A Fingertip's Touch (Azureth)

[Neology]

Weak sunlight filtered in through a wide window, pinning dusty shadows to the smooth surface of her desk, borrowed along with the rest of this office. The previous occupant, one Master Tivioll Inkari, could not begrudge her it's use. He'd died here, watching the first of the Sith transports descend. His murder had been quick and clean, as far as such things went – Novus had always been serious about her work, even then.

She tapped her long nails on desk's the glossy surface, blue eyes tracking down the inset console screen. Her intelligence analyst, Special Agent Simonova, sat across from her, looking at the same information on a datapad. Jedi personnel files, only two years out of date. A rare treat, though one of questionable use. A hologram flickered to her right, displaying the face that went with the information.

If nothing else, it was interesting to bounce Active, Dead, or Fallen? off Simonova. Unfortunately, as most of these Jedi had been on Rhen Var during the attack, there was a certain bias toward dead. Novus sipped warm tea from her mug and skipped to the next file.

Lannick Youngblood, Twi'lek, Padawan ...

“Dead.” Simonova was a quick read. Novus's turn. The holo projection of the young twi'lek winked out, replaced by the next.

Ith-Ka Sul, Kel Dor, Master ...

Novus scrolled down, browsing the lengthy events of this other woman's life. Clever, resourceful for a Jedi ... And, if her memory served, never found among the temple's dead.

“Active.” The Sith murmured, drumming her fingers. Her claws made a rhythmic tapping against the glass.

The agent nodded, adding her unspoken agreement.

Levin Caelum, Human-Apithiri, Knight …

Novus drew in a long breath, recognition sending a bolt through her. Carefully, she schooled her features to keep that same air of cool neutrality. The logs had his presence here down as a recruitment delegation from the Blades. Her gaze shifted from the screen to the holo. The imitation was not so arresting as the real thing, to her secret relief.

“Fallen. Or so I'd imagine.”

Novus looked back to the agent, brows lifting. Well, it wasn't as if she could argue the point … She nodded her head, reached to shift the file. The console chimed instead, emitting a thin, reedy voice. Lieutenant Reilly, one of the temple's small compliment of garrisoned troops.

“Your appointment has arrived, my lady.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Send them in.” Novus shut the hologram off with a flick of her wrist. She turned to Agent Simonova. “You are dismissed.”

[Azureth]

Considering both recent and ancient history, the landscape of the planet upon which the broker descended was far more fascinating than it should have been considering exactly what the endless frozen waste it truly was. Once a symbol and home to those whom had supposedly upheld light in the galaxy, overtaken by those perceived as true darkness. And many years ago it had been a lush paradise, before the cataclysmic events that lead to it's 'freezing over.' There were of course many philospohical musings circling through Adriael's mind as she approached the looming structure that was once a Jedi Temple. Duality. Morality. It was all ever so fascinating, even to the girl with morality more convoluted than those Jedi fallen to grey. Still, it was as much the duality and history that fascinated her as it was the visual feast lain out before her in the form of an icy tundra. New territory, a place previously left only to holovids and imaginings. Even from the slightly frosted glass of the shuttle, the view was worth tearing her eyes from the datapad before her.

Safe to say, contemplation was the flavour of the hour.

To read of a history, a place, it was far different a sensation actually living this history. Seeing it through her own eyes, far bluer than the sky and ready to devour the cascading bounty of knowledge lain before them, was to Adriael a truly beautiful and of course fascinating experience.. Whether an endless stretch of words to occupy a restless mind, or a physical landscape and all of it's subtleties, either way Fierfek's desire was to see it all.

To know the intricacy of each subtlety, the truth of every history. A secondary quest to that of legacy and information. Or perhaps, simply an endless one.

For a moment she felt awfully glad she'd lifted her eyes from the datapad as they descended, a genuine rush coursing through her body at the prospect of a place she'd never been. Curiosity. Exactly what had drawn her to Rhen Var, to the summons of Darth Novus. The subject of her latest data chunk, and a force to be reckoned with. As all true Sith were, Adriael had discovered from her various encounters. No, Fierfek, Fierfek. Perhaps if Adriael let her innocence sink into the background that incessant window tapping would stop. Lucky her guards were so used to it, the three veterans that had left the ship with her sat as stoic as stone unmoved. Not that guards would be of any use against Darth Novus and her agents, naught but cannon fodder to buy time. But it wouldn't come to that. It wouldn't, or that is what Fierfek constantly told herself to balance the nagging paranoia that graced her thoughts. As always, she held a blaster close to her heart. Concealed in her blazer, just in case.

Standing as the shuttle had slid with ease onto a landing pad, she ran her hand through her slightly mussed up hair, a stark white, and straightened her simple attire, a practical and synthetic ensemble the colour of ice; sleek, thick, warm and hooded with sleeves that draped ever so slightly. Although she perhaps enjoyed the cold the most out of all such elements, she had common sense enough to dress warm enough as to prevent her toes from freezing and snapping off as she walked.

