Private The Perfume Lab

[Ishani Dinn]

Ishani glared at Firrerreo, one eyebrow arched. If she had been standing up, she would’ve put her hands on her hips.

“I prefer the term ‘support unit’, Reo,” she snapped back. “And anyway, I don’t hover or hide behind him. I can take care of myself—and anyone who thinks otherwise is in for a nasty surprise.”

Firrerreo​

 

[Firrerreo]

"Sith aren't known for their support." He chuckled at some unspoken joke before nodding. "Good. Be mindful of that before you make yourself a chain to him. Or he very well might have to break you himself to be truly free."

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“Oh, for the love of—really? Have we not progressed beyond this outdated ‘no attachments’ bullchit, except by calling it ‘chains’ instead? The Jedi gave it up a long time ago, why haven’t we?”

She knew what he was getting at, of course. Perhaps because she was still only an acolyte, while Arc was approaching knighthood, the difference between them in terms of skill and experience seemed more profound. Or maybe Firrerreo was simply talking about love, and how antithetical it was to Sith teachings.

“I’m here because Arcturus wants me. I suppose we fall short of your standards, we’re not perfect Sith, breaking all our ‘chains’ and scorning every relationship beyond that of master and servant or apprentice. All because we want to have friends, lovers… a family, if we could. Do you live just to gain more power, at the expense of everything else? I can’t imagine a more boring way to spend one’s life. Even Darth Maliphant has his Dread Queen.”

Firrerreo​

 

[Firrerreo]

He blinked. Slowly. In truth he hadn't meant anything like what she was saying. His smile faded as he listened to Ishani Dinn regardless, though by the time she was finished his smile returned.

"Attachments are their own source of power. Those who would deny that are lying to themselves. I only meant that if you become something he has to protect, you've become a chain weighing him down. The Dread Queen can fight on her own, for example. If you must, strive to become stronger so he doesn't need to risk his life to keep you safe."

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Ishani leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. She hadn’t meant to lash out, but he had annoyed her. Something about his mannerisms and the way he talked, as if he knew everything about her and her world, got under her skin.

“I know that,” she said. What he was saying was nothing new to her. Had she made a mistake by downplaying all that she had done over the past year? Did he think she wasn’t trying hard enough?

Uncrossing her arms, she opened another vial, sniffed the contents, and nearly gagged. But she took up the dropper tool all the same and began filtering it into the main container with the rest of the perfume ingredients. It felt good to be busy with her hands.

“Have you ever studied the Jedi?” she asked, trying to change the subject. “Or met one? Fought one?”

Firrerreo​

 

[Firrerreo]

Smile or no he kept that calm, patient expression regardless. He was watching her. Studying her. Ishani Dinn was one of few Sith that actually interested him, for one reason or another.

"I've fought and killed several Jedi, why? Was that master you survived the only one you've met?"

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“No,” she said, too quickly. Unthinkingly. “He's the only one I fought.”

Chit. Did she really just say that? Feth. Quick, say something else!

“So far. There was one other, but it wasn’t… I didn’t even know he was a Jedi until afterwards. I thought he was just a hired mercenary. We killed a group of slavers together, freed the slaves, and then... I asked him for help. He took me to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, to look among the Sith captives there for Arcturus. When I couldn't find him, I left.”

Firrerreo​

 

[Firrerreo]

"Interesting." It was all he said on the subject as he once again started to take notes. "Where did you find him, anyway? He certainly disappeared without a trace."

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“On Ossus. He’d been there the whole time, trolling us all.” She shook her head, cracking herself up—though part of it was nervous laughter and relief. “No, he—he apparently did go to Coruscant to hide. Just not with the Jedi. So I just barely missed him.”

Firrerreo​

 

[Firrerreo]

"Coruscant but not the Jedi? Interesting." More notes. The atmosphere pretty swiftly turned more to an interview than a simple meet and greet. He crossed his arms over his chest once he finished making sure the notes were correct. "And do you think Arcturus wasn't tempted to be a Jedi? That perhaps something might have rubbed off on him?"

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“No, I don't think so." She kept working as she spoke. "Well, Mr. Know-It-All, do you know why he ran away in the first place?”

Firrerreo​

 

[Firrerreo]

"Because he didn't want to kill a bunch of children. I don't blame him. Not their fault they're so misguided, but some of our.. Leaders are a bit more zealot than others." He shrugged his shoulders as he watched her work. Though his nose wrinkled after a moment when he caught a whiff of just what she was working with.

".. Why are you making that smell so terrible?"

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Ishani would have said more—and regretted it—but thankfully Firrerreo changed the subject.

“It’s the perfume you requested, or the beginnings of it. A perfume that inspires fear shouldn’t smell like daisies and roses, no?”

Firrerreo​