Ask Felucia It's Been A While

[Darth Tempest]

Barely a week had passed since the naval battle over Thule. Mandalorian invaders had arrived to bombard the fortress that Vahliri had claimed as her own fiefdom, only to be sent with their tails between their legs within hours. The traitor responsible for the invasion had been imprisoned and tortured alongside his Vod, transported to Mustafar to await final judgment before the Dark Lord.

It was more than the Dark Lord could’ve hoped for - and she wasn’t blind to the fact that their victory was made possible by the timely assistance of Apex. The mercenary company had performed beyond expectation, and would be paid handsomely for the contributions of Nakoa and Aden. Sith coffers were fuller than ever, and it paid to support the Order that Tempest had slowly rebuilt over the years.

But it was not for the purposes of payment that Vahliri asked to meet with Arla.

It felt like an eternity since the two of them parted ways on Dathomir. They had always been on good terms, and even if Arla had abandoned the Sith Order, the half-Annfyn was confident that their friendship was something that yet remained intact.

For once, Vahliri had abandoned the armor and mask that had beyond infamous across the Galaxy - instead opting for civilian attire that fitted her own style. Her dark hair was braided and styled intricately, flowing down nearly to her waist. It was one of the few times that the half-Annfyn opted to show her face to the Galaxy, and it was only the remote nature of the Felucian village that provided her the confidence to do so.

It was a planet that had once nearly been Arla’s - where the two had fought together, banishing the Entity that haunted them throughout the years. The village was made up mostly of natives, save for the two traders that strolled into town to purchase herbs and produce. The cantina where Tempest waited for Arla was filled with the latter sort of folk, largely ignored by Imperial patrols or customs.

And so she waited - casually crossing one leg over the other. Two glasses had been brought to the table, but the bottle of wine was one brought by Vahliri herself. A favorite that Arla would recognize, to be shared between old friends.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

It felt like ages since they had been together. Back in the day, Varla had been a constant occurrence. Traveling to the Unknown Region together, making trouble, and even dealing with traitors on this very world.

Coming back here was like stepping into the past. She hadn't been to Felucia since shortly after the Empire banished the Sith. That was the last time she'd seen the jungle Felucians and the last time she had seen Vahliri in person.

It was weird. Not unpleasant, but a strange sensation to return to a life that felt like it had been lived by another person.

She had been more than a little hesitant to meet anywhere in Imperial space, but this wasn't a huge Sith convention, it was an isolated meeting between two people deep in the middle of nowhere. She had finally been convinced that even the Empire didn't have eyes and ears out here.

There was a part of Arla that was cautious. A lot had changed since the last time they had seen each other. She had no doubt that Vahliri knew that Arla had hunted Sith in addition to helping them, and she didn't know how her friend would look on that. But then, they were Sith. Or at least Vahliri was, and she was sure Sith were still killing each other from time to time.

Plus Apex had still been hired to defend Thule.

Arla was dressed in her usual clothes, which offered a mixture of flexibility, utility, and enough form that she didn't usually stand out in any given place and arrived at the backwater cantina in question, finding none other than her old friend sitting at the table. Of course, Arla knew to expect that, but even so it didn't feel real until she was face to face with the woman.

She stopped in front of the Sith Lord and those steely silver eyes bored into the other woman before the corners of her mouth started to creep upward.

It's good to see you again, Vahl, she said quietly. She wanted to throw her arms around the other woman, but perhaps that was too informal given how long it had been. But really more than that it was that the Sith was sitting down.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri patiently awaited the arrival of her old friend - allowing her gaze to drift across the village cantina in the meantime. It was a hole-in-the-wall, frequented by local farmers and merchants who traveled to buy Nysillin directly. There was not a soul amongst them that might’ve guessed the Dark Lord of the Sith and daughter of Empress Andruil were sitting casually amongst them, enjoying the Felucian sun.

The half-Annfyn idly combed her fingers through her dark hair - concentration shifting at the sound of footsteps off of her peripheral. Followed by the face of one that Vahliri had come to recognize and care for after years of missions and time spent together. Her lips tugged upwards at once, head tilting ever-so-slightly as she regarded Arla.

