Pursuit of Knowledge

[Taeli Raaf]

Kanz Sector, Lorrd, Lorrd City

It had been a long time since she had been back to her alma mater, the University of Lorrd, but when the chancellor has reached out to her to do a lecture series... who was she to refuse? After recent events with the Alliance, she had felt a three day series of panels and lectures on a whole range of topics from alumni and experts in their fields was just what was called for. It also would serve to be an easy way to arrange a meeting.

The young Queen of Panatha's last question had gone unanswered as Taeli had been escorted away in light of the Alliance attack to the safe room. A simple mind trick later, and cloaked in the White Current, she had left the manor and then the planet. But that discussion had stayed with her... and the girl deserved to have a nice place to chat so she could get answers without the possibility of conflict coming up. So, to that regard, Taeli had extended a quiet invitation to [member="Ara Zambrano"] to come to Lorrd. Who knows? The girl might learn some things about the galaxy she didn't or couldn't get in First Order space.

Taeli herself had just finished her last panel for the day on intergalactic affairs and how they might impact archaeological expeditions, and was relaxing in the small cafe in the university's library. A small pot of tea sat on the table, a full cup, and a datapad opened to the latest news from the Core Worlds.

 

[Ara Zambrano]

The invitation was not quite a surprise, yet the location of their suggested rendezvous was. Outside the boundaries of the growing Sith Empire, Lorrd was a far cry from Galactic Alliance Territory. Not that she would have expected Master Raaf to want to continue their last conversation within the reach, and prying ears, of the militaristic Alliance. This was a conversation best had in private, far from the Orders either woman owed allegiance too.

And so, the Arch-Queen of Panatha and Master of Ren found herself deep in the heart of the University of Lorrd, approaching the woman sitting with a pot of tea and a datapad, the vision of a visiting lecturer having a rest after a full day of symposiums and Academic panels. It was an appearance impeccably upheld and admired by the approaching Zambrano, one she knew was part lie, yet also, part truth. Gone was the blonde hair and lacy gown from weeks before, a chance meeting upon a planet besieged by the Alliance leading to answers that only garnered more questions.

Who do you work for?​

A simple, direct inquest that had been met with a smug smile and an infuriating silence as the party had finally been disrupted in the name of safety, the two women forced to depart with the unspoken promise to continue their conversation another time. Now.

For her own purposes, gone was the warrior, armour and mask resting deep in a chest upon her personal craft, the tools of her trade waiting should she have need, but far from reach. Gone was the Arch-queen’s garments, circlet and silk replaced with a simple shirt, jacket, pants, and boots, dark colors that set off her lightly-tanned skin-tone and rich chestnut hair. A simple set of contacts masked the crimson and amber hue of her irises to their more natural shade of emerald. A bag slung across her back and easy smile completed the transformation, Ara blending in perfectly with the students around her, the powerful aura she normally exuded, subdued in the presence of an amulet hanging around her neck, tucked between her breasts.

”I must say, your take on the excavation of Temple of Ossus and the potential ramifications of the escalation of the conflict between the Silver Jedi and the First Order was insightful.”

A soft crinkle around her eyes paired with the lightly teasing tone, announced her presence, although she suspected the Master had been aware of her from the moment she’d entered the building. Oblivous, [member="Taeli Raaf"] was not.

”May I join you?”
Polite, yet an ultimately unnecessary request, she tilted her head, one hand poised on the back of the chair directly across from the woman, an easy smile not quite reaching her eyes.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Hmmm the Lydrax operation will have to be put on hold for now, she thought to herself. Blasted Republic Remnant forces had gone and taken the planet, and she honestly did not want anything to do with them at present. They were chasing something that had died out years ago, clinging to the past and not realizing where the future lay. Ah, maybe they and the Ancient Eye would destroy each other. That would be amusing to watch. She could feel [member="Ara Zambrano"] approaching. Good.

”I must say, your take on the excavation of Temple of Ossus and the potential ramifications of the escalation of the conflict between the Silver Jedi and the First Order was insightful. May I join you?”

She smiled and gestured at the seat across from her, saying, "If you thought that was interesting, your Majesty, stick around for the panel two days from now. I have to give a lecture on the nature of the light and dark sides of the Force, and the roles major organizations of both alignments have had on the galaxy."

The young Arch-Queen looked more in her element here, Taeli decided, than she did in her official raiment. If she hadn't known better, she would think the girl was any other older student here at the campus. The contacts were a nice touch. Depending on how their meeting went, perhaps Taeli could show her how she could hide crimson and amber corruption of the dark side from her eyes. It was always such a giveaway, and contacts could grow tiresome at times.

"Thank you, by the way, for accepting my invitation," she continued saying, taking a sip of her tea. "I rarely get a chance to visit my homeworld, and considering its neutrality, it's an excellent meeting place."

