Ask Just Getting Started

[Kai]

THEME
​

The two figures had entered the Sith Temple on Bal'demnic. The initial part of crossing the waters had been difficult enough. One they had crossed there had been a sound, a ringing sing-song note like sensation in the back of Malakai's mind. Following it they had come to a wall covered in ancient Sith writing. He knew some of what it said and knew what was called for. Taking his vibro-blade he cut himself enough to smear some of his blood against the slab.

Moments later the two would get past the obstacle and delve deeper into the temple. Malakai continued to walk, aimless at first but then came to realize why he struggled to find the holocron at first. There was something else calling to him, a second beckoning sensation. But the Grysk would find the pyramid like holocron that radiated with energy. Right now was not the time to immediatly try to discover all its secrets. That would come soon enough.

Making sure that Ilana was with him he ventured into the main area of the Sith Temple. "This place once belonged to a group of people known as the Sith. They made their lightsabers here, undergoing a ritual I believe. Maybe we'll come back and make some for ourselves." He smiled at the idea of having a crimson blade of pure energy. They could come in handy from time to time but there was no rush. Besides, he did not have a kyber crystal to bleed, yet.

"I think if there is anything else you want to do here we should get started. Otherwise..." He felt the pull of the Sith Holocron even inside his backpack. "...we shouldn't dawdle." The Knights of Ren could return to the system at any time and still discover them or venture into the Sith Temple. Malakai would prefer to not fight. But he understood if the curiosity had the Doctor wanting to remain a little longer. The dark side was strong in the temple and he knew the longer he stayed the more immersed he would be. Familiar whispers that were barely audible inside his own mind were manageable, for now.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Parting the waters was no easy feat; considering it took a leap of faith, so to speak, from her, she seemed to be dully aware of everything else. It was so fantastical, so outside of her norm, that her usual stoic control was gone. Instead, she wordlessly followed as Kai descended deeper into the Temple, where the roar of the waves dulled to a distant rumble. Amber gaze glanced down at her hand... and for a beat, she contemplated what they just did.

Perhaps... part of her research would become clearer, now. She watched when he withdrew his vibroblade, then felt her jaw drop when he just slit his palm and pressed it to the stone. "Are you trying to--" she was about to scold, when suddenly... the answer became clear before them. Runes... of a language she had never seen before, but somehow the organization, the shapes, seemed oddly familiar... she just didn't know where.

Sith… she heard what he was saying, and yet, the term seemed oddly familiar, but in no way she could possibly identify. But he mentioned lightsabers... and she wordlessly turned in his direction, amber eyes glinting with that odd, curious light. "Eventually... we'd build our own lightsaber?" She glanced about the cave, but she could feel it. A deeper hunger, a power that lurked within. Like a childhood monster, it seemed to wait until they would be unguarded to attack, perhaps... though that may have been her slight own paranoia talking.

"It's strange..." her voice echoed in the chambers, warped. Her fingers ghosted over some more of the rooms, almost feeling a whisper rise at the back of her neck. "I have never been here before. Yet it feels familiar..." she closed her eyes, head high as though to listen.

But then, she shivered. "Is that all of what we needed?" Her amber eyes tracked back to him, pacing back his direction. He seemed remarkably calm... she was envious, actually, that he seemed so acclimated to all this, yet she felt as she always had.

The oddity. The foreigner.

The alien.

@Darasuum

 

[Kai]

In hindsight Malakai recognized the influence the dark side had on him when inside the temple. The Doctor's words had reached him but he had instinctively just confirmed the lightsaber building as if he had forgotten he had been the one that had brought it up.

When she spoke about familiarity he looked at her directly. Her eyes seemed brighter than before but maybe it was just the contrast. He silently agreed and looked around at some of the dancing shadows. The sound of giggles echoed but instead of the sound bouncing off of the walls of the cave it moved around in his own head.

