What happened was pretty much what the Sith had predicted. Vette found herself in a cramped cell, collared, hungry, hurting, exhausted, the subject of endless questions. She soon learned that no matter what she said, she'd get a shock (unless, they promised, she named her accomplices, which was never going to happen), so she resorted exclusively to witty retorts. At least it kept her sane. Once she'd asked about the acolyte who both saved and condemned her, but with no name and only a vague description - tall, in well-made light armor under a cloak of some dark blue material - they couldn't, or wouldn't, tell her anything.
She'd been there a few hours - days - it was hard to tell - when the jailer came in with news. She was going to have a visitor.
Witty retort.
Zap. Better if she watched her tongue around this one.
Witty retort.
Zap.
And so on. Vette had no strength left to wonder who might be coming. She only wanted the jerk in front of her to GO. AWAY. Not that things were much better when she was left alone to fully enjoy her boredom, and misery, and unpleasant speculations on the future.
The jerk was called away at last. Vette slumped to the floor and let her head rest against the bars, closing her eyes. He'd be back. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but her supply of wisecracks was starting to run a little low. Soon she'd have to start repeating herself, and who knew where that might lead. Voices drifted in from the office area. Jerk and... and...
Her eyes opened. She couldn't hear the words, but she knew that voice. Half excited, half afraid, she tried to pick up what they were saying. The word Baras was being thrown around a lot. Slave. Tombs. "Teach her a lesson" - that from Jerk. Not very encouraging. Abruptly the voices started coming her way. She scrambled to her feet, attempting to look nonchalant, but when the pair came in sight along the row of cages, she gasped.
It was the same woman, all right. Same clothes, same air of command, but this time, no helmet. And she wasn't just a Sith. She was a SITH Sith. Red skin. Sharp yellow eyes. Oh, this was not good, this was not good at all. Jerk smirked at her.
"Here she is, my lord. Stubborn, insolent piece of filth."
Reflexes kicked in. "Hey, stop running yourself down. You've really got some issues, you know that?"
Zap.
"Oof. Yeah, I thought so."
"As you can see, my lord, this hasn't shut that mouth of hers, but at least it's amusing. There are higher settings, though they tend to cause permanent damage with extended use." Jerk handed the control rod to Even Bigger Jerk, who took it without looking. Those eyes were still fixed appraisingly on Vette. She was starting to squirm when the Sith suddenly looked away.
"Is she ready for release?"
"Yes, my lord. Just say the word."
"Let her out, then."
Vette could hardly believe her ears. Sure enough, the door of the cell was swung open. "You're... letting me go?"
"Hardly," sneered Jerk. "She's all yours, my lord."
"Excellent. You have done well. Come, Vette."
The Twi'lek followed, stunned. She realized vaguely that this was the first time since leaving the tomb that anyone had actually called her by her name.
They walked through a series of dark corridors, then out into the sunlight. Vette slowed and shielded her eyes until they became accustomed to the glare. The Sith kept going, with long, purposeful strides. Vette had to hurry to catch up. It was all so familiar - rescued, brought out of darkness into the light, and now a quick, silent march to... where? Another prison? The Sith never even glanced back at her, much less volunteered information. Vette was too worn down to try and wrangle out some answers. She contented herself with just looking around.
They were moving through the outskirts of the settlement which surrounded the Academy. Red rock, red sky, grey buildings, grey Imperials. Every now and then an acolyte, distinguished by their showy outfits and arrogant expressions. No one gave Vette a second glance - slaves were commonplace enough. But her companion attracted plenty of attention. Stares, nods, the occasional bow. The stares were ignored. The greetings were acknowledged with formal courtesy. It was strange, but again, familiar. Vette felt like she was moving in a dream. Softly the past began to merge with the present. Somehow she wouldn't have been surprised to hear her sister calling, running out to meet them from the...
Slave quarters.
Vette snapped back to reality. So that was it. Another prison after all. Her heart sank as they moved towards what looked like an administration building, with rows and rows of squalid slave housing stretching beyond it. When they went inside, Vette was simply told to wait and left in a large, dreary room with a few bored-looking guards. It wasn't long before the Sith returned and back outside they went. But not towards the huts. There was another building nearby, barracks, by the look of it, but once inside Vette saw that the place was divided into individual rooms. It was clean. It was bright. It was cool.
The Sith stopped in front of a door which opened on command. Inside was a very small room, but it had an actual bed, a tiny private refresher, a closet of sorts with a change of clothes, and a table with... FOOD? It even looked edible!
Vette was still staring greedily at this last feature when the Sith started to speak. "These are your quarters. Rest and eat. You will need your strength tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes. On Darth Baras' orders, we are returning to the tomb where I found you."
Vette gaped at her. "What? Why?"
"My lord Baras is interested in the chamber you described. He wishes it located, and that I take something to bring back to him."
"Really?" While Vette paused to digest this, the Sith continued.
"I have all the items confiscated from you. Will you need anything else?"
"I, uh... no. No, that's fine. Oh! Wait - the googles. They're toast. I don't suppose...?"
"I will get you another pair. Anything else?"
"Nothing I can think of. I'm kinda tired. Torture will do that to a girl."
"If you think of anything else, we will have to try to obtain it in the morning. I'll be here early. Good night, Vette." The Sith started for the door.
"Wait," Vette called out on impulse. Maybe it was exhaustion, maybe it was desperation, but the woman before her didn't seem nearly so intimidating anymore. Sith, yes. Stern, yes. But there was a kind of... something... about her. It made Vette feel bold. "I told you my name. What's yours?"
The Sith turned and looked at her for a moment with those sharp yellow eyes. "My lord," she answered. That was all. She turned and left the room. The door audibly locked behind her.
"Huh. Not promising," Vette muttered. Except... except that, just as the Sith had turned away again, she could swear she'd seen a smile on her face.
Tomorrow was going to be a very interesting day.