“About time you answered a call,” She said with a non-serious glower. Both of them had been consumed with their own paths in life, and it left little time for keeping in contact. But the smile that pulled across her expression, as she rose from her seat, left little mystery that Vahliri was happy to see her friend.

“It is. And it’s been too long,” She said, wrapping her arms around Arla to hug her.

Breaking from the embrace, Vahliri jutted her chin to the left - gesturing for them to take a seat. “How have things been?” She asked, moving to uncork the bottle of wine that was waiting for them.

“Beyond the victory I have to thank you for,” She said with a smirk.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla returned the hug, glad to see that even after all of these years, she hadn't lost a friend. Too many seemed to have been lost one way or another, and the list of people outside of her rather "complicated" family who she held as genuine friends was a narrow list. In many ways, that was intentional. Raze hadn't been wrong when he pointed out that all the things she held dear were weaknesses to lose or be exploited. She had separated herself from most of these things on purpose.

Things have been... complicated, she said. And it was the most accurate statement she could make. She had left the Sith, been kicked out of the Empire, built a new company for herself, thrived as a bounty hunter, hunted Sith... and lost her mother. But she had also gained her own new family out of it all.

I'm sure you saw the news about mother, she said, soberly. She knew that Vahliri had always been fond of Arla's mother and idolized her in a way, and there was no chance that it had gone unnoticed by someone in Vahliri's position.

But I also started Apex, and it has been taking off. I'm very excited about its future, she said honestly. Vahliri, too, would be familiar with the company's reputation given the recent success at Thule.

How've you been? How are... your people? she asked. Even here it wasn't wise to blatantly state who those people were, but it was quite obvious between the two of them. The Sith had been "off the radar" for the most part in recent days, and she had to assume that was intentional.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri wasn’t particularly surprised by the answer that Arla gave. Things had changed drastically since the Sith-Imperial split - altering the course of the Galaxy in ways that the half-Annfyn could never have genuinely predicted. It had allowed her own rise to power and domination within the Sith Order. And it had cost her the community and world that she’d called home since joining the Dromund Kaas Academy all those years ago. Years that felt like a lifetime, even for a species as long-lived as her own.

“I did,” She said remorsefully, confirming that she had - in fact - heard of Renfry’s death. The Queen of the Nightsisters had long been an idol to Vahliri. A woman whose rise through the Sith she’d attempted to emulate as an Acolyte and Champion. “I.. Considered sending the Sith to Dathomir.” Vahliri had once hoped to make an ally out of the Nightsisters, but such ambitions never came to fruition. She didn’t need to elaborate that attempting to fight on Dathomir would have placed a target upon the barely-surviving Order. That the choice had, in the end, been easily dismissed.

She exhaled through her nostrils, pushing the uncomfortable topic to the side. Instead, her lips pulled upwards ever-so-slightly - nodding as Arla mentioned the creation and success of Apex. They were among the most powerful private militaries in the Galaxy, whose services Vahliri had come to intimately appreciate after Thule.

“It seems you’ve made your own way after all,” She said with a smirk - thinking back to their last conversation on Dathomir.

“They are improving,” She said after a long moment - leaning back in her seat. “With no lack of examples to motivate them.” Arla could likely guess the implications. It had taken no lack of failure and punishment for the Sith to gradually evolve and fall into line - beginning to fulfill the vision that she had originally shared to Trelain. There was work to be done, but they had come quite a long way from where they’d started those years ago. Tempest herself was stronger by leagues - through the Force and the influence she could flex throughout the Galaxy.

“The Alliance and Republic are gone. The Consortium stagnates. The Empire wanes..” She shrugged a bit. “My people have taken advantage.” It was as close to a proper answer as Arla was going to get. Even for a friend, the intimate details of Sith affairs were a secret kept close to her chest. From anyone.

 

[Arla]

Arla felt a weight of remorse on her shoulders as they spoke about her mother. It was done and gone now, but Arla would always grieve.

Mother knew what she was doing, she said. Everything had been set up for her mother's demise. She had known she was never going to leave that battle, and she knew that she could have fled, but she didn't.

Eventually, everyone's number comes up, she added. It was a grim reality of what they did, and one that Arla had come to terms with. She had no doubt that Vahliri had as well.

