Private We Have Questions

[Madalena Antares]

Location: Some spaceport near Figaro Favoura
Tags: Katrine Van-Derveld Kaelon Virex

---

Madalena leaned against the durasteel wall, glowing green eyes scanning her surroundings. She hadn't planned on arriving that day originally, as her course had been set elsewhere. But a call she'd received days earlier had pulled her from that trajectory entirely. She hadn't been the only one, either. Katrine Van-Derveld's ship would be docking soon, if it wasn't already. And then, not long after that, a man would arrive.

She wasn't sure what to expect.

Part of her was thrilled that her twin sister had finally gotten involved with someone else. For a change, it didn't seem to be as catastrophically destructive as the first had been. Scherezade had started… things, with more than a few people in the previous decade and some, but none of it had gotten this far before. They'd never reached the point where introductions were even worth considering.

But under that? Worry. Always the worry.

Unlike her and Katrine, Scherezade didn't handle raw emotion with control or distance. She reacted. Intensely. With fire and glitter and the Force. She had the power to cause so much damage, not just to others, but to herself. Madalena knew that better than anyone. After all, it was how she'd come to exist in this version of the galaxy. A sister's scream into the void.

That same scream could happen again, if the wrong person got too close. There was a quiet, gnawing fear in her gut, that Scherezade, when in love, might once again let herself be shaped, be used, ignore every warning sign until it was far too late. And if that happened again, if she broke again, Madalena wasn't sure she could put the pieces back together this time. She'd burn the galaxy trying, but she wasn't sure it would be enough.

And Katrine… Kat had to be involved. With transparency. Their relationship had never been as sisterly as the one Scherezade had with the former Nightmother, but the past bound them all. Whether Kat was involved in this newest story or not, she still carried weight. She always had. It didn't even matter whether she meant to or not.

Madalena blinked. There. She hadn't noticed it before, but the ship was already docked. Kat was here. Had probably been here the whole time.

Her boots hit the floor with solid confidence as she made her way up the familiar ramp, her lips curling into a smile. The scars on her face, earned on a mission with Kat just over a decade ago, remained visible. And more importantly, they remained silent. For now.

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

She didn't often leave Figaro Favoura VII, and the galaxy no longer felt as inviting as it used to be, calling out for new adventures and new horizons as it did when Katrine was younger. Years had passed since she craved that life. The desire to bring back led her down the rabbit hole, but the curiosity inside her took her to every new place. She loved that life once; she loved new people, new planets, and new parties. There was a sense of thrill and excitement to it.

Even when Katrine had loved once before, the sense of adventure hadn't left her. She dreamt of a grand destiny for the Mandragora and of the Confederacy. Deep inside, a sense of longing was beginning to form inside her, and she wondered about the moon she belonged to.

Alone, afraid, and desperate for family, Katrine ended up on that very moon. It didn't make sense. Figaro Favoura VII had been abandoned at that time, but somehow it called to her.

It was home now.

Where there was love, happiness, and family. The birth of her daughter, the return of her mother, and the claiming of her mate. All these things fell into place as she matured and grew up. It was where peace was found, and a crown of the beyond was claimed. Katrine was no longer the Lady of Van-Derveld; she was the Queen of Figaro Favoura VII.

So, why was a reigning queen away from her world?

It was a fairly simple tale in the mind of the Lupine. You see, her sister, her adopted sister, Pebble, had reached out, informing her of a new person in her life. Even with limited information, Katrine understood this seemed to be someone important enough for her to want to introduce both Katrine and Madalena… she packed at once.

Her family was not as big as it was when she was little.

She didn't have her big sister or brother anymore. Father travelled still.

Her Nona Satara had never met her at this time.

She had but a few loved ones in this galaxy; she would do anything for them.

Pebble was one of those very few, given to her as a pebble, left to raise and nurture. She had almost lost that opportunity over a misguided love, yet destiny or spirits or whatever it was chose to unite them once more. They were older and wiser now. They knew better than to allow small, insignificant beings to get between them ever again.

Nocte Aranea docked as she remained lost within her thoughts, sitting beside Kree as she made the final steps. Katrine never quite learnt how to properly pilot this ship; it was far too big, but between the android and the system, Katrine knew she was in good hands. Just like her daughter would be with Curupira and Aston.

The woman stood, adjusting her black dress. "Stay with the ship until I return," she commanded and turned, hearing the android huff quietly. Katrine ignored it, heading out of the ship to meet Madalena. She had called earlier and got Curupira on the line to check on things. All appeared to be well on Figaro Favoura VII in her absence. That was fine. As long as she knew Ren was safe—even though the danger was over now, and the remaining spirits had bent to her will—Katrine still needed to be sure.

When she stepped onto the ramp, she immediately recognised the other woman. She didn't necessarily know this deWinter, or Antares, as well as she knew Pebble, but Katrine respected the female for what she was to her sister. She, too, was family, a sister, which meant in her eyes, Madalena would always be welcome to her home.

The other woman smiled at her as she approached, making Katrine smile back.

