It had taken a moment to process everything that happened in Kasiya. Let alone Taldryan. Even before Alaisy had a chance to properly take a look at what their Clan had to offer she had been in the fray of politics, battle, and nonsense. Perhaps the Zeltron knew.
Arx
Tir'eivra had been there, from her short time as Herald. This was likely where Erinyes was headed. Perhaps they could exchange their experiences.
Her tail flicked from side to side as she stowed her two scrolls. She was not the type to hang around for longer than necessary.
“General? Are you heading to Arx?” Her arm reached out as she saw her figure at the end of the hallway.
“Hmm?” She turned to see… well, probably Alaisy’s stomach given their height difference. Maybe the lower half of her bust. Which, to be fair, was a fantastic view.
Oh right, conversation.
The Zeltron cranked her neck back in a valiant effort to meet Alaisy’s gaze. “Oh, hey. Yes, I’m headed for Arx, but I have a few stops to make around Kasiya first. Care to join me?”
Erinyes probably missed it, but there was a smile in Alaisy’s eyes, behind the mask, behind her torso. “Yes, please. Before someone appoints me to lead this place and its people, I would like to have at least seen it once.” Her clawed hand waved at the Zeltron, realizing she probably made her superior feel uncomfortable.
“I did not end up using any of my rations on my last mission, and there is a lightsaber on my waistbelt again. So, ready when you are, if you would have me.”
“I’d gladly have you.” She smirked. “If you have your own ship, let’s take that. I doubt any of the Clan shuttles have enough headroom to be comfortable, and your nav system can record the routes that way.”
“Great idea, I think the ship will be to your liking too.” Alaisy pressed the side of her facemask. “Zag, come in. Prepare Shimmer and, oh-.” Electric-blue eyes looked back at the Zeltron. “Would you want to pilot the ship? I can dismiss my pilot.”
Zag was protesting at the other side of the comms while the tall Sith kept transmitting her voice.
“No need for that. I know how attached pilots get to their ships.” Which was to say, she’d sooner… do something really unpleasant than let anyone else touch the Hellcat’s controls.
Erinyes stuffed an empty duffel bag into a half-full backpack, then swept through her office—desk drawers, cabinet, booze fridge—to make sure she hadn’t missed anything. The rest of her personal effects were already on their way to Arx. When she was satisfied that she’d grabbed everything of importance, she headed towards the door. “Les'go.”
Tir'eivra inclined her head. “As you wish.” Her eyes followed the scarlet-haired woman. “Seems like you are in charge of getting us around, Shimmer better be ready.” Alaisy tapped her comms just as the Zygerrian began to complain.
“To the spaceport we go.” Her tail beckoned Erinyes to follow, a slight excitement was noticeable in its smooth movement.
The modernized X70b looked much like a mirage as it decloaked on their arrival. It was double parked, perhaps triple parked, if only to notify the high-esteemed guest they were transporting.
“Ooh. I heard they resurrected these.” Erinyes looked approvingly over the Shimmer’s sleek lines. “I’ve spent more time in fighters lately, but maybe I’ll ask Zxyl about test-driving one.”
A ping alerted Erinyes to a message on her datapad. “Oh. Apparently your security detail is ready to deploy, if you want them and can restrain yourself from using them as chew toys. Other Summit members seem to evade their close protection as often as they use it, and if that’s your plan, I’d just as soon as not waste anyone’s time.”
Alaisy shrugged. The ship was nice, and it finally had everything aboard that she needed. She didn’t really care about anything else. “It was surprisingly affordable considering the technology they had to cram in there. Just do not tell the Wookiees where we got the wooden flooring from.”
Security detail?
Her tail rose up. “Look, I am fine with security as long as they have half a brain and can keep their blasters away from me.” Tir'eivra stared at her claws for a moment. “I am not a monster that eats people. But I do feel flattered if I come across as that.”
“Everyone has an image to maintain.” She chuckled. “They can stay out of sight if they have to. It’s more that past Summitteers have had a tendency to treat their bodyguards as disposable, when the reality is that they’re both difficult and expensive to replace. Then Cassandra gets on my back about personnel budgets, and it’s all just a nightmare.” She took a swig from her flask. “And yet, here I am, taking on even more responsibilities.”
“Ah, well. How are you finding Kasiya so far? Have you had much chance to explore?”
“You better stock up well on drinks then,” Tir'eivra remarked knowing full well that intoxication wasn’t going to make the amount of responsibility easier to handle. It wasn’t her way of dealing with it anyway.
“And Kasiya, well, it has been an adventure I suppose.” Her hand clutched at her neck-corset and let it slide. “The KPP, if you know them anyway, they were less than welcoming. I had to teach them a lesson in etiquette.” Her tail curled up and relaxed again.
“Then there was the blizzard and a Jedi who seemed to have been spying on me for some time. A Zabrak.” She left out the name for the time being. “Then there was another Jedi, who, mid-fight, tore my saberstaff in three. You may know him, Draca.”
“Let us just say that it was eventful. But the district was wonderful in its own calamitous and apocalyptic state. Truly a marvel to witness.”
“I may have deep-fried a friend of the KPP, someone named Ellisyn Kendis on my way to shelter from the storm. She seemed intent on harming me after she asked some very specific questions.” Somehow Alaisy’s electric-blue eyes glowed even brighter as she told her experiences so far.
“This took place in the maintenance tunnels. I can tell you, what a total mess. It took a while to get the stains out of the soles of my boots.”
