The Grass is Greener

[Milivikal k'Vik]

The Sisters had decided to leave the dead world of Ch'hodos. With Sorsha's influence greatly diminished, convincing the others that they needed to find another place to call a haven was not difficult. So, with the blessing of her Sisters, Milivikal and others went to examine other worlds. Mili had insisted that Sorsha had misinterpreted Vicet, which was easy to do. The dragon goddess did not fully understand the ebb and flow of time.

Onderon was a world that naturally emphasized conflict- the environment against sentient, the renegade beastriders and beasts against Iziz, the old walled city. Dxun, the jungle moon, was the base of the Manalorians during the Mandalorian War. Or so Milivikal had thought. She had been to Onderon once, with her old Jedi Master. Over the thousands of years, and with it's membership to the Republic, Onderon had lost much of it's character.

A humid, but not intolerable dusk kissed the spaceport as Milivikal set her small shuttle down. She looked back at the ship, with the worn thing still venting expansion gassess. If she was going to port hop more often, she would need a better ship. Something more luxurious.

Spaceport cantinas are not the best place to glean information. The patrons are often offworlders with preconcieved notions. Nor are inexpensive backstreet bars that the lower class frequent, although they can give specifics about various topics. Milivikal sought the right place: something with some money and a touch of class. After talking to an upper-level Customs official, k'Vik ended up at Gywn's, a pub in the mixed commerce district, a few kilometers from the spaceport.

She sat at the bar, a four seats away from anyone, but her demanor was not unfriendly.

"Drilbian Wine, please." Milivikal requested with a smile.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

The bartender looked up quizzically. "Never heard of it. You must be from offworld..?" The question hung in the air, but really didn't need an answer. There weren't many offworlders on Onderon, and when you saw one, you knew they weren't local.

She wiped out a glass, and reached above her head to where the wineglasses were hanging upside down. "We've got local grown wine, red or white, and a few imports, but not much." The bartender smiled, setting a clean and empty stemmed glass in front of her newest patron. "Are you a trader?"

[Milivikal k'Vik]

Milivikal smiled slightly.

"Ah, of a sort. Please, white wine, a touch dry." The tender seemed to debate between a pair of bottles for a minute before pouring the glass. Mili sniffed the wine, swirling it gently. It was a bit fruiter than she wanted. A sip revealed a wine that wasn't too complex, and was overall good.

She nodded to the bartender, showing her acceptance of the drink.

"I work for a smaller services and consulting company, and we are looking for new markets." She sounded almost like a stereotypical bussiness person, but her voice seemed more melodic.

Milivikal's attire somewhat matched her statement, although her pants were the wrong cut and her boots too pratical. Her jacket and blouse, however, were of a decent cut and fit her well, but not too well. After all, a lightsabre had to be hidden somewhere.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

The bartender nodded, as though a businesswoman dropping in to look for new consulting markets was nothing out of the ordinary. "A few years ago Onderon was basically shut off from the galaxy." She smiled, "We've got an unpleasant history. And we're so small... so apart from a few traders there were hardly any outworlders visiting."

She began to wipe off the bottles that were just under the bartop, making sure each one was sparkling clean before replacing it on the shelf. "But after King Giran's father died, leaving him the throne - well, everything's changed." Her cheery smile brightened. "Why, I wouldn't be surprised if the New Republic approached us about membership. Onderon is going to do great things."

[Milivikal k'Vik]

"I shall drink to that." k'Vik said with a smile and another sip.

"Onderon was once a member of the Old Republic. Things coming a-circle again." She ran a finger along the edge of the glass, letting it sing for a moment.

"Since Onderon is a small place, there must select people who are able to get things done." It wasn't so much of a question as it was a statement. The bartender felt compelled to share her knowledge.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Well, Advisor Vide has really turned things around. Once she and her consort arrived... why it's nearly like living in the old stories." The bartender practically glowed, she was so pleased to be able to share the information with her visitor. "We were in the middle of war with Mandalore, you see, and Vide conquered him in battle. And now Mandalore has a garrison in the City itself, and they live with us in peace. Vide was instrumental in defeating the Princess and putting King Giran on his father's throne."

