Nar Shaddaa

As information trickled in from Anthy of what Section IX could tell her, Shaisha passed the message on to the Pantoran that she had more information on the Kintan-job, as well as the adress to her apartement. It was still one of the most secure places she felt.

This is gonna be a mess... we're gonna need a lot of firepower... and competent slicers...

She mulled over the possibilities of how that rescue-operation could go wrong, as she put on some music and got herself a drink.

An address to an apartment. That was most unusual. Durasay was still feeling the effects from leaving the Wraith's ship. Darkness still curled up inside, deep within his core. He tried to push it back, but he was still reeling from the night before.

As he approached the door, he heard the dull, muffled music through the walls. Making sure his jacket and coat were squared off, he knocked.

The music was perhaps unexpected, judging by the source; a beautiful duet with two soprano. And the apartement itself was located in one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the upper levels.

A few moments pass and Shaisha opened the door personally. "That was faster than I expected. Come on in and make yourself comfortable."

Inside, the apartement looked... very different from what one would expect of a Sith. Rather than the oppressive Imperial aesthetics, there were no banners of Imperial symbols or anything of the kind, but rather the luxury apartement sported many paintings, works of arts, and archaeological treasures from various parts of the galaxy. The sitting room had a large panorama-view of the cityscape outside, as well as large double-doors leading out to a big swimming pool.

"Would you care for a drink?"

"I would love one, thank you." He carefully removed his trench coat, placing it on a coat hangar, or in the closet if directed. Beneath he was wearing his dark blue Pantoran Defense military uniform, the buckle and boots shined to regulation. He, however, looked slightly worse for the wear. Walking with the slightest of limps, his ankle still sore from the night before. He took a few steps into the apartment, the music soothing to his ears. Yellow-amber eyes taking in all the amenities, as well as the amazing sight of the balcony.

"I don't know what I expected, Lady Shaisha, but it certainly wasn't this." He was used to staying aboard the Tortoise, or other cramped quarters. He offered her a smile, stepping further into her domain.

"My master is a generous one," she replied with a small smile. "And knows the importance of having a secure location on Nar Shaddaa that is a bit more hospitable than the Imperial compound... which I understand can be sometimes unpleasant for outsiders."

While she did not wear the light armour she had worn during their previous meetings, there was still a lightsaber on each hip from her belt. Probably standard Sith paranoia, or just showing him that she had an advantage if he would try anything.

"You don't look so good though, if I may say." She moved to what looked like a Massassi sarcophagus, but once opened... it was actually the bar.

"It's... been a night. Ended up staying at the hospital. Not for me. But didn't feel right to leave my friend there alone over night." He chuckled, the memory causing a new rise of rage to course through his veins. He did eye her lightsabers, as he listened to her. Her master. Apparently she was not a Lord, either.

He pursed his lips, before forcing a small smile of his own. "I'm sure your master also values the comfort of their apprentice, as well." He waited by a chair in the living room, not wanting to take a seat before she had.

"To an extent, yes, though this apartement is his. I've merely been given his permission to use it as I see fit during my stay here." Though I suspect he spoils me sometimes. "Though in some ways, I suppose it is a reward for all my hard work... work hard and party harder is an often-shared phrase in his circle."

A glass of brandy is poured for the Pantoran, and Shaisha pass it to him with a slightly appraising glance, but her smile is gone. "Have a seat and relax. And be glad it wasn't you in a hospital. I spent a lot of last night in similar circumstances... and still have another friend in the infirmary that I haven't had the chance to visit yet. Seems like the Jedi aren't really caring all that much about these peace talks..." she sighed and sipped from her own glass of brandy.

"The Jedi don't seem to care about much." Like making sure one of their own wasn't nearly killed. The thought of Alysele in the hospital soured him again, but he still took the brandy. He slowly sank into one of the chairs, taking a long drink from the brandy. "Find much reason to party harder?" He cocked an eyebrow, looking at her, finding another weak smile.

