Nar Shaddaa

[A mood-inducer, because why not!]

The prior night Moyr had been reassured by her sister that she was safe but the turbulent time of their past days had deprived Moyr of knowing everything else that mattered about Aphr's condition.The reckoning had passed, and now? She was about to find out. She waited for her only real family by the lowered ramp.

Previously, Aphrs arrivals had been more curious in nature, or after a painful situation like the Ackley. Now, however, she felt different. More resolved in her future, and on the wave of success for once. She had her focus in place.

So when she approached her sisters ship, she walked with confidence. Although she still hurried the last few steps to hug Moyr.

"I'm glad you're ok" she said quietly into the hug.

Moyr smirked genuinely at the invitation, hugged back with a tender squeeze and braided her lekku with Aphr's for as long as it lasted.

"I can take care of myself, and I am glad I can say the same thing about you. How was your night on the burning moon?"

"I know you can" Aphr said as her lekku wrapped round Moyr's "but that doesn't mean I don't worry."

She gave Moyr a squeeze, before eventually letting her go.

"It was...an experience. I'm safe, Galen is safe. Even before all the explosions though...can we go into your ship? I would like to talk about something."

"You're always welcome here, dear. Come on. I can't honestly wait until I hear all this." She pulled Aphr into the ship and straight to the mess hall where they could speak comfortably.

Aphr managed not to laugh. "You seem eager dear sister." She gave Moyrs arm a squeeze, before detaching herself when they got to the hall.

"I finally understand what you said before. About shaping fears into a weapon I mean. Last night, I finally used the saber properly, to protect Galen and dispatch a crime boss that by my vision intended to kill us execution style. I...I felt strong."

She paused, before asking "so I guess I'm saying...If you'll have me, I want to come with you. I don't take up much space, promise!" Aphr laughed

"I got a cabin to be ready for you like a week ago. Not because I knew. But because I fiercely hoped." Moyr laughed back as the flopped into seats. "I am proud of you. You learn so fast. It is probably not a coincidence that the Force manifested itself in you here, on Nar Shaddaa, where you could get your answers."

"The Force is weird" Aphr laughed, shrugging "but I'm glad as well. I just hope this rollercoaster of a ride will start slowing down now I feel that my path is set."

She moved to sit next to Moyr, smilingly warmly.

"I'm not sure where the next path goes, but I want to be stronger. To be able to control my fear and shape it like yesterday."

"Then I get it is to Korriban, dear. We'll be in the Stygian Nebula in a few days." Moyr embraced her with one arm and reached out for glasses and something to drink with the other. First instinct was whiskey, that was always a good option, but there was also a bottle of Mandalorian ale. Moyr put both on the table. "But we need to approach the matter carefully. I have some ideas we need to discuss."

Aphr leaned into her sister, looking at the two bottles on the table. "A part of me will be slightly sad about leaving those I know. I've made some friends that I'd like to see again, but the future is also quite exciting."

She tilted her head and looked at Moyr.

"What ideas, sis?"

"You don't have to loosen contact with them, not indefinitely, as long as you secure some freedom to move around on your own accord. It won't be for the next couple of months, but later..."

Wordlessly, Moyr suggested the Mando'a ale first.

"I'd like you to consider taking another name while entering the Empire. All that ought to know will know anyway, but it may spare you some trouble with all the others, my own enemies included. Maybe it would even take you off the Zhorrid's radar. I assume that as Aphr you've built your own rapport in some circles which may find it harder to accept you once you become a Sith. If the Sith Aphr Ahaya does never come to being in public awareness, you will have the freedom to exercise either identity as it suits you."

Aphr nodded as the ale was poured, but she was more focused on the words. "Creating a new identity would allow me to still keep my old ties without risk. I don't appear to be a Sith after all, and my saber is small and easily concealed. I can easily operate invisibly, and my training with the Hutts allows me to navigate socially as well as secretly."

She paused again, thoughtfully, before smiling.

"I remember a certain name from before, Kalikori I think it was?"

"It's more like a pseudonym bot for anyone not familiar with Twi'lek culture it should be sounding like a pretty name."

Moyr agreed with a nod.

"In fragile peacetime we soon will be having most of the game will move to the shadows. You could groom it into an advantage for you and your future Master. Like the incident yesterday showed, even for those powerful Darths like Baras having a dedicated and capable apprentice who focuses more on tasks at hand and on developing own capacities rather than on uprooting his superior is quite a hassle."

"In time I'll create a new name. I've not considered it yet, but it won't take me long to create a new image" Aphr nodded, although she frowned as they were reminded of the previous night "such an explosive betrayal, and so many dead...it's horrible."

"I was worried about you but you stayed safe just fine, and sorted out your business no less through strength and resolve. So I am worried much less now that you've found your strength."

Moyr clinked her glass of ale with Ahpr's and squeezed her gently, pride evident in her eyes as she watched Aphr closely.

"Every crisis brings a lesson, and you can learn from both those you're in and those you can observe. It was a convoluted situation there, between Darth Baras and Magpie, and by far not all was as it seemed to be."

Aphr took a long sip of the drink before she spoke again. She did look happy at the praise though. "If I've made such a good impression already, I'll have to work a little harder in the future to continue impressing" there was a small chuckle, before she looked serious once more. "This situation with Darth Baras and Magpie...I don't think I fully understand what's happened. Is this something I should be concerned about?"