 

[Ara Zambrano]

A small tilt of the head, an inclination of the chin in gratitude as she sat, Ara dropped her bag to the floor haphazardly, the nearly empty satchel collapsing at her feet.

”Let us not sit on such formality, Ara is fine.”

A friendly, cordial tone invited the woman to cease use of such formal titles as your majesty as she settled back into the chair. [member="Samka Derith"] would argue that to keep [member="Taeli Raaf"] using her formal title was to hold a sort of power over the other Master, to remind her of her position and influence. Yet, for this conversation, they must meet on equal footing if they were to get anywhere farther. It was about information, questions answered, not control.

A quick cast of crimson eyes took in the small café around them, her posture seemingly at ease in the strange surroundings, despite sitting opposite the woman who’d once managed to kill her.

Nearly kill her, she amended silently, catching the eye of a waitress for the small café and motioning for her own cup and pot of whatever her companion was enjoying.

”As enlightening as that is sure to be, I am afraid I do not have the same time for leisure you seem to enjoy.”

One eyebrow arched softly as she turned her attention to Master Raaf fully, the social necessity of an order having been successfully placed, the bustle around them paying the pair little heed.

”And I thank you for the invitation, surprising as it was. Although, this is a far sight better than having to hunt each other down on the field of battle once again. I was rather disappointed in the rather abrupt ending to our last encounter myself.”

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Taeli, please," she said as Ara expressed that Taeli could call her such, without honorifics. As [member="Ara Zambrano"] caught the attention of a waitress to get her own order of Bastion Black Tea, Taeli studied her. There was an ease in giving the order, a practiced confidence that her order would be carried out as she requested. While this was a cafe, it also spoke to how she gave orders to her followers and to the First Order members beneath her. She also noticed how the girl's eyes traveled over her environment, taking quiet observations of her surroundings.

"A pity," she said after Ara's order was placed. "It is going to be quite the discussion. But, then I suppose running the Panatha and its subjects must take up a good deal of your time."

The mention of Varonat physically made her sigh, rubbing her temples for a moment. All for show, but the Ara wouldn't exactly know that yet.

"Don't remind me of Varonat," she said, heaving another sigh. "That fool Thuku jumped the gun on the plan, rushed right in before any of the signals were given that your fleet was out of position or the infiltration teams were in place. I will admit disappointment and irritation on my part that our last encounter was cut short because of that, just as we were progressing to an interesting part of the conversation."

Did she really care she was airing her grievances with the Twi'lek admiral to an erstwhile enemy? No, not really.

"But, that is in the past and we sit in the present," she added, taking a sip of her tea as Ara's was delivered.

 

[Ara Zambrano]

”Among other things.”

The flash of a knowing smile was cast towards Master Raaf, a pour and sip of tea taken by the Arch-Queen while her companion took a moment to comment on the disastrous events far above Varonat. There’d been briefings of course, after she and [member="Varas Kyrel"] returned from their rather eventful yet ultimately fruitless, mission. A small team had attempted to infiltrate Edgefields-on-Varonat’s defenses with the intent of making their way onto the highly secured Naval Yard undetected. Their failure owed in part due to the strict security of the nearby naval base, protocols in place at all times that served the First Order time and time again, but also in part to the hasty actions of one of the Gallactic Alliance’s Admirals.

Thuku.

Of course, she was familiar with the name, a vague profile dredged up in her memory from debriefings of previous engagements and information garnered on those of import within the command structure of the Alliance. Yet, it meant little to her, the Master of Ren largely having avoided naval conflicts in difference to those which required a more subtle, personal touch. A sympathetic smile offered in response to the admittance of frustration and annoyance, surprised that the Jedi had offered up such a personal observation to one who was am unquestioned enemy.

”A frustration, indeed, when another’s haste ruins a perfectly well-laid plan.”

As her companion took another sip, so too did she, a moment taken to roll the warm beverage around her tongue, the black tea fragrant and bold compared to the white and green mixtures of her home planet. Ara would have preferred something stronger, she always seemed to, but it would have to do for the time being.

Yes, their conversation had just taken a noteworthy turn, [member="Taeli Raaf"] ‘s request for directness met with a simple, pointed question that still hung between them.

”And so we do. I expressly remember your request for directness, boldness if I am not mistaken. And so my question stands unanswered, who do you work for?”

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli gave a small smile as Ara repeated the question from Varonat, dragging the silence out between them even longer as she took another sip of her tea and savored the flavor. Now, she could answer it directly as had been stated back during their last conversation... or they could play around with it. They had plenty of time, unlike their meeting at the ball, and there was no rush truly. It was not like the world was going to be attacked any time soon. The League of Voss was the only active organization that might appear, but they were quite busy what with all the dying and running from the ever expanding Sith Empire.

"I did indeed say directness was encouraged," she finally said. "And I certainly appreciate that you remembered in asking your question yet again. But, as we are not in any imminent danger of full scale planetary attack and lockdown, directness can be tempered a bit by our love for the game I think."

