Private Speculation

[Rinea]

Darth Anathemous received a holorecording.

Rinea appeared on the screen in full uniform. "I am sending you coordinates of our next rendezvous." Then it cut out.

The coordinates contained in the message led to an empty area of space in the Rishi system. When she arrived, she would find a starship and that familiar ping like the first time she boarded the spy's ship. However, instead of the alien corvette hidden in darkness, it was a familiar design--and a light freighter at that. Still, it had all the unusual characteristics.

A transponder code that errored out, and next to nothing in the way of detectable signatures.

"Come aboard," the familiar voice spoke over comms.

The freighter's engines fired and revealed surprising speed and maneuverability for such a ship as it drifted in close to link its docking hatch to hers.

Upon boarding, Kaila would be greeted with a coy but friendly smile. "Welcome aboard the Euphoria," she turned about face and marched through the slim hallway. "A civilian vessel from here that we've recently converted for our interests. The Captain was generous enough to let me borrow it."

When they reached the cockpit, Rinea sat in the pilot's chair and gestured for Kaila to take the co-pilot's seat next to her. "Are you familiar with Rishi?"

 

[Darth Anathemous]

Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Rinea

"Acknowledged."

Kaila docked her stealth-courier without incident.

And yet she was... nervous? Not afraid of any impending danger nor for distrust, just nervous. She stood in front of the door, adjusting the collar of her cloak, smoothing out the wrinkles in that tunic which hung from her bodyglove. This wasn't the fear of a soldier who'd braved gunfire and battled Gods of time and chill death, just a woman wanting to look good for her host.

She cared how she looked to Rinea. And it felt very strange.

The door opened to that purple hued smile and suddenly she remembered why.

"Bodr'ine'ako." She said, inclining her chin some.

And wearing a little smile of her own.

The chiss led her through a ship that seemed new yet familiar somehow, much like this warm welcome. So much had changed over the course of these last few meetings between Spy and Darth, but at last, it bore fruit for the both of them.

"It's a good name," she responded after a time "And a capable ship by the look of it."

She plopped herself in the co-pilot's seat as bidden, that unnatural weight of hers shaking it just as before. Still she reclined, crossing one synthatex covered leg over the other, and reached for something in her toolbelt.

"Are you familiar with Rishi?"

"Only that it's been moved from the Rishi Maze, bloody planeshift."

​

 

[Rinea]

Rinea offered a slight smile at the mention of her true name.

As soon as Rinea took the controls, the Euphoria's overpowered engines entered a full burn, taking them far from the Darth's ship. She glanced down a little as Kaila removed something from her toolbelt, but her eyes quickly returned to the instruments and viewport.

"Only that it's been moved from the Rishi Maze, bloody planeshift."

The Chiss wondered again how such an event had transpired, but she ever suspected its involvement in what happened to her people.

"Like Talay, it is a largely oceanic world. Islands, mountains, beaches." She began to elaborate. "It has a rich history with treasure hunters, and is centrally located now in the Abrion Sector."

"While Talay will be our ultimate project, I believe a casino on Rishi will be an appropriate start." She sighed. "I don't fully understand it, but I've been informed that the pirates and treasure angle will have... an effect on who comes?"

The planet itself came into view, like a vibrant blue orb with turquoise splotches. "I will admit, it is rather beautiful."

Darth Anathemous

 

[Darth Anathemous]

Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Rinea

Kaila paused.

Golden eyes flicked toward her host, holding back as much as her pursed lips.

She knew exactly the sorts who'd frequent such an establishment, and her hesitant glance away suggested some form of experience. But after everything she'd put Rinea through, that the world had put her through in recent times, Kaila could not deny her this peaceful moment spent admiring this interstellar beauty.

Best not spoil the moment.

"It is." she offered.

"Reminds me of Cantonica. I wonder if they also have hot springs? I could go for a soak."

Finally she found what she was looking for, sliding a box of expensive looking cigarras across the dashboard.

"Here, I got you something."

Kaila looked up at her expectantly, wondering what she'd think of the flavor.

"So, are we here to finalize a deal or shop for islands? Or maybe you just want a bodyguard, If pirates frequent this place then we're like as not to encounter drunkards with a more violent taste than Talay. I am aware you can handle yourself, though I'd understand if you'd rather a Sith lord frightened them off before it comes to that."