Katrine was not one for silences, though…

"Are they here yet?"​

Madalena Antares Kaelon Virex​

 

[Madalena Antares]

Katrine Van-Derveld Kaelon Virex

---

Madalena's smile warmed as Katerine broke the silence first, not even waiting a handful of seconds to do so. In that, she had two sisters who behaved the same, which made it very familiar territory. The Wolf Queen had done it with a question though, that made the Sith Sorceress pause.

They?

Now she remembered. It had meant to be their sister and the new boy. But it would not be.

"She chickened out," she laughed, "She'll be in space nearby somewhere, but we're supposed to question this boy on our own."

Glowing green eyes slide past Katrine and to the ship beyond her. She'd assumed they'd conduct the interrogation there, but if Katrine was stepping off… that opened possibilities. Sith torture chambers existed everywhere, if one knew where to look. And the two of them could certainly find one, at the cost of Scherezade's eternal forgiveness.

"He should be arriving shortly," she added as she released the happy thoughts of torture, "There's a space cantina a minute away where we can meet him. It's one of those rough places where no one will ask questions if we end up terminating his life."

 

[Kaelon Virex]

Kael's rental skiff hissed down the last of the approach tubes like a stray animal sneaking back into town—small, patched, and smelling faintly of engine oil and something sweet that had no business being aboard. He killed the engines with a practiced thumb, let the hull settle, and watched the bulkhead lights wash the floor in sickly yellow. The spaceport was a bruise of activity: cargolifts groaned, a pair of drunks pretended to dance under a flickering holo-ad, and the air tasted of recycled heat and cheap synth-coffee. Perfect.


He paused a beat in the cubby of the ramp and took inventory. Black coat—worn at the elbows but flattering. Shirt underneath, the exact kind of careless white that suggested danger and made people underestimate the man wearing it. Boots scuffed in the right places. Hair, longer than some security protocols liked, pushed back with a hand that knew how to look like it was only casually grooming itself. He checked his reflection in a cracked datapanel: one corner of his mouth already arranging itself into the smirk that opened doors and loosened tongues. Charm, like a lighting panel, could be adjusted to match the room.

He reminded himself to be cautious.

The port's shuttle lanes funneled him toward the cantina on the edge of the market: half-bar, half-bargain basement, all attitude. A painted sign swayed over the door, letters half-eaten by grime. Inside was the kind of place that asked no questions if you brought trouble in, which in Kael's business was a feature, not a bug.


He paused at the threshold, scanning. Odds and habits learned from years of running cargo and running from creditors measured the room in seconds: who was armed, who was drunk, who watched with hungry boredom, who watched with real danger. Two men at the far table were openly trading something wrapped in black; a slicer in the back had a knife tucked where a necktie would be. The bartender's jaw was a map of old fights. Classical rough-and-ready.


Then he saw them.


Two women seated at a corner table like twin edicts. One, with the wolfish poise of someone used to taking up space, cast a slow and appraising glance his way. The other's eyes—green, hard, and glowing with some dangerous quiet—cut across the room and landed on him like a blade. For half a breath, his grin froze. He'd heard rumors about Madalena Antares and Katrine Van-Derveld—Sith with manners. He hadn't expected them to look like the gossip in low-level datafeeds, and he certainly hadn't expected them to be…almost amused.


Perfect, he thought. That was a good kind of worry.


He straightened his coat, let fingers brush the small, familiar weight at his hip—a nothing-token from a past job, sentimental rubbish—and sauntered in with the practiced unevenness of someone who'd rather be anywhere than show he'd rehearsed the entrance. His shoulders were relaxed, his eyes friendly in a way that said he could be an ally or a disaster, depending on who paid him.


Katrine's smile was the first thing to meet him; Madalena's green stare followed, measuring, already wrapping him into possibilities. Voices in the cantina thinned by a degree that could be measured in heartbeats. Kael let the smirk do the work: a half-bow that was more a promise than a greeting.


"Ladies," he said, sliding into the booth as if he'd been invited a hundred times before, "I'm Kael Virex. Scherezade says you've got questions. Lucky for you, I have answers—some of them at least."

He offered them his most disarming smile and, beneath the grin, the caution that had kept him alive. Let the show begin.

Tag: Madalena Antares Katrine Van-Derveld

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

A small chuckle replaced the smile when Madalina announced that Pebble had chickened out and would be waiting not too far away as the two conducted their questioning. It was funny to think of Pebble being afraid of something after growing up so much in the years behind them.

Katrine always saw Pebble as curious and brave in what she did, fierce at times as well. So, to think of her as chickening out felt so much out of character for her and even spoke volumes about how much she thought of this new friend of hers.

"That's very interesting and pretty revealing, don't you think?" The Lupine returned a question to the information provided, curious to hear what Madalena would say to that. She took a look around the area, as the Sith suggested their suspect would be arriving soon, even suggesting a nearby space cantina a minute away to meet him, one where no one would ask questions…

Another smile formed on her face. Hmm, cantina makes things a little too comfortable, doesn't it?" Katrine paused, overlooking the area again with interest. She had never been here, so Madalena was her guide in the matter. "If you wish it, though, that's fine."