“Finally I managed to follow a trail that led me back to Draca. I taught him a lesson, and it is the reason why I now hold a new lightsaber. It is a long story I suppose.”
“Beautiful mansion though, it was likely a good thing that a Zeltron kept the local populace from mingling in my battle.”
“So I have seen the wreckage of the Spaceport, a world-ending scene at Holmes, the stink of the sewers and maintenance tunnels, and finally I have had a nice peek at Eastbrook.” A long hiss followed from her mask as she sighed.
“I’m sure we can find something more to your liking.” Erinyes followed Alaisy up the passenger ramp and set her bag down on an empty seat. “Or at least a different kind of distasteful. I haven’t quite figured out how to read you yet.”
“You have my curiosity.” Her heavy boots made the ramp wobble. “There are some comfortable seats over at the bridge, where the wooden flooring begins. Next to it, you will find a wide array of drinks.” Eyes behind her mask showed a smile of courtesy. “Now, where are we going first, so I can inform my pilot?” Her hand playfully curled around the tube of her mask.
“How about we start with the places you think I will like least. A challenge for you and I just revealed that I am a pessimist by nature.”
“The kyber mines in the northeast. Mostly because the most interesting areas are all off-limits, and you seem like the kind of person who doesn’t like being told no.” She smirked and wandered over to the drink cabinet to see what was inside. “Get you something while I’m here?”
“I do not get told ‘no’ very often.” Her tail swooshed in wider arcs. There was more fun in it for her to leave Erinyes guessing, so she was going to drink without removing her facemask. “I will have a Black Strap Serralonis Rum, please.” It had always given her a pleasant shiver when sipped from a straw.
“Straight?” With a wave of her hand, Erinyes floated two glasses, a straw, the bottle of rum, and… hmm. What was she in the mood for?
“Undiluted and strapped, herbs, coco, and chilies. The straw is already included with my mask, but it is a wonderful decoration if you already included it!” Her voice carried a sing-song sultriness as she peeked her head into the sacred safe space of her Zygerrian pilot.
The Zeltron gave a wry smile at Alaisy’s choice of words. She knew better than to get her hopes up, but… well, she was getting her hopes up.
Herbs, coco, and chilies. Interesting combo, and one Erinyes noted down as something to test in a liqueur sometime. She poured the rum, started on the garnish, and–
Ooh. Choholl. That was somthing you didn’t see every day. To Erinyes’ mind, it marked Alaisy out as either extremely picky about quality, or prone to spending money to show she had money to spend. The Zeltron poured a finger of the fruit liqueur into a tumbler, then stashed everything but the drinks away—except the straw, that stayed in Alaisy’s glass.
With the bar area tidied, Erinyes carried the drinks over to the cockpit door. “Slainte.” Looking over Alaisy’s shoulder was out of the question, so she bent down slightly and peeked through the gap between the latex-clad Sith’s hourglass figure and the open door.
The sound of mixing drinks had always been particularly soothing. Alaisy’s eyebrows pulled together as she saw Zaagnika Umangi stashing away her crisps in one of the cupboards. “Zag!” Her modulated voice boomed into the Zygerrian’s already alert ears.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.” Zag scrambled, popping open some of the bags and containers, spilling the snacks over the controls. “Oh, no. I’ll clean it up for ya!”
“Better be quick about it, Zag.” The black-clad woman turned her head, seeing Erinyes’ azure eyes pointed at her. Well part of her anyway. By itself, her tail raised up and wrapped around her waist. She peered down and then traced the line of sight to the cockpit. She pushed herself off the doorpost and crossed her arms.
“Sláinte!” She knew the toast well, dynastic tales of her family name Tir'eivra had proven that they had the same roots. “Feel free to explore the cockpit, you can inspect the tidy and organized workspace of my professional pilot.”
The Zygerrian almost yelped out in panic.
Mmf, Erinyes thought to herself. Panic and Zeltron empathy weren’t a fantastic mix. It always felt a little like someone was poking her directly in the brain. She took a slug of the choholl to dull the sensation, grimacing as she swallowed. “Nice to meet you, Zag. I’m Erin.”
Well, the bags and containers were gone. The crums and fallen crisps were still in plain sight. For Zag the Zeltron was a welcome sight, she seemed nicer than Tir'eivra. She got up from picking up a leftover and swiftly tossed it behind her. The chipped ear twitched, rattling some of her golden jewelry. “Ahem, very nice to meet ya Erin. I’m yer Cap- wait, I’m flying this ship to- uhm, where are we going? Sorry.” A high-pitched voice slowly turned into a soothing silvery tone as she calmed down.
She dusted off as many things as possible before the Zeltron walked by the instruments. “Ya lookin’ at Shimmer like ye know her! She’s definitely a fine one, not the fanciest I’ve flown of-course, but fancy commodity-wise!”
“I know her type, if not her. Last thing I flew her size was a Decimator. Nice enough ship, but something in AFS’ manufacturing process makes the stick sluggish for the first dozen hours or so.” She took another sip of her drink. Now that Zag wasn’t a twitching ball of panic attack, the whole conversation was much more pleasant.
“The first destination is Kyber Mine 16-Senth. After that, the Asog Temple.” She read off a series of coordinates for each location. “Oh, and be careful in the airspace above the Highlands. It’s… well, pretty kark, honestly. The Force does weird things to the weather there.”