A long pause would follow as he waited for more but none came. Ilana was staring at him. "Yes..." He said finally, putting the illusions of his own mind behind him both literally and figurativly as the Grysk turned to leave. "...for now." Malakai would add.

He would signal for Bruggan to bring his ship back down to the jutting rock. It would not be long before they met the ship. It was a little easier to go back by parting the waters this time. The stone slab that he had bled on shifted, rumbling and then coming to a halt, once again blocking any from entering or exiting without a blood sacrifice. The Sith writing seemed to dim a little. The offering previously made no longer valid.

The palm he had cut hurt for obvious reasons and a little bit of his blood leaked past his grip and onto the ground. There were probably droplets inside the temple as well though his mind had not even registered it until now. Once he got back to the ship he went to the medical compartment and would try his best to wrap his hand again with just his right arm. "Bruggan. Set a course for...Terminus" He was pretty sure what he was looking for next could be found there.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

The moment they were on the ship, she could feel her shoulders relax, the tense line of her spine ease. Finally, they were back in a world that made a little more sense; an illusionary one, perhaps, but one she would take just long enough to keep her from asking the multitude of questions that no doubt so many had asked before. The sheer power, the control, the effort contained to using the Force... she had been practicing, certainly, simple movements and gestures, but nothing on the scale of what happened there, with the power of the ocean held at bay.

She glanced at his hand... and sighed, clipping ahead and shedding her robes. "Follow me."

Her tone brooked no argument the moment they would be stable and set for the jump to... Terminus, was it?

A place she wasn't aware of, but could do research later. She instead began riffling through her black bag, face set into a faint frown. "I have the feeling I'll be patching you up for a while now..." she rasped, giving him a raised brow as she filled up a hypo with a measure of nerve block. "So while we're waiting, care to share why we're going to Terminus?"

She gave him a deadpan stare, head tilted slightly to regard him calmly. Clearly she wasn't going to let it go while she had the chance to talk with the Grysk.

@Darasuum

 

[Kai]

Kai wasn't about to refuse the Doctor's treatment. "I can't think of anybody else I'd rather have work on me." He said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood by giving her a compliment.

"Terminus gets a lot of traffic. It's known as a pretty busy space port in the western reaches." His face twitched when she dosed him with the nerve blocker but began feeling much better soon after. "The Hutts I think are in the lead when it comes to medical based monopolies in the Five Syndicates. They have eyes and ears on Terminus that I think we'll end up meeting." Taking a few spare cigaras out of his pocket with one hand he placed one in his mouth.

Kai offered one of the cigaras to Ilana but would stow the others away and fish out his lighter. He lit her's first if she took one and then his own. He continued to speak, keeping his vice between his teeth as he did which slightly changed his speach but kept it in place. "How much you know about da clone warz and da Confederacy ov Independent Shyshtems? " Pocketing the lighter he raised his hand to his cigara and inhaled with curiosity for her answer.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She let out a little bit of a snort at his comment of letting no one else treat him, giving Kai a slightly raised brow as she worked. "Then clearly you have taste," she commented dryly, only taking the cigara once she finished up, and allowing him to light it before taking a deep breath, and slowly exhaling out, staring absently at the Grysk and realizing he asked a question of her.

"Hmm?"

She tilted her head slightly, considering. History wasn't her strongest subject... not unless it was medical history, but only most basic and some not so basic facts. But it piqued her curiosity. He mentioned the Hutts; their cartel was the prime resource of all her medical supplies and contacts, unfortunately, and she more than anyone else was in contempt of their brutish leadership qualities in conjunction with medical advancements and research. Honestly, it left a poor taste in her mouth just thinking about it.

She took another slow drag before responding, amber eyes flickering in his direction. "Only the basics; that they, the Confederacy, were against the republic, originally called the Separatists... they were against the Jedi Council as well, and were considered an enemy of the Republic... I think. And that the Clone Wars were so named by the clone army used by the Republic as well." She absentmindedly scowled in focus, trying to remember the details, then slid her eyes in his direction, head tilted slightly.