​

 

[Rinea]

"We're not here to bathe," Rinea retorted.

Her hand reached out to quickly stop the sliding object as a matter of reflex. Cigarras? The chiss was almost embarrassed to find herself surprised. She even blushed a little, then drew one of the smokes for closer inspection.

"Your brand?" She never considered that she was responsible for Kaila's habit.

Rinea reinserted the smoke, then tucked the pack into her chest pocket.

"So, are we here to finalize a deal or shop for islands? Or maybe you just want a bodyguard, If pirates frequent this place then we're like as not to encounter drunkards with a more violent taste than Talay. I am aware you can handle yourself, though I'd understand if you'd rather a Sith lord frightened them off before it comes to that."

"Well, I--"

The Euphoria broke the atmosphere, where its speed suddenly dropped, and the ride became almost too much to handle. The ship shook and rattled through clouds until it finally slowed to the point of a smooth flight--a far cry from its speed in the vacuum and even slower than heavier freighters in atmosphere.

"This..." She sounded nervous. "The captain did not warn me of."

She took the ship low, over the sea, and towards a settlement's skyline on the horizon. "This is why we're here."

As they got closer, it would become painfully obvious that this place had been largely abandoned. Sure, people lived there, but what was once a booming resort town had become slums and hideouts. Overlooking the settlement was a massive but ruined casino.

Darth Anathemous

 

[Darth Anathemous]

Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Rinea

"No." she stifled a chuckle.

"Never really smoked enough to have a brand. Maybe they could be, but I bought them for you."

"A lot of them, actually, I secured import rights from FIORA Corp inside the Blackwall."

"Figured you deserved the best." proudly explained Kaila.

Rinea's reflexes stayed on her mind however, and for a moment, the young Sith wondered if that instinctive distrust was simply a byproduct of the woman's past, or Kaila's own doing.

The thought drew her lips into a thin line.

Her thoughts were immediately dashed however by the sudden jolt.

"This..." She sounded nervous. "The captain did not warn me of."

She took the ship low, over the sea, and towards a settlement's skyline on the horizon. "This is why we're here."

"Bloody hell." she muttered.

Thankfully the bumpy ride reached a swift end, giving her time to familiarize herself with the town below.

And what a sorry sight it was.

"Still reminds me of Cantonica." Kaila said flatly.

"It looks pretty up where the casinos and fathier races are, but below the wall and out of sight...?"

She took a breath to speak, brows raise as though she'd an idea.

But ultimately, chose to hold her tongue.

​

 

[Rinea]

"It looks pretty up where the casinos and fathier races are, but below the wall and out of sight...?"

"Speak," she ordered.

Rinea piloted the Euphoria around the scene, while the ship calculated a landing spot not far but generally out of sight.

All the while, she found it amusing that Kaila acquired so many packs, and all for her. She reached back into her chest pocket, flipped the pack's lid, and put one of the smokes between her lips.

She leaned towards Kaila. Didn't have to same a damn thing for her to know what was going on in the Darth's mind when she did so.

Darth Anathemous

 

[Darth Anathemous]

Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Rinea

Kaila sighed at the chiss' tone.

She'd have thought that being choked near to death would have taught her that Sith did not like being ordered nor pressured, but she supposed some people never learned. Then again she'd fallen for the "we're equals" trap numerous times and yet somehow she always came back. Although, if there were any truth to the claim then it could mean she'd be barking orders right back one of these days.

Yes, Kaila chose to believe this.

Even if the chiss was already silently ordering her to light another cigarra, as was becoming routine.

Keeping up with that routine, she once again pulled her glove aside, the ones she was always wearing.

Instead of simply tapping her cigarra however, Kaila leaned forward and blew gently on her palm, producing the smallest flame. She looked her in the eye until the very end, at which point she reclined, pulling that glove over her blackened fingers again.

Finally she turned her gaze to the settlement below as they passed it by.

"...anyway..."

"I find it peculiar that you wish to build yet another casino."

"We're not exactly helping these people."

There was but a faint hesitance in her tone, spoken almost as fact more than anything of emotional significance.

Yet it was there, somewhere.

"Now, we can minimize the damage in a few areas."

"On Cantonica, I paid my staff a healthy sum, even helped a friend get back on her feet. It was a little easier, because we had a variety of other operations going through the resort, but without competitors here, this could be lucrative."