She polished another bottle, "We would probably all be dead now, if it weren't for her. If it weren't for her consort, Giran probably would have married her to make her queen. But she was finally convinced to take the role of his chief advisor... and things have been changing every day since then." Her last words felt a little like gossip, but she was a bartender, and did nothing but listen to people talk about each other.

[Milivikal k'Vik]

Advisor Vide would wait until morning. Provided that she was present, her assistant would find time in the advisor's busy schedule for "Biacca Leh".

She spent the rest of the evening downing a small flask of Correllian Brandy and worked on a musical piece until she fell asleep on top of the datapad.

The day's attire was a pleasant brown blazer, a crimson skirt and a dark grey blouse that brought out her eyes to stunning effect. With her hair up, she looked nearly normal, except for her eyes and pale skin.

Everyone knew where the Advisor's office was. An isolated building stood imposing over the immediate area. Milivikal reached out: there was darkness here, and it was familiar, but she could not place it. The guards let her walk through the main gate with little more than a nod. After all, who would waste the Advisor's time? She walked in through the open front door, another false welcome. k'Vik knew she was watched now. She could hear the hum of monitoring devices, not overwhelming like some Imperial's, but present.

It was clear now that Onderon was occupied, but by whom? The Siren would find out soon, she sensed.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

De'Ville watched the security monitor as a hidden camera tracked her visitor's approach. "Biacca Leh" was familiar to her, and she was sure that the woman would immediately recognize her as well. But whether the Siren knew of De'Ville's presence here, or not, was yet to be seen.

She was wearing her usual robes, in a Jedi-like style composed of rich silks in black and reds. The hemlines were embroidered in contrasting colors to the fabrics underneath. De'Ville took a seat behind her desk, switched the monitors to a local news station set on mute, and began to wait. Her mind searched through several possibilities to the why of k'Vik's appearance, but nothing she came up with seemed plausible.

She suspected that Sorsha must be nearby, or at least have some finger in the reason of her Siren's appearance. That thought worried her more than the woman walking towards her office. The self-proclaimed lordess of Chaos and faithful servant of the etheral creature Vicet could do much to destroy what De'Ville and Xilarian had cultivated here. The research of the tomb on Dxun, for instance, would be halted and they would learn nothing more about Freedon Nadd or his power to become a spirit of the Force after death.

Time was up.

Her secretary greeted the Siren just outside her office doors, and ushered her inside. Their eyes met.

The game board was set, and it was time to play. De'Ville stood, and greeted "Biacca" with a smile. "Welcome to Onderon, Miss Leh. I am Advisor Vide. Please, have a seat and we will talk about your proposed business arrangement." She indicated a seat across the desk from her, and the secretary discretely closed the doors.

Not waiting for the Siren to take the offered seat, De'Ville sat and pressed a discrete button under her desk that enveloped the office with a dampening field. No one who opposed her would gain anything from trying to eavesdrop.

[Milivikal k'Vik]

Despite this being De'Ville's ground, it was clear that Milivikal had the upper hand through surprise. Her intentions were a mystery to her former comrade.

"Greetings Advisor Lllliillaeena Dee'Villlde." She said, the two names intermingling. "Time has slipped by since we last met. You have been busy indeed. Onderon, seat of the Maladorian War effort! Revan and Malak, and Freedon Nadd." De'Ville's heart skipped a beat.

k'Vik raised an eyebrow, her blue eyes alight.

"So tell me, how have you faired, Puppetmaster of Onderon?"

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"I have done well, as you can see. And you..." she paused, "Not quite as well, I sense?"

De'Ville folded her hands on top of the desk, appearing relaxed but was fully alert.

[Milivikal k'Vik]

Milivikal's head tilted slightly, her pale eyes stared at De'Ville, unblinking. Although Onderon would not belong to the Sisters, it could be an asset, still.

"There have been changes, of many things. Dalethria now leads the Sisters, and I am her Second."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

De'Ville "hmmm"ed and raised an eyebrow. "Then many things have changed. Sorsha would not willingly acquiese her position." She let that sit in the air a moment, and then waved her hand as though to dismiss the comment.

