Nar Shaddaa

Having finished shopping for some things she would need for her trip to Hoth, the next stop ended up being some overpriced coffee house with a selection of sandwiches, baked goods and other things to grab.

Starbucks by any other name. Though Shaisha suspected this one was probably owned by Dango, judging by the cheap quality of the caff, and the rather drool-worthy pastries.

She flopped herself down in a lounge-chair with her tall and sugary caffeine-induced drink, and for a moment just closed her eyes and let her heightened senses drown in the surroundings. Just letting the stream that was the Force carry her along to feel the buzz of the life around her, their presence in the Force, the brief feelings and surface thoughts she occassionally picked up...

One of the nearby presences was more... consciously present in the Force than the others. A familiar presence, associated with event not particularly coffee-shop appropriate. And apparently angry enough that they were giving themselves a headache with it, despite a steady feeling of trying to soothe themselves of it.

The rage at first made her think of someone else, so when Shaisha opened her eyes to confirm it, she was a little surprised to spot... well, someone who looked familiar but different.

It took a little effort, but Shaisha managed what pretty much could be called a mental tap on the shoulder to make the human look in her direction, ready to invite the not-red-haired young woman over to her table.

Rather than looking at first, the woman closed her eyes and took a deep sigh, the anger replaced with just a strong sense of tiredness and inevitability. She does finally look over, shutting off the datapad she'd been looking at and not really seeing when she gets the indication to head over from Shai and talks her coffee and sandwich, heading over to join her at her table.

"You look, or rather feel, like you could use the company?" she said as she stirred around in her iced kaff.

Shaisha was over the initial surprise of seeing a dead person walking, and her past months with Section IX had made her more aware of the subtle changes that not-Asra had done to herself.

"Unless you prefer running...?"

"You'd already have the answer to that if I was going to at the moment," she says with a sigh, settling down. "I've got enough on my mind as it is."

"Perhaps," the Sith mused and took a sip of her caffeinated sugar-bomb.

"The cut looks nice on you, but I miss the red already... though I'm sure you have good reasons for it?"

"People don't tend to look closer if they don't see something they know is distinctive," she says, starting on her sandwich. She paused. "Though, of course, the Force throws the usual methods for a loop."

She sighs and holds a lock of hair in front of her eyes. "I miss it, too. I was looking forward to being able to wear it down more often."

"The Force does tend to work in mysterious ways," Shaisha agreed.

"Though I am now rather curious of the woman before me. As she is not the same woman I thought I knew. The one who seemed to be inlove with a Sith lord."

"She's not particularly different from the woman you knew before." There was a long pause. "It would've been much more difficult... but in some ways easier... if my feelings weren't honest."

"The woman I knew served the Empire," she lowered her gaze. "This lady seems to serve someone else, seeing as she's trying to hide, but is angry and upset."

"Of course, someone can be a confidant. To hear grievances and not speak of them again, if need be."

"The woman you knew was loyal to those who treated her like a person," she clarified, looking outside, heart heavy. There was still and undercurrent of rage, just at a simmer at the moment instead of a boil. She took another deep breath and let it out, cooling it a little. "She considered turning her back on that someone else for them. It wasn't a path she felt she could follow and remain herself. But some people have a talent for making this worse. So yes. I am aware being angry is not helpful to me at the moment, but it is a bit difficult to completely quench."

"Nothing wrong with being angry," she added with a calm chuckle. "Nurture your anger, store it away deep within yourself, until the time comes for it to be unleashed upon those trying to tear you down. Your emotions are as much a weapon as a lightsaber or a blaster."

She leaned forward slightly in her seat. "Or shall I deal with these wretches for you?"

"And in the mean time, let it give you focus," she adds darkly. There was a part of her that was immensely disturbed by how things were going, but... he'd threatened them. And it wasn't like he was a threat to just them. His actions made she herself a threat. "No. It's just one bastard... and well, this is the sort of person where it won't be that easy."

"Ah," she nodded, some suspicions coming to mind that made sense, considering that the now-dead Asra had opposed him alongside Sylvain.

"If it's who I think it is, he's a pain in the neck for more than just yourself, dear," Shaisha said with a firm nod. "What are you going to do about it is the more interesting question then."

"Well, considering I wasn't the one directly threatened, I'd agree with that," she says, looking pointedly at Shaisha. "My skills would seem suited to only one conclusion."

One of her ridged eyebrows perked ever so slightly at that. "Not the first time he's been vowing to make my life difficult, I guess," she shrugged, though there was clearly some irritation in her voice.

"Not that I would object to joining forces to make his life difficult in return. I do like getting in the shots I can at someone older and more experienced than me... especially if they threaten me and mine."

"Not just your life," she assured darkly. "Precisely my thoughts. Most of those involved can take care of themselves, but I'm not going to take threats to you or them lying down."

"My current plan is to go back home and comply for now, anyway. Gives some time. The more support, the better."

Shaisha nodded. "Seems wise."

A thought occurred to her and she pursed her lips slightly. "Hm, I believe there is a way to combine efforts on a few matters, though some of it relies on you? You see, I have... reached out, so to speak, to the Jedi on a matter, whom I will be keeping in touch with. Not that I care for their ways, but I do have an interest in the galaxy stepping above the flawed philosophies. You will be spending some time with the Jedi in the future, no?"

"Don't have much choice, though I'm going to be taking some mental health leave before then. If it's okay tat it'll be a little while, sure," she says, leaning back a little in her chair. "Admittedly, you're speaking my language about the two philosophies. What did you have in mind?"

"For the philosophies, or the Jedi?" she smiled and gave Luth a wink.

"For the latter, well, merely that it could be a channel to pass information on our... target of mutual hatred. Lessening the chances of unwanted listeners from his side, hopefully. As for the former, I intend to rise above merely being Sith. The code is fine, if only to break free of the ludicrous nonsense of the Jedi, but in itself it is flawed too. It will take years, of course, but it's time for both Jedi and Sith to rise to their full potentials."

"Seems like a sound plan," she agrees with a nod. The latter made her look thoughtful. Not approving or disapproving, but curious. "How would you define their full potential? What would you want to see them become?"

"The Jedi stifle their society by enforcing their own belief of what is 'good morals', yet they also lack will of action. The Republic could have become much more effective if the Jedi decided to take a more active role in making a difference, rather than merely waffling along to whatever is the will of the senate."

"On the other hand, you have the Sith who have at least acknowledged that command of the Force is power and take an active part as the rulers of the Empire, but far too many have squandered the freedom and privilege bestowed upon them to only ruin what could be the greatest civilization this galaxy has ever seen. I believe it is the destiny of those strong in the Force to shape the galaxy, and that both Sith and Jedi could do so for the better if they let go of their weaknesses."

"Suggesting that the possession of power dictates who should have it favors those whose only goal is to collect personal power. The fact that it does is part of what's lead to the Empire's problems," she notes. "So it seems like ambition and willingness to use power, tempered with an eye to the long term at the very least, and the ability to work with others toward a common goal or vision, ideally. The trick is whose vision. What form would such a galaxy take, who says so, and why? Who benefits from it all?"

Ah, spouting philosophical discussions on society in a coffee-shop. She had truly become space-hipster.

"Agreed, that is part of the Empire's troubles. Too many who use power for only personal power and profit, rather than using the gift they've been granted to make change for the better." She nodded in agreement with Luth's observations.

"Ideally, the galaxy should unite behind the vision of one true leader. And the benefit would be for both those with a strong connection to the Force and those without, that those who have been given power use it for progress and prosperity."