On Sharp Seas and Dusty Tides (Teynara)

[Kamon Vondiranach]

No, he most certainly didn't dream small. Fortunate for the galaxy, perhaps. If he was the type to dream small, none of this would be happening and he probably would have just killed her when she'd met. The dreams of the small. They had their own place in the galaxy, of course. Not everyone could dream big as he did. People with their small dreams would make up the majority of denizens in the galaxy. In all hope, they would get to live out those small dreams provided they weren't horribly outlandish and against the grain of what the government said was allowable. Laws were necessary, regardless of what people wanted.

When she said she was in, he smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. Gentle. He was very careful about being gentle this time. Her previous discomfort was not lost on him, after all. Now that he'd found the right Jedi, they need only find the right person who couldn't touch the Force. When they had that person, they could truly begin their grand plan. They also needed other Sith and Jedi to join with them in order for this to work. That was going to take time. Peace wasn't earned in a single day, though.

"No, I don't think a conclave would be in the best interest of anyone, really."

He chuckled a little and released her hand. This was where all the hard work began. It was easy to sit and plot, but difficult to put those plans into action. The hardest part for his goal had always been finding the right person to share it with. Of course he should have just trusted the Force and its judgment, but he admitted there was no small amount of hubris involved in his inability to do that. He wanted to believe that he could do things himself, without the help of the ever present galactic entity. It wasn't wrong to want that; autonomy was a good thing, after all. But he still had to recognize that his plans were there because of what the Force wanted, not merely because of what he wanted.

She pointed out a truth that drew a smile from him.

"I know, but thank you for letting me know you care about my well-being. It means a lot to me. And as for you, the Sith will probably be in the same state. They'll assume you're weakening me. Some will just want to kill you for being a Jedi. It's the same for both of us. We both must be careful now, especially when we speak to others about this.

"Speaking of which, I should let you know that I'll be approaching your leadership soon. It is necessary for what is coming. I wish I had more time to prepare but I don't. Your people's efforts here in the Caldera have not gone unnoticed. Change is coming. I aim to make it less of a blow than it could be, but only if they'll listen to me. So be warned, and be on your guard. Danger looms around you everywhere you go as long as you are within the Caldera. I don't want any harm to befall you."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

I'm a Jedi. Danger always looms close to us, but we have the Force at our backs, Teynara thought in response to Leos' words. He meant well, she knew that now, but warning a Jedi of danger was akin to warning a fish of a wave: they were immersed in water already, so what difference would it make? The thought wasn't one that disturbed her - true, the Sith were a dangerous enemy, as she had cause to know, but this did not make it any more problematic. True, they have the Force with them, too, but we're trained for this. It's part of our purpose, as wrong as that may be.

Still, it sounded like events in that region of space would be coming to a head soon. Meaning a Sith invasion force, if he's correct. The worst part was that there would be nothing they could do to prevent that happening, and this simply demanded greater loss of life, beyond that which had already been shed by the two factions. The Force follows us, but so to does death. We'll all see our fair share of blood by the time this is done.

A depressing thought, even for a Healer such as she.

The young woman sat back in her chair, now that Leos had released her hand, reaching for her cooling cup of Stimcaf, taking a reassuring taste of the sharp liquid. The worst part was knowing that nothing they had discussed today would be able to stop the loss of life that was to come - but by offering her a warning, Leos was giving her opportunity to warn the others, perhaps encourage them to pull back, or reinforce whatever defenses they had established. Either way, he's trying to give us a chance. That much warmed her more than the Caf did.

"I'll give you a comm code that will allow you to speak to a Council member directly," she observed, reflecting on the fact that he planned to speak to the leadership. And going through the proper channels means you'll likely get a strike team visiting, rather than being able to speak to someone in authority. "Can't guarantee that you'll get a good reception, but I don't imagine either of us should ever expect that, hmm?", she added with a faint smile. The Council weren't always the most receptive to new ideas, but she had a feeling they might be more inclined to listen than some of the Sith Lords that would want her head for the audacity of contacting them via the Holonet.

The next question, of course, would be how she would proceed. Would it be best to quietly lobby the Council, or go about seeking support lower down in the ranks, so that we might have several of us ready to go and stand in front of my old student and his peers? Teynara had a feeling that there'd be a lot of work to do, above and beyond her typical work on behalf of the Order. But Leos is right: we have to start somewhere. And something tells me he has more influence than I, so I'll have to trust him on that one.