She poured herself another cup of tea, swirling it around in her cup with the faintest of smiles still on her lips.

"Perhaps we can start with your evidence, suspicions, and predictions on who I work for," she continued. She was honestly curious to see if, out of all the beings in the galaxy, that [member="Ara Zambrano"] was the one to pick up on the subtle clues she gave people. It was always so dull when no one could pick up the game and play it, although it greatly amused her whenever she was in the same room as the great Jedi Sentinel Coren Starchaser. "And then we can see whether you are correct or not? I promise that any question you ask over the course of our little game I will answer with the truth."

Well a version of the truth, but that was all part of the game.

 

[Ara Zambrano]

A small turn up of the mouth, another sip taken, the pair almost mirror images of each other as they sat, quiet words lost to the bustle of the room around them. One eyebrow raised loftily in amusement as [member="Taeli Raaf"] spoke, the lines of her face softening as she let the true expression settle across it.

”Evidence and suspicions, hmm? And where should I start?”

Mimicking the motions of her companion, eyes downcast at the tea, Ara swirled the dark liquid in the cup absently before settling it lightly on the table, long fingers still cradling the ceramic lightly.

”Perhaps it is best to begin where it all started…” Her head tilted to the side slightly, the skin between her eyebrows wrinkling in a feigned moment of recollection. ”Mustafar, was it?”

Of course, she had her reservations as to the truth the Master would admit to. After all, friendly as this meeting was, pleasant and devoid of the posturing and threats that marred their previous engagements, enemies they continued to be. Yet there existed some truth in her suspicions, her belief that the Jedi master wasn’t truly a Jedi at all, or they would not be sitting across from each other, sipping tea, and discussing secrets that threatened her position within the New Jedi Order.

Lightly, she let one finger pad run around the rim of the glass, her gaze returning to the woman across from her with a soft, neutral smile.

”Perhaps not Mustafar but a common acquaintance of us both, one Connor Harrison?”

Did the former Jedi even still go by that name any more? A spark of something flashed in the backs of her irises, gone faster than either could acknowledge. The name carried the weight of memories long surpassed, mistakes made in youth and desperation, cast out as the man himself had been. Yet, the former Jedi, former Ren, was integral to her suspicions and so it only made sense to begin with him.

”He knew you, and you him.”

A statement, not a question. They had a history, of this she had no doubt, admitted in Taeli’s own taunts deep within the bowels of Lord Vader’s castle. Small jibes at a possible romantic connection between Harrison and herself used to attempt to unsettle the Ren, failing, as they’d been met with easy amusement, the game all too familiar to the young Zambrano, yet succeeding in confirming the inklings dredged forth from the moment the man had stepped forward to fight the Master one-on-one.

”You could have killed him easily, and yet, you did not. Why?”

 

[Taeli Raaf]

It was always best to start at the beginning, and Mustafar was definitely that for their interactions. She had to suppress a scowl at the mention of that world though. She and a few other members of the New Jedi Order and its allies had been exploring Vader's Castle when the First Order attacked. She had advocated the destruction of the castle, but had been voted down by other ranking members of the NJO so they could study it, potentially learn its secrets and safeguard them from the dark. Fat lot of good that did.

She and her allies had engaged the attacking Ren, with Taeli moving to intercept Connor, Ara, and a third companion. She had easily dispatched Connor, non-lethally of course, and then went to help the others. She had said he needed it to look good, to stay out of the fray until the end so he could build credibility about his abilities to survive a direct contest against a Jedi Master, even in his weakened state. Instead, he had disobeyed that wish and proceeded to aid the Ren further and then brought the ceiling down in the lower cavern.

Even then, in that brief interaction, Taeli had felt the young [member="Ara Zambrano"] was wasted on the Knights of Ren, even if she didn't know her identity then.

"Oh Connor," she sighed, swirling her tea around in contemplation. She saw absolutely no harm in revealing past events and affiliations. "We met on Nar Shaddaa, back when I still served the One Sith. He was attempting to retrieve information from a young rouge Sith and I intervened. The girl had information I required as well, and we came to blows. The scars on his back were caused by my Force Lightning, and he was unable to stop my leaving with the girl."

She smiled slightly, thinking back on what that had gained her.

"That started... an on again, but mostly off again, relationship," she continued. "Connor was always pining after my sister, but she never gave him the time of day romantically. She was more interested in serving the Jedi, although she eventually found love with an ancient witch that had been sealed away for millennia. But that's beside the point. Connor, as long as I have known him, has walked a very thin line between light and dark, always slipping across to suit his fancy. I once tried to help stabilize him, try and stop him from flip-flopping and choose a side. I left him alive on Mustafar out of a, perhaps misguided, hope that he could be useful as an agent within the First Order to pass me information, especially if he was able to claim his skills had allowed him to survive a fight with a Jedi Master. Alas, he buggered that up quite nicely."

