Private Message in a Bunny... Droid

[Amelia von Sorenn]

MESSAGE IN A BUNNY... DROID​

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Ukio​

Dustcairn Plantation​

Sometime after the impromptu gathering​

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The gathering - as it had been - was one that was not exactly planned nor expected in the grand scheme of her desire to hide away in a corner of the Confederacy. The galaxy on the other hand had brought others from the breadth of the Confederate hierarchies and various positions of their own importance to her garden and into her very home - were she one that was capable of feeling the Force, perhaps she would have even believed that the Force had brought them all together for some manner or reason. With the commotion having finally died down and a moment to breath was presented, her mind had returned to the information that was presented to her not that very much long ago. The two little droids in question - the ones that had apparently kept an eye on a few of her own personal items and sought to 'liberate' them from their glass confines - had been sent by none other than Exarch Srina Talon with a message for the woman. For the majority of the night, she had been rather curious as to what sort of message the Exarch had for the former Grand Marshal, and it was more than enough for her to keep the two small droids around even as everyone else had gone their separate ways. ​

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Having finally separated herself from the rather brave and spritely Duckie Talon - having sent the little creature off with Kassara to another corner of the plantation to find some more greens for him to enjoy and a place to sleep for the night, her attention once more returned to the two somewhat troublesome droids. Taking a seat, she carefully slipped one leg over the other before leaning forward, her hands clasping together - one atop the other - as they came to rest against her knee, her golden-yellow hues falling upon the red and blue photoreceptors of the little bunny droids as a soft smile slowly slipped across her lips, tugging at the corners. A slight hint of her fang revealed itself for a moment as she reached towards a glass that rests on a table just off to her side, the sanguine liquid within clinging to the crystalline structure as she brought it to her lips and took a long, slow sip. ​

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Those golden-yellow hues, however, never once pulled themselves away from the two droids, her attention focused upon them as she peered over the rim of the drinking vessel before setting it back to where it had been waiting. That smile remained upon her lips, not a hint of the sanguine liquid marring her otherwise pale features as she lightly tapped her fingers against the armrest - her curiosity now getting the best of her. ​

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"Surely, whatever message the Exarch sent must be very important to warrant the sending of two such resourceful and talented droids as yourselves BNI-Bella and BNI-Leo . Please, the message, if you will my lovely little droids." ​

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Amelia smiled sweetly before she carefully leaned back in her seat, keeping her legs crossed one over the other, her arms had in the meantime slipped back, her elbows resting on the armrests of the chair she had taken up temporary residence upon. Her hands came together, fingertips pressed firmly and steppled as she brought them to her lips and lightly pressed them to the soft flesh. She was doing her best to contain herself, hold herself back and show a slight amount of patience, and proper decorum. ​

 

[BNI-Bella and BNI-Leo]

__________________________________________________

Amelia von Sorenn​

This was it.

BNI-Leo held paws with BNI-Bella as they stood before the TallOne™ watched them with unnerving eyes. The Mistress had explained that she was a particular sort of near-human but Nine-One was pretty sure she was part liche. Maybe, part dragon. She hoarded so many treasures that it would be hard to tell which was which unless she started sucking down the souls of her staff like a juice box.

BNI-Bella elbowed him a little bit. She could read his thoughts through the bi-directional data stream that ran constantly between them. With it intact, with proximity, they were stable and operated as a strangely cohesive unit. Without it? They began to dwindle. They could not operate without each other, truly, two parts of a whole. “Be nice.”

“I am.”

The red-hued rabbit was just grumbly because the TallOne™ had confiscated all of the shiny things they’d stowed away beneath the Vicelord. They hadn’t gotten to keep a thing. Not one. Not even a crown for the Mistress and that just burned him right between the ears. It was really hard to loot things in plain sight. When TallOne™ asked for the message both of the rabbit stopped whispering to each other and glanced around the room. The Mistress, in their singular, shining photoreceptor was almost sacred. There was nothing she did without purpose.

“…Are you sure you want it?”