The Zygerrian scratched her own chin. “Da Decimator, well waddayaknow! Dat was da last ship I flew before dis one. Did'ne like it either. Plenty o’ firepower on dat ting. Dis one is more elegant. Sumtimes da shiny Sith wants guns, sumtimes she wants luxury. I get experience and a cockpit to call home. If I had to choose, it’d be dis one. Least it can be very sneaky.”
She raised a long nailed index finger. “What are we doin’ in a mine, with kyber? I will be waitin’ in dis ship.” She punched the codes into the navicomputer, lining them in order. “So da Highlands are dangerous? I flow with da Force, ship flow with da Force. It helps.” Her grin grew wide and toothy.
“Good. It’s hard to handle the crosswinds sometimes if you can’t sense them coming.” Zag seemed competent enough. “We’re just giving your boss a tour of the mines.”
“I’ll be happy to fly ya around, although if ya want to give me a hand through da crosswinds be my guest. I don’t mind da company. As ya can see, there’s ‘nother flight stick hidden there.” With a press on the glovebox, the lid flipped around and revealed a steering instrument.
Erinyes noted both the stick and the handful of assorted snacks that spilled out of the compartment as it opened. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Not that she’d be able to see half the controls anyway, and even if she could, trying to have two pilots on the same stick usually led to a disaster. “I need to talk with your boss about a few things anyway. Maybe I’ll stop in later instead.”
“I got dis, ignore da blaring alarms when we go through da Highlands! Later Erin. Oh wait, why do dey call dem da highlands?” Her big hand seemed to be scouring for a cigarello or something similar shaped.
Erinyes chuckled and sipped her drink. “Because they’re higher up than the lowlands.” With that, she left Zag to her own devices and turned back to Alaisy, tilting her head towards the passenger area.
The tube of Alaisy’s mask seemed to be in the glass. She had her legs crossed as she sat on the couch. With a long sip, she finished her drink, somehow without any of the rum flowing back into the glass. The shiny Sith turned her head towards Erinyes. Her suit was shinier than before, oiled up, and ready to visit the mines.
“I take it you have met Zaagnika?” Her voice had a smokiness to it that was amplified by the modulation. A clawed hand reconnected the tube to her backpack. “I enjoyed the drink, thank you. I hope you do not mind that I had it in your absence?”
“Not at all.” She polished off her own drink, smaller-than-usual as it was. “And yes, I did. She’s… a character.”
“It is like she nests in there.” A hint of disgust tinged her voice.
Shimmer was on its merry way to the mines, set to arrive shortly.
“Mm. Hopefully she won’t trip on anything.” She set her glass down on the drink cabinet. “Another?”
The rum kicked in as she felt some restraints peel away from her mind.
Something fresh and smooth now
“A Demonic Dathomirian please, with a pleasant amount of Swoopracer Vodka, lime, mint and meiloorun melon, the crimson kind.”
“Oh good, I was hoping you’d lean fruity.” The Zeltron didn’t need to be tipsy to make borderline inappropriate remarks. She dug the required ingredients out of the cabinet and began mixing two of the cocktails, letting the comment hang in the air to see how Alaisy responded.
Hmm… well, that was ambiguous. She’d have to try again later. In the meantime, she finished mixing the cocktails and pouring them into clean glasses, then distributed the garnish.
“We restrict access to the kyber mines pretty heavily,” Erinyes said, sliding Alaisy’s drink over. “Partly to cut down on the risk of theft, but also for safety reasons. We tried a terraforming experiment with a piece of one of Taldryan’s old artifacts, and the results were… unpredictable.”
The cocktails were looking good. Alaisy could only imagine how many times the Zeltron had done this as her alchemy displayed her elegant handiwork.
“I would not waste your precious time with excursions beyond the boundaries.” She flicked her high ponytail so it wouldn’t get stuck behind her back. “I do, however, wonder why Taldrya chose to experiment with an old artifact in a kyber mine.”
“We experimented on the entire planet. It went better in some areas than others.” She took a sip from her cocktail with a contemplative pause, then added another splash of raava. “The eastern plains are much more vibrant than they were. On the other hand, the Jagd Wastes never used to be a toxic swamp.”
Shimmer was approaching their destination. A silvery voice called out from the cockpit. “Attention passengers, we are nearing our approach. Please make sure ya drinks are secure. Sincerely, ya Captain.” The announcement was flawless, except for the accent. The attempt at speaking monotone did not hide the ‘ya’s’ very well.
“That sounds like quite the entertainment, one day I hope to be doing such large-scale experiments myself.” She peered at the drinks. “Can I?”
“By all means.” She levitated the drink into Alaisy’s grasp with a wave of her hand. “Maybe you can figure out how to fix the ones we screwed up.”
“That will depend on how much it matters.” With a hiss, the main air hose disconnected and she took a sip with it again. “Just what I needed, although the first one is hard to beat.”
“I’ll have to introduce you to some of the cocktails I invented for Kasiya Estates.” She took a generous sip from her glass. Ahh. “I have a few bottles stashed away at the temple.”
“How much it matters will be up to the Summit to decide. That, and you’d have to get your hands on enough Pomojema shards to even attempt a work like that.”
“I am looking forward to it, the liquor I have here could use some variation. I suppose it is quality, but none of it is truly unique.”
Shimmer gently slipped through the sky, beginning its descent.
“Pomojema shards?”
“Pieces of the artifact used to conduct the ritual in the first place,” she explained. “It used to be the Orb of Pomojema, a great crystal sphere that amplified the energies of the Dark Side. It was one of Taldryan’s most prized possessions, so naturally, someone stole and shattered it.”