She took another sip of her tea.

 

[Ara Zambrano]

Theme: Secrets and Lies

Oh Connor, indeed.

A true smile met [member="Taeli Raaf"] ‘s sigh, the sentiment all too well known but the Master of Ren. Pausing in her path around the rim of her glass, she tapped against the ceramic lightly while listening, a knowing smile and easy nod offered along with the woman’s words.

”He does have quite a way with “off again” relationships. Always pinning after what he cannot have.”

A dark chuckle rolled under her words, another sip of the tea finally taken. Ancient history that was, but amusing nonetheless. Silence reigned once again as she mulled over the offered information, from their personal relationship to the reasons behind her actions on Mustafar, Ara’s head tilting slightly to the side idly. She had to admit that Taeli’s assessment of Connor’s tendency to fluctuate from one side of the spectrum to another was accurate and no less than she’d discovered herself. Although it boiled down to something even simpler than that, a constant war he fought with his inner self, always wanting but never quite willing to give up what needed to be sacrificed to achieve.

It was a shame really.

”And which side did you encourage him to choose?”

One eyebrow raised daintily, the question thrown out jokingly, rhetorical for the most part and tinted with easy laughter. They both knew it would not be quite that easy to earn the answers she sought. But it was a start.

Master Raaf admitted to assisting him not just during her time in the One Sith, but in times since. Her want for an agent within the First Order could stem from the desire to overcome the Ren, the New Jedi Order and the Order of Ren constantly at odds during the war between the two galactic powers, yet she doubted it was as altruistic as the Jedi made it sound. Another point they could agree on, his tendency to throw well-laid plans to the wind and as she had said so eloquently, bugger them up quite nicely. A tip of the cup towards her companion in silent agreement accompanied the smile she now did not bother to hold back.

The more they spoke, the more she found herself rather enjoying the company of Master Raaf, amusement and resigned agreement bridging the gap between the two adversaries. The small amount of information given was enough to mull over. Connor had insinuated a connection within the Sith Empire, a powerful Sith Lord who had assisted him multiple times in the past, something Taeli herself had just admitted to. And yet, there was a new potential player in the game. Perhaps this sister offered some answers of her own.

A mental note taken, the young Zambrano shifted away from the battle of Mustafar, there was little else to discuss, until….Bespin.

”I thank you for your candidness. As for my next suspicion, we have already addressed it in part, although I find our encounter on Bespin still very intriguing.”

For this, she would let the violet-haired woman fill in the blanks first. Omissions could be just as revealing as what one chose to reveal, after all.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Even as she told the story, she was keeping careful track of the girl's reactions. Truth be told, she was quite enjoying this conversation as well, even politely smiling as the girl made her comment about which side she had tried to help Connor find stability on. She had been at this game long enough, and having grown up on Lorrd where communicating through silent body language was an art form, that she noticed the ever so slight increase of attention when Taeli mentioned her sister to [member="Ara Zambrano"].

That was going to be needing nipped right in the bud, spare the girl the disappointment. Taking a sip of her tea, she gave a wider smile as the girl mentioned their first encounter that lasted more than a few moments. Not that Bespin had really been longer, or not without interruptions, but she had learned more about her from it.

"You're welcome," Taeli laughed. "Before we get into Bespin, I'm going to spare you the disappointment now, rather than watch you try and go about an endless circle. Both of my younger sisters vanished, without a trace. I've spent years trying to find them, with no luck. So, don't think I didn't see your little perk up at that being a potential avenue for information. Corvus and Melori are going to be no help."

A playfully scolding finger came up, shaking at Ara... but all in good fun.

"So, Bespin," she continued, "Which part do you find most intriguing still or need clarification behind? The part where I struck you with Electric Judgment or the part where I tricked your ally into stabbing you instead? Or perhaps when you tried to stab me with a vibroknife through a phrik corset? By the way how is your companion for that mission doing? Last time I saw him he was missing three limbs and set off an incendiary grenade to try and kill myself and the other two with me. I'm deducing, from your survival, that First Order retrieval teams found him too."

None of it was meant to come off as insulting or mocking, even if the words might seem so.

 

[Ara Zambrano]

A wolfish grin and sly tilt of the head met Taeli’s attempt to dissuade the her from further investigation into her family ties, a silent appreciation for the warning, but both women knowing it would hardly be that simple. There was no reason to believe that her companion was lying, considering the vital pieces of information proffered up without hesitation, the names of her sisters filling in a blank that would make her research that much simpler. Yet, they both knew that taking someone’s word over your own in-depth investigation was an amateur mistake, one the Ren was hardly likely to make. No, she would indeed look into the Raaf family, but her expectations had been tempered slightly by the admonition.

The playfully scolding finger elicited another raised eyebrow, a teasing look of reproof her only rebuttal.