"In other words, not much. Why do you ask?"

@Darasuum

 

[Kai]

He nodded at her summary considering it was accurate though limiting in detail. Malakai had not expected her to have fluent knowledge about it but figured he would ask. It was good he did not have to explain things too much like he would with any of his more simple minded associates.

"Well the CIS retreated and fractured into different groups. One such group traveled to the Western Reaches of the galaxy." Terminus resided within that area. "The Hutts I'm pretty sure have been using their relations with this Separatist Holdout faction to facilitate most of their experiments with medical development. I want to know more so we'll be paying a visit to one of these ex-separatists. "

Malakai was not entirely sure what to expect. He had only heard about the different groups in his research and information gathering. Historically Separatists dealt with droids or at least that was what they were known for and enforced their control. But considering the Hutts were just using their capabilities for medical experimentation as far as he knew they might be entirely lacking droids. "Feel like showing someone the 'Nerf Method'? " The dark sider expected her to give him a look of not understanding what he said or what the 'nerf method' was. "One hand there's the carrot and one hand there's the stick. I always like giving carrot first." He made sure to get comfortably seated while the sound of the hyperdrive was readied.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

"Medical development?"

That definitely caught her attention. She settled down into her seat, then raised a brow at his last question, taking another drag of the cigara calmly. "Never heard it be called the Nerf Method..." she answered simply, then snorted slightly when he commented on the carrot and stick. "I'm aware," she answered dryly, tilting her head. "You're an observant person; you know what it takes to get people to do the things you want them to... you know that my curiosity will keep me around. And that I don't ask questions."

She seemed wryly amused at that thought, but no more than that. She knew her position here wasn't one necessarily of authority; for the time being, she was simply on the payroll, of a sort, but at least he was treating her as an equal rather than some medico grunt. There was some saving of pride for that, at least. "I don't mind using what it takes, if it gets us what we need and want."

She listened to the engines start to kick into hyperdrive... and took one last, long drag, stubbing it out on a small ashtray she kept on the counter. It didn't bother her that she was being used; in a way, he was being used too, and it seemed to work out so far. For now, that was enough, but her curiosity was far from sated yet.

She had a feeling this was only the beginning... and they had nothing but time.

@Darasuum

 

[Kai]

When she made an observation around him, one that he enjoyed hearing from her. Maybe I'm just lazy enough to find the easiest way to get what I want. Sometimes a little poke can get you further than a hard push. He shrugged as if he had no other response. The Grysk wondered why everyone didn't do what he did. Some people tried. "I just hope you don't ask questions you don't want to hear the answers to." So far whenever she had asked him a question, a serious one, he had told her the truth. He would let his cigara last a bit longer and get some rest while the ship made its jump to hyperspace.

---
​

The ship would exit over Terminus much later. Terminus was practically on the clear other side of the galaxy which left Malakai with time to recover. He would spend any time awake concentrating on the Sith Holocron. Information in ancient Sith and some in other languages gave him insight into the beginnings of Sith Alchemy. With his datapad he filled in the blanks with some of the information with more modern details. He was still learning it himself during this time but Malakai had to admit it was by far the most interesting thing he had ever put his hands on. Creating weapons, altering living tissue, nearly infinite utility though definitely not meant for open combat. Malakai would share it with Ilana when he was not entranced by the remaining knowledge. He tried to contain his excitement but it only increased the more he delved into the holocron. It felt like he was a kid reading the latest holo-comic.

Outside the ship there was an abundant number of other vessels coming and going. The Kaleesh pilot of the scout ship they resided in would make the arrangements to land. It was not a particularly nice landing platform but a landing pad was realestate and it was probably going to take some coin to park the ship at a place like this. Then again Malakai was used to the expensive prices of Nar Shaddaa. If anybody wanted to try give them a shake down they would be unpleasantly surprised.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She leaned back into her seat... then slowly smirked.

"So far, you've even answered questions that I didn't need answering. So I'm far from disappointed."