It sounded a better way to ask instead of saying 'are you involved'.

"Sith politics getting awry. I've mentioned one Sylvain Torsin to you once, haven't I? He's probably key to understanding what has occurred, though even I don't have full insight into what actually happened. He and I haven't been close lately." Moyr got a bit more serious and thoughtful. She drained more ale in one swig that felt casual.

"I met him" Aphr nodded "I've worked quite closely with one Shaisha Verysk in my time with the Starcross, and she mentioned him as well."

She leaned into Moyr, hugging her gently.

"What do you know of what happened? I haven't kept up at all."

"Hoshin is certainly not Magpie. She was Baras' hitman, a rather unsubtle and simple-minded person incapable of deeper intrigue, or cultivating ties with conspiracies like Crescent Shadow. So she was framed, once Baras found her disposable. Why she had challenged him in the first place I do not know, but I assume she had been manipulated to do so. Torsin was his second apprentice, meant to be the political agent, spymaster and so forth. But since Baras was implicated in the murder of his father, the previous Minister of War Baras succeeded, I don't imagine their relationship was a good one. Or rather I practically know for a fact that it wasn't. Baras probably picked him so that he could have him under close supervision. Baras also was responsible for the purge of Grand Moff Serasai, wrongly implicated in Torsin's father murder. The Moff was also the father of Torsin's beau Kristal..."

Moyr finished the glass and poured again. Then emptied it again and took a deep breath. Aphr could feel her sister's body tensing, overcoming something. Perhaps just trying to be brave.

"...So I think the young Torsin may have masterminded the assault, or maybe tried to seize an opportunity to depose Baras. I don't know who is the real Magpie, frankly, but it looked like a personal vendetta since Baras had little stake in the affairs of Nar Shaddaa for Crimson Shadow to target him for their own reasons. So maybe someone bound by blood or friendship to Torsins or Serasais. In the end, it could have been framed as a Sith exercise in an apprentice overpowering and superseding his or her master. Which has failed. One of the lessons for you in this is that many things are possible if you can get away with them, but be smart about them. Don't be manipulated like Hoshin or driven by vengeance or ambition like Torsin to bite more than you can chew. This can lead to ruin, not just for you but for your friends too. Riding emotions is the first not the last step on the path to victory and freedom. Torsin's failure lies in part in his disregard of the Sith Code."

She sighed.

"This was not my fight. I didn't have huge stakes in it, nor was I really involved. I can be surprised that Vreysk and Serasai were not part of that story but there was a time I had warned Torsin that he was a fool to count on them... But it is what it is."

She hang up fro a moment, seemingly drained by relaying this, though it felt like it was not all she wanted to say.

Aphr had held Moyr closer as she tensed up, listening carefully at the story. It seemed...a horrible nightmarish mess. She sighed gently.

"Such a mess" she commented quietly, taking a small sip of her drink "all of this going along while peace talks were happening, there was no peace within the Sith camp. Infighting, attempted killing, framing..."

She gave Moyr a hug, and added "so will it affect others?"

"In a sense, it's now clear that Baras is on the rise. He's not a great friend of my Master, but neither an open enemy. He still doesn't hold a seat on the Dark Council and has his own master, Darth Vengean, over him. But he'll probably focus on consolidating power as the Minister of War. He will likely still be chasing the real Magpie. He's the one to watch closely, but not get his attention. May the fate of his apprentices bt a cautionary tale why it's better to find another interested Master. Frankly, probably only Zash is worse than him."

Moyr shuddered slightly as if awakening from some trance, but smiled and hugged back.

"As for Hoshin and Torsin? I don't care that much. It shouldn't be affecting us."

"How does one get assigned to a master in the Sith? I assume you don't just go up and ask one of the Darth" Aphr said with a small chuckle "and uh...who is the real Magpie?"

"Actually, there was some sort of debutante parties for Darths and acolytes though I didn't take part in those. I was pretty set from the first day what kind of master I'd like, and I made him notice me through my actions. I discovered valuable data and an old holocron, passing it to him. He was probing me, and on Yavin he finally accepted me after I had passed the mental trial he had designed."

Moyr mused.

"For you, Shaisha's Master, Darth Vowrawn, would be good. Or Darth Ravage, Marr or Hoshi. You'll be able to check their profiles on our way to the Imperial Space and get a feel of what you'd like and expect. Once your mind will be set, we'll be able to design a plan how to get the attention of your chosen future tutor."

She sighed.

"As for Magpie, I don't really know. But I will learn eventually."

Aphr nodded. "I get along well with Shaisha, and have done work for her master before. That would be a good option I think."

She gave Moyr another hug, adding "and I'm so happy to have you here helping me with this. It will be a lot of hard work, but I'm not facing it alone at least to begin with, and that means everything to me. You mean everything to me sis."

Moyr leaned in to hug her close.

"I love you, Aphr. It's been a blessing to see you grow in self-awareness and character since we reunited. You are a fast learner and while you can count on me I think there'll be a moment not far from now when you'll feel you can stand on your own. In times to come I need to focus on becoming stronger and more powerful too, so that no-one can take advantage of or harm either of us."