The curve of a smirk turned up one side of Ara’s mouth as [member="Taeli Raaf"] met her inquiry with more questions, small digs disguised as questions slipped into the conversation. There was a haughtiness missing from the words themselves, simple statements of fact rather than the insulting jabs she rather expected, a small nod of appreciation in response before a small sip of her tea was taken, met with another miniscule frown of disappointment.

”The matter of the electric judgement we have already spoken to, although I do find it rather remarkable that a self-professed Jedi would resort to such drastic measures while she still maintained the upper hand.”

Matching the Master’s own tone, her statement sought to be inquisitive rather than accusatory, although it rang through with another suspicion that had led them to this moment. Such an action, from one who followed the path of the light, should have been reserved for the most dire of circumstances, in Ara’s mind, and while she was outnumbered, she was hardly outmanned.

The one comment was sufficient enough in her mind, the matter having been set at rest with the admittance of Master Raaf’s association with the One Sith doing enough to confirm the reasonings behind her actions for the Zambrano girl. Waving any retort that might come with the slightest of hand motions, she continued. The deflection, away from their engagement to an inquiry as to the fate of [member="Brennan Cabrol"] did not pass unnoticed, yet, an honest tale from the Jedi deserved one of her own.

”He would be thrilled to know you were concerned as to his well-being,” A blatant lie, her eyes sparkled with mirth behind the contacts as she spoke. ”It was a rather foolish move of his, one I suspect he would rather not repeat in the future.” Whether the comment spoke to his role in her death, unintentional as it was, or the incineration itself, she left to Taeli’s determination. ”Yes, rest assured he survived that encounter as you yourself did, although, I dare say you would hardly recognize him now.”

A dark, soft chuckle underscored the words, a taunting glimmer in her eyes as she alluded but failed to elaborate on the circumstances surrounding. Ambiguous as the reply was, her companion could take from it what she would, the truth was far more complicated than the Ren was willing to reveal here.

The Disciple had survived the encounter, but not without his damages, damages that had been repaired by the capable hands of the First Order medical team and a rather extensive application of various implants to sustain his life. Implants that had diminished the potential she had seen in him, his connection with the Force altered by the existence of so much inorganic material ingrained in his person. No, he had paid dearly for his failure, both in defending the plant and in defending his superior.

Yet, she had personally seen to him the return of an organic body, accomplished only with the assistance of the Dark Lord of the Sith himself, her grandfather, [member="Darth Carnifex"] .

Yes, the truth was far more complicated.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Oh, I wouldn't say it was a drastic action," Taeli replied, smiling slyly. "That was a little love tap, nothing more than a few moments at a low power commitment. I am glad to hear he survived though. I have always found, being an instructor for some time, that experiencing failures, and the consequences that come from those, are the best teachers a student can have."

She perfectly understood her dark humor. If the Knights of Ren were anything like Sith when it came to punishment, doubtful they were at that level but probably a few pegs below, then the boy had been suitably punished for his failure to protect Ara and foolishness to engage three enemies at once. She never really had time for such foolish choices from students or acolytes. If they did something like that... well she was always in need for more test subjects for her experiments.

She had also noticed [member="Ara Zambrano"] didn't seem to enjoy the tea. How... disappointing, but an opportunity for a small joke. At the proper time of course.

"Speaking of Bespin, I will admit it brings to mind another question I was curious about," she said, refilling her tea cup for the third time before continuing. "I had noticed between our encounters on Bespin and Mustafar that your ability to wield the Force had been diminished during the former from the later. I could tell it was not a permanent issue, considering your aura on Varonat..."

Another small scowl of irritation.

"...was much more pronounced. Perhaps you could indulge this scholar's curiosity and regale me of what occurred?"

Taeli was honestly curious what it was that Ara had been subjected to, for distinctly different reasons than stated. Her company, and hidden forces, were working on ways to counter the removal of Force abilities. If the girl had been subjected to something new, she was very curious about what it could be and if it could be countered. It also assumed the girl would be truthful, but so far, they had established a guarded trust in what the other was saying was truth. Or at least... a version of the truth.

 

[Ara Zambrano]

”A scholar’s curiosity, hmm?”

Swirling the liquid left in her cup softly while [member="Taeli Raaf"] refilled her own, Ara considered, watching the woman carefully and making note of the small scowl. Was it confusion, irritation, or something else? It mattered little, the question she asked was direct and rather harmless at this point, the Master of Ren seeing no reason to withhold such information. As Master Raaf herself had admitted, Ara’s aura, and her ability to wield the Force, had been restored with no lasting effects, her skills far surpassing many of her cohorts.

”I assume you are familiar with the assault on Skor II?”

One eyebrow raised in question, citing yet another conflict between the Galactic powers, this one having failed to cross the paths of the two women. She could only assume her companion was familiar with the offensive launched against the salvage world, even if the Jedi had not been present in person.

