Private Old Threads

[Meya Liefi]

Tag Lysander von Ascania

Meya walked with a steady pace through a corridor of her ship. She had changed out of her Ashblood Feast attire, returning to the clothing she wore most often: a long black dress with gold thread woven throughout. Gold chains threaded through her hair chimed softly with each step, joined by the quieter sounds of bracelets, rings, and other pieces of jewellery that adorned her.

Lysander had been given his own room for the journey, along with another set of clothing tailored to him. Meya had ordered the clothing long ago, simply because the tailor had offered to make more. She found herself wondering whether they still fit him properly. Or whether he approved of them at all.

When Lysander was eventually guided to her, Meya wasted no time before speaking. "Lysander." One hand lifted, waving loosely through the air in greeting. There was no Force behind the gesture, merely a vague acknowledgement of his presence. It was something she consciously allowed herself to do; those who approached her usually received little to no reaction at all. "Do you require anything? A bath? A meal?"

"Were you tortured or beaten during your stay in the Republic?" Her head tipped slightly, golden eyes studying him as though already considering the possibilities herself. There was some life in them for once, though only a small glimmer. "Do you require any of the perpetrators to be taken out?"

One hand raised to her side, her fingers curling inward during the motion. The gesture was small, but one of her aides recognised it and stepped forward without needing to be summoned aloud.

"What of your home planet?" Meya continued. "Are you barred from returning? I may have the means and resources to begin disseminating anti-Republic propaganda across it. Surely your Covenant will be able to liberate the world at some point as well."

The Sephi was already considering what resources might be required, and who could be contacted. Her lips parted as though another question might follow, but she fell silent instead. Only then did the thought occur to her that Lysander might not remember all of what she had asked.

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Meya Liefi​

Silence followed since the Feast. Something about the night sat wrong, though none of those threads led directly toward Meya. Naturally, there remained a desire to understand without assigning blame, to give space for whatever remained unsaid. Or whatever thoughts remain unspoken.

Time moved softly within these walls, familiarity rekindling gradually through another journey at Meya's side. Traveling together was hardly unfamiliar, which perhaps should have made this passage feel lighter. For all the shadows woven into the Sephi's ways, acknowledgment surfacing that she possessed a certain grace as a host, even if she would likely never claim the title herself.

Guided toward Meya, an incline of the head was offered in greeting. "Hunger simply escapes me at the moment, Meya," The former emissary spoke with a softness at the edges, and perhaps this marked the first untruth ever offered to the Sephi. The thought of nourishment held little allure, appetite quieted beneath the weight of other considerations. Heavier ones.

Lysander's countenance remained impassive while his gaze lifted toward her. "Nothing physical happened, no cruelty of that sort. Retribution is not what I seek, and there is no need for anyone to be pursued on my behalf. Still, the offer itself is appreciated."

Attention wandered for a moment beyond the present exchange. "I've no wish to return to my home planet." Breath entered slowly before easing outward. Sunlit eyes, dimmed of some former emerald brightness, reflected a hue now nearer to her own. "Curious that resources there might be within your reach. Was this connection present since Byss, Meya, or is there something I have yet to understand?"

 

[Meya Liefi]

Tag Lysander von Ascania​

Meya found herself raising an eyebrow. Hunger escaped him? The expression that crossed her face held some small measure of confusion. The last she had seen him, he had always been hungry. They had barely set foot on Dathomir before he had begun asking about food.

She considered questioning him on it, though his answers to her other questions prevented her from diving too deeply into the matter. For now.

"Before Byss," Meya answered his question. "You're aware... of how the Twin Suns operate, are you not?" Truth be told, Meya wasn't sure if she had fully explained her "operation" to Lysander.

"We were born in the underworld and continue to operate within it. I do not think many areas of space are untouchable to us."

Meya led him further down the hall, waving away her aide and the others as they approached a set of doors. They opened at her approach, revealing the laboratory beyond.

The room was kept orderly, its equipment arranged with the same precision as everything else aboard her ship.

Banks of fluid-filled chambers lined the walls. Muted lights at the top of the chambers illuminated whatever was or was not inside each, casting moving, swaying light across the floor near them. Meya walked toward them. Two of the chambers were occupied.

She stopped before the first, lifting one hand to rest against the smooth surface of the glass. Her fingers moved lightly across it as she regarded the small form suspended within. The second chamber stood beside it, nearly identical, another developing body floating in its fluid.

"This is Kavor and Aevra," Meya explained, though perhaps somewhat vaguely. "They're not developed enough to survive outside the chambers yet..." A pause followed. "Soon, though."

She did not turn around as she continued to speak. "They're who I asked you to protect."