"I'll also speak to the Voss. They have better precognitive skills than either of our factions, so they may have a better sense of what is coming as we proceed." She offered another shrug, knowing that many of the Voss were deeply spiritual but naturally trusting of their own Mystics, moreso than of the Jedi that had set up camp on their world. "We may even get a few who wish to join in, and see all of us bound together, rather than divided into all these little camps."

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"That would be useful, yes."

With what was coming he was going to need to speak with her leaders in order to neutralize the problem in a way that would be sufficient. Whether her leadership would accept or not was a veritable unknown, and he was suspicious that they wouldn't, but it was what he would try, regardless. Realistically, the Jedi should not have invaded the Caldera in the first place. These worlds, and they had to know this, were sacred to the Sith. Taking control of the Caldera had opened them up for a target from the Sith in the galaxy. Unless they had anticipated that with the fall of the One Sith that Sith forces wouldn't be coalesced against them. A dangerous assumption.

He reached for his water again, enjoying the cool comfort of the most pure liquid the galaxy had to offer. Realistically, the reason he drank water and only water was because of the fact that it offered no impairment of his being, and didn't flood him with impurities. Which was mostly because he had the water purified before he drank it. Add in that their bodies were mostly made up of the liquid, always a strange notion to him, and it made sense to replenish it with the same substance.

She brought up speaking to the Voss and he pondered this for a moment. Their capabilities were indeed greater than either of their camps in the area of precognition. Suffice to say, if they could enlist even some of them to their cause, it would be highly beneficial to the future of their movement. Leos himself had no precognitive abilities. He had no way of knowing what the future held for them, if they would succeed or fail spectacularly. It was something he hadn't dwelt on. Not trying at all was a guaranteed failure. He'd take even a small chance of success over the zero chance that not trying would offer them.

"That's a good idea. We could use their help in this. They may even be able to help us find worlds that will join us without Force, which will give us a power base to build upon of people who want to be a part of the cause. Any small help is of use to us now."

It seemed like they both had their work cut out for them. With things settled, it was probably best for the two of them to split up. Other Sith were in the Caldera now, and he had the suspicion that some of them would wind up coming to Krayiss Two because of the temple. He didn't want her to get caught in that.

"I suppose I should let you leave and get to it, shouldn't I?" he asked a bit forlornly. "I do enjoy your company too much, I think."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

An eyebrow arching was all that Leos would receive in response for that, at least initially. They'd found some common ground, and established trust between them, but Teynara found it a little hard to imagine that a man such as he would enjoy her company. It struck her that they were too different in some ways: he was a man of strength and casual capacity towards violence, even though struck by a vision that consumed him, and possessed of a mercy she had little experience of from those of his kind. As for her, a disabled Jedi whose sole focus these days was on healing the wounds of war and trying to ensure that others did not follow in their path. We may agree on many things, but we are not so alike as that might lead one to believe.

Still, it was a flattering thought, and perhaps that was the intention behind it. After all, isn't it easier to spend time with someone who enjoys your company? Tey had to admit that he was certainly easier to get along with than most of his brethren - particularly moreso than those hellbent on killing her - but there were still aspects to his nature that offered her disquiet. He had spoken of the necessity of killing those that opposed his goals, and Teynara had witnessed firsthand the easy domination he engaged in with creatures he perceived as less than himself. That he treated them with affection said a good deal about him, but it did not entirely negate the actions leading up to that point.

And does the affection he suggests for me equate to the same, a superior offering a gentle hand over those he covets or rules over?

That she should return to Voss made sense, of course: she needed time to process their discussions and the implications his proposals had for them both, as well as for the galaxy as a whole. She needed to spend some time in meditation and centre her thoughts. A hot bath would be lovely, too. This dusty little world hadn't exactly left her feeling clean, physically or mentally. Probably wouldn't hurt to have another consultation with her fellow Healers: her condition took a toll, and some time spent out of her chair would be welcomed, too.