“A shame, perhaps the one who created it could have used a crystal instead. Using an orb is just asking for it to be destroyed.” She pondered for a minute as the ship extended its legs and landed. “So, where are these shards?”
“Held by the Scions of Taldryan.” She sipped from her drink to hide her smile. People who casually asked the whereabouts of powerful Force artifacts were rarely up to any good, but it was always amusing to see how their plans would come into motion.
“Before we go, who might the Scions of Taldryan be? Excuse my ignorance.” The masked woman felt like she was being led from crumb to crumb, but if anything she was a curious creature. “Oh, and Zag, clear up while we are out!” There was a long drawn out sigh audible from the cockpit.
“The Sons and Daughters of Taldryan, is how we’re more formally known. Our equivalent of the Arconae. Pillars of the Clan, or the ‘Republic’, as I guess we’re supposed to call it now.” She rolled her eyes and finished her drink—no sense in carrying Alaisy’s crystalware around a mine, of all places—and headed for the shuttle’s ramp.
The Karufr Highlands looked like desert badlands with seasonal depression. Scrubby bushes poked out of rocky grey ground. The sunlight seemed dimmer here, for no identifiable reason. And the Force was… unsettled. Agitated. Turbulent. The Orb of Pomojema had left its imprint on this place in more ways than one.
The Sith inclined her head, even if she didn’t care much for either ‘Pillars’ of either Clan. People had thrown titles and positions at her before, but she preferred to earn them in combat or take them from their cold, dead bodies. The last thing she wanted, and already got, was obligations attached to titles that she didn’t feel were deserved. She had exactly two scrolls under her backpack to prove that she was now a ‘Governess’ of some City she barely knew. This Kasiya had been quite an adventure already.
Oh, better to stash these somewhere
Alaisy opened a cabinet and stored both scrolls away.
Check them later.
“I do not think I could care less about it then. But I suppose it would be a good idea to find out who these figures are.”
“Look for anyone who signs their name with Taldrya in it. Myself, Zxyl, Appius, Howlader, Rian, Benevolent… I suspect the latter two will be the only ones on Kasiya regularly. There are more, but they’ve mostly disappeared off on one personal errand or another.”
The two Sith passed the guard towers around the mine’s entrance and began to descend. The air around them grew progressively colder. Glowlamps lit the tunnels as they descended further into the mines.
“The operation here isn’t all that large. It’s basically enough to supply our members’ needs.”
She turned her head towards the Zeltron. “Have I addressed you inaccurately during our joint venture so far? Should I be more formal?” Her voice had the same determination in it that she had displayed so far. It was a careful formality to calculate if she judged Erinyes correctly.
The aura was darker here, not unpleasantly gloomy to the black-clad woman. Her tail moved around more as the air became chilly. “Well, Pomojema certainly left a mark here.” Her second skin shifted around her body, sending shivers over her spine. Again, she enjoyed the feeling, it was suppressing, yet renewing like an icy bath with tender hands massaging her.
The hisses from her mask seemed to become more drawn out as she slowed her breathing.
“Well, I suppose this makes guarding the place easier.” Alaisy peered at the Taldryan more than the glowlamp-lit rock.
“It’s fine. Most of us don’t care for titles anyway. I only make people use mine if I feel like they need to be put in their place.” Her Zeltron empathy clued her in to the subtle satisfaction in Alaisy’s mood, but offered no further context. Maybe the Shiny Sith just liked the aesthetic down here? Pitch-black and sparkling seemed like her thing.
“Yes, it does. The remoteness also keeps the traffic down. Hardly anyone has a reason to visit.”
Why not?
It wasn’t the first time that the Dark Side energies toyed with her emotions, everything seemed more exciting and dangerous. Her alchemical skin bathed in it, heightening her senses. “The glow lights really accentuate the lapiz azure in your eyes, you know?” Alaisy enjoyed her own features, so seeing the blue in the Zeltron’s eyes was enticing in the same way.
Tir'eivra figured she might as well ask. Her tail seemed to swing around playfully, and her glowing eyes lit up the smile in them behind her visor. “So you possess one of these shards then? If I asked kindly, would you show it to me?” Her tone was less aristocratic and more playful, with no less of the smokiness.
Now that was interesting. Was Alaisy just commenting on aesthetics, or was it something more flirtatious? It seemed like it was time to test the waters again. “Thank you. The way your bodysuit catches the glow down here is pretty breathtaking.”
At Alaisy’s request, Erinyes tossed her hair to reveal the red-violet shard hanging from a cord around her neck, then lifted the pendant upward with one thumb. “Look all you like.”
This was one of those rare moments where the person was more interesting than the ‘esteemed’ artifact they were wearing. “I appreciate it, I did oil up before we departed.” She made an elegant waving motion with her hands—much like a courteous bow— displaying her alchemical skin. “It is as much part of me as the pale skin underneath, my own artifact in a way.”
Glowing eyes followed the flowing scarlet hair, stopping her gaze around the Zeltron’s neck. Her features were distracting, to say the least. “I would say the shard has found a wonderful home. A place much more graceful and pleasant to be in.” Subconsciously her clawed hand had moved over her own crystal attached to her neck-corset. The gem shifted between Sith-like crimson and Ichor Emerald, influenced by the dark aura surrounding them.
“Really… that’s incredible. Not the sort of thing you’d expect from most Sith alchemists.” What exactly had possessed Alaisy to graft material directly to her body? There must’ve been a wild story to that. Erinyes made a note to ask sometime when they weren’t standing around in a cold, dark tunnel.