“Nine-One…”

Leo rolled his eyes. Fine, fine. Their eyes were weapons. That was true. Either droid could fire a blast that could leave a hole in a man large enough to see daylight through. That wasn’t all, though. Their eyes could do more than harm. More than see and record data. They could project. The light emitters caused red and blue-hued oculars to grow brighter while their paws remained clasped.

It took both to deliver the message. Both—Or nothing at all.

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|Holo-Aid Designation: Srina Vail Talon|
Title: Exarch of the Confederacy
Species: Echani
Lenth of Missive: Undetermined
Delivery: Elusive. The White Rabbit. Late. Time. Repeat. Elusive. The White Rabbit. Late. Time. Repeat.
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The fair sight of the shimmering translucent Exarch came into view. It was an impressive display. Were it not for the fact that she was even paler than usual with a faint blue tint it would have been easy enough to mistake her as having arrived in the flesh. She wore long robes of breathable material and a grey cloak that was embroidered in the style of Eshan. Lengths of ivory hair fell down slender shoulders in braided plaints and quiet eyes would bring absolute focus.

“I bid you well, Amelia.”

The rest of the Confederacy may have referred to the spacepiress with her title or some other notable honorific but Srina had never followed the rules. She was a warrior first. The young woman wasn’t even keen on being referred to as an Exarch. It was a tool that carried her point across with the appropriate amount of weight. Nothing more; Nothing less.

“ I trust that my rabbits have not caused any permanent damage. I must admit...I never thought to find you here. Though, I have already misspoken. To state that I have found something implies that it has been lost. You are not lost…Are you?”

It seemed that the message was voice-activated. It would not respond until Amelia von Sorenn replied.​

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

MESSAGE IN A BUNNY... DROID​

Golden-yellow hues fell upon the image as it slowly flickered into life, the lights in the room seemed to detect the message itself and slowly dimmed until the light was as such that it was much easier to view the recorded message without placing any undue strain upon the eyes of the woman. She permitted a soft sigh to slip from her lips, her fingers lightly pressed against them still as her ears perked up and she listened intently to the message that was being delivered. A soft smile tugged at her lips when her name was said - and truth be told - it was a welcomed calling that she need not worry about some honorific or the phrase 'Lady' being thrown around before her name. To be merely called Amelia felt as though the weight of the galaxy and her own name was lifted from her tired shoulders and allowed her a moment to breathe and collect herself as the message continued.

The damage - what little of it that had been caused - was easy enough to repair. Glass could be mended, and the droids in the other room were already busy at replacing a number of the coverings that had some rather blatantly cut holes in them to provide access to the trinkets and baubles that were hidden within the case. Perhaps if the droids had asked nicely, she might have provided them with one of the lightsabers - now though - the two would be left wondering if the tall one would have been as nice to have gone through with such a gesture. Pulling her attention back to the matter at hand, Amelia shifted ever so slightly while keeping her eyes upon the projected image of the Exarch - Srina Talon was a stunning woman - that was a simple fact, and though they had spoken a number of times previously, it had always been to relay messages back and forth between one another in the heat of combat and nothing so... personal.

Reaching to her side, Amelia brought the crystalline vessel to her lips once more, carefully sipping the sanguine liquid before cradling the vessel in her hand, its long stem nestled between her middle and ring finger of her right hand. It was the question, however, that caught her off guard - though it was a question that carried a certain gravitas behind it as now it sat heavily upon her mind and heart. Was she lost? It had been a question that even Amelia had been unable to ask herself - for she had given everything to the Confederacy during her minor tenure as the Grand Marshal of Naval Command - and ultimately it was her decision to resign made out of a sense of distrust for the new Minister of War and their childish antics that had drawn her further away from the public eye.

Amelia had left everything behind on Naboo after she had sent the resignation to the Vicelord - the cottage hidden deep within the Lake Country now sat vacant, sheets covering much of the inner amenities to keep the dust off of them - though it was silent there now. She had gone from the busy noise of the Capital to the far reaches of the Confederacy - to its very edge where she found a new place of solitude tucked away in the furthest corner of Ukio - when it would have been just as easy to simply disappear into the unknowns of Wild Space and completely disappear from the public eye altogether.

