Tea Makes Everything Better

[Nadela Hasrid]

Glorified book-keeper? She had called Shiro Blagden a glorified librarian during their meeting on Mustafar, in fact she'd practically declared his inferiority to the entire group loudly and proudly. Shiro was a child at play, a pup barking loudly to sound like a wolf, someone who had jumped into their ranks after the danger had passed and claimed to have been with them since the beginning. No, actually he was worse than that, he had served the enemy during the war from a cushioned position as a self-important bureaucrat before fleeing to the other side long after the dust had settled. His presence in the order made her skin crawl even more than abominations like the Kaleesh and his beastly pet apprentice, because at least they could back-up their association with the order through time hard fought in its ranks and their skills as warriors. But Shiro? He was a parasite.

"Interferes? I have half a mind to hunt him down and impale him right now." She replied. "And the other half wants him bisected." As she spoke, the tea was brought over, with a small assortment of cookies and biscuits that came complimentary with the larger order of a hot beverage. Pouring out a cup for herself, she offered one to the woman across from her before she continued. Her choice of tea was hot, not just in temperature but in the dash of sharp spice it contained that awoke the senses and stimulated the mind in the best of ways, and all without excess caffeine. In any event, she needed to talk about a REAL Exile to scrub the thoughts of Shiro's overpowering patheticness from her mind.

"As of the moment, with Exiles still considered a scattered and broken threat, Leviticus' little experiment on Prakith is not entirely unwise." She began. "But if war breaks out again, or worse, before we are ready to face an organized enemy, then Prakith will become a tomb for any who try to defend it. As a listening post for the Core it is not an awful arrangement, but if Leviticus intends to make a proper fortress out of a location buried deep within enemy lines and far from support then it will not end well in the long run." She paused briefly to sample a sip of the tea.

"The key to our success now is slow expansion, subtlety, marching across the galaxy rather than charging blindly. If we can rebuild our strength without drawing the ire of our old enemies then we can catch them unaware and crush them. But there is a risk with Prakith not only that it is surrounded by our enemies, but that its discovery might reveal our efforts to the rest of the galaxy. It is a gamble with no clear benefit."

 

[The Doctor]

Like a child playing a prank on her father and watching it go off, The Doctor let out a brief childlike cackle at the mention of her dining partner's plans for Mr Blagden, simple and effective, yet not quite as brutal as she had planned. "Spoken well, if a little tame, in my opinion" She breathed, softly biting down on her finger to bring herself back down, best to not cause too much attention after all, especially considering all that had already happened tonight. "My mind has something slower and infinitely more painful in mind, though that's a luxury, needs must after all." She gave a small thanks to the waiters for their service as they brought along the complimentary food to go with the tea, handing them a small credit chit as a tip. There was no doubt left in The Doctor's mind now, Nadela Hasrid was her Sister-in-arms now, a contemporary counterpart without the added insanity, a useful asset as well as a good friends if, hopefully, there were no meaningful roadblocks along the way.

As she began to speak of other matters, The Doctor brought this new batch of tea to her lips, the spice already shooting up her nose and sending that familiar buzz to her brain that made her withdraw briefly, a shiver running down her spine. The tea itself was no exception, burning down her throat, but also lending her strength drawn from who-knows-where that made her hairs stand on end. Through that, she listened, Nadela's points raising more questions than they answered. "I've done my research, Leviticus is intelligent and strategic, he moves in secret so his actions are hard to track..." She began, thinking to herself about all she had gathered on him, and the witch, "...he doesn't do anything without a purpose, and a purpose that benefits him, so perhaps there's something on Prakith that compels him to stay, not merely it's position, but something more that makes him think it's worth holding. Then again, maybe he's just overconfident because he has Alais as an ally"

"As far as expansion goes, I agree, the shadows are our allies and we needs to tread carefully. I have some plans that I hope to implement soon, ones that will expand our influence throughout the Outer Rim and allow us to move more freely, but without the Jedi realizing how much control we wield"

 

[Nadela Hasrid]

"I have no gift for creative demises." She admitted, chuckling at the Doctor's prescription of torture. "I find a simple pleasure in the rolling of unworthy heads." It was as if they had been separated at birth and had found each other again despite the laws of probability. The Doctor was her shadow, her equal, her match, they shared a mind and yet their bodies had taken radically different paths. Nadela was a poet with a lightsaber, whereas the good Doctor dabbled in the more esoteric aspects of the Force. They even looked the same, deadly beauties cast in shadows and scars. Oh the carnage and conquest they could lead, so long as their sisterhood stayed strong. Turning her attention fully back to the moment, she watched with amused interest as the Doctor took her first sampling of a stronger, sharper strain of tea. Spiced nysillin had a certain bite to it, a sting that awoke the senses and energized the body, counteracting the sluggish soothing of the Doctor's colder fare.

