Private The Threads We Weave

[Darth Machinus]

Location: On board the Nautilus

Tags: Spindle

The soothing sounds of music cascaded across the lounge as Machinus enjoyed his cocktail. He had been in space for quite some time, having made several stops for business purposes in recent weeks. It would be a tiring process for most, but the amenities of the Nautilus made travel incredibly more pleasant. One could essentially live on the ship, should they choose, and comfortably so. Machinus quite enjoyed the vastness of space. The deep, endless vacuum of emptiness provided a form of clarity rarely found elsewhere. The calming abyss freed the mind, allowing the creativity to flow. He had been working on designing a new instrument, as of late, hoping to bring a new form of music to the greater galaxy. This, however, was not what was on his mind. He had been waiting for someone, a weaver of fine clothes whose work had caught his eye. There was talks of a commission, though he wanted to meet first to see if this was someone of a like mind. To craft something was trivial, but to be a true creative was something truly special... and Machinus only paid for the finest creations.

He took another sip of his drink as the voice of N3-M0, the ship's AI, chimed in.

<<The visitor's ship has docked, sir.>>

"Excellent. Send them in, Nemo."​

 

[Spindle]

TAG: Darth Machinus

The pale woman carried an air about her both unsuspecting and hinting toward the grotesque. Creation was her element just as distortion. It was this element of creation that she'd been sought out for, at least as she understood it. The opportunity for her talents to be put to use for more than just herself was enticing at the very least.

The robes and fabrics she kept herself in were simple on the surface. Fitting of one of her status within the New Sith Order, but nevertheless maintaining a unique flair. Not a thread was left unalchemized, not a jewel unenchanted. Simple to the untrained eye, a display of skill to those versed in the alchemic arts, and a subtle warning to those who knew not what the fabrics contained but could nevertheless sense there was something more to them than what met the eye.

Spindle's gaze was a curious one as she left her ship, taking in the Nautilus in all its opulence. A curiosity, to be sure, and one that inspired more curiosity for the one who'd summoned her here. With a bag of journals and swatches tucked under her arm, the sithling stepped into the lounge.

"You must be this Darth err-" glancing down at the name hastily scribbled on her palm, she squinted, the ink having rubbed away over the course of her journey "Machis, no? A pleasure."

 

[Darth Machinus]

Location: On board the Nautilus

Tags: Spindle

The stranger's appearance was rather intriguing to Machinus. To the untrained eye, her clothes seemed normal enough, befitting of one of the New Sith. To someone like the Sith savant, however, there was much more to be noticed. He was quite the alchemical expert himself, and his alchemically-enhanced cybernetic eyes made things all the more clear. Every stitch, every jewel, it was all put together with purpose in mind, yet kept just subtle enough to get past most people. A clever and sneaky individual, this one was... something that Machinus would take care to note during their meeting.

"Machinus, but close enough," he said with a devilish grin. He normally would have force choked someone for messing up his title, but there was a certain respect he carried for fellow artists, which prevented him from taking it too personally.

"Can I interest you in food or drink? You'll find that this ship has quite the variety. I'm sure there's something to your liking."

His business dealings took him across the galaxy, but they also put him in the same room as a greatly diverse number of individuals. At his core, Machinus was a cold man, but he would never allow himself to be considered to be anything less than the best of hosts. He motioned toward a nearby personal assistant droid, prompting it to move toward a nearby minibar located within the office.

"You've come highly recommended, and now that I have met you, I can see that you have a knack for minor details."
​

It was a subtle hint that he was aware of her alchemized and enchanted clothing, a minor acknowledgment showing that he too was such an artist.

"Being thorough is something that I value quite highly, though thoroughness only comes secondary to the art of creation itself. One must be thorough, but without that passion for the art, the details become nothing more than tedious minutia, wouldn't you agree?"

He was as invested in her answer as much as her portfolio, for in his mind, art was only as great than the hands that crafted it.

​

​

 

[Spindle]

TAG: Darth Machinus

"Machinus, apologies."

There was purpose behind opulence, one Spindle had learned not to trust. That didn't mean she couldn't partake when offered, of course, merely that she should be weary of the line between hospitality and debt to be paid. It was with those unspoken laws of etiquette in mind that the Sith had secluded herself to relative seclusion before she'd actually joined the Sith. And as hospitality demanded, she cast a quick glance at the minibar, selecting a drink.

Long, stained nails lightly drummed along the glass she received once, twice, as she considered the Sith's words. "How kind of you," she said in response to the recognition of her work, the soft smile that pulled at her lips being just a tad too long for what should've been normal.

"To a point, yes," she weighed her words carefully, walking the tightrope of diplomacy and truth. Her creations were a business, after all, even if monetary gain hadn't been her purpose to start. "Creation without passion is possible, no doubt, we see it every day. Those without vision would call it efficiency." Her nose crinkled with disgust.

"I believe both of us can recognize, though, that efficiency is dull by comparison, static. Pull a thread from a manufactured chemise, it'll all unravel. And you can't blame the droid who sewed it, I s'pose, they're limited by their programming." It's at this point where, in less titled company, she might pluck a thread from a potential customer's clothing, letting the aura of necrosis that dripped from her fingers shrivel the clothing for an example. "Quality versus quantity, as I'm sure you already understand."

"So yes, passion is necessary, for this art at least. Anything without it's hardly worth the the fabric they're made of."

 

[Darth Machinus]

Location: On board the Nautilus

Tags: Spindle

His guest chose her words carefully, a sign of her experience in dealing with the more tedious points of diplomatic interaction. Perhaps a little too experienced... something Machinus would certainly note. His own experience had led him to encounters of all sorts, and in such times, it was always those that walked that tightrope that were the most dangerous. This was even more true around his fellow Sith, one of the many reasons he had broken away from their machination long ago. After all, business was so much easier when you don't have to worry about constantly catching a lightsaber in the back.

"Efficiency, yes. The work of machines. A necessity to create, but often times... inadequate."

A sly grin produces itself upon his face as he spoke. A kindred spirit, it seemed. He rarely met others that understood the finer points of such things. His demeanor relaxed a bit as he took a sip of his own drink.

"Quality always triumphs over quantity. That much is certain. It's part of why my company keeps a rather... exclusive clientele. Besides, discretion is equally as important, is it not?"

He was probing again, perhaps even testing her. The items he required would be best kept secret, and as such, he had to be sure that the task was in good hands. Being the quick study he was, Machinus could likely have made what he needed himself. But to have the work of another skilled artisan was a mark of status, and if there was something that Machinus desired, it was exactly that.​

 

[Spindle]

TAG: Darth Machinus

"To a point, certainly. Though this line of work relies on exposure almost as much as it does the product itself." If she made a masterpiece and no one knew about it, did she even make anything to begin with? It was a delicate balance and for that reason, Spindle tended to favor misdirection over completely masking the intricacies of her work. Better someone sense there was something different about her garb but be left in mystery on the specifics.

"I have found the primary target audience the boons my work grants often expect enchantments and modification of some kind. For that reason, I tend to disguise the true nature of the work among other, more obvious enchantments. Allow people to think they understand the machinations of the piece, at least until the true nature is revealed." The whisper of a voice paused to take another sip of her drink, the pleasant neutral smile that pulled at her lips as the liquid ran down her throat just a bit too long for what one would expect from the size of her countenance. "You of all people would understand, I'm sure."

Once more, stained nails drummed up her glass, the quiet tip tap perhaps just a tad loud from the expected. Every movement, every flicker of expression just off by a margin, enough to be detected though not quite identified to the unobservant eye. "I can, of course, forgo that approach if the client requests. After all, commissions are nothing without their patrons."