways, I can't complain about the accident that stole them from me. It let me become a better person. Not that it excuses what I have done. Just the woman I was, her, her personality and all were lost with said memories." Mirien scoffed at herself a bit, "Though rambling, I'm rambling. My apologies."

She returned to her desk and flopped back in the chair seeming a tiny bit bothered by the tablet and a bit annoyed that she couldn't entirely place how and why she had gone on said wild goose chase. "Thank you for bringing it to me." Of course, she knew what she was after, it was just her intentions in hunting after Exar Kuun, that she wanted to know and remember. "Is there anything else I can do for you Elpsis?" She asked. Figuring it was best to be kind to the redhead because if she wasn't Sio or Coryth, both were likely to jump on her for it. Coryth more so. Now that redhead was just terrifying when pissed.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


"Oh. You were a Sith," Elpsis stiffened a bit. Her tone was harsher than she'd intended. To say that she had a bad history with Sithlings was an understatement. Bit like saying Krayt dragons weren't cuddly. Well, she could probably compel a dragon to be cuddly, but this writer digresses. The Great White Wolf gave her a second chance. So you should give her one, too, she chided herself, remembering that she had not been pure as white snow either. Through the grace of the goddess, Mirien had been saved from the Black Wolf's damnation. In Elpsis' mind, this could not be a coincidence.


"Well, then I guess things kind of worked out, huh? You got another chance. Maybe someone was watching out for you and decided you could do better. All because of a cooking recipe. Does it have any good ones at least? Or are they all of the 'get instantly poisoned and die a gruesome death' variety? Sorry, I'm babbling, Au...Ms. Valdier," she reached out with her hand to gently cover Mirien's hand and give it a squeeze.


She cracked a smile, as if to cover up her own nervousness. Her eyes followed Mirien when the older woman got up and put the tablet in a secret room filled with all sorts of toys. Seeing the metaphysical darkness through her sightless eyes, the young woman recoiled slightly, visibly relaxing after the door was closed. "Well...I wouldn't mind spending some time with you. Unless you're, like, real busy. What are you doing today? When you're not hoarding dark toys, I mean. Spy stuff?" Presumably Mirien would shatter some of Elpsis' illusions since the girl might have watched too many holovids.
 
Mirien caught the slight change in Elpsis' body language, and the tone said the rest. The dark brunette sighed heavily, her eyes dropping to the floor. "I'm not proud of that part of my life. And it's a part I know very little of. I keep wondering if it's worth it to explore, or best to let it be. I haven't figured that much out quite yet."

She then nodded, "It did in a way. Fell something of three stories when a set of stairs crumbled beneath me while I was fleeing from some Atrisian troopers. Broke more bones than any person should be able to and still live. When I woke, I couldn't recall anything. Nothing. Not even my name." Leaning forward she rubbed at her forehead, she barely spoke of her past, especially to someone she hardly knew at all. It felt a little odd to her.

"Considering the source, I'll go with poisoned. Though he was the slow and agonizing death time. With a sick, sick sense of twisted humor." Yup, that kind of guy. Though that could apply to so many males, especially of the Sith variety.

Mirien then frowned. "I'm not so sure spending time with me is such a good idea. Your mother would probably kill me." Now that was a story that she didn't want to tell right that moment.

"As for today, it's mostly office work. Checking in with folks that are coming back from missions and read a ton of reports, deciding what needs to be done next and what intel we need to follow up on. Just a slow, dull day."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


Elpsis frowned, looking adorably confused. Her mother was always the one who went on about how people deserved a second chance - within reason. She probably believed in that a lot more than Elpsis did. Certainly practiced it more.


"Why would Mum kill you? Is it because of the whole still dark side thing? She doesn't mind with Sio. I know for a fact that they're banging." Elpsis had no internal filter. "Or because you used to be Sith? Yeah, you did bad things. But you're not evil now. What happened to you on Atrisia happened for a reason." If only poor, innocent Elpsis knew. Perhaps she simply did not want to follow the obvious conclusion because part of her wanted to like Mirien.