"My friend has your friend, Lord Rath, to thank for not being in far worse condition than she is. So far, the Sith are showing themselves far more... noble... than I had been led to believe." He held the glass up in the air, yellow-golden eyes locked on the true Sith. "Thank you for your hospitality, Lady Shaisha. Your message said you had some news for our little plan? Might be best to discuss it before you and I finish more of this brandy than we anticipate." An actual laugh followed, as he leaned back, his right leg coming up over his left knee.

"Jo'ren is a dependable guy. He's one I'd trust to have my back in a pinch," she replied with a small smirk and made herself comfortable on the chair opposite of him. "The Sith have... well, an unfair reputation, I would say, but we are also a diverse lot because no Sith is the same."

The Sith savoured the brandy before proceeding.

"Right... my crew is a little understaffed, thanks to the Republic, but we were able to get some information. It's not going to be an easy rescue-mission in any way. Place is owned by Dango the Hutt, so security is pretty damn high. Lots of hired guns and mercs overseeing the defenses there, and the whole place is built into a cliffside, accessible only via ship."

"He impressed me. I know if I had the opportunity to work with him again, I would." He watched as she sat down, his eyes focused on her facial features. Taking another drink from the brandy, he allowed the liquid to burn pleasantly, savoring that feeling. Listening to her description, his eyes narrowed, focusing on the task. Taking out his datapad, he began to take notes.

"Any mention of anti-ship defenses? Mercenaries and hired guns were expected, but will the approach be guarded by turbo lasers? Or should we park, and try to scale the cliff?"

"Let's just say that we could be vaped from the sky if they so wanted to," she pursed her lips slightly as she picked up her own datapad. "From what we could find, we'd need landing codes to approach the place safely. Not sure how to get that, though I figure it might be easier for a non-Sith to inquire about such."

There is a soft 'hm'. "Scaling it could be possible... then we'd have to consider cover of night for the entire thing. But the biggest problem then is safe extraction - unless we can disable all the defenses to make it safe for the pilot to get in and pick us up. "

"And we have to make sure we have all the equipment needed to scale the thing. I think stealing a prisoner transfer ship, getting falsified codes, and sneaking in might be out best bet." There was a slump back into the chair, the glass now resting against his forehead.

Shaking his head, he laughed. "Actually that could work! Just need a heavy duty slicer. Maybe a bribe here or there. This is good." Opening his eyes again, he looked to Shaisha. "Dango the Hutt. We don't pick easy targets, do we?"

"No fun in picking easy targets," she smirked and sipped her brandy with calm. "Yeah, I can see that working. Sounds like the first challenge is to find a capable slicer then... you don't happen to know anyone who can pull off a stunt like that? Unless your Mando-friend got some surprises up his durasteel sleeve...?"

"I don't, unfortunately. And Craw is a bit more of a point and click interface, if you know what I mean." He patted his holstered heavy blaster, punctuating his comment.

"I'm not opposed to finding an outside contractor. But moving in the next few days may be paramount." He drank deeply from the brandy. Beginning to feel its effects a bit faster than normal.

"Figured as much." Craw had seemed to be like the stereotypical Mandalorian she had often heard about: all guts and guns, but little brains.

"And yes... moving in the next few days is preferable. Once the peace talks here are concluded, I might be recalled back to Ziost, so there's at least my deadline for what support I can give. Officer Ormont might be of help with the slicing?" she ask herself as much as Durasay. "I mentioned this mission to him and that I had voluntold him to you... but I really suggest you two talk it out. I don't like speaking for others too much."

"I'd like to meet him soon, then. See if he can find aligned with a couple ne'er do wells tolerable." Idly a finger tapped at the rim of his glass.

He figured many would be going back to where they had come from. Assignments and missions to be done to maintain whatever came out of the peace talks.

"A shame then, after this mission, after everything, we might not see each other ever again. I'll admit, I've lost a few preconceived notions."

"It's not entirely impossible to meet again," she offered with a brief smile. "If we get out of this little heist alive, well, having capable freelancers to call on is always good... and for you guys, having a connection to a Sith might be useful too. But what are these preconcieved notions of yours that you have lost, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, a few have confirmed them, too. Xenophobic. Psychopathic. Almost just mustache twirling evil, if that makes sense." He finished his drink, setting the glas down on the arm rest.