Instead, she offered a flicker of a smile at the compliment. “Why, thank you. You’re a fascinating character, Miss Tir'eivra.” Whoops. She hadn’t intended to let that much of a purr slip into her voice, but… ah, hell with it. If Alaisy wasn’t interested, Erinyes had no doubt she’d make that clear.
“No, I would think not.” Alaisy wanted to tell Erinyes of that one person who had demanded she share her secret with them. One who she had obliged, and was subsequently consumed whole by it. She figured the cruelty would be off-putting.
Save for later.
The sound of her voice was pleasant, making the tip of her tail curl up and unfold in a waving motion. “I hope Arx will not be keeping you too occupied.” Arx had been a place of conflict and many first impressions for Tir'eivra, but it failed to keep her attention for long.
For a split-second, she picked up a hint of intrigue from Alaisy, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Had she been too forward? Was Alaisy not interested? “Oh, I don’t think it will. I plan to be travelling a lot. Spreading the good word about the Brotherhood, that kind of thing. Eventually I’ll set up outposts in places like Bespin, and that isn’t too far from here at all.”
“Since we’re here… I’ve been thinking about changing up the crystal in my second lightsaber. Do you have any you particularly enjoy? I don’t think I’ve seen you use a lightsaber before.”
“I have never been to Bespin, but the Life Zone on the gas giant sounds intriguing enough by itself.” There was something hopelessly romantic about a city in the clouds. The one thing that so far withheld her from visiting it was the population of Ughnauts.
A crystal?
Alaisy’s hand tapped the hilt on her waistbelt. “My lightsaber still has the original crystal in it from my Knighthood.” Her crystal was chosen for her at the time. “I must admit, I have never never had the chance to pick one.” And this new hilt was a repayment from the Vice-Chancellor after Draca had destroyed her saber staff.
“I have always preferred whips. They grasp at the soul of my opponent and allow me to tear it away from them.”
“Ahh. You might enjoy some of the Regent’s new offerings, then. They move beyond simply changing colours, and into how the blade itself functions.”
She slipped her main-hand lightsaber into her palm and ignited it, holding the blade vertically so Alaisy could see the sparks running along its length. “This one delivers electric shocks when its strikes land. I fought one person whose lightsaber roared like a krayt dragon when she ignited it. ”
“What are you looking for in this mine? Or are you hoping the Force picks it out for you?” Her uncle had always tried to teach her tales of Jedi. Stories where crystals were attuned to individuals. It was one of those few things that she could remember. Anything related to the Sith was much more her fancy.
She peered at the sparks lighting up the duo. “I am currently assembling a light whip, I imagine a roaring crystal would be quite intimidating.”
“At the moment, I’m not looking for anything in particular. I’ve just learned to trust my intuition.” She let her eyes fall half-closed and stretched her senses outward. Despite the darkness, something in the cave glittered in the Force.
“In the middle of a battlefield, you rarely have time to stop and think. You see opportunities, you take them, because missing one might mean your death.” She reached in the direction she’d sensed the glittering and tugged on it with the Force. Off in the distance, something clattered, like the sound of falling rocks. Seconds passed while nothing seemed to happen—until a pale pink gem sailed through the air and smacked into her gloved palm.
Erinyes smirked and turned her hand over to examine the treasure. “Huh. A Christophsis crystal.”
That answered her question. Her eyes widened as the crystal dropped into the Zeltron’s palm. “Just, like, that?” She lifted her shoulders in a half-shrug.
She tried doing the same thing and closed her eyes, reaching out with her senses. Through the darkness, she felt, more darkness. Nothing. If anything, it almost seemed as if something was avoiding her.
Everyone had their own methods. Her eyes opened and she squinted at a corner in front of them, plain in sight. There was no aura radiating from it, no glimmer. It was as if it slipped away and urged Alaisy to look elsewhere. A loud cling rang through the cave as she stomped on the lift with her heavy boot. It echoed everywhere, except for right in front of her. Her tail twitched.
“Get out!” She shouted with an amplified modulated voice. Her clawed hand stretched out towards the empty space, willing the Force to find something there and tear at it. If anything, it burrowed deeper.
Really?
Tir'eivra stretched out both hands, pulling her brows together behind the mask. Electricity crawled over her arms and split out from her fingertips. Vibronails became white-hot as blue arcs lit up the cavern. The crackling energy siphoned power from the tainted mine and shot a chain of lightning at the empty spot. She pulled back her arms, clenching her fists and a crystal fell out of a small opening.
There it is.
A long, drawn-out hiss came from her mask as she twirled a finger. It redirected the falling gem to her. A vibration went through her glove as she caught it in her palm. It seemed to struggle, giving off small, contained shockwaves as she clenched her fist.
“It wanted this, trust me.”
“Doesn’t seem like it had a choice even if it didn’t,” Erinyes said drily—but if it worked for Alaisy, it worked for Alaisy. “I’ll be curious to see what it is. Maybe we should head to the Temple and clean it up.”
“I have never gotten anything by asking nicely. But that sounds good.”
There was no point in hanging around, then. Erinyes punched the lift controls to take the back to the surface and the Shimmer. En route, she tucked her new Christophsis crystal into a belt pouch.
Alaisy kept hers in her grip, it seemed to make her hand itch whenever she didn’t clench it hard enough. “Zag we are on our way back.”