"My ship isn't that far away," she remarked, nodding in response to Leos' comment, though she sensed he wanted her to stay, and that his resignation towards her departure was more a matter of politeness than recognition of a need. Odd, but perhaps he doesn't often talk to people who have no fear of him. The Healer didn't sense much fear from those aboard the Sith's ship, but she also sensed a distinct lack of Force Sensitivity among them: there was no feeling of a disciplined, conditioned presence of the kind she was used to detecting. "I had to land rather closer to the Temple ruins than I'd have liked. My hoverchair doesn't go that fast," the blonde noted with a small laugh.

Glancing down, the young woman opened up a small pouch on her belt and rustled within, removing a small datapad no larger than a commlink, and somewhat thinner. She thumbed the power switch and waited a moment as the screen activated, illuminating her face in a soft blue light as words crossed the screen in her native Liannan. It was an easy enough thing to find a translation, but she often preferred to record her thoughts in a language that wasn't Basic. Keeps the mind flexible, switching between languages on occasion, she thought wryly.

It took a few moments, her grey-blue eyes fixed upon the screen, slender fingers moving across the slick touchscreen of the datapad, tapping in a few instructions until it provided her with the information she wanted. A few more slight contacts with the screen, and it flashed as having removed all data except for two pieces, both of which rested one atop the other at the pinnacle of the screen, flashing softly in blue light, easily readable. The young woman nodded in satisfaction, then turned the pad around and handed it towards Leos, a clear enough gesture that he should take it from her.

"The first is the communications code that will put you in direct contact with the Jedi Council on Voss," she remarked softly, her finger tapping the screen just above where the code was inscribed, a frequency notation scrawled there along with an access code that would enable a transmission to be encrypted and then decrypted only by those that carried the code. "The second is my private comm code, to enable you to reach me through the Holonet," she added, pointing out the code that rested below the first. "It's keyed to my commlink, and also to that aboard my ship, so provided I'm in range of a transceiver, I'll get any messages you send."

To arrange a meeting place or establish a more overt means of communication would be dangerous: as Leos has succintly pointed out, his brethren would see her as a weakness, and take actions to eliminate them both, if their relationship was discovered. As for the Jedi, they would imagine Leos intent on turning her to the Dark Side, drawing her towards the Sith and manipulating her. Death would not be the same result, but certainly it would make both of their lives difficult. Mine difficult. His potentially at an end. Neither was a positive outcome, to her mind.

"We'll meet again when it is safe to do so, Leos," she continued, though Teynara had little sense of when that might be. But it makes sense to at least have a line of communication available so we might share what we've learned or acted upon. We might even be able to save some lives in the process. "I'd invite you to Voss, but unless you're able to cloak your presence in the Force, I daresay you'd end up staying for a far longer period than you'd intended," the blonde remarked, smiling at the irony.

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

It wasn't such an affection. Leos genuinely enjoyed her company as a peer, not as someone for him to lord over. Unlike a lot of Sith, he didn't inherently view himself as superior to everyone around him. Not unless he knew he was. There were a couple of Sith in the Order that were already of Knight aptitude that he was pretty certain he was superior too, even though he was still an acolyte himself. Not that he was about to tell them that. That said, no, he enjoyed her company because of her thoughts and her ability to speak to him rationally rather than look at him as a monster, or someone to be killed and tossed aside. She respected him, and he respected her.

Of course he couldn't deny that part of him that was male and enjoyed looking upon her. Yes, there was that too.

"I will walk you to your ship, if that's alright. I'd prefer to know you make it off this world safely by seeing it so with my own eyes."

He stood while she fidgeted with a device that he was unfamiliar with until she offered it to him. When he reached to take it, he realized it was a datapad. A model like he'd never seen, but it was still a datapad at heart. On it was contact information for her, as she said, and the Silver Jedi council. This could prove quite useful if he couldn't get through on normal channels when the time came. He tucked the tiny datapad away into a pocket inside of his armor so that it wouldn't get lost, or wind up in the hands of a crew member. Nobody else needed to know that he had these direct connections at his disposal.

This was all more than he'd expected when he came to Krayiss Two, so he couldn't argue with the fact that it was a successful trip despite not gaining entrance into the temple. Now his goals had someone else to help them flourish. All that they needed now was a third, someone who couldn't touch the Force as they could, and other allies among their numbers. This would take time, during which they'd no doubt have some additional meetings between themselves to discuss the issues at hand. Being able to contact her for such would be necessary to facilitate those meetings.