”I accompanied a group tasked with recovering vital information aboard the FIV Kingfisher, something we assumed would be relatively…benign in nature.”

Why the ship was left abandoned for so long in the floating salvage yards far above the Galactic Alliance held planet’s surface, she was unaware and was hardly concerned about. The ship had been scuttled after all, the information wiped with the skill of the pilot amongst the Stormtroopers. Despite the success of the mission, there had been sacrifices made, specifically, by the young Knight of Ren.

”We were….intercepted by a rather eccentric-“ A short pause accompanied a thoughtful tilt of the head, her eyes glazed over in the way that people lost in memory often had. It lasted a bare moment before she continued where she had left off with a darkly threatening chuckle. ”Doctor. Suffice to say he found issue with our presence, wrongfully assuming we were there as a threat to the Squibs present upon the salvage platform.”

Humor colored her gaze, the dark humor that accompanied a rather poor judgement call or someone who was gravely mistaken in their assumptions. No, the small boarding party offered no threat to the Squibs should they have left them to their task. Instead Ara had found herself dueling on the ceiling of the decrepit Star Destroyer much to her chagrin.

”I assume you are all too familiar with the ability known as Force Light, yes?” Glancing to her companion for confirmation, she continued. ”We ended up in rather….close quarters and I was unable to avoid his attack. He stole my saber and my Force connection.”

Anger swirled in the words at the memory, eyes darkening with the heady emotion but the Zambrano girl hardly being overcome. It was an old memory, one that still burned with regret and embarrassment, but one she had recovered and learned from. Dr. Bantam had poured all of his strength into the singular attack, the pair locked into an embrace as her weapon had all but been turned against her, the heat of the blade combined with his attack fusing the metal to his hand.

They both had escaped with their lives, both forever changed but the interaction. Ba’Vanim had been returned to her, cleaned, restored, and whole, the doctor’s debt repaid to the Ren as he had, amusingly, saved her life after the violent encounter upon Bespin with the woman now sitting across from her. It was amazing how life came full circle at times.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli would visibly relax when Ara mentioned her connection was weakened due to a Force Light attack from one of the Alliance allies. She had been on Skor II herself, although she had been with the King while the First Order had attempted negotiations. Those really hadn't panned out, considering the nerve gas attack on an orbital station and the orbital bombardment that Connor had... accidentally? called in. That had been an amusing period for her, to watch the Knights of Ren present lose their negotiating footing completely.

"I was on Skor II myself during the assault," she said, likely confirming Ara's suspicion that Taeli liked to be present for the battles between the First Order and the Alliance. "Although, I was more there to provide security and advice to the Squib's king. Not that I needed to do much to dissuade him from your comrades. They did quite a good job of that on their own, nerve gas and orbital strikes tend to sour a race towards someone. But that is beside the point, I am honestly... pleased that it was just an application of Force Light and not something new."

There was no harm in admitting one of her present courses of research.

"One of my many research projects is eliminating the threats to one's Force connection, one by one," she admitted. "It was one reason why I found your reduction in strength so curious, and circling back briefly to our mutual acquaintance, Connor's sundering from it almost entirely. He was rather despondent about it, but then he never knew a life without touching the Force. I suspect you and I have that in common, living lives before we were ever trained in connecting with the Force."

She gestured around her at the cafe and library in general.

"Twenty-four years I spent on this world, not knowing about the Force all that time except from history books and artifacts," she continued, sipping her tea. She was revealing personal information, but it was not like it was anything [member="Ara Zambrano"] couldn't find out or was damaging in any way. "Led the college fencing team to two sector championships, and I have Master's in three subjects from this very university. I had loving parents, even if I was their adopted daughter, and a good life. If I hadn't been... assaulted and nearly... well you can guess, and if Balaya Praelior hadn't recruited me then, I likely would be a professor here or at some other college in the galaxy."

 

[Ara Zambrano]

Another headshake, this one subtly chastising the efforts of her compatriots far below upon the surface of Skor II. Perhaps their greatest mistake throughout the lengthy war with the Galactic Alliance, the battle for Skor was not one of the Order’s crowning achievements.

Surprise flickered in the depths of her eyes briefly, a moment of curiosity as [member="Taeli Raaf"] outlined one of her assumedly multiple topics of research, threats to one’s connection with the force sought out and attempted to be eliminated. Interest flared within her, memories as to the helpless, empty, hollow feeling that had been carved out of her soul with even such a momentary disconnection fueling her curiosity. It seemed a rather momentous task, and one the Arch-Queen highly doubted could be accomplished in its entirety, but the chance to remove even a singular threat to Force-users seemed well-worth the effort in her mind.