"A bit stronger than you're used to, my dear?" She quipped, feigning a concerned coo. After the Doctor's inevitable pithy retort, Nadela returned her focus to the Doctor's opinion on the situation with Leviticus. She had heard of Alais, a powerful warrior and Exile in her own right, and if she was working with Leviticus then his power was twice as much as she first thought. "He told me after our duel on Mustafar that Prakith is also strong with the Darkside, perhaps it isn't a physical resource that keeps him there, perhaps we should pay the boy a visit?"

Then the good Doctor said something that caught Nadela's attention quite clearly. Of course she had assumed that the Doctor had plans and schemes, no self respecting Exile was without an angle or ulterior motive. But the Doctor had piqued Nadela's general interest and appreciation, so her offer was enticing to say the least.

"Do go on."

 

[The Doctor]

"Simple tastes make the most content" She quoted, not sure where from though, she just recalled a former charge of hers having said it when she told him helping them out made her happy. It was funny, that, how time could so radically change a person that they could become their own antithesis under the right circumstances. Then again, she still enjoyed helping out, she just did so a different way. Still, some things never change, like her taste in drink, and Nadela was most definitely right, this was damn strong tea, thankfully she had steak and cakes to wash it down though. "Oh it's perfectly fine, I never liked my vocal chords anyway" She choked out, taking a moment to clear her throat.

Once again, two heads proved to be better than one, The Doctor didn't know Prakith was entrenched in the Dark Side's well, a surprising tidbit considering it's proximity to the core worlds. "There are rituals to plant the Dark Side in the heart of a planet, perhaps he has achieved that?" She froze a little at the mention of visiting the world. This was a proposition she had been considering for many weeks now since Mustafar, but no matter how many times she went over things in her head, she would arrive at a stalemate. She had no desire to get near Alais, her power frightened The Doctor more than she cared to admit, but on the other hand, she could prove to be a valuable asset and possible ally. In any case, she needed to see her and find out just how powerful the young Exile really was...maybe with Nadela there, she would have a better chance in case things went south.

"Hmm...I have my doubts about visiting. Leviticus has accomplished more than I thought was possible in such a short time, more of us flock to him every day and his power only grows with his following, I get the feeling it won't be long before he expands even further, but that's nothing compared to his enforcer. The sheer power she has amassed in only a few months? It's unheard of, and there is evidence of this power, I assume you have heard of what happened on Devaron? Going to Prakith would be a great risk...but, there is merit in going there to see what has been accomplished for ourselves, if for any reason, then just to b more aware of what we, as a whole, are up to."

Her eyes betrayed her in that one moment, a small spark of fear penetrating the calm and controlled gaze, but just as quickly as it came, she quelled it again with a fire that had defined her for many months now. Prakith was a matter for another time, now was a moment to be concerned with other places, as Nadela had shown her own interest. "Well there are lots of powerful people and interesting planets in the Outer Rim: Here on Serenno you have the Counts and Contessas, then you have the Zygerrians on the edge of the Rim, Nar Shadda is situated right between both sides, then you have the more isolated or neutral planets; Mustafar, Sullust, Hoth, Bespin, Korriban, Dagobah, Tatooine, Saluecami. There are a lot of planets in the Outer Rim, even more that lie undiscovered, if we could establish bases beneath the surfaces of these planets, or find some other way to plant ourselves covertly, and find a way to turn the natives and the power players to our ends, we could have control of the vast majority of the Outer Rim and, when the time is right, if it is to our advantage, we could pull it out from under the Jedi's feet"

 

[Nadela Hasrid]

"Then perhaps we should visit when their garrison is weaker, just in case we need to make a quick exit. After all, I doubt Leviticus will accept two rejections from the same Exile." Nadela had no interest in joining Leviticus' conclave, this was more of a social and exploratory call for her. Although what interested her more was the brief, fleeting dash of...something, across the Doctor's features. It was a crack in her social mask that revealed something Nadela could not identify underneath. She decided to let the moment slide for now, however, as it seemed the Doctor wanted to share her plans for the Outer Rim. It was a solid outline, to slowly build influence in the Outer Rim and Wild Space so as to avoid scrutiny from their enemies. It was not without faults, both practical and ideological, but it was solid nonetheless.