"Granted that does pose a question—"

She turned to Rinea, gesturing steepled fingers.

"Are you willing to cut into the fleet's profits a little?"

​

 

[Rinea]

Rinea leaned into the palm and inhaled as soon as the end caught flame.

She leaned back to blow smoke and gave Kaila her signature 'knowing' look, followed by a sly smirk as she turned her attention back to flying the ship.

Her tone shifted to seriousness, however, when the Sith aired her concerns. "Don't concern yourself with my feelings." She let the cigarra burn slowly between her fingers as the ship lowered near a clearing.

"This will be effective, not altruistic."

She turned to Rinea, gesturing steepled fingers.

"Are you willing to cut into the fleet's profits a little?"

The ship stopped suddenly as it hovered a few dozen meters above the landing site. Rinea swiveled her chair towards Kaila and took a second drag.

"There are no profits in the fleet." She said matter-of-factly. "Besides, you're missing the bigger picture. This--" she gestured to the scenery through the viewport. "--is all a very small step, Kaila. You will sink your resources into the Casino, and you will forego a profit." She brought the cigarra back for a third time.

"Because," said literally during the exhale, "the real prize is much further ahead."

Rinea was not a businesswoman, even if she spoke like one just then. The Chiss had a clear vision, one that almost certainly clashed with the galactic norms, but the way she stared at Kaila--her eyes piercing--belonged to a force of nature rather than a woman.

She swiveled back and finished the landing sequence. The ship touched ground, and the engines spun down.

Darth Anathemous

 

[Darth Anathemous]

Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Rinea

"Funds," she clarified "funds."

The chiss confused her sometimes, however she understood her position.

It was the sort of thing for which a woman sacrifices her values, and Kaila had numbed herself to that sting. Had she also? Even if the Sith wanted to judge, she'd have been the dark knight calling the kettle black. Instead, it was confirmation she sought; that Rinea too was a pragmatist when she needed to be.

There would go easier then.

"Because," said literally during the exhale, "the real prize is much further ahead."

She also looked every bit as stubborn.

They sat like that for a moment, eyes locked. There was a lot happening behind that crimson and gods did she want to know more. Her brows furrowed as Rinea turned, trying to paint that bigger picture she was missing.

"Are we being metaphorical or literal today?"

​

 

[Rinea]

"Are we being metaphorical or literal today?"

"I'll surprise you," she said with a little smirk.

Rinea stepped out of the pilot's chair and waved Kaila along. The landing area was in a small jungle clearing, a short walk away from the derelict Casino. The air smelled of sea salt and the previous day's rain.

The Chiss walked down the jungle path. "Our operation needs to run independently out here. I'll entrust you with the details, assuming this location pans out." Although she said so with confidence, the reality was that Rinea was out of her depth here.

When they exited the Jungle, the two found themselves atop a small cliff looking down. There were several large buildings and a small road network. In its heyday, the casino likely catered to thousands of patrons a day--perhaps more. The hotel alone looked to have hundreds of rooms, and that wasn't including the other hotels in the former resort town below the mountainside.

Still, in all its potential, the location showed its wear over the years. Vines consumed the buildings, and trees grew into the windows. There were clear signs of wildlife down below as well. It seemed unlikely that anyone would make their home here.

Except... Rinea spotted something below. A Person? No. A droid. A protocol droid wandering the street.

"Huh."

Darth Anathemous

 

[Darth Anathemous]

Wearing: Bodyglove
Tag: Rinea

"I don't like surprises." she muttered.

Nevertheless Kaila followed, keeping a close eye on their wild surroundings.

Though ever watchful, the young Darth seemed at home in the Jungle, relaxing her shoulders, even letting her gaze linger on the scenery a time or two. Even her once dour expression seemed to change.

"Nature here, it looks so—" she gestured with a gloved hand.

"—so healthy."

When they approached the cliff, Kaila found herself wandering to the edge, leaned forward the barest inch to observe the town below, cloak flapping gently in the coastal breeze. A part of her found the state of this place fascinating, eyes darting across the surface of corporate giants left to skeletonize far below.

until a glint caught her eye...

Rinea spotted something below. A Person? No. A droid. A protocol droid wandering the street.

"Huh."

Her gaze sharpened, sparing Rinea but a glance as she watched the droid closely, hand wrapped around her saber.

"I see it. Something wrong?"

​