"But of course this is most likely water under the bridge for you, and not the reason you are here. Which brings me to the obvious question. Why are you here?" Her voice was light, but there was a bit of steel to the last question. Milivikal may or may not have known that De'Ville was on Onderon, and therefore her presence could be anything from a diplomatic visit to a fellow darksider, or a sign of imminent attack from her group that she called the Sisters.

De'Ville chose not to decide which it was until presented with the facts: either from k'Vik's own mouth or the Force.

[Milivikal k'Vik]

"Sorsha is not for discussion." k'Vik agreed. It was a truly neutral statement of fact, with no emotion.

"The Galaxy hums, it's tune changes, we must move to hear it better. Ancient places with new energy." She pointed skyward. "Onderon was considered."

"The Hand did not understand itself, nor did Sorsha understand how to accomplish a goal. Dalethria does. I do. You do. As such." Mili rubbed her fingers together. "I suggest convenience."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Convenience?" De'Ville sat back a little in her chair, floating two empty glasses and a pitcher of water from a side table to the desk. She poured using the Force while she continued. "I have no room here for your Sisters. Chaos serves no purpose but Chaos alone, and getting things done relies on order. Or has your 'god' changed her tune? Melodies do shift, yet to change so dramatically..."

De'Ville brought one glass to her hand, and left the second for k'Vik if she wanted. She sipped it, watching the Siren over the rim of the glass.

[Milivikal k'Vik]

The Siren laughed. Not lightly, but heartily. After a minute she began to regain her composure.

"Oh oh." She said, wiping moisture from her eyes. "Ai, you do not understand many things. Onderon was considered. If we must dance, shan't step on the others toes. I seek a vauge understanding. The coveted Onderon is yours. We do not move with Sorsha's waste any longer."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

If she was a cat her ears would have laid back. She did not enjoy being laughed at, especially on her own ground. Lilaena's lips tightened slightly, and then she replied pointedly, "What understanding do you seek, Siren?"

She made a mental note to make sure that all of the 'sensitive' areas on the planet were secured from this woman's nosing around. She hadn't had Biacca Leh tailed or watched previously, but there were some things that should be left as aces in the hole.

She'd once taught this woman's master, Dalethria, the ways of the Black Hand. The ideals that she still held to. How much the woman had retained and passed on was yet to be seen.

[Milivikal k'Vik]

"Order can create chaos, and chaos can create order. A will to fight either system always exists. I seek an understanding that we do not seek undeeded hostilities. If the Sisters and your contemporaries on Onderon must clash, so be it. If we have a mutual interest, so be it, too. I see no need to run headlong into each other over methodolgy and philosophy when we have non-interfering goals."

Milivikal smiled.

"You should worry less, De'Ville."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She chuckled half-heartedly. "I have had no reason to seek out Sorsha or her ilk, and I continue not to have any." De'Ville nodded, "You have your understanding, Siren. Unless your Sisters interfere with Onderon, I have no quarrel with them."

The Force delicately tickled at her mind, and Lilaena came to a decision. "Talk wearies me. Would you like to walk with me for a while?"

[Milivikal k'Vik]

Milivikal nodded, and soft smile on her face. Adhereing to hard plans had worn on De'Ville. Her lack of flexibility might be a problem in the coming turbulence. Like grass, the Sisters would bend in the wind, but stand straight when the day broke. The Puppetmaster of Onderon was clever, though.

She stood shorter than De'Ville, who was also wider in the hips and shoulders. The Dark Jedi had a powerful, but still feminine figure. Mili suspected that her sexual preference was as narrow as her philosophy. The Siren did not picture her naked... for very long. After all, she was still dangerous, and, more importantly, not interested. There was an opportunity to learn about both Onderon and her former comrade if she paid attention.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

For the first few minutes they walked in silence. De'Ville had left the dampening field in place around her office, in case anyone still thought she was in conference. The thought that had come to her amused her, and a smile tugged at the edges of her lips as she and the Siren walked through a side door and out into a hand watered, and carefully tended garden.