"But then there are you, Lord Rath, Wraith. Like I said, noble in action. Not what you're told growing up. It has me questioning a lot of things. Lady Wraith has... gotten me thinking."

Especially with how the Jedi seemed to just act so... reactive. And leaving Aly to work things out on her own.

"It's a lot to think about."

"Hm..." Shaisha regarded him with some curiosity as she listened to him speak. "Personally, I like to think everyone is a little psychopathic, but that could just be my life experiences." She shrugged casually.

"The philosophy of the Jedi doesn't encourage them to the active. They favour the status quo and seek compromise where they should try to blaze a path forward. Are you familiar with the Sith code then, considering your new thoughts? Not just the words, but its meaning and history?"

"No. Not really." He shook his head, the glass idly rocking bath and forth on the arm rest. This was the second time today that someone had brought up the Jedi defending the status quo.

"What is it's history?"

"Peace is a lie. There is only Passion.
Through Passion I gain Strength.
Through Strength I gain Power.
Through Power I gain Victory.
Through Victory my chains are Broken.
The Force shall free me."

Shaisha recited the words by heart as she rose from her seat, having learned them from when she was a small child.

"The Jedi Heretic Sorzys Syn was the one to first write down the words, after arriving to Korriban and encountering my ancestors, thousands of years ago. She was so impressed with their ferocity and their fierceness, that she created the mantra, known as Qotsisajak in the language of my people. In her journal, Syn stated that the Jedi beliefs only encouraged acceptance of one's limitations and passivity. The Sith Code was created so as to point to the 'failings' of the Jedi Code, and it was meant to become a unifying mantra for the followers of the newly created Sith Empire."

She paced to the panorama windows. "Peace is a lie - it is obvious. Even in peace, there is conflict spurred on by passions. Passions of love, desire, revenge, hate... the list goes on really. And we aren't strong by denying the existence of these feelings, we find strength in them. Like how we fight harder to protect the ones we love, or how people rise up in hatred and fear against tyrants."

Durasay stood as she did, watching her as she began to walk. He followed her, moving to her side. His left arm moving behind his back, his right hand holding his empty glass. He looked out the massive windownas she spoke about the code.

"That... makes a lot of sense. Looking to those emotions to push you beyond your perceived limits." And he had seen his limits. He wanted to move beyond them.

"That is the embodiment of the Code," she nodded approvingly as he seemed to grasp its meaning quickly. "Denying the existence of conflict is to deny yourself the chance to grow and adapt. And through trials of pain and hardship, we break the chains that hold us back in life. For some, the chains are of a more physical nature than others... and for some the chains are all in our heads."

Judging by her determined expression, she looked like she had broken a few chains along the way too.

"Some Sith errantly think that the Code is about being the meanest baddest thing around," she chuckled, "like the aforemention mustache-twirling evil you mentioned. And sure, some of them draws power from it too, but power is also unique for each individual. So what is it that drives you, Durasay Mixo?"

"Some?" He raised an eyebrow. Zhorrid, that woman he met on the hunt. Lord Deathwright, something about his demeanor seemed to call to that as well.

What drove him? What was it that made Durasay tick, and strive so hard. "I don't like seeing the weak exploited. I work to better the galaxy, for those who have felt the cruel yoke of injustice for too long."

He turned to face her. "I want to live in a Galaxy where everyone is free."

She considered his words carefully, her gaze taking in the lights and the movements of the world outside the window.

"A noble goal to strive towards. At least it sounds like something you truly work for rather than just letting it be a dream." There is a slightly approving smile on her features as she regard the Pantoran with some new respect.

"There is injustice everywhere in the Galaxy, I know, but it's not fought by merely contemplating, and certainly not by shying away from conflict... this is where I think the Jedi have truly failed the Galaxy as its pronounced Guardians. From what I hear, they're too concerned with playing along to the tune of corrupt politicians."