"Office work sounds...dull. Don't you go out on missions and kill supervillains with appetisers and exploding pens while having speeder chases?" It was unclear whether Elpsis believed any of this or was just pretending to be super naive to cheer the grim Inquisitor up a bit since it seemed like the older woman was a bit down.
 
"It's nothing to do with light side, dark side, Sith, Jedi. It's got to do with something I did back then as a Sith." Mirien sighed heavily. "Look Elpsis; you're a fine young lady." Where this was going, she feared the place it would end up. "Just, I'm not sure if this is a conversation we should be having. It might be better to hear from your mother, not me. Especially considering last time I was in the same room with her, she broke my nose."

Mirien shrugged, "You're watching too many spy vids. Ninety-nine percent of the time, intelligence work is managing paperwork, resources and writing reports. Covert intelligence involves a lot of waiting around, reading and waiting... Know what it's like being a spy? It's like sitting in your dentist's reception area twenty-four hours a day. You read magazines, sip coffee, and every so often, someone tries to kill you."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


"I shall do no harm, seek the weak, feeble, ill and wounded. Abolve all else, help those who need it most. No matter the side. No matter the cost." This was the oath Coryth had engraved upon her sabre.


Elpsis knew it by heart, though she did not share all of her mother's values, being far less pacifist and more inclined to see violence as the first instead of the last resort. So an expression of shock crossed her face when Mirien divulged some of her past history with her mum. Whatever had driven Coryth to such an act had to be drastic. It made Elpsis wonder how Coryth could stand working alongside her. Especially if the rumours about Mirien and Siobhan being...close were true.


The girl fidgeted slightly, feeling uncomfortable. She could not reconcile the fact that Mirien had clearly been an evil woman with her kind, even shy disposition. Her aura radiated feelings of regret, fear and guilt. Witty quips about the glamour - or lack of it - of a spy's life died on her lips. "You must have done something terrible to make her hate you. You're afraid of her," she said quietly, realising why the older woman was nervous.


"I'm sorry...I don't know what to say. But you don't seem bad to me now. Do you want me to go?" Part of her really wanted to, but the other wanted to say and get to know this mysterious, dark woman.
 
Mirien slumped forward pressing her face into her hands before leaning back in her chair; her eyes were glued to the floor not sure how or where to go from here. "Yes, Elpsis. I did something that was horrific in fact." And that act was something she deeply regretted despite not quite remembering what lead her to that point.

Empaths, damn empaths always know. She thought to herself as she realized the redhead had felt her fear.

"And yes I am a bit afraid of her because to put it simply that particular redhead is more than dangerous when angered. Illusions, mental tricks of every variety and strength and power she rarely shows. Coryth isn't someone to cross." She shook her head, sighing once more as she slumped forward and rested her elbows on the desk.

Mirien glanced up looking to the young lady, "Appearances can be deceiving. No one is ever exactly what they appear to be. And maybe now, now things are different, that other side of me died in that accident. She doesn't exist any longer. I still have to take responsibility for those actions. The same body did them, and the law doesn't see a difference regardless of my lack of memories."

She rubbed at her temples for a moment, "I don't expect you to say anything. Nor do I expect forgiveness or understanding for it."

One last sigh, "Stay or go, it's up to you. Just be aware, Coryth finds out, and there likely will be hell to pay."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


An uncomfortable, awkward silence descended upon the room. Elpsis looked down upon the table, as if unable to look upon the woman who'd clearly inflicted such hurt upon her dear mother. The emotions emanating from Mirien hit her like a flood and she struggled to keep her head up, lest she be consumed by the tide.


Then slowly, the girl arose. Cautiously, she moved around the table and approached the older woman. It only occured to her now that Mirien was a few inches smaller than her. Elpsis took a deep breath, as if trying to gather her courage. Then she bent down and pulled Mirien into a hug. It was a brief one, for the embrace was over almost as soon as it began.