----

Whenever Malakai was asleep, she studied. She studied the purposes of this... holocron. Its' secrets. Unlocking it was not easy... and he seemed so adept at it, much to her envy. Unbeknownst to most of the galaxy at large, Ilana had several talents up her sleeve; one of which was languages. She was naturally born with a gift for linguistics and language patterns, enhanced by her mother's strict teachings and even stricter lesson regimen. Cross-referencing notes when Malakai was awake was easy. But attempting to translate the runes herself proved an even bigger challenge.

So many things they discussed... so many things that opened her eyes to the power he presented to her. If the Doctor was anything, it was that she was a keen student, eager to lap up any details she could possibly glean. Sharing with Malakai, though... that was the sweeter of the deal. She, too, earned her rest during this trip, so by the time they were approaching she was pacing, anxious to touch surface and get what they needed.

Another slimy place to congregate, hardly any surprise.

She pulled a black robe over her professional armor; there was no doubt that she would attract attention in the solid white, and the robe at least offered some coverage from her weaponry. She flinched at the stench that assailed her nostrils upon landing, and scowled, pulling a mask over her face to attempt to somehow mute it. It would suffice... but barely. Amber eyes flickered towards Kai, gaze as remote as ever.

Just as she was about to say something, a male voice called out, and the being that matched it was a tall, skinny male in very grubby, greasy overalls, his lanky frame seemingly more than bones.

"'EY! You guys payin' for this lot, or what?" He scowled, arms crossing on his thin chest. "I didn' hear none about a new arrival; park elsewhere, Bonehead."

@Darasuum

 

[Kai]

"Brruuuuugggaaaan?" He groaned into the commlink and looked back towards the ship. The Kaleesh was just barely visible. Malakai did not feel like yelling so he took the communication device for granted just to complain to his own employee. Bruggan just shrugged. This resulted in another eye roll from Malakai before he turned back towards the man in overalls. Kai thought it would have been taken care of but it seemed that he was not that lucky.

"How much does it cost?" He waited for the overpriced number. That did not help things when it was still even more than he expected.

"Try again." The grease-monkey was taken aback by the simple response from the Grysk. Malakai thought about how he could make this go more easily. He pondered grabbing the man and threatening him. Putting the fear of the Force into people tended to give him some kind of thrill but he was pretty sure that was unnecessary.

The coverall wearing clock-puncher acted like there was nothing else he could do to lower the price. "Your boss where are they? I'd like to speak with them...ask them why his employee is interfering with Durr's operations." The man looked confused for a moment and then gathered that Malakai meant Durr the Hutt. The Hutt that had proclaimed lightsaber wielding force sensitives a menace. "wha- yo-, I'll just-"

Malakai held up a hand. "Save it. Here...take the credits. How much did you say it was?" A momentary pause followed with the man lowering the price to nearly half. The Grysk would still give him more than he dropped it down to.

Before they left he raised a finger and held it in front of the grease-monkey's face. <"Don't let anyone screw with my ship."> He said in Huttese. Kai didn't care if he understood it or not. The dark sider pushed a sensation of mortal dread into the man's mind hoping that motivated him against doing something stupid. It was not that difficult to influence since he already felt it after the mention of the Hutt.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She slanted Kai a coolly amused stare as he handled the greasy skinny mech as easily as though he were just a fly; equally, she could sense the terror from the skinny human, and the nonchalance from their Kaleesh companion. Her senses, though generally a nuisance, seemed to be a boon now. Now that she had some practice in control, empathic capability seemed a good thing rather than a painful hindrance... but she always kept her medicines in case she needed some extra 'help'.

The beings ahead would test that control in many ways. There were plenty, it seemed, and the overwhelming sense of boredom, anger, and thinly veiled resentment buffered at the edges of her mind. She scowled beneath her mask, shifting her right hand towards her hip ever so slightly while her left still clenched. No medical bag today, but a standard medkit clipped to her belt.

Hopefully they wouldn't need it.