“You seem drawn to the feisty ones,” Erinyes said, noting the feelings of tension coming from Alaisy while she wrestled with her crystal’s will.
“You would think that, but it is the other way around. The feisty ones are drawn to me, wishing to submit and be used to their full potential. It was just playing hard to get.” Without struggle nothing had meaning.
Erinyes smirked. “I see.” That explained the combination of the shiny black bodysuit, heeled boots, and future lightwhip. Maybe it wasn’t Alaisy’s intent to play to the stereotype, but she certainly pulled it off. “You definitely don’t shy away from the challenge,” she said, as they started up Shimmer’s ramp.
Alaisy’s talents were considered somewhat of a niche, but those who sought her out often paid exorbitantly well. “I take great pleasure out of challenges, for both myself and others. The struggle is everything.”
“I can see how you’d enjoy having a challenge to overcome.” She crossed back over to the lounge area. “I’d offer to mix you another drink, but the Temple is close enough that we won’t have time to enjoy them.”
“Afterwards perhaps? I remember you mentioned a stash there.” Alaisy placed the crystal in one of the pockets under her backpack.
The ramp retracted and Shimmer took off.
“Next stop, the Asog Temple. Shpooky.” The silvery voice from the cockpit called out.
“The final stop. Muahahaha.” The over-the-top spooky laugh turned into a genuine one. “I’ll have to get a few things from the armoury when we get there. I’m guessing you’ll want to visit the alchemy wing, though.”
Alaisy gave Erinyes an incredulous look, the laugh real enough. “I have been without a laboratory for some time.”
“Oh, my. That simply won’t do.” She took a seat in the lounge as Shimmer rose into the air. “You’ll love the Halls of Life-Shaping. They have uh, beakers, and alembics, and… a bunch of equipment we got from a cutting-edge biotech research university.” She paused for a beat. “I did mention I’m not much of an alchemist, right?”
“Biotech equipment? Perfect.” Alaisy had worked under a Chiss for a while at a genetic research lab, it had made her very proficient with such instruments. “Not much of an alchemist? I can barely believe you. You could have fooled me with those drinks.”
“Kind of you to say. With alcohol, though, you can go by taste.”
They’d only been airborne for a few minutes before Erinyes felt the familiar, ominous burning chill of the Dark Side run down her spine. The Asog Temple was close. “We’ll be on approach shortly. Shimmer’s got legs.” Just like her owner.
“In all honesty, most of the ingredients I have used in alchemy were edible.”
The channeling crystal under Alaisy’s neck was glowing Emerald again. There was certainly a font of power here. “The location seems fitting for my line of work.”
“We probably have different definitions of ‘edible’. I know I drink Tatooinian wine sometimes, but even I have standards.”
“They make wine on Tatooine?”
“Not by any reasonable definition of ‘wine’, no.”
“Attention ladies and…” There was a distinct pause as Shimmer hovered above the ground. “ladies, we have arrived at the shpooky Temple. Please leave your stuff unattended.” Metal screeched as the large hangar gate opened. The ship realigned itself neatly as Zag pushed the steering stick with her boot, reaching for snacks. “Remember to bring more snacks, Zag out.”
“That was smoother than I expected. Maybe I’ll borrow one of these from Zxyl for a test flight.” She stood up and grabbed her bag, noting to herself to get something from the commissary for Zag. “Shall we?”
“I can highly recommend one, as I said before, the stealth-generator and jammers are a steal for the number of credits. No need for exorbitant amounts of firepower when you can slip away safely.”
Alaisy grabbed an old book from the cabinets, tinged with dark magic and reeking of dried blood. “I am ready to go.”
“Mm… sneaking around has never really been my style. It does come in handy in ambushes, though.” Erinyes thumped the door controls with the side of her fist.
For a Sith temple, the hangar was surprisingly warm and well-lit, likely because of the need to work on sensitive electronics for long periods of time. If not for the black basalt walls and decidedly ancient architectural style, it looked very… average.
Erinyes set off down the boarding ramp. “Would you like the full tour, or just your personal highlights?”
Alaisy followed right behind her. “They could really spruce up this place.” Her heels echoed through the hallways. “A full tour if you have the time, please.” The book was nestled under her arm. She was mostly curious if the dark nexus here would activate it enough to compensate for the missing altar and dagger.
“Oh? What sort of decor would you put in here?” Erinyes led Alaisy through the tunnel that connected the hangars to the main temple complex.
“Mirrors, plants, trophies, art, statues, anything inspiring!”
The Zeltron offered a sly smile. “I can see how a mirror would be inspiring for you.”
As they moved further into the temple, the decor did in fact change. The walls began to be draped with flags bearing symbols of Sith history: logos of the ancient Sith Empire, the four-pointed diagonal star of the Sith philosphy itself, the diamond and circle of the Sith Eternal, a sigil that looked vaguely like the head of a horned beast, and the star of Archanis, Taldryan’s former “Sith House”. Red crystal sconces were interspersed between the banners, amplified by smaller but more standard glowpanels to make the space functional while still retaining some of its eerieness.
Before long, the hallway would fill with sounds of hammers and welding torches. Past a large doorway marked with crossed lightsabers on its keystone, the space opened into a cavernous room filled with forges and workstations. Tools for building and repairing lightsabers sat in neatly-organised niches. Further away, weapon and armour racks held archaic arms bearing Sith runes, ready for alchemical reinforcement.
“And here we have the Halls of Warfare—well, the armoury, anyway. If you’d like to install that crystal in your lightsaber, you’ll find all the tools here. The training halls and simulators are all in this building too, on different floors.”