Though as that thought slipped into her mind, she figured that even in the depths of Wild Space, these two little rabbits would have found their way into her home to deliver this message. She would admit to one thing BNI-Bella and BNI-Leo were very resourceful. With her attention returning to the awaiting message - the mere fact it was waiting for a reply made it seem like it was more of a living holographic broadcast, and that alone caused Amelia to feel as she was leaving the Exarch on hold and being rude to the young woman.

"Any damage caused was not such that it could not be easily repaired."

She then paused for a moment, pulling her words together as she attempted to find the best means to answer the question. Was she lost? It was still hard to say, though perhaps the honest truth to that question, the answer at the bottom of it all, was yes. Perhaps that was it, though it would be difficult for Amelia to directly answer that in any such satisfactory way.

"I am unsure Srina... I am unsure if I am lost or not, here at the edges of the Confederacy, poised on the verge when it would be so easy to step off into Wild Space."

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[BNI-Bella and BNI-Leo]

__________________________________________________

Amelia von Sorenn​

The pair of rabbit droids remained perfectly still while the image of their mistress conversed with the stingy TallOne™ about things they did not quite understand. Certainly, she was not lost. She was sitting right Infront of them rather imperiously drinking red poison while cruelly coveting all of the shiny artifacts in the other room. Perhaps the hologram was broken. It never occurred to them that the Exarch may have been speaking in a metaphorical sense.

Their processors, though clever, could only handle so much. In this case? Literal.

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|Holo-Aid Designation: Srina Vail Talon|
Title: Exarch of the Confederacy
Species: Echani
Lenth of Missive: Undetermined
Delivery: Elusive. The White Rabbit. Late. Time. Repeat. Elusive. The White Rabbit. Late. Time. Repeat.
__________________________________________________

If the hologram registered the response about BNI-Leo or BNI-Bella it did not fully register. The glowing form of Srina Talon suddenly offered what appeared to be a cold, indulgent smile, and her eyes flickered downward as if she could actually see the twin terrors. Of course, that would have been impossible. Quiet orbs flickered back toward the former Grand Marshal when she began to speak again and her lips smoothed into an expression that was entirely unfathomable.

“What is lost, often, longs be discovered—But lost time is never found.”

The words were cryptic enough that it would be hard to tell if the projection was actually responding or simply mimicking intelligence. In some ways, it seemed almost like the Guardians that were recorded and entombed in crystals for Holocron Recordings. It seemed to understand, though, it could have simply been a trick of the light. “I do not believe you are lost, Amelia, but you are indeed losing time.”

The Echani fell silent again and white hair seemed to gleam like pure silver through the facsimile of her being. It seemed to be considering what to say next. If it could do such a thing.

“From an evolutionary perspective, the mind will always attempt to keep the subject safe. Ukio, is safe. It has removed risk from an already full plate, and instead, has provided a gilded haven for you to rest without fully disconnecting from that which you care for. A comfort zone, if you will. It is both a defensive mechanism and a form of self-sabotage. Do you feel the ache of drifting? The aimless empty. The vast, unending disappointment. Fear of turning back the clock. Of reviewing what has been, what could be.”

Another pause.

“This is the time you have lost. Hear me, now.”, the visage of the Exarch intoned while lifeless pupils settled on the eyes of the noble warrior. It would feel as if it were looking through her. Pulling at threads, secrets, and things that it could never know. “This is the time required. The cost of which can never be refunded. Inadvertently, you have placed your greatness on hold long enough. Sometimes, the only way out of stress, frustration, and disappointment is to move through it. You will struggle. From that internal war…You will be given a choice.”

“You may learn from that lesson—Or deny it.”