"Do you feel it?" she rasped quietly, amber gaze panning. She had no idea where the Grysk was going... then again, did he?

It was a mild edge at first, but it grew as they continued walking. Scrutiny, suspicion... and more than a small, slight edge of fear. What were they so afraid of from two strangers?

The hair prickled on the back of her neck. It felt like they were being watched... perhaps her companion would sense it too.

@Darasuum

 

[Kai]

"I feel a lot of things." He replied, not trying to even be witty. There was no point in him submerging his own presence in the force. His aware senses took in a multitude of sensations. "But if your talking about that unfriendly feeling like someone might spit in your lunch of smack you in the back of the head then yeah....I feel that." It did not slow his step.

They were definitely being watched. But he doubted it was anything special towards them. His own macabre visage clashed with Ilana's rather beautiful appearance. He could have worn a mask or something but he was a bit tired of wearing them. The place they were headed to was not near the landing area. The two of them would get an air-taxi. Occasionally the Grysk would look around, loosing the feeling of scrutiny once they left the area they had been as far as he knew. "Still feeling it?" He asked since he had a feeling the Arkanian had a better knack at sensing others and their intentions.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

The moment they were in the air-taxi, she shuddered in relief and pulled the mask down. The air was stale with old cigaras, cheap beer and sweat reeking faintly in the air, but honestly it certainly beat the rancidness of so many unwashed bodies in that spaceport. She closed her eyes a moment, and felt the tide of emotion slowly drawing back, the tense line of her shoulders relaxing.

"...No," she answered quietly, exhaling in relief. "Too many of them at once... it's..." her amber gaze flickered back towards their driver, and the man wisely seemed to ignore them, then tilted her head to look at Kai, once more her eyes as cool and calm as ice. "For once, I do not think it was because of the way we were dressed..." she deadpanned, tilting her head towards the outside as though she were including the whole of Terminus.

"Hopefully soon we can get what we need... and get out of this dead end."

She didn't care what the cabby could hear; if he was going to cause problems, she wouldn't mind testing some of her new abilities. She had heard you could choke others, simply by using the Force, and intimidation was another skill she had seen be put into practice. She idly wondered to herself if she would use any of these abilities yet... or if they would have to wait.

Hopefully the Grysk would be at least a little more forthcoming about what they were expecting here. Or rather, perhaps, whom. Because she knew for damn certain that ghoulish gangster wouldn't simply be an errand boy for the Hutts; another venture smelled like a promising redirection.

@Darasuum

 

[Kai]

His eyes lingered on Ilana for a moment. She spoke like she disliked the planet vehemently. Kai was curious why so he let the look continue for awhile before shifting to the cab driver. For a moment his eyes squinted mischievously.

He scooted closer to her side of the cab until his thigh was against her's. "Psst" He whispered like a kid on a school bus. "You know Terminus isn't all bad. Lots of stuff comes and goes. If you want to find something, we can find it here, after the business is done." He was trying to ease her stress.

In the moment that followed his eyes became slightly unfocused. Why are you trying to cheer her up? It was a question he realized he didn't have an answer to. But he looked at the doctor again and was about to say something when he felt the taxi come to a stop. "We're here." The voice from the driver was gruff but also indicating he just would prefer they get out of his speeder. "Always got places to be" He muttered with a momentary hint of annoyance at being kept from following through. Now the thought was gone.

Paying the cab driver he got out and looked around. He scratched his head and took look around. "alright, think were' looking for...." he trailed off and pulled his backpack around to produce a datapad. "aaaaaand yep. This guy." The image of the person was not a holorpojection but more along the lines of a two dimensional picture of a green skinned man. "He's not exactly at the top of his field in...whatever it is he does so I think the Hutts have moved him more towards logistics. But he should know where the Hutts have a decent facility." He would let the Doctor take it an examine the man's history or whatever information Malakai had on him. He had been planning on looking into the man more before he had been called to Bal'demnic which had resulted in pain and recuperation until this point. Not to mention a Sith Holocron was far more interesting than some washed up researcher and a file full of terms that Malakai had to look up every five minutes.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Her eyes flicked towards Kai, surprised that he seemed so intent to cheer her up, and the proximity. Most chose to keep their distance; it was as if most beings subconsciously knew there was something off about her, or sensed something, so she merely stared at him a beat before responding, seeing his eyes take on that same internal, faraway look.