It was a hesitant step off the lavish shuttle, without the time to marvel at the beauty of the wintry landscape as she would have liked. One foot in front of the other A mantra that had so far served her well.

***

Punctual as ever she was, it hadn't been a long wait inside the temple of an time bygone. Addressed and instructed to leave her guards by the door, the wait in the unknown was solitary but not unpleasant. It did make for a difficult time fending off the various habits that Adriael and Fierfek alike struggled with. Hair adjusting, finger tapping, pacing and the anxious like. However she managed to keep her lips from twitching grimly and her eyes from staring in her wide eyed way by comforting herself with the acts of violence performed by the Sith she was about to meet, as well as others she had met. A comprehensive list....

A reminder.

Called in, the slight Arkanian rose from the seat she had taken, and calmly moved through the doors to which she new her latest client, and potential connection resided behind. Aside from the fact she'd had an map of the interior burnt into her brain, it was where another figure ushered her.

It was not a surprise, to find another Arkanian offshoot before a desk, however it was an oddity when she had first read it. However much she might have loved to drink in all that was around her, the sense of contemplation replaced by unnerving.

"Darth Novus," she addressed the Sith, with a slight bow of her head. "It is good to meet you." Hovering near the door, she attempted to overcome it, speaking out in her clear, melodic voice. Fierfek had no time to fear, nor to fret, nor to conspire. However she had always questions in dire need of answers. The important one, was to follow.

"How is it I may be of service?" Or, better still, how may we be of service to each other. If anything, hopefully her time on the frozen Rhen Var would bear a unique business opportunity for both parties. 

[Neology]

Darth Novus leaned back in her seat, arms at rest, clawed fingertips wrapped gently around the joint in the plasteel. This guest would have her full attention – a rare thing, reserved for the very interesting or the very dangerous. Fierfek would be both, or else she'd be very disappointed.

The door opened and closed, admitting a young woman that might have passed for a younger version of Novus herself, save for her height. The Sith smiled, nodding her head in a dual gesture of acknowledgment and greeting. Oh, offshoots turned up in such interesting places … So much for genetic destiny. Through the Force, she reached for the echo of the intelligence broker's emotions. Uncertainty, a cautious flicker of fear that matched the bulk of a weapon beneath the fit of her coat. How very practical.

“Likewise. I apologize for my guards; I assume they wanted yours for company.” A open gesture of the hand offered the woman a seat.

Fierfek spoke, getting right to the reason for this meeting. ”How is it I may be of service?”

“Well, then. I wont dance around the point of you don't.” A crooked smile, a flash of conspiratorial amusement in the bright blue eyes. “As I understand it, your predecessor had an arrangement with mine - a man named Kenneth Mori, later known as Darth Paxis. Mutually beneficial. I am prepared to offer you a generous retainer if your skills match up to your mentor's. If you are interested, of course” The hand found the handle of her mug, and Novus sipped lukewarm coffee. The hook, once baited and cast, would need a moment or two to dangle. Her sense of narrative demanded it.

“I only assume, from your presence here, that you have no moral objective with taking my organization's money.” Another pause, a brief hmm of thought. "Of course if credits do not interest you, I am open to negotiation."

[Azureth]

With her usual stiff backed manner, she strolled towards the offered seat, giving Darth Novus the full force of her undivided attention as she spoke.

"Indeed they did, but it is no trouble," Fierfek waved it away as she sat herself down, crossing over her legs and ignoring the nagging thoughts.

They couldn't have protected me if needed. Not from you. It was wise to be wary. Less so to let it show. Best to be as cold as the wastes they treated upon, although with such a probing mind this was always difficult. Listening, with a still mind and icy focus.

"Darth Paxis, of course," she nodded, recalling the light reading she'd done on her way. There was so much that her mentor never spoke of, never told her. She knew it all now of course, it didn't take much digging to find all that he'd hid. Still it would have been...more appropriate to hear it from the man himself. A man famed for communication, never quite hit the mark with his chosen ward. That, or it was all a game to him. An attitude she suspected this woman shared, to a degree.

"My interest is conveyed in my presence here, is it not?" Fierfek questioned, casually, mostly rhetorically as her pause between words was hardly long. "It is my duty to remain impartial regarding...moral concerns, so none of that is an issue." Indeed, it was her duty. Did she do it well? Debatable. Extremely so. Her gaze flickered from the piercing eyes of her companion, to the window for a fleeting moment.

On such thoughts, she couldn't linger.

"Our 'predecessors', as you so eloquently put my lady, arrangement was just as you phrased. I gather it would be own both of our best interests to rekindle this," Fierfek began, not hesitating to omit her second asking price. From past experience, and through the realms of common sense it was easily gathered that asking Sith for information was a deadly business. Why ask, when it is simpler to hear from webs already established? Whispers when they do not look? It wasn't even worth mentioning. "The questions is..." she could help but trail off, her voice lighter than it ought to have been. There were so many questions. Which graced her lips, in this clean cut office, with this lady of means?

"What would it take?" Electric eyes had met their match, as wary as she should have been, Fierfek couldn't help for being nothing short of curious.