"I have somewhere safe we can meet when it comes to that. It's on the other side of the galaxy, but it's secret. When the time comes I'll send you the details."

He walked to the door and opened it. Arus and Milan both jumped up and moved into the hall in anticipation of them leaving the room.

"As interesting as visiting Voss would be, I'm not as adept as others at hiding what I am."

A smile touched his lips as he stepped out, though he'd allow her to move ahead of him. He wasn't above being polite. Crew members maneuvered past, offering sharp salutes to him as they did so. He never returned them, but always dipped his head in acknowledgment. Though he owned the ship, he didn't consider himself a part of the crew. For quite a while he'd tried to get them to stop saluting him, but they stubbornly insisted upon it. Most of them were ex-military from various groups throughout the galaxy, so it was ingrained in their very being. Hard to break habits like those.

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

Finishing her stimcaf, Teynara carefully placed her cup down on the nearby table reserved for such, then allowed her hand to return to the natural resting place it had just below the controls to her hoverchair. A simple touch, the most minor of contacts on the control yoke, and the chair would move in a direction of her choosing. A firmer touch would accelerate her, but for now, she needed control more than speed, as she tried to maneuver the chair around the furniture in the room without hitting anything. Small thanks that would be to Leos, destroying his things in exchange for his hospitality.

The door to his stateroom slid open at his command, and Teynara slipped through it carefully, the hum of her repulsorlifts changing slightly as they detected something on either side of her and tried to maintain a balance between the sides of the doorframe. The two Maalraas had already moved on through the door, perhaps eager to stretch their legs or just waiting for this strange person to leave, so that all might return to normal.

I somehow don't see that happening, Teynara thought inwardly, amusing herself with the thought, even if there was an undertone of solemnity attached to it. Strange as it was to think so, things had just gotten all the more serious - no longer could she simply proceed with her duties, refreshed from a trip offworld. Now there was more to be done, actions that needed to be subtle and carefully engaged, but essential nonetheless. After all, you can't count on a Sith to find more Jedi for this enterprise, so that leaves it down to me. She had a sense that it wouldn't be easy, not at all.

The rhythmic tap of Leos' boots on the deck plate of his ship brought her back to the moment. She was practically navigating forward on autopilot at this point, though soon she would have to try and remember the way back to her own ship. There was a slightly uncomfortable lurch in her stomach as the hoverchair turned downwards onto the boarding ramp that led off the ship, one which had momentarily made her feel as though she were falling, even though that would be near-impossible in her chair, unless she were to drive it off a cliff.

"It's very gentlemanly of you to escort me home," Teynara noted in a slightly playful tone, once she felt able to speak again, her hoverchair blowing up a little of the sandy-red dust that made up much of the world's surface as it descended off the boarding ramp and hovering over firm ground. "Last Sith that took me out on a date left me a little paralysed," she added, a smile curving her lips.

True, she could have been more bitter about it, but it wasn't so bad, provided she never wanted to climb a tree, ladder, or run anywhere. If nothing else, the whole thing had been an educational experience, and even though she often missed the use of her legs, sometimes it was better to laugh than cry, so that was the way Teynara had gone. At least after a week or two of venting about it to her mirror, so she could get any pent-up aggression out of her system. Seemed the best way to go.

"On a more serious note, watch out for yourself when you're back among the others, Leos," the blonde woman added, her hoverchair continuing the same forward motion as before, heading now towards the small canyon when she had left her ship. "Getting yourself killed would be problematic for those plans of yours, and I'd hate to see what your pets will do to anyone nearby if your control vanishes."

True, she was being mildly flippant with that last part, but she had a feeling that his death might relinquish the domination over their minds, and at that point, they'd revert to predatory behaviour rather quickly. Much like the Sith themselves. Above all else, Leos would have to work not to show any potential weakness among the others of his kind: his death would invariably mean that the war would continue, and any plans they might have to put a stop to it would likely cease. After all, he can go places and do things that no Jedi might. Much of this depended on him now.

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

And he couldn't help but laugh at her quip about her last Sith date. Of course, he quickly did his best to stop himself when he realized how incredibly rude it was, even though her comment had been lighthearted.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh at that. Incredibly rude of me."