"It's not the planet... it's the beings. Too much at once, sometimes, it can really be... hard to process."

And yet... the hard line of her shoulders seemed to soften somewhat. It sounded like a nice idea... getting what she needed. I wonder why... the thought flickered in her own mind, but she brushed it aside, instead pulling the mask back over the lower portion of her face and stepping out right as the driver grunted at them.

Her gaze settled on the datapad, taking it to read while they ran... and then suddenly, she gasped.

Then Kai would see an expression that the Doc had never before expressed so fully... in fact, she even startled herself.

"YES!" she almost giggled out, doing an awkward fist pump in the air. Amber eyes glittered, and beneath the mask she let out a wide smile. "I had seen some of this first hand and thought it was a fluke. Oh, Kai, do you know what this means?!" She wheeled towards him, clutching the datapad close to her chest. "This data is adaptable and applicable. They are practically indestructible, crave flesh, and--" she suddenly stopped, then cleared her throat, smoothing one hand over her hair and trying to maintain the same cool she had before.

But inwardly, she was delighted. Imagine the chance to implement this research for profit, or better yet, to perfect it, do as it was intended to do...

She suppressed the urge to smile, though, and followed the Grysk to find their mark.

She could hardly wait to get her hand on some data and start working on real, contained specimens.

@Darasuum

 

[Kai]

His body tilted away from her slightly as if to scrutinize her in an exaggerated manner. The exclamation was a surprise. She started to explain and go on what he was sure to be a mix of words that would probably get more confusing the longer she spoke. Malakai's expression did not change from the quizzical look until she stopped herself. He smiled at the Arkanian's excitement even if he did not immediatly understand the specifics.

"Well good. I do know about...that." He didn't want to say AMS out loud even though nobody was within ear shot. "That's actually why we're looking into this guy and not some college campus laboratory." There were plenty of places that could hold the equipment he was looking for. But a facility that was had data on AMS along with the equipment to research it was an opportunity he was taking.

Eventually they would come to an office building that looked like it had seen better days. But since most places around her seemed to just be pit stops it was no surprise the architectural finesse was lacking. A droid stood behind the front desk as they entered. "Greetings. May I help you?" Two B1 battle droids stood with security markings indicating they were there to protect the building and its inhabitants rather than for war fighting.

"Yeah. Here to see the Doctor Sh..." He leaned to the side and checked the datapad. ...Shemekel? The droid waited a moment and then tapped a few keys. "Do you mean Doctor Shmeikel?" The Grysk snapped his fingers and pointed at the droid. "Yes...him." The droid tapped a few more keys. "He is in his office. Take the elevator up one floor and he will be in the office at the end of the hall on the left. Please do not wander." As if to emphasize the curt words one of the battle droids stepped forward. It's high pitched and almost whiny voice contradictory to what should be an intimidating presence. "This way please."

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

The faintest of blushes heated her cheeks at his staring bemusedly at her, and she shrugged, her voice once more it's cool, rasping tone. "I came across such specimens before... I did not realize they were results of... tampering." This was shortly before they entered the building, and were offered directions and even an escort.

Lucky them.

She kept her head high and silent as they were escorted towards the elevators, but she could not deny there was a hum of anticipation buzzing in her mind.

If this man has any information regarding this access, then perhaps we can access more than just the basic notes of this, but the entirety of its' scope of research and isolate problematic proteins, if it is of course the adverse of anabolic effects on certain sentients and their protein markers...