"You hurt my mother." There was no gentleness in her voice. Those sightless eyes that showed naught but fathomless white stared at the dark woman intently, as if trying to pierce the depths of her soul. In the Force, Elpsis' aura was as bright as the light of a star going supernova. Her firemane glowed, as if had caught flame. A strong heat seemed to permeate the air of the room. "Are you sorry? Truly sorry?"



Mujer%2Bfuego.gif
 
Mirien seemed a bit confused by Elpsis' actions at first. The hug just made it even stranger and more bizarre to her. She did lift a brow as the change took place in the redhead. "Do you honestly believe I would tell you what I have if it didn't genuinely bother me? That I don't severely regret those actions? I only know that incident from her side, not even whatever the hell my own was. Seeing that, knowing that from Coryth's side... Just makes it worse, makes me regret that more, feel even more guilt."

"Seeing it from her memory, it makes me hate the person I was, a monstrosity of evil, even hate who I am now since I came from that regardless of where I am now. So, yes."
Mirien snapped, feeling more than a touch upset and a bit cornered which was never a place that she was comfortable. And she knew well enough that if she harmed a hair on Elpsis even in self-defense, she was so beyond dead. Coryth would hunt her down and end her.

"Now, if you'd please cool down a little, I'd appreciate it." She finished, sounding oh so cold herself. "And I can answer any questions you might have. Otherwise, perhaps we should part here."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


Mirien was understandably confused. To an outsider, Elpsis' behaviour probably appeared bizarre and more than a little bipolar. However, there was more behind it than rapid mood whiplash.


Elpsis could feel that Mirien was not the same person. She felt the woman's pain and regret viscerally. She did not want to lash out and hate her...as strong as the urge was. In that regard, she felt sorry for her. She could see beyond the layers of ice that encased the older woman's heart.


However, the dark ice queen had hurt her mother. This was something Elpsis could not brush aside. Fire and ice stood against one another. The energies of the Force swirled across the room, filling it. At this juncture, the air had grown thick and the heat reached the point where it became oppressive.


"I believe you. And should you ever harm again, I will kill you Slowly, painfully." Her voice sounded as icy as Mirien's. Then slowly, the heat receded as Elpsis drew her power back into herself. The flaring nova-like aura of power vanished, until all that was left was one blind, flame haired girl.


Elpsis slumped her shoulders. The young woman took a deep breath and shook slightly. "So...you don't remember anything? What did you do to her? Why did you hurt her?" As opposed to before, she did not sound murderous. Rather, she sounded deeply sad and a bit pained.
 
"You should well be aware I have no interest or desire to hurt her, or anyone else in Firemane. Otherwise, Sio would not have allowed me into the position I hold, and given me the job I have." Mirien didn't like in the least being threatened. Especially not like this, by someone so young. She felt that much should have been obvious that she held no plans or desires to hurt anyone that was close to Elpsis, or Sio. Who she was and her life was far different than they were so many years ago. "Siobhan would have killed me if I dreamed otherwise. I am not the person that did that, to your mother, the same body yes. And none the less I do regret the actions of who I used to be."

Mirien's eyes narrowed on Elpsis for a moment. She then sighed, "Sit. We'll talk."

"Like many things in my life, I only can piece together the reasons, and the whys and hows of things by evidence, by things that I find along the way, by feelings of familiarity that I've been in a place before. It's complicated. This I know only from scattered entries of journals of mine from the time I worked for the Bando Gora. And from Coryth's personal memory of the event. There was a girl, a force user that they, ...." She stopped paused and then went on as she corrected herself, "We, were experimenting on. Coryth and a few other people had rescued her. And I went after the girl. Coryth was in my way." Mirien stopped there. Her voice had been rather flat, almost emotionless. Mirien had worked long and hard to try and bury what events like this made her feel. They were events that drove her to drink heavily and cut herself off from everyone she knew. She had to gain a certain distance from those events, to be able to live with herself.