A nod and smile of approval accompanied Master Raaf’s admittance, a smug grin turning up the edges of her mouth as she once again managed to touch on the difference between the women at the table and the former Jedi. After experiencing what he had gone through first0hand, the young Zambrano could understand the volatile nature of one who had found everything they’d known rapidly stripped away, a husk left clamouring for what it remembered but could no longer feel. Yet, he had jumped from one potential cure to another, rapidly hunting for anything to help him heal the rift in his person, a dangerous path to walk.

The smallest rise of both eyebrows accompanied Taeli’s decision to delve into personal details of her past, a small sip of the tea taken and subsequent grimace crossing her face without a conscious thought while she listened. A soft whistle of appreciation in regards to her multiple degrees was quickly cut off by anger burning in her gaze as her companion continued, the blanks easily filled in by Ara’s own thoughts.

”You have my condolences. I do hope you returned the favour to those who attacked you.”

Cold and clipped, the words lacked any sense of empathy or remorse, the easy façade she always wore slipping ever so slightly. A cruel smile flowed across her face before the warmth returned, still not quite touching her eyes. For a moment, Ara debated letting the story pass without any other acknowledgement, the knowledge gained and filed away for future introspection, her next suspicion placed face up on the table, easily moving the women away from the sensitive topics at hand.

”I spent nineteen years in the dregs of the Coruscant Underground, the slums.”

Before she was Ara, she was someone else, someone who no longer existed. At least not on paper.

”I got out, my own doing and not without its own….complications. For the next three years I managed to make a living by charming a certain type of clientele.” A small wink accompanied the emphasized word. ”You would be amazing what a pretty face and feigned interest can get you, among the rich and lonely.”

Where others used power and money to make their way in the world, Ara had used her looks and natural charms to survive. It had been all too easy, to accompany a rich young Lord to some dinner or another, in exchange for a week’s worth of rent or another nice outfit. There she had cultivated her new name, her new persona, letting the past die in exchange for a few years of luxury and parties. Until the First Order.

”It was there the First Order found me and offered me something I could hardly pass up.”

It was all too easy to pretend that the Ren had been the first to discover the young Hapan, to pretend there hadn’t been others. That there hadn’t been the Jedi.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"They... are no longer a concern, no," Taeli replied diplomatically. "But I thank you for the condolences."

A smart girl like [member="Ara Zambrano"] would be able to read between the lines on that one. It didn't really matter to Taeli, not anymore. The boys had long since been buried, the events moved past. The official report, complied by Lorrd's small security force, had been that they had run afoul of organized crime in some way and been killed to send a message. Taeli had, once she was fully in place as a Sith Lady, had even arranged for a crime ring to take credit for the kills, claiming the boys had been stealing spice shipments from the warehouse they worked at.

Hearing Ara's story, well at least a version of it, definitely piqued her curiosity. Odd how she had not been discovered by the Jedi while the Republic held the world, or even the One Sith once they had taken the galaxy's capital. The mention of... certain clientele brought a thin smile to Taeli's lips, nodding in recognition of what the girl was saying. She had never had much patience for those types of... beings, besides them being useful tools. Yes, she knew all too well about that industry. One of her former apprentices, long gone, had been just like that herself.

"The First Order offered you a chance to develop your gifts," Taeli said, her thin smile turning warm as she continued the likely projection of her tale. "Promised you power, a place to truly belong. To make your mark on galactic events and history. Are you not liking your tea?"

The question borne from amusement at the grimaces coming from Ara was probably going to make the girl suspicious. If she had been asked that by a, supposed at this point, enemy, in ground that had been chosen by them, she would probably be paranoid too. Her reaction, her response, and even more importantly, her next questions would prove quite telling in how the rest of their meeting would play out. Things had taken a personal turn now, something that would act as a lovely segue into whatever her next bit of evidence was.

 

[Ara Zambrano]

Taeli’s straightforward, if diplomatic, answer was met with amusement, Ara indeed capable of reading the body language and implication with little else needed. It seemed they had quite a few similarities, the two Masters. A different kind of assault a drastically different path taken by both women, but the end result was the same, those who had hurt them were no longer among the living.

Respect glimmered in her expression as another bout of companionable silence stretched between them, neither seeking to rush the conversation at hand. The tea sat nearly untouched on the table, pushed away from her hand after that last, unintentional sip.

”They offered me strength. I took it.”

Steel laced her tone, her eyes flashing down to the offending tea and nearly full pot with a sliver of suspicion as [member="Taeli Raaf"] spoke. Rueful humor turned up the corners of her lips as she wondered for a brief moment if the Jedi had laced the beverage with something she rather suspected she wouldn’t enjoy. It was a small, subtle threat, carefully crafted and well executed, one Ara would have used herself if she saw such an opening.

”I find I prefer my beverages a bit stronger. I would so hate for it to go to waste…feel free to partake if you wish.”