Lilaena stopped to pluck a flower with her fingers, and idly inhaled the blossom's heady scent. Twirling it at her side between her fingers, she looked sideways at k'Vik. "I know you have done your research, Siren, and you know all that Onderon can offer the strong. The dark moon, for one." A slight frown creased her forehead, "I would dislike it very much if that sacred ground was intruded upon."

She continued to lead her visitor down through the garden until they came to some seculded steps. They were narrow, and steep, but De'Ville did not pause to descend in front of the Siren. If the woman wished her harm she would have already tried. "But as much as we know that I hate dependence on others... it is also good to cultivate friendships. Guarded though they may be." The steps zig-zagged across the hill that the city was built upon, but no assassination attempt would ever happen on this open stair. The steps led down to a side gate of a large building that nearly overshadowed them.

De'Ville stopped short of the gate, nodding politely to the two uniformed Beastriders that stood guard. They stepped aside, silent and stoic. "I offer a gift of friendship to you, Siren. To seal that we will not actively seek war against the other, but if it comes to us, we will not shrink back from what must be done."

Her last words were nearly drowned out by a chorus of terrible shrieks from inside the building's walls. De'Ville smiled, "Come, meet the beasts of Onderon."

[Milivikal k'Vik]

“I will have to think on that.” She said as they stepped through the door. Milivikal heard De’Ville easily through the clamour.

A grin spread across the Siren’s face.
“I have read much of the beasts and their riders. They are not what they were. I saw Onderon before the Mandalorian Wars. Most of the people have lost their edge, but not the beasts.” Milivikal called back at the creatures, who replied with another volley of noise. K’Vik laughed.

“Ai, it has been long since I conversed with the beasts!”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She raised an eyebrow, "I see I have nothing new to show you." They passed rows of industrial strength holding pens, full of the enormous grey skinned beasts and some of their riders. The men they passed were not afraid to make eyecontact with the Advisor, and openly admired her companion behind their backs.

De'Ville paused in front of one of the pens. "This is Goliath. He has been in service since his taming over a hundred years ago." The beast snarled, exposing curved teeth, but seemed content to submit to it's handler's grooming. The young man in with the creature had a shock of red hair, and soothed Goliath with a few murmured words as he removed the saddle.

Goliath snapped at De'Ville, and reared up to flap his huge wings a few times. His grey skin was criss-crossed with scars, and one eye was creased with an old wound that had left his cornea whitened with blindness. The Beastrider scrambled backwards, cursing at the beast until Goliath decided he was done impressing the females. "Advisor, please, wait until I remove myself from the pen."

She looked amused, "I did nothing, Giran. How are the perimeters?"

He worked the bridle off of Goliath as he answered, "The last of the repairs to the walls are done. But we lost over thirty builders in the process." Another curse, "If your Manda - but you haven't introduced me to your guest." He smiled warmly at k'Vik, a little flushed from changing the subject.

"My apologies. This is Biacca Leh, a businesswoman who is investigating Onderon for a new office. Miss Leh, his Liege, Giran, King of Onderon and Overseer of the Dark Moon."

Goliath snapped at the king, but missed on purpose. Giran stepped around the beast's huge clawed feet and exited the pen. "The pleasure is mine, Miss Leh. Does Iziz suit itself towards your business needs?" He was as charming as ever, his well muscled body standing just over six feet tall. But his Beastrider uniform was smudged with dirt from his recent patrol.

De'Ville kept a careful eye on the Siren, as she had not intended for her to meet the King at all. An unpleasant development, but an interesting one.

[Milivikal k'Vik]

k’Vik watched the beast, unafraid. It was showing off, for whatever reason. Flyers like this Goliath were vulnerable to sonic weapons: she was a sonic weapon.

Mili crossed her arms and watched Giran scramble away from Goliath, and scramble at and then away from De’Ville. This redhead was an interesting character. This chance meeting was clearly a mistake, judging from a few glances from her host. In his dirty uniform, he looked very rugged. Mili was sure he was very pretty out of his uniform, figurehead he may be. Repairing the wall was important, but it was clear that it had been expensive, if they were actually repairing the wall. The Siren doubted it.

“Charmed.” Mili flashed a brilliant, radiant smile.
“Iziz wasn’t exactly what we were expecting, but my partners and I will definitely be interested.”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

De'Ville gestured onward, "We were heading towards the nursery, your Highness. Would you care to join us..?"