She stared at the droid escorting them. She had heard of these types before... historical more than anything, flimsy and more suited to mass waves than simply two security patrols. And the last time she met droids was with Kai... and she could remember all too well how thrillingly easy it was to take them down.

The ride itself was hardly anything spectacular, but since she could sense Kai a lot more acutely now... she wanted to try something that he had shown to her on Darumaa. Something that perhaps might work... but the worst was that her thoughts projected to him would not work anyways.

It would be worth a shot.

So this Doctor... how many credits will we have to use to get what we need? Her hands slid into her pockets nonchalantly, face impassive as she glanced at him.

@Darasuum

 

[Kai]

Kai contemplated whether or not he should make this into another exercise. There was no time like the present and he wanted to see if she would see the value of silent communication. Before he could telepathically convey some thoughts he felt the presence of the Doctor in his mind. The living had a different sensation in his mind even without saying a word. It was like the difference between hearing a recording of a voice and the original article. He welcomed her initiative and glanced towards her to let her know he felt her in his mind.

No telling. Not everybody is a 'pay and walk away' type. We'll have to get a read on...Doctor ScHmeIkeL...first, before we can be certain. People had all kinds of motivations. Assume nothing. Observe...learn...and adapt. Kai learned the key to controlling a deal was knowing what the other person wanted. Desire, whether it be money, lust, power or even just simple survival, was the main thing that drove everyone.

Even you There it was. That different kind of voice. The voice of a dead person. Ahead of the droids he saw Tanarra skipping like she was in a field of flowers. Ilana would not hear her voice. A momentary sensation of bittersweet melancholy hit him. That much Ilana could feel if she was perceptive enough. Malakai did not hide his feelings, just his presence as a force sensitive.

The droid would come to a stop and turn a precise ninety degree angle to the side of the office door. "Doctor....your visitors." The droid announced. "Yesyes. Send them in." A muffled voice said from the other side of door. It hissed open and the B1 battle droid's small profile head turned to look at the two dark siders.

Beyond the door frame there was the office with a man standing up. Both of his hands were clasped behind his back. "...uh hu...again?..." A frustrated sigh followed by green skinned man pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yeah...alright. Sure whatever. I'll deal with it In guess." The hand dropped and pressed a button on an ear piece he was wearing. His expression looked up at finally acknowledging the two new arrivals. "What can I help you with?" His tone leaning towards the side of 'I have things to do so this better be good'.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

The shared feeling of melancholia made her turn her glance in his direction, and for a fleeting moment concern flickered in her amber gaze. But before she could speak they arrived at their destination, and the man before them matched Kai's own description on the datapad. This ought to be interesting.

"Doctor Schmeikel."

She inclined her head towards the man, her amber eyes cool, remote. "Firstly, allow me to say it is an honor to meet the man who published a recent study of anabolic study tests for advanced subjects... but I'll admit, there is a problem with this study report."

She slowly removed her mask, her features calm, remote. "I am Doctor Iska Mora, and this is my associate. I was concerned about a rivalling report made shortly before your own... and giving no credit for findings." She knew, of course, the effects of such findings... and her gaze was cool, calm.

The alias he gave her was, in fact, her own true name; the only name linked to a Corellian practice she was fellowship of before a legal name change. The only name she loathed with a passion; the Mora name, a name her mother once told her to be proud of.

A name that, through their connection, Kai would get a sense of loathing from.

"I was hoping that, meeting one of the men responsible for such a galactic-changing article, would clear up this small research discrepancy for me, if you would be so amenable."

Considering he wasn't at the top level, and not stationed at a genuine research facility, spoke volumes for the doctor. And though it was true he had, perhaps, made a scholarly assumptive study case publishing, it was not a bold thought to assume his own research had been undermined and absorbed. And considering Kai had mentioned Durr the Hutt, and this was once a CIS outpost... it wasn't hard to believe the man before them was, in fact, no longer a doctor of the research sense, but of the degree-bearing sense.

A blow to one who was once a high member of their chosen profession.

@Darasuum