“This is more like it, and exactly what I hoped we would find here.” Alaisy had always wondered how little emphasis there was on alchemy or lightsaber construction in places so full of Force users compared to the rest of the galaxy. Her heels click clacked satisfyingly to the rhythm of the hammers, while her tail danced to the torches.
“Finally, something more practical.”
“I wish more people thought that way. These places are supposed to be fortresses just as much as temples. I did my share of staring at old scrolls. It got boring.” Erinyes made her way over to one of the lightsaber workbenches. She laid her second lightsaber on the bench, placed the Christophsis crystal beside it, and reached for a hydrospanner.
“I did my time reading too, the more you study, the more you question. And it all falls apart if you do not put it into practice.” Alaisy walked up close to Erinyes to follow her handiwork.
A quick spin from the hydrospanner opened the curved hilt’s inner compartment, revealing an empty spot for a focusing crystal. “Mm. That’s why I don’t do complex rituals anymore. I’m rusty enough that something would probably explode.” She gestured with two fingers, and the Christophsis gem floated into the compartment. Erinyes’ eyes unfocused as she sensed the crystal’s alignment, and the crystal turned by fractions of degrees. Evenually, two thick wires wrapped themselves around the crystal’s ends to ensure it would stay aligned with the energy beam.
It was popular among Taldryanites, curved hilts. She hadn’t seen many of them before. “I believe you. The amount of times I had to go back to fix it. Innumerable.” Her tail curled and twitched. “But I can not neglect it, it is not just my life’s work, it is my life.” She peered at her tail, bringing it forward, and ran her hand over it. “Of course, I have also had delightful results that most could see as a bit extra.”
“Survival is a good reason to keep working on something. It seems like we have that in common.” Though her senses assured her that the crystal was aligned safely, one could never be too careful with a weapon that could explode in one’s hand. Erinyes gestured, and the curved hilt floated several metres away, behind a pile of durasteel stock used for making armour. With an anticipatory grimace, she flexed her hand to trigger the activation mechanism… then visibly relaxed as the violet lightsaber came to life normally.
“If it’s not handled right. Lightsabers do take after their owners, after all.” She smirked and deactivated the lightsaber, then levitated it back to her hand. “Your turn?”
Tir'eivra inclined her head at Erinyes and stepped forward. With her nails pinching the gem she took it out of her pocket. She leaned forward and reached for a cleaning spray. The crystal seemed to be brittle upon touch, so she took great care dusting it off. Even after the treatment, it looked dull and it was incredibly small. It appeared unappealing, brown, and smoky.
She unclipped the hilt she had received from the Vice-Chancellor and pushed it forward with the Force. It hovered in place, unmoving. Her mask hissed as she concentrated. The hilt unraveled, this time smoother than before as she had become more familiar with its inner workings. It was her confidence that did the heavy lifting here. Only the parts split away from each other where the crystal had to be placed.
Alaisy’s visor darkened as she whispered words and drew from her Garden of Trepidations to frighten the gem itself. It would slot into the hilt, or it would get crushed and pierced between her vibronails. She enveloped a feeling of comfort and safety where it would have to sit, so the crystal itself would turn just the right angle. And it obeyed and would stay put, so long as it was in her hands. With a deft motion, she closed the weapon up again.
CRACK-HUM
Her hand vibrated from the volume the blade produced. It was lower-pitched and could be felt in the back of her skull.
“Have you discovered what kind of crystal it is yet?”
“Not exactly, just that it resonates with mountains and grasslands. I can even smell it. Strange. I suppose the noise is fitting though.” Alaisy’s visor became translucent again as she deactivated her lightsaber.
“Mm, it sounds very… seismic. Maybe we can give it a try later, once we’re finished with the tour.”
“Seems like it could cause an avalanche in the mountain peaks, what a little nuisance.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a way to put it in its place. Come on, we have more places to discover.” She beckoned for Alaisy to follow as she crossed the Halls of Warfare.
She clipped the lightsaber back on her waistbelt. “Right, coming!” A little dip in the Force was made as she caught up with Erinyes. “Do you swap out crystals often?”
“Not extremely often, no. I don’t mind experimenting, but I fight so much by intuition that once I get the hang of something, I find it easier to leave the sabers the same and adapt my approach around them.”
The pair exited into another corridor, filled with the same banners-and-sconces decor as the previous one. During the stroll, the sounds changed from hammers and welding torches to electric crackles and whirring machinery.
“I find that a familiarity with your weapon can help hone your skill to perfection. That said, I do not follow that advice myself. I have gone through many different tools over the years and never quite settled or bonded to one.”
The industrial sounds were soothing, there was a pleasant rhythm to them. And she had a particular liking for the popping and cracking sound of electricity.
“Oh? Do you prefer switching things around, or just haven’t found the right weapon yet?”
The doors to the next hall opened, revealing more workbenches. These ones seemed to be focused towards electronics and hydraulics rather than simple machinery like the Halls of Warfare. A bank of terminals with scomp links and connected droid processors sat along one wall. The back of the hall was filled with rows of droids in various states of assembly.
“These are the Halls of Automata.”
“I have not found the right weapon yet. My use of a saber staff has just come to an abrupt end, yet I feel like it was a good moment for that to happen.”
droids
Alaisy had a mixed feeling about them. She could never relate or even use anything so inorganic. Yet they were incredibly useful tools. Not erasing their memory banks also often allowed them to evolve interesting characteristics. Her own droids never received memory wipes. There was a rebelliousness about it that she liked.