He stripped off his riding gloves, "Normally I'd love to, but I've got to get cleaned up to meet with ... But Miss Leh, you are in good hands. Advisor Vide is one of the most capable women I have ever met. I hope you find what you are looking for, and if there is anything the Sovereign Seat of Iziz can do for you, just let me know." He flashed another smile, and then turned to make his way towards the Beastrider barracks that were in the center of the building.

De'Ville turned her head slightly towards Milivikal as he walked out of sight. "I am unfortunately rather bare in front of you now." She could have her killed, but it would cost many lives to do the task. Unless she did it herself. Messy, with a chance of failure. Hope it does not come to that. "Shall we go on?"

Goliath shrieked, trying to scare away the pair of intruders from the front of his pen.

[Milivikal k'Vik]

“He’s rather insistent, I think we should.” Milivikal followed De’Ville to another section of the beastiary. There were many squawks of smaller beasts. With anyone else out of earshot, Milivikal replied in kind. There were a few replies, but many of the creatures were bewildered. The Siren giggled.

De’Ville still looked undressed, but she still had the upper hand.

“I stated that Onderon is yours. What has you on edge?”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

A faint smile creased her lips. "My past. You." Perhaps she had been around Shadana too long, but there was something about being around a woman who was... the eldest that was unnerving. "Ah, here we are." The sooner she was gone, the better.

They stepped into a noticably more humid room from the open courtyard of pens. There were two pens filled with a comfortable layer of straw, one of which was empty. The other held a sleeping female war beast, and two suckling infants that were curled up against her unforgiving flank.

There was a third young one, one that had been picked on by the other two and shoved away from the mother. It was not a runt, although it certainly would have died in the wild. About as large as a cat, the grey skinned creature was the only one awake, mewling in his separate cage where the breeders cared forhim. "He is called Ommin, after an ancient king of Onderon." De'Ville gazed at the ugly creature, smiling as it flapped its tiny wings at the intruders. They were still too underdeveloped to carry the belly weight of the pudgy beast, fat on mother's milk and bits of raw meat.

"He was rejected by the mother, but actually doing better than his siblings now."

[Milivikal k'Vik]

Milivikal stared at the beast, deep in thought.

“Ommin has to prove his worth to the world.” She made a greeting call, and Ommin responded in kind, and snapped his jaws. Mili only knew a little of the beasts and some of the simpler calls.

“Sometimes they are rejected because they are weak. This one, he is a threat. Stop it before it grows, they thought.” She smiled at De’Ville, who was clearly uncomfortable in her presence.

“I am burdening you. I will leave and think on your offer.”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"No - you misunderstand. My offer is not complete yet." Lilaena gestured towards the calf. "Ommin is yours, as a symbol of friendship."

The Siren looked from her to the beast, and De'Ville relaxed a bit. When the woman looked into her eyes she felt exposed.

[Milivikal k'Vik]

Mili rested a finger on her lips. The beast would attract unwanted attention.

She sighed, still looking at the creature. “I have no time or place to care for Ommin.”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

De'Ville studied her face, and then looked at the beast who tested his lungs with an ear piercing shriek that awakened the mare and the other calves. "Very well..."

It was insulting to have her gift refused, but she didn't show it. "Would you like to join me for a meal before you are escorted to your ship?"

[Milivikal k'Vik]

k'Vik frowned. De'Ville's tone was easily deciphered.

"To take care of him would be the common vernacular? Understand that the beast is magnificent, and I do not refuse Ommin." Sometimes her older style of speach was misunderstood.

"And yes, a meal."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Lilaena smiled, "Lunch, or dinner? Your local time is probably a bit different from ours. And Ommin will be made ready for travel. As you most likely already know, these beasts are domesticated only to a point - even after thousands of years they have not lost their wildness."

She led her uninvited guest out through the front doors of the complex. "It's a short walk to the palace, but mostly uphill."

[Milivikal k'Vik]

Hills did not bother Milivikal. She was lithe, and perhaps in the best physical shape of her life.

"Ommin will not fit in my ship. It is small."