Arla just nodded as Vahliri talked about what was going on with the Sith, and despite the vague answers, Arla didn't ask for more. They both knew that while the two of them were friends, from a business point of view, they could still end up as rivals. She didn't expect Vahliri to share any details.

I'm glad that things are looking up for you, she said. She had on rare occasion considered taking up a Sith name again and taking after her father, but it was her family that had held her back.

I heard about the... drama with Nakoa. I appreciate your working a deal out with him. And your... discretion, she said. She kept all of the details vague, but it went a long way in Arla's mind even if it had come at somewhat of a personal cost to herself. It was something she could live with.

After a few moments more of quiet, she smirked.

When did we become the galactic adults? she asked. It was hard to think that they had become major galactic players. The Dark Lord of the Sith and the CEO of a private military bordering on megacorporation.

And two of the deadliest women in the galaxy. It was strange to think.

 

[Darth Tempest]

“They do,” Vahliri said simply. The half-Annfyn had long-since come to terms with the reality of what she did - what her position in the Galaxy demanded. It was the life that she chose and forged for herself, and embraced long before she wore the mantle of Dark Lord.

“You may yet have a place amongst my people.” She said - though Vahliri had a feeling what Arla’s answer would be. The half-Annfyn had long hoped to bring her friend back into the Sith fold, as an expert on the Arcane and someone who she could genuinely trust. They’d yet to encounter each other as enemies on the field, and Vahliri hoped to avoid that eventuality all together.

She didn’t linger on the topic, however - quickly shifting gears to the Nakoa situation. There was a distinct pause as Vahliri pondered how to best address that entire sequence of events, before finally tilting her head a bit. “I was surprised,” She began, “That he was stupid enough to walk right into my hands.” The half-Annfyn wasn’t going to beat around the bush. At the end of the day, Nakoa was an apostate and lacked the benefit of Tempest’s friendship. Had the situation been different, the Wrean wouldn’t have left Thule alive.

“His associate with Apex - and usefulness to me - is the only reason he yet lives.” She tapped her nails against the table. Deals had been struck - momentarily making the Wrean an asset to her alive. “But I will not tolerate non-compliance.” Vahliri didn’t elaborate on the leverage she intended to keep on Nakoa, or the consequence for betraying their agreement. It didn’t matter who he was to Arla.

Silence grew between them - the uncomfortable topic lingering in the air - until Arla finally smirked.

“Beats the hell out of me,” She finally replied - raising one of the wine glasses to toast the fact. They were the most dangerous women in the Galaxy - risen to the very top in their respective realms. Vahliri would’ve settled for no less.

“Does Apex take up all your time these days?” She asked with a tilt of her head. “Or does something like this still interest you?” The half-Annfyn reached into her bag - pulling a scroll of parchment that had been stored inside. Even at a glance, Arla would recognize the inscription as Zeffo in origin - a set of coordinates that led to places entirely unknown.

 

[Arla]

Arla was a bit surprised to hear Vahliri mention Arla returning to the Sith, but she probably shouldn't have been. Sometimes she thought about what she could manage to do if she chose to unleash her power on the galaxy as Raze had done.

My time of bowing to others is over, she said. She had paid her dues kneeling, and she occasionally had to play politics, but Apex was on the cusp of becoming a galactic superpower itself if her deals came to fruition, and she wasn't ready to go back to kneeling for anyone... be it friend, family, or enemy.

The topic of Nakoa was one that hung tense in the air. Yes, well, clearly there was a lapse in communication, she said. Indeed, his association with Apex was probably what had kept him alive, and summarily burning the bridge with the group that had so recently defended Thule and no doubt would do similar again was imprudent, and Tempest had clearly discerned.

It was a relief to move past that topic and onto something else entirely. Something that still very much captured Arla's attention.

She sat up straighter in her chair, her eyes locking onto the scroll and the "gimme" motion that she started making pretty much told the whole story.

Apex takes a lot of my time, but developing my skills is part of the job, she said. She saw them as one and the same, and there was no question of the matter: Arla's arcane knowledge still rivaled nearly anyone in the galaxy.

She recognized the script although she didn't speak Zeffonian herself, and her head tilted to the side.

This feels like it has a story to it, she said, waiting for Vahliri to elaborate on how she had acquired it and what she hoped to get from it.