You'll Owe Me, Crazy Duros [EM7]

[Aphr Ahaya]

"A blaster, and my sense of caution" Aphr chuckled "I won't bring you up, I promise. I wasn't aware though that you were supposed to be a secret? Are you in more trouble?"

[Moyr Ahaya]

"Gloves are slipping off in the conflict between the Empire and the Republic, dear. I expect the peace talks to unravel. I guarantee you that no-one will be interested in getting into details of my philosophies or where my immediate enemies are. For many, I am just an Imperial Sith. And because of this the less about me enters the circulation, the better. As a Lethan, I am already overly uncommon a look."

Moyr produced her own blaster. X-30 Lancer, long-range barrel, with a telescope.

"The grip won't fit your hand but you can check if you'd like to have something like this. This pistol is practically a portable sniper rifle."

[Aphr Ahaya]

Her eyes widenee as she examined the gun, clearly quite impressed. "I've never seen anything like that in my life. It musr have cost a small fortune. Where did you get it from?"

[Moyr Ahaya]

"From none other than Zios Thran, the weapons dealer we're trying to help. His prices are good, he often foregoes Hutt fees. And he's very impressed with a Sith called the Red Wraith ever since she scored a hat trick in the Huttball Game of the Year which helps very much in dealing with him. So I really don't want him out of business."

Moyr smiled, letting Aphr realise while having many faces was a good thing, being recognisable and yet not.

"The basic model is around a thousand creds."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"A thousand for the basic model...and how much for all these extra modifications?" Aphr finally understood, and nodded her head "something you wouldn't have been able to get as easily were you operating everything under a single name, right?"

[Moyr Ahaya]

"I have different faces for different people. It makes much harder to track what I am doing." Moyr nodded. "Perhaps another thousand or so. The optics is actually the cheapest and makes the biggest difference. Customising grip and installing a better actuator costs more, and honing both usually requires some more investment, in addition to knowing someone who can do it well. I can't."

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr frowned for a moment.

"So it's a lot of work and a lot of contacts to get a weapon like that. I don't know if I know anyone like that. Baesal seems very intelligent, does she know how to do them?"

[Moyr Ahaya]

"She's absolutely top notch. The only thing I handle myself is the crystal in my lightsabre, as shaping this one is a very personal matter for every Force user. All other work on my equipment is hers." Moyr smirked.

[Aphr Ahaya]

"Really?" Aphr looked impressed "Baesal is really talented! You're lucky that she helps you so much. Her own equipment must be really something to behold on its own..."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"She constructs things I don't even vaguely understand how they work. And she always seeks new things to occupy herself with." Moyr smirked ruefully. "I sometimes regret I let her go. Her passion belongs with the Sith, it's her hate of the Empire that has mostly driven her away."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"Let her go?" Aphr tilted her head "I'd say she hasn't gone anywhere. You still spend lots of time with her, Jedi or not, Right?"

[Moyr Ahaya]

"When she was planning to run away from Yavin, we talked. I could have stopped her. I decided to let her go her way, and then covered up her disappearance long enough for her to get away." Moyr sighed. "I guess I believe in individual paths through the Force too strongly."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"That wouldn't have been right though. If she wanted to leave, forcing her to stay would'nt have made her happy, right?" Aphr smiled "it doesn't matter what side you are on, or she is on. Not really, unless you or her put the emphasis on it."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"It does matter, darling. I wish it didn't but it does. While I have relented to let her pursue her way, she does not return the favour and tries to poison my mind with the Jedi nonsense." Moyr scoffed.

[Aphr Ahaya]

That made Aphr frown a little. "She's the only Jedi I've met that makes even a tiny bit of sense. I don't think her views are all that bad...it's not like she drugged a whole dinner party like a Jedi master did."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"She's level-headed but still pays lip service to their dangerous dogmas. The Jedi pseudo-peace encourages stagnation, corruption and rejection of what makes us sentients. Passion is my strength, I survived the depravities the self-righteous Republic turns a blind eye on only because I fought tooth and nail for my dignity and for my very existence. I won't give up, I won't give in to their notions of serene acceptance of all that I reject. Baes has all the best intentions, but if I followed her wishful thoughts rather than my own sense of what is right, I would be undone." Moyr averred passionately.

[Aphr Ahaya]

She really hates the Light side...

"I don't think you would have. You're too strong, and nothing is going to easily undo you. But...I'm sorry for bringing the subject up sis" she looked down "I don't think she's so bad though."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"It's all right, dear. I am a woman of conviction, I don't shy away from expressing my philosophies. Especially to you." Moyr smiled.

[Aphr Ahaya]

"You've never shied away from anything" Aphr said with a smile "and I'm glad you still feel you can talk with me after all these years of being so far away. It must have been hard before."

[Moyr Ahaya]

Moyr sighed. "It may have looked like that, dear, but as a child I was very lost and very scared. The people who wanted me to call them parents betrayed me. They had been betraying me for a long time, that was just a final stroke of it. I didn't have my resolve then, but a lot of fear that fuelled desperation. When I learned where I was going and what was about to be done to me, I was like an animal that would bite its own paw off to get out of the trap. It was very hard, Aphr, overall. There were good times, there were bad times, but sooner or later it ended in pain. Less so the physical one, but the one inside. And pain is a great teacher." She looked down.

[Aphr Ahaya]

"I know how our parents were. I hated how they treated you. It wasn't fair that you were so picked on from the start, they should have been ashamed." Aphr moved in to hug Moyr again "you're stronger for it though. You've faced many terrible things, and still you are standing and moving forward. I've always idolized you for your strengths, I don't know if I could have survived what you faced."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"We won't know that, dear." Moyr returned the affection. "Still, you have a lot of surviving to do for yourself now. Things accelerate once you become aware of your connection to the Force."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"You can say that again" Aphr sighed, giving Moyr a gentle squeeze "I didn't expect this much of a rollercoaster. I can barely keep up with changes within my own life."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"It's going to be like that, but getting used to happens quite fast too. If the Force provides power, it's for that power to be brought into the world to create change. You are important, my dear little sister. Special because of your gift. Always remember that, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Not even yourself. Especially yourself." She nuzzled gently before disconnecting. "Now let's go try to find that bastard again. Things look like they might have calmed down."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"I'll remember" Aphr said, releasing Moyr after a moment "thank you."

She paused, listening out for a few moments, before nodding.

"It's not entirely clear, but it's calmer now. There will be a lot more suspicion around now though, so be careful."