Shortly after, they were seated in the corner of this lively enough place. Her legs crossed as she leaned back and observed the patrons around them. Katrine didn't have a drink in front of her; she wasn't too keen on alcohol since the time of her ill effects caused by mixing vodka with her tablets and the horrible hangover that followed the next day. "It's a curious place," she commented to her friend, her sister's sister, realising how much she valued the peace Figaro Favoura VII had provided her over the years. Katrine used to love the parties thrown by the Confederacy, enjoying her special outfits for those occasions, but for years now, she had grown accustomed to the quietness of the moon. The woman could appreciate her Nona's words about retirement from the busy galaxy after having experienced that life.

When they were at last approached for a man, Katrine smiled just a small amount as she observed the half-bow given. She wondered just what Pebble had told this man about the two of them – one a Princess, and the other a Queen, but neither openly displaying these roles through head ornaments, excessive jewellery or entourages.

Katrine said nothing, letting the man speak first. He made his introduction – Kael Virex.

He had answers to their questions; words shared with a grin…

Katrine's hand gestured towards the empty chair. "Sit."

It wasn't a question or an offer, but it was not harsh either.

"I'm Katrine Van-Derveld; this is Madalena Antares." She didn't say it was a pleasure to meet him. That had yet to be determined. "To start, assume what we'd like to ask and tell us about yourself." It wasn't necessarily a test Katrine was conducting; she just wanted to avoid asking lesser questions. There would be time for questions and torture if need be. For now, she wanted to hear him speak of himself.

The chosen words and his behaviour would tell her plenty. ​

Kaelon Virex Scherezade deWinter​

 

[Madalena Antares]

Katrine Van-Derveld Kaelon Virex

---

Why yes, she did think it was very revealing. There were things Madalena trusted her sister with, and those things quite literally included her life. Also going on adventures. Running streets with blood. Covering things in glitter that should very much not be covered in glitter. But matters of the heart? No. In that, Madalena, though she would only rarely say it out loud, she thought her sister was bantha poodoo. After all, there was a good reason why it had taken over a decade to get to this point again.

The two made their way to the nearest cantina, and the Sith noted the Queen's looks. It was interesting. Only now did she really comprehend how rare of an occasion this was, having Katrine away from the wolf moon. She opened her mouth to ask some more questions, only to be interrupted by… Oh. The boy.

Glowing green eyes studied him with a curious gaze, not bothering to hide anything away. What was the point of that, anyway? He introduced himself and she let her eyes carry over his appearance. Not completely hopeless, though the taste in fashion left something to be desired. At least he had bothered to shower before his arrival.

Madalena remained silent as Katrine took the helm, ordering the boy to take a seat, and giving him what was the equivalent of an open microphone to tell them about himself.

She wished she had been a little more successful about forcing some details out of Scherezade. As it were though, she knew next to nothing, except… Well. She would let both him and Kat know later. There was no point in spoiling any trajectory he'd intended on taking.

After all, after the meeting, the boy would either become part an honorable member of the family wreath, or tossed into the bin.

Only one thing did she do, to amplify Katrine's message. As Katrine finished speaking, Madalena's facial scars lit up. Not enough to blind the room or open a portal, but enough to be noticeable.

Now he could speak.

 

[Kaelon Virex]

Kael settled into the booth like it belonged to him, one shoulder brushing the faux-leather, grin slowly spreading until it looked almost innocent.


"Kaelon Virex, or Kael," he said, voice easy. "Former freight runner for hire, occasional smuggler when the price was right, and once the proud owner of a speeder that met a cantina wall — long story, short hangover. I've run cargo through three star systems that don't like strangers, hustled cards in places where losing means more than losing credits, and been on the wrong end of a slicer's temper more times than I care to admit. I've got a scar on my left wrist from a night a local slicer decided to test my honesty, and a debt I paid with a favor that still shows up in the oddest places. I've been lucky, I've been reckless, and I've been brilliant enough to get out of trouble when charm and a crooked smile wouldn't cut it."


He let the stories hang a beat, then the grin softened—less showman, more steady.


"But this isn't about my highlights reel. It's about why I'm here for Scherezade. You don't ask me — or anyone — to meet powerful people unless you mean it. She doesn't throw her trust around like credits. She's careful, sharper than she lets on, and she knows how to make a problem go away in ways that are quieter and meaner than most expect. I've seen her steady when everything else was burning. I came because she asked. That alone tells you the weight of this meeting. She's worth watching, and worth standing with."

He tipped his head, gave them a quick, almost-boyish wink, and said, "By 'standing with' I mean I don't walk away when things get ugly. I take the heat, cover exits, hold a hand when it's needed, and keep my mouth shut when silence does the job better than words. I pick a side and I see it through — even if that means paying for it later."

He let that settle, then added, quiet and honest, "I love Scherezade. I'm not shy about saying it. We haven't been together long, but feelings don't follow timetables. I'm here because I mean it — and because I'm willing to prove it."