"I would avoid Hutt Space, the worms serve no one but themselves. And I have made my opinions on slavery clear, so while I will not stop you I would prefer to give the Zygerrians a wide berth." She decided to give her criticisms first, opting to put the medicine before the sugar. "But I agree wholeheartedly, many worlds in the Outer Rim are ripe for conquest and control, although I have already begun work on Mustafar. I would start with uninhabited and neutral worlds first, places of easy and subtle growth."

 

[The Doctor]

"Fair criticisms, though at the very least, I would like to do something that would ensure they do not act against us, war against either the Hutts or the Zygerrians would only weaken us further, something we cannot afford" She pointed out. The Hutts had already put a wrench in her plans, as it was their decree that stole her lightsaber from her. As for the Zygerrians, that was where the first, and probably most prominent, ideological crack made itself known. Nadela was not a slaver, and The Doctor not only made use of it, she freely experimented on slaves, her own bodyguard was a slave (albeit a willing one). Perhaps this could be reconciled down the line, but this was a matter than would require finesse and thought, neither of which was possible right now, here, in a café.

Apart from that, they were in agreement, uninhabited and neutral worlds would make the best starting grounds, though she knew uninhabited worlds would present a slight problem. "Pros and cons for both, inhabited worlds have the manpower, but they would be harder to establish a foothold in, there would always be some form of resistance despite how we approach it, whereas uninhabited worlds are the reverse, less manpower but no resistance...hmm, perhaps Dagobah would be a good place to start, terrain is shrouded, hostile and full of blindspots, the planet is strong in the Dark Side and the local fauna would be deadly to anyone whom ventured there and didn't know their way around, but then again, we would be subject to the same perils...this definitely warrants further research into which planets would be best suited"

 

[Nadela Hasrid]

"True, but I hope it goes without going that we should keep an eye on these newfound 'friends'." She barely trusted members of her own order, so Zygerrians and Hutts were especially suspect organizations. Particularly considering the Hutts had declared open season on anyone carrying a lightsaber. Nadela had been lucky so far, but if anyone laid a hand on her or her master's hilts she would turn their innards into outards.

"That Kaleesh...thing...has some experience with Dagobah to my understanding, and it seems that whatever he was subjected to did not affect his mind. I could arrange a meeting with you and Kano if you wish. Although, I can't think of any reason why someone would wish to meet that crusted cadaver." Kano Taes had proven to a remarkably intelligent and reasonable despite looking like a corpse fished out of a river of industrial run-off.

 

[The Doctor]

She smirked at the mention of the Kaleesh, another whom had taken her interest. His appearence was certainly fascinating, that of a Dark Side Abomination, but at the same time, he displayed an intelligence and savvyness that spoke against the stereotypical attributes of his kind. Nadela's little description only bolstered her thoughts that he was a person worth talking to, so she made a mental note to try and get to him at some point (who knows? He could be a nice guy). "Yeah, that works for me, I've been wanting to meet him for a little while now" She said softly, her mind now beginning to wander.

Finishing the last of her Steak, she began to look around at the dwindling clientele and couldn't help but notice that the café was starting to shed it's cloak of noise to give way to silence, bearing their own conversation for all to hear. She looked back at her newfound partner, smiling wide, "I get the feeling that this place is gonna be empty soon, and I don't know about you, but I think this would be better discussed in more private quarters, know what I mean?" She asked. It wasn't that she wanted to get away, not at all, but she didn't want to be found out by the authorities or risk getting picked up by some random bug a few metres away.

She began to rise, fitting most of the cakes comfortably into a container she had packed inside her handbag. "A change of venue I think," She stated, looking at the waiter and gesturing for the bill.