She let a moment pass, not liking what she was about to say in the least, hating that any part of her had ever done something so dishonorable and horrific. "In the process of taking the girl back, I helped set the building on fire, and with Coryth defending the young lady, I ...." Mirien bit her lip hard drawing blood. "Plunged my saber through her thigh and left her there taking the kid with me."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


"I know that," Elpsis' words were more fierce than she'd intended. She sighed. "But she's my mother. The one I never knew anything about until like a year ago. You feel bad about it, you still hurt her. How'd you react if you met someone who'd horribly hurt yours, but could no longer remember any of it and felt remorseful? It still hurts. You want to burn and hate them, but you feel everything they do: Their pain, regret, fear and guilt."


It was probably unlikely that being reminded of the fact that she could not hide her emotions from the empath would make Mirien more comfortable. In all fainess, Elpsis hadn't attacked her so far. "One moment I hate you, then I feel sorry for you. You know how messed up that is?"


Man, empathy was a queen. The firemane sat down on the chair, placing her elbows on the desk. Mirien's tone had become cold and emotionless, almost robotic. Her emotions were also more difficult to read for Elpsis. She figured it was a defence mechanism, a way to detach herself from the horrible events of the past. The story was...horrible.


She looked down. Rage washed over her like a flood, which she desperately tried to control. She clenched her hands so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh. Fortunately, the girl did not have long nails because they were impractical in combat...and made certain bedroom activities awkward. Still, she draw blood. "You...you monster," she snarled angrily.


It was only now she realised a fireball was forming in the palm of one of her hands. Suffice to say, good part of Mirien's desk was burnt through ere the girl got the fire under control, pulling the blazing heat back into herself. "S-sorry. I...need to go. T-thank you for telling me."
 
Honesty was a queen. It wasn't something Mirien was remotely used to doing, not when secrets had been entangled in every part of her life. Probably the only reason she had been this honest, this open was because one way or another the truth would come out. The truth as painful as it was, was the only option.

What Mirien knew of her parents through those same journals, she'd likely have applauded the person who hurt her and asked why they hadn't just killed her. But her life, her circumstances were not Elpsis'. They were hers alone.

Still, she let Elpsis say her peace, not interrupting. It wasn't like she could say something that would matter or make a difference. And anything she likely said would be defensive and angry since she was still far too used to keeping everyone at arm's length. This was already beyond what she cared to deal with or really knew how.

Even with the fire in Elpsis hand, Mirien merely moved her work off of it and let it be. She let the girl leave without a word at all. How did one defend the indefensible? You didn't. With a sigh, she pushed herself from the chair, grabbed her a small go bag from a nearby cabinet and headed out the door. The last place she wanted to be was here in her office working right now.

"Cancel everything." Mirien snapped as she walked past the secretary. "I'm going out for a little while. A day, maybe two." The brunette paused, "And clean the office; I believe a new desk is required." The dark ice queen left no other explanation and headed out of her office building.

Her intentions, where she was going that she had no freaking clue. All she knew was she wanted some distance for a brief spell. It wasn't like anyone could make her feel better given what was going through her mind, so much self-hatred, anger, pain, guilt, and regret. Right then, none of that was something she wanted to share with anyone at all. No, she needed to settle herself, find her center of balance on her own before Mirien would speak with anyone about it. This was one of the times she just needed to be alone.

Grabbing her speeder she took off, heading for some remote location; forested was her preference, but where didn't so much matter as the distance. Mirien just wanted to be far away to deal with this alone.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


Elpsis' exit from the Firemane Langley was thoroughly lacking in dignity. To call an exit would probably give it too much credit. Rather, it was like an escape, for she could not get out of the building fast enough.


In her haste, she ended up colliding with an agent. She apologised profusely, helped the understandably irritated woman get to her feet and pick up her paperwork, then dashed out. Finally, she was outside and the cool air kissed her skin. It had gotten cold and she shivered a bit, being only lightly dressed, before the Force warmed her.