“Oh? Were you getting tired of it?” She paused. “Is there anything you’re particularly interested in here? I’m not much of a droid person myself, so I’m not the best person to show off all its fine points. I mainly come here to inspect battle droids from time to time.”
“Not exactly, but it happened and I did not lose my hands. That is the most optimistic way to think about it.” She ran through her pockets until she found a chip. It had P.H.I.L engraved on it in Galactic Basic capital letters. “I may come back here some day to resurrect an old friend.”
“I’m sure someone here will be able to help with that, if you need it.” Curious. Alaisy didn’t seem like the sentimental type, but that one droid clearly meant a lot to her. It must’ve been pretty special.
“Is there anything you’d like to explore here, or should we move on?”
“I will keep that in mind, thank you.” The droid chip she had in her hand proved to be a handful at times, but it was far more resourceful than the standard builds she had come to use over the years. It was also more socially agreeable than most living individuals.
“I think we are done here unless you have business to attend to here.”
“Not right now, no. Besides, I think the next building will be more relevant to your interests.” She set off across the droid foundry.
“After you.” Alaisy cordially let Erinyes go first, leaving her space on the catwalk.
Erinyes led Alaisy out of the Hall of Automata and down another corridor. Before long, they reached another structure—this one sealed with starship-grade blast doors.
“I hope your bodysuit is as environmentally sealed as it is eye-catching,” Erinyes quipped as the blast doors slid open.
Inside, the corridor formed a four-way intersection, with a bank of elevators to one side. Another set of blast doors on the left bore the universal sign for a medical treatment facility. On the right, a third set of blast doors was stenciled with hazardous materials placards.
“This is the Hall of Life-Shaping, where people like to carry out research that governments ban.” Erinyes chuckled. “All the really nasty stuff like toxins, chemicals, and using Sith sorcery to manipulate living tissues are underground. I designed the containment arrangements myself.”
“Above ground, we have a full hospital facility. Sometimes we have medical students from Bellorin Academy come here to train in trauma medicine. For those with the willpower, it’s very educational.”
“Have you ever felt the vacuum of space on your skin before?” The eyes behind her mask had a sense of pride in them. “It seals, and it pressurizes. And I can confirm that the increased snug-ness is quite pleasant.” Her tail seemed to be snaking over her body as she spoke. The sheen of her alchemical suit intensified as it applied protective oils.
Alaisy peered around the facility. She had previously worked in a scientific research center where they developed various cures for dangerous pathogens, collected data, and worked on more state-of-the-art experiments. This had a similar vibe. Tir'eivra had always enjoyed working in hostile environments, it kept workers on their toes and kept distractions at bay.
“Life-Shaping, what a pleasant name for such a place.” The tall woman wondered what research they still had hidden out here. At some point, she would want to find out. “It sounds like they are creating different forms of life here. I am intrigued.” In a way, she wondered how close she had come to achieving the same goals. But she realized the ladder was in a different league as she desired beauty to an equal measure as practicality.
“What other security measures are in place here, Erinyes?” Her ears had picked up a low hum. “Willpower? What exactly is the burden of working in such a place for these medical students?”
Erinyes chuckled, but the expression was heavy. “I can tell you haven’t spent much time on battlefields.” It wasn’t clear whether the lesson was supposed to be self-evident, or if the Zeltron just didn’t feel like explaining it. “And no. I try to avoid feeling vacuum, because it usually means I’m no longer in the ship I’m supposed to be in.”
“As for the security here, you probably noticed the blast doors. All of the potentially dangerous lab areas are contained underground, with a fully staffed security checkpoint between us and them. Everything below ground is environmentally sealed so that if there’s a rupture, the surrounding environment flows in, not out. That prevents any airborne threat from spreading further than the lab areas. We also have ion-hardened containment droids on the lower floors and at the security checkpoints.”
“Then, there are these.” Erinyes tapped a strip running through the middle of each wall. “Ion disruptor field projectors—yes, the kind that even the Empire banned for being too cruel. If anything the droids can’t handle gets loose, we flood the entire lab with the ion field. Anything biological won’t be able to stand up to that for long.”
“As for what they’re working on down there, I have no idea.” Erinyes shrugged. “Manipulating life forms with the Force has really been my area of interest. I’m sure they’d be happy to share if you asked, though.”
A perfectly on-fleek eyebrow raised up. She wasn’t going to answer the taunt. Instead, she let her eyebrows flatten and sighed with a long hiss of air. It wasn’t like she hadn’t fought in wars before, but it wasn’t her style to fit into the rank and file. For one, she stood out like a pillar above the rest, an easy target, and her talents were niche and oftentimes even detrimental to small strike teams, let alone battalions. There was only one thing that always came above trials and self-betterment, survival. Dog fighting with starfighters was something she delegated to pilots, and long stays on capital ships often made her uneasy. It seemed logical to her to do what she always does, be prepared for the worst. Her alchemical skin was a lifeline, not a mere choice or ethical view, but she wasn’t afraid to push its limits.
Alaisy inclined her head as she listened to the Zeltron. “The security sure is impressive.” The Empire seemed bi-polar when it came to cruelty and peace. “An ion disruptor field? Now that I think about it, it does make a lot of sense. If my knowledge of alchemy is anything to go by, you can not take half-measures.”
“I will ask. I am merely curious as to what their research has in common with my own findings.”