 

[Nadela Hasrid]

"I'll make the necessary arrangements, but you'll forgive me if I have little interest in being in a confined space with him again. Necrosis is not a pleasant smell." The image of Kano had quickly drained Nadela of her appetite and thirst, caused her to set her tea and cookies aside for now. She needed to wait for the mental image of his noxious frame to leave her mind before she had a capacity to eat or drink again. As they finished their more official business, Nadela noticed that the levels of noise and distracting activity were dying down. If they wanted to continue their discussion they would need to go elsewhere, something that may prove problematic for Nadela as she was currently nomadic. Thankfully, it seemed that the Doctor had somehow secured a home on Serenno and was willing to open it to a fellow Exile.

"Well, seeing as you've already bought me a drink and committed to the necessary small talk." She began, standing from her seat and smirking. "I'd be delighted to accompany you home." Her tone was a teasing purr, lacking in any serious flirtatious intent but simply designed as a joke. Not that Nadela would have objected to a closer encounter with the lovely young woman, but at this point she had reached a point where she respected the Doctor too much and did not trust her enough to engage in any salacious activities. Yet.

 

[The Doctor]

"I wouldn't imagine it is, unless you're into that, but I confess I find myself a little...enamored with these abominations," She said, raising up her hands to preemptively hush any objection that would most likely spew from Nadela's mouth. She wasn't trying to stop her from speaking her mind, she just wanted to clarify a little so no breath was wasted. "Wait...before you say anything, I am enamored with them because, yes, their appearance, but not in the way you might think. Appearance is a big part of getting your way, even if most people say it isn't, and that kind of visceral and unnatural form would be really useful for those whom are easily bought by parlor tricks, wouldn't you agree?" Thoughts passed through her mind of the ways she could use that form if it were available to her, the intimidation value alone would be quite enticing...but then again, she would probably want something a little more unique to herself, the whole bones and bulging flesh thing was old hat nowadays, she was a more...aquatic creature, or at least, she thought so.

This woman was just full of damn surprises wasn't she? Following a potential rival home without asking where it was and actually being all flirty about it? That woman had guts, and girl balls, and The Doctor was eating ever inch of it up. "Oh you got jokes now?" She shot back, chuckling at the lustful edge she had given that little quip. All things considered for the end of the night (probably), things couldn't have gone better...ok, well, they could have, she could've done without the little slip-ups, but those proved to be just minor setbacks. The stage was set for a fruitful partnership, admittedly one that might have some teasing problems though. The slavery aspect was a bit of a deal breaker initially, no cheap labor, no test subjects, no poor saps to have fun with...hmmm, but maybe there was a way she could have her cake and eat it too.

Either way, that was a problem she would solve another night, for now, it was time to head to a place of a more homely nature. The waiter gave the bill as the duo strolled to the entry stand, The Doctor handing over a credit chit for all their troubles. Afterward, they left the café and The Doctor beckoned Ms Hasrid to her speeder, stepping aside and offering a hand so she could enter first (Manners Maketh Exile after all). "I have to say m'dear, this has probably been one of the best nights I have ever had so far" She remarked as she zipped around the other side and hopped in.

 

[Nadela Hasrid]

"I prefer parlor tricks that don't require the warping of my physical form on a cellular level, personally." Nadela remarked, surprised at the candidness of the Doctor's admission. "After all, it would be downright criminal to deprive the galaxy of such works of art." She gestured back and forth between the two of them, cheshire smirk etched across her features. Her mind and her body were both parts of her individual identity, and she would be damned it she let the allure of the Darkside strip either from her. She was what she was. She chuckled along with the Doctor at her own teasing comments, pleased that she had found the humor in her little joke.

"Jokes? My dear I am possessed of one of the finest wits in the galaxy." She paused, peering slightly out the window. "Of course, I don't have much competition in that area, present company excluded of course." Well, this evening had turned out far better than she could have ever hoped, as she now found herself with a new associate in the long and lonely slog to the top of the proverbial heap. The Doctor had, despite some minor lapses in judgement, proven to be a profound and intelligent woman, one that would make a fine ally in the fight ahead. Sure, they were not an entirely compatible pair, the slavery in particular rubbed Nadela in the worst of ways. But, the Doctor seemed a pragmatic and open-minded woman, and Nadela was sure she could persuade her to break the chains of her servants given time. But for now, they had the rest of the night ahead of them.

"The night is still young, my good Doctor." Nadela replied as she climbed into the vehicle, watching her gracious hostess zip around to take the controls.