She felt pathetic. It had taken a lot out of her not really impressive self-control not to attempt to burn Mirien. That woman had hurt her mother. Intellectually she knew it would have been wrong, but nonetheless. She felt disgusted with herself for feeling sorry for that woman. She was not supposed to empathise with her...yet she did.


Needing an outlet for all the energy inside her and a way to clear her thoughts, she kept in motion, though at a less hurried pace. Her feet carried her away from the Firemane complex through the streets of New Santaissa. Her comm rang loudly, but she did not bother to check who was calling her. She needed to be alone right now.


Eventually, she reached one of the many beautiful parks that graced New Santaissa. Conveniently, it was not crammed with visitors at the moment, meaning she had to put less effort into mental walls. Birds chirped happily, trees swayed in the breeze. All was tranquil.
 
[member="Mirien Valdier"]


Star Fortress, Tygara.


"I did nothing wrong, m'Lady. These Xioquo are...beneath us. Without proper discipline, they'll shirk their duties. I drive them hard to get results for you. They'd sell out their own kin for a few coins," the Eldorai officer, dressed in a Firemane uniform, declared, sounding defensive.


"And you thought it would be a good way to, as you put it, drive them hard by letting them labour in direct sunlight? When you fully know that it burns their skin and pains them?" the Lady's voice was oh so cold and chilly. Behind them, Xioquo labourers, who until recently had been working on the fortifications, were being led away by medics. Their dark skin was blistered and marred by burn marks. Their expressions were filled with hatred when they looked upon their tormentor.


The arrogant Eldorai preened herself. "It teaches them a lesson. What use can they be if they fear the sunlight? This crew has been notorious for bad behaviour. They're barbarians. Their enire race is..." However, whatever words she'd wanted to say never left her lips, for Siobhan's gloved hand came up, the fingers squeezing the air between them. The other woman's windpipe closed, denying her the air she needed to speak, and so all that emerged was the sound of choking.


"You Eldorai think you're so superior, even after all this time. With power comes responsibility. You are in no way superior to these people. They are your charges. Before me, everyone is equal," she spat. "Do you know the difference between an error and a mistake, Lieutenant?"


The officer gasped, trying in vain to force oxygen into her lungs while her windpipe was being abused by a grip tighter than a droid's pincer. "Anyone can make an error," Siobhan continued, "but it doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it." Finally, Siobhan released her grip and the officer crumpled to the ground and clutched her throat. Her lungs gasped and wheezed, greedily drinking in oxygen.


Even as she wheezed, Siobhan took a step towards her. "Time you learned compassion for those weaker than you. You're hereby demoted to Private. Furthermore, you will spend a day working on these very fortifications without food or drink. One of the Xioquo auxiliaries will be your supervisor," she glanced towards one of her guards. "Take her away and put her in a common soldier's uniform," she hissed. The minions did as was commanded, but Siobhan suddenly winced when she felt a surge of painful emotion hit her like a speeder. She rubbed her forehead, feeling the buildup of a painful headache. It took her a moment to recover and realise the source of these feelings. Oh, dear. Mirien, where are you?
 
Now for Laina, she was at home in Sio's villa. The dark haired amazon was seated on the floor in Morrigan's room with a few scattered toys sitting in front of her, with her daughter bouncily playing with a handful of blocks while she watched on smiling and enjoying the scene.

Her little girl was walking now, even able to say a handful of words. The amazon, for the most part, was just content watching while she let her little one explore and play on her own.

Though Morrigan interrupted this with plans of her own, one by one bringing those sam blocks to her mother and setting them down wanting Laina to play. "Mama." Morri managed as she pointed at the toys now in between the pair. "Of course, I'll play. Thank you, Morrigan." With a bit of a giggle, she scooted forward and started to stack the blocks with her daughter.

She was for the time being unaware of the events that transpired at Firemane with Elpsis and Mirien. That was bound to change, not that Laina minded listening to the redhead and offering the advice she best could.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
 

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