A flirtatious wink punctuated her preference for beverages Master Raaf had made clear she did not enjoy personally. The tips of her fingers pressed against the smooth side of the rapidly cooling teapot and slit the ceramic container across the table until it rested near to Taeli’s own. Her head canted prettily to the side, curls falling across her shoulder as she smiled sweetly towards her companion, eyes shining with an undercurrent of challenge.

Yet, they had deviated from their true purpose here, entertaining as the game was, information exchanged by both women, a deeper understanding slowly garnered between their stories. Sitting back in her chair, body language relaxed and comfortable, but eyes sharp in their gaze.

”You have heard my suspicions, or the ones I feel are relevant to the conversation at hand. Before I begin with my….predictions, which I highly suspect you will wave away with a pretty smile and easy quip,” One eyebrow raised in silent, pointed, question, knowing all too well how the game would be played, her own behavior in the past mirroring Taeli’s currently. ”I must ask, what is it you wish from me, Master Raaf?”

There was something, some truth to her suspicions, some want of Taeli’s to warrant the invitation to the planet of Lorrd and the conversation they were having, insightful and enjoyable as it was.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Perhaps, due to my... initial training, I am wary of anything stronger than tea," Taeli replied, her amused smile growing as [member="Ara Zambrano"] deftly moved around her little quip. Showing absolutely no concern, or that her words had any intentional double meaning, Taeli took the pot ordered by Ara and poured into her now once again empty cup. "Bastion Black is an acquired taste. For whatever reason, so many beings I interact with prefer stronger drinks or the green teas. I've never been one for them myself, green teas are just too... the appropriate adjective escapes me at the moment."

Still, even in the way Ara had responded to the double meaning, or potential meaning, she had gained some valuable insights into the girl. Yes, she was certainly someone she wanted to be an ally.

"What I want from you?" Taeli rhetorically asked. "Well, the immediate answer was to once again enjoy a pleasant conversation. You have no idea how hard it is to get an actual engaging conversation going with someone who is an erstwhile enemy. Many times, the relationship gets off to a bad start when they try and Force Choke you. Honestly, three times I've encountered new dark siders and three times they've tried to incapacitate me with a Force Choke as their opening move. Two of them being from your own Order."

The word went unsaid, but it was all too clear in her tone of voice. Amateurs, complete and utter amateurs.

"As for the future, well... that will all depend on these predictions you have, my dear," Taeli continued.

 

[Ara Zambrano]

”Too…light, for your tastes?”

Again, the teasing, lighthearted tone creeped into her words, the playful back and forth obviously enjoyed by both Masters. The easy way in which [member="Taeli Raaf"] poured and sipped from the second pot assuaged any question as to the tea being tainted, a simple incline of the head acknowledging the play as a well-crafted one. It could be simply a matter of lacing Ara’s beverage with something that was slow to act and of which Taeli herself carried the antidote, yet she doubted this was such a case. No, there was a game at hand and she had no doubt that had her companion wished, she could have prolonged the threat simply by leaving the container untouched.

It had been a small play, a test of her reactions and her paranoia, nothing more. For a moment, she considered ordering another beverage for herself, catching the attention of the same barista from earlier with a quick glance out of the corner of her eye. As the Jedi continued speaking, his approach was quickly waved off with a sharp hand motion, the Arch-Queen’s attention turning away from something to occupy her hands and instead to the humorous and rather discouraging tale Taeli weaved.

Allowing a grimace and disappointed frown settle, her head shaking lightly side to side with a small click of tongue against teeth in response.

”They are too dependent on the Force, predictable. Disappointing.”

Ara’s own training had relied heavily on her blade work and her own skills, merely using the Force to amplify what her own personal strengths were: observation, speed, and agility. Too often the acolytes became dependent on the power they could wield, rather than the nuances of using it effectively. Burn out was all too common in these students, driven by passion and hunger as opposed to intellect.

”There is a satisfaction in the hunt, in the game. They have no patience, no finesse, merely driven by their desperation for more.”

It was an opinion she suspected both women shared, and one of the many reasons she had yet to take on an acolyte of her own. Too few met with her rather lofty expectations.

Laying one hand over the over, palms facing the table, elbows lightly propped against the edge, the young Zambrano leaned forward to rest her chin on the soft cradle of flesh, humor bleeding away to be replaced once again with cool introspection.

”You want to know who I believe you work for, yet I must admit to ignorance in the affairs of the Sith.” Offered as a simple, direct admission of her own lack of knowledge, a slight tilt of the head as she continued, seemingly to stare just beyond Taeli’s shoulder, lost in thought. ”You have been at this game long enough to achieve the position of Grand Marshall. That speaks to no little amount of skill, preparation, and intelligence, I must admit. And it means you have powerful friends, both within the Alliance and without.”

Without moving her head, a flick of the eyes to lock onto Master Raaf’s gaze, her grin turning wolfish. There was only one family she knew had the widespread power and influence to support such a meticulous and rather ingenious masquerade.

”I believe you work for someone of my bloodline.”