The hologram tilted its head, briefly, before too-white lips parted once more. A breathy question that would seem to challenge any thought process that led to a sense of defeat. It did not appear that the projection was designed to sway one way or the other, though, it did present fact as Srina Talon saw it to be. “Will you deny it?”​

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

MESSAGE IN A BUNNY... DROID​

Shifting for a moment in her seat, the woman leaned back, her attention shifting away from the image of Srina as golden-yellow hues once more fell upon the two droids that remained firmly clasped together as they held hands. A soft smirk crossing her lips as she thought of the trouble that the two little creations seemed to cause not just for herself though for others as well when they were sent out on some mission. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath, carefully considering the words that had been spoken - rather - carefully considering the challenge that the woman had levied against Amelia in regards to her remaining upon Ukio and out of sight. Still, even though she was out of sight, she remained connected to the Confederacy in her own means and ensured that she was still rather well connected and informed about the events that had happened outside of what could arguably be called her own little bubble.

Even as she had remained in hiding, keeping herself out of the public eye of the Confederacy, she had not in the least been idle - as idle hands were often considered a devil's playthings. She had her own plans that had already been put into motion. Projects that were being spearheaded by Von Sorenn Industries - a means to ensure that the Confederacy would be protected - and done so in her own means and at her own discretion out of the prying eyes of any politician or bureaucrat. With a soft sigh slipping past her pursed lips, she slowly opened her eyes, those same golden-yellow hues falling upon the Exarch as her lips were pulled into a soft tug. Bringing her arms down, Amelia rest her hands in her lap as she leaned back and ensured she was comfortable.

Amelia seemed to agree, she had fled to Ukio, a means to keep herself secluded and safe in her own little bubble - that was not a lie or stretch in the very least. It was the simple phrase, a singular line in the challenge that caused her brow to lift just ever so slightly, that Amelia; had placed her greatness on hold for long enough. It was then that the question began to formulate in her mind as she tilted her head to one side for a moment before it tilted in the opposite direction as she thought on how to approach that singular line. It took her a moment before she found the words that had come to her from the darkest reaches of her mind - a hint of her fangs shown as she permitted her soft smirk to grow into a slight smile while keeping her attention upon the woman.

"Perhaps you are right. Perhaps I have come to Ukio for my own protection - to keep myself out of the public eye though still remain well connected with the events and happenings within the Confederacy. There is still much that I can do for the Confederacy and though I've remained in my own solitude, I've not been so idle as to prevent myself to be of service in some means."

She paused for a mere moment, bringing the crystalline vessel to her lips once more as she seemed to whet her palette and soothe her throat from the stress of speaking. As it produced a soft clinking noise when it was set upon the table, she smiled at the sound - seemingly bringing back memories of the thudding noises of boots upon the decks of a vessel.

"It is no secret that the Confederacy has been hurt - a mere mortal has caused a god to bleed and now there are others that look towards us and clamor to dig and claw their own pieces from the Confederacy. The Agents of Chaos dealt us a blow that still cuts deep for many - and our choice to place the Confederacy First caused many to flee or turn against us in their own means as we merely sought to ensure that our people were protected. Our borders are beset by refugees fleeing from the horrors of the galaxy - it seems - at least for many; that the Galaxy has entered a time of ending and consumption."

Amelia shifted, her next words were perhaps the heaviest that had settled in her mind. As she brought one hand up, her fingers lightly traced along her chin as she seemed in deep contemplation of what she would bring into creation next. It was clear that the Confederacy - for all of its power and means and attempt to keep itself far from Galactic Politics, was very much entrenched in them to cause such a reaction from the breadth and width of the Galaxy. Even their once-mighty Dauntless Commandos had fled from the Confederacy and much of the Knights Obsidian were in disarray as their own headquarters had been overrun by unspeakable horrors.

"With the first link, the chain is forged - and as much as my own seclusion on Ukio was a means to protect myself and keep my being safe - we must look at that lesson and ask a similar question. Has the Confederacy's decision to withdraw from the Galaxy been its own Ukio? Has the Confederacy sought to keep itself safe by withdrawing... Has the Confederacy placed its own Greatness on hold for long enough."

That thought merely caused the soft smile to remain, to grow slightly as she slowly leaned forward, golden-yellow hues levied upon the Exarch as the next words were spoken.

"The question now is simple... What would the Dread Queen of the Confederacy have me do?"
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