They walked through the ship, and soon enough out of it. Both Arus and Milan trailed along with them. The former, once they were outside, loped around, running this way and that rather playfully. He'd dart around a rock and disappear, only to reappear from the shadows on the opposite side of them shortly thereafter. Leos could only chuckle at the creature's antics. Sometimes Arus' playfulness could be a bit of a problem, especially when the situation around him was a serious one. Other times it could be amusing and really break the tension that was in the air. This was more like the latter, as far as he was concerned. Besides, Milan was, as usual, on guard beside him just in case.

They'd traverse the dusty world, heading towards her ship at a comfortable pace. Honestly, he was in no hurry to see her go, but at the same time she had to. They both had work to do, and neither of them could do it while they sat around and talked to one another. They'd have more time to talk when they'd managed to get more people to come along to the idea of who they were and what their goals were.

"I'm beginning to think you might actually care about me, Teynara," he said, glancing aside at her. "Or you could just be worried about the Maalraas and Hssiss going nuts. They probably wouldn't be happy if I died, I will admit. But I do enjoy their company."

He frowned a little. That was an issue to consider. If he died, his bestiary would probably go nuts. Many people would die. He was going to have to come up with some sort of protocol to institute in case that happened. There were ideas in his mind for that, but they would take some time to implement, and he needed to focus his time on other things than that at the moment, so maybe he'd have someone else look into it for him. He couldn't fault her for bringing up the truth, though.

"I'll look into it, and I'll be safe out there so long as you do the same."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

If someone tells a joke, why should you apologise for laughing? It wasn't something she'd understood herself, at first, though: as an able-bodied individual, she'd never quite comprehended why a person would dismiss their own disability. Now it's all clear, though: none of us wish to be defined by the things which limit us in some way. We're more than our disability, just as you are more than your eye colour, or species. Telling jokes was often a good way of encouraging others to see it the same way: that she'd been injured wasn't something anyone should apologise for. Expect the one that did it, and Thurion taught him a good lesson in turn.

Her grey-blue eyes tracking the Maalraas at play served to amuse her a little - it showed that there was indeed life beyond the seriousness of their conversations and the doctrines of their respective Orders. Though Leos had some form of psychological control on the creature, it seemed that the Sith hadn't suppressed everything it was capable of: that natural playful behaviour stemmed from lessons that were no doubt passed on by the parent animal, a means of teaching hunting behaviours and combat tactics. She'd seen a lot of that before: even when an animal was taken out of the wild, and provided for, they often retained those hunting instincts, and demonstrated them through semi-aggressive play.

The startling disappearance and equally unnerving reappearance of the creatures served as both a show of play but also as a rather disturbing show of potential force. Not just on their part, but something Leos is equally capable of. The blonde didn't doubt that he'd shown his pets a thing or two, but had learned from them in turn. Were he my enemy, this would be a subtle warning of his approach: if he wanted me dead, I'd probably never see him. Perhaps her caution regarding his return to Sith space was unwarranted: he had plenty of protection available.

"I'm not walking into the same threats that you are, Leos," she returned calmly, knowing well that even his brethren might seek his death if they smelled weakness or saw an opportunity to supplant him in some fashion. "The Jedi have never believed in seeking the death of their competitors," Teynara added with a smile. "Council meetings would probably be shorter if we did."

Her ship wasn't far off now, by the looks of it. She could see the white glimmer of the hull, a bright spot against a dim orange sky. A medical vessel, it was utterly unarmed, but well equipped for her needs and that of any being that might end up being designated 'patient'. As the two of them approached, with the Maalraas in two, the blonde pressed a control on her hoverchair, the boarding ramp of her ship descending as it received instructions from her, lowering and coming to rest on the sandy ground before the ship with a slight hydraulic hiss emerging as pressure was released.

"Not as spacious as your own, I'm afraid, but it's sufficient to get me back to Voss," the young woman noted, her eyes still fixed upon their destination. "And to wherever we go when next we meet, Leos," she added, turning to face him, her hoverchair coming to a stop a few meters away from the boarding ramp, so that she might turn to look at him without hurting her neck. "I trust you won't keep me waiting too long on that account?"

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"You'd think that but our meetings often devolve that way and they're not exactly short lived. There's a lot of pompous windbags among the Sith, too."

Yes, the Maalraas were quite deadly. He did, however, lack in the same skills as them. His own talents laid in moderate telekinesis and mastery of the natural realm, not in stealth of the same nature as what Arus and Milan exhibited. It would be useful, no doubt, but Leos was not an assassin and did not view that as good way of dealing with issues. The truly powerful did not need to sneak up on their enemy, but could come at them openly and win decisively. Arus and Milan weren't really around for aggression, but his own defense. And he enjoyed the feline creatures company and dominance they exhibited over most of the other species he brought into his bestiary.

They were approaching her ship now. He was unfamiliar with the design, as he could tell immediately by looking at it. The businessman side of him was immediately interested in discovering more about the vessel, but that could be saved for another time and place. He didn't want to bore her with questions of that nature. Besides, she was going to be leaving and he didn't want to think about her ship.

"I'm interested in the design," he said, completely ignoring his thoughts for a brief moment. "I'll talk to you about that later, though."

She had stopped at the base of the ramp and turned to face him. He stood before her, not with the intent of looming over her, but simply because he wanted to be near to her. Arus was sniffing around the ramp, but Milan growled at him and he jumped off and went back to playing hide and surprise in the rocks. It wasn't hide and seek because Milan wasn't sneaking and he wasn't just hiding, he was popping back out to try and surprise them all. Yes, Arus was the one that could be annoying at times. At least he listened to his mate when she spoke. Truthfully Milan had more control over Arus than Leos did, most of the time.

"It will probably be sooner than either of us anticipate. I will seek a few others for the cause, first, and trust you'll do the same. And I promise to do my utmost to be careful. I wouldn't want to disappoint you, after all." He smirked a little and bowed. "I'm sure you'll do likewise."

Straightening, his smirk turned into a smile.

"It's been enlightening, my trip here. Not how I expected, but in fact better. I look forward to seeing you again."

[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

[member="Darth Ignus"]

No, it hadn't been what either of them had expected, but Teynara suspected that was as true of one another as it was of the situation they had found themselves in. Leos certainly hadn't proven to be what she had come to expect of a Sith, talking with her rather than seeking her death, offering her safety, gracious hospitality and a possible vision for the future which could yet impact upon so many, given enough time and work. And all I came to do was clear my head and gain a little perspective. It certainly seemed that she had achieved that much.

Now that the time had come for the two of them to part ways, Teynara found herself oddly reluctant to do so. Leos had proven to be surprisingly pleasant company, even in light of his status as a Sith. It was clear enough to her that he had both light and dark within him, and he wasn't scared to embrace either aspect: something which felt a little new to her. Most Sith of her experience had sought to ignore their lighter sides, much as many Jedi pushed their darker halves away, as if acknowledging them might be their first step down a path they did not wish to walk.

More than that, she continued to feel that he was an enigma that she need to try and understand better, a puzzle that needed to be solved before she could get to the heart of who he really was. It had always been here way to try and seek insight into a person, but to do so with a Sith was more of a challenge than she had perhaps realised before now. To remain at his side would at least allow her opportunity to learn more about him, perhaps understand a little more about who he was and why he was this way. And yet to do so is to invite death among the Sith, and that's a risk I would never be permitted by the others.

And so, there it was: they both had duties to attend to, work to do to push their plan forward, and the understanding that they could not follow each other without placing their lives at risk. Perhaps, one day, that might be an option, but for now, we must focus on the present, as both of our respective Orders would encourage.

"I'll hold you to your word," Teynara said curtly, the smile reflecting in her eyes removing any sting from her words as she referred to his promise to meet with her again soon. "If a girl gives you her commcode, she expects you to use it. Don't make me feel like you're neglecting me now!", the blonde added with a soft laugh.

"Stay safe until we meet again, Sith", the young woman continued, bowing her head in her best approximation of the sort of bow that her disability no longer permitted her to perform fully. "I don't plan to be stood up!," she observed wryly. "Until next time, Leos."

Her chair turned away after another moment of staring at him, heading now for her own ship, preparing to leave the planet in her own thoughts, knowing that there was much to be done from here. First to return to Voss, and settle my own mind, and then we'll begin doing the business we have decided upon here.
The sooner such endeavours had begun, perhaps the